Katana-Tail

[Communication’s officer’s log Star Date 3620.4. The Enterprise has come into orbit over a newly discovered M class planet, that long range sensors have indicated is emitting a strange unknown energy source. Commander Spock and I are scanning the surface of the planet as directed by Captain Kirk to see if we can determine the source of the energy which seems to be emanating from the southern hemisphere of the planet.] “Lieutenant M’Ress, analysis? Have we determined the location of the mysterious energy source?” Captain Kirk asked. The lieutenant gave a slight purr of frustration. “No Captain. We have localized the site of the energy emanating from the planet to its southernmost island, a subcontinent. It appears to be mostly focused on the western half of the isle.” Commander Spock peered into the bridge scope as he scanned over the localized area of the energy emanating from the planet. “Captain, I believe I have located the precise site,” he announced. Kirk spun

Keith tried to catch his breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly. ‘Where were they all coming from?’ he thought to himself. Before him stood a host of cloaked shadowy figures. Their robes swirled about them like mist and shade, while their hoods veiled their faces, leaving only a void of pitch in their place. These spectral-like attackers had seemingly come from nowhere. And there seemed to be no end to them. He felt someone bump into his back, his instinct was to spin and defend against another attacker. But before he could, a familiar and welcome scent dispersed any sense of danger. It was Natani. “Damn!” Nat swore. “Where did all these bastards come from?” “Natani, are you alright?” Keith asked. “Fine,” she said, “took a hit to the jaw, but I’m okay.” Natani spat on the ground blood and saliva mixed with the dirt at their feet. Keith’s eyes flickered to his companion for a moment. Natani’s bandages were ripped and torn, exposing her chest while the shirt

Laura slid her finger across the smooth glass screen of her phone absorbed more in its content than the people in the bar. Before she had come to the party, she had uploaded her last live stream to MyTube and she was looking through the comments. It was a habit that she had started a few years ago and had shown to return dividends regarding fan support and loyalty. A few words or comments here a thank you there and the fan base went crazy, especially whoever it was that she was making the comment to. She smiled and the rush of emotions she got whenever she looked over all the gushing praise and complements, she got. She personally didn’t think she was all that much more than passably pretty but to her fans she was the most beautiful female in Mekkan. She had to be careful. If she wasn’t, all this praise was going to go to her head. She placed one hand over her mouth as she stifled a laugh at TomRyu777’s comment. He was one of her oldest fans and she had just

Alaric slowly lifted his arm out from the lake arching it high above his head, before lazily allowing it to drop back behind him, cutting through the cool clear water and propelling him in his backward stroke. High above him the clear sky was beginning to brighten as the morning sun started is steady climb into the sky. The early fall day was crisp and cool, but not too cool for a dip. Winter was still many months away and the light heat of summer still lingered in the days. It was neither autumn nor summer but the twilight season that sat between them. Soon the few trees that dropped their leaves in this far northern land would begin to change, and the wind would chill the fur too much to permit swimming comfortably as he was now. So, Alaric was intent on doing it as often as he possibly could before the weather grew colder. He had always enjoyed swimming. Even as a young lad he had loved it. There was something freeing about it. Stripping down to barely anything, if that

The cold icy wind blew harshly. His small camp fire, made of little more than twigs and what ever kindling he could dig from the snow, flickered in the forceful gusts. The final howling blasts of the night’s blizzard blew down forest pass that he camped nearby. The storm had come upon him suddenly in the twilight of the previous evening. Its cold driving snow fall forcing him to stop on his journey and take shelter lest he be buried in the snow. He had slept fitfully, getting only a few minutes of restless sleep in between waking to feed the fire with more sticks and kindling to keep it alight. Each time he piled more snow about the fire as a shield to keep the wind from snuffing it out like a mere candle. Despite raging the entire night, signs of the storm at last relenting began to show in the first dark hours of morning. The wind, once continuous and harsh, now was infrequent and far softer. The clouds high above at first a solid black as sack clothe now

Alaric stepped out of the taxi and slammed the door shut behind him. Seconds later the car sped off down the street leaving him standing outside of the Riftwall bar. He rubbed the back of his neck, massaging it with his hand, trying to reduce the tension that was so tied up in his muscles. He was not in the mood for a party. He had been looking forward to it before, despite his argument with Keith but after talking with his family, he just wanted to rest. He had been tired and exhausted by his flight and had hoped to get a nap in before meeting with Keith’s friends. That and maybe get a handle on his mental state too. But that was not to be, as just a few minutes after he had laid down at his hotel to rest the room phone had rung. Not thinking that it was anything more than room service or the front desk calling, asking if he wanted a complimentary wakeup call or maybe a drink or something, he immediately reached over picked up the receiver and held it to his ear. He did not even

As Kat and Laura turned the corner of the street on their way to ‘The Riftwall’ Laura began to slow her pace, finally coming to a complete stop a few dozen yards away from the bar’s front door. She really didn’t want to do this. Kat, already standing in front of The Riftwall turned back, expecting to see her friend just behind her, and was surprised to see that Laura was still half way down the street. Kat jogged back to her friend. “Laura, what’s wrong?” Laura rubbed one arm with her hand nervously and slowly let out her breath, which she had been holding unconsciously. “I don’t think I can do this.” Kat sighed. She was afraid that this would happen. “Laura. You can’t back out now. You already promised Keith that you would be here.” “He won’t mind. This was supposed to be a welcome party for Keith’s old friend. He just offered to make me a part of it to be polite.” Laura said trying to rationalize excused not go inside. “He’ll probably be relieved if I didn’t show up.” She was

Alaric stepped through the large glass doors, which slid open automatically upon his approach, and came to stand upon the concrete walkway that ran alongside the pickup and drop off drive of the airport. Looking left and right he scanned the many different vehicles that lined the road for his own ride. It was not an easy thing to do, to try and pick out the one car that was there for him. Especially since he had never seen it before. The road was filled with cars, mostly taxies, a few of them with family and friends helping their recently arrived loved ones either load their baggage into a car while others helped departing family unload theirs in preparation for an upcoming flight. The airport was always a busy place of comings and goings. Alaric could not for the life of him remember what Keith’s car looked like. He swore that Keith had told him once before but he couldn’t think of it now to save his life. He scanned the lineup of parked and idling cars again trying to jog

Laura reached into the front pouch on her hoodie and adjusted the volume on her phone absentmindedly. The beat drop on the music was a little bit louder than she had expected it to. EDM was good to play games to but sometimes when she was out and about town just shopping it was a little bit too much. Her stomach rumbled loudly reminding her why she was at the corner Squirrel Mart. She had just finished a long five hour plus gaming stream and she needed to eat. It would actually be the first time today that she had eaten now that she thought about it. The last time that she had eaten was four in the morning the previous night. Did that count as breakfast or dinner? She wondered. Technically it was last meal she ate before going to bed, but then again it was also the first meal she ate in the morning. Well whatever. She didn’t even eat on a schedule or anything so it didn’t matter what she called her meals. That of course was when she remembered to eat. She woken up

Katherine slowly nodded her head up and down in time while the dulcet tones of a playing piano, mixing with a steady step clap and the rhythmic beat that was layered beneath them. Lo Fi always did help her work when she was writing. Almost absent mindedly she used her free hand to adjust the music volume on the music stream. It was too loud, the beats had shifted and now the piano was less prominent, being over shadowed by the deep sound of a bass. It was a good idea to drop the noise a little anyway she was having trouble thinking and the music could often hinder her creativity just as often as it helped. She had written herself into a corner and she couldn’t think of a way out. The last place that the team had been was the oasis room enjoying the sun and fun of the magically produced false beach which had been a nice way to slip in a little fan service but now that she was ramping up the action and returning the story to a more serious tone she was struggling. She had been