Dan's Amazingly Legible Scribblings

[dANdeLION]

The Story

I like to write. It's much better than speaking. It pleases me to see the words come out
the way I intended them to. It also pleases me to have others see what I want them to see,
thus guiding them to all the proper conclusions regarding myself.

It's much easier to correct a written mistake before it's read than a spoken one before
it's heard. Much easier to take back hurtful things that once said, can never really be
taken back. It makes it possible to say what you really think without being a called jerk;
it allows you to be respected for your thoughts, rather that hated, or feared. Writing
makes friends, speaking loses them.

With these thoughts in mind, I have decided to write The Story. It won’t be a story
to help mankind achieve a higher plane of thought, or stop world hunger, or any of those
unattainable achievements that writers before me have stated as their inspiration. No, I
will aim at a much more concrete goal, one well within the means of my formidable
abilities. I will write this story so that people will read it, and in reading it will see what a
wonderful talent I am. Then I will be elevated to my proper status. Then I will be praised.

The Story will have a main character that was charming, thoughtful, virtuous,
handsome, brave, intelligent and strong. All these characteristics will then be
accredited to me, the writer, because everyone knows that true art is but a reflection of
the artist. And I intend this to be true art.

The setting, whether past or future, will be magnificent. I want the readers to revel
in the majestic splendor laid before them, marveling at the brilliance of imagination
capable of painting such a wonderful picture. And I will leave them panting for more.

The plot, of course, will be the hard part. It must have a crisis large enough to capture
the reader, yet not so massive that the main character (I will call him Joe) can't
handle it by himself. And I want Joe to handle the smaller situations that occur
during the telling of this Story in such a way that I wish I had handled myself when put
in similar situations. In short, I want Joe to be who I wish to be, and I want
everyone to wish that he were Joe, too.

Joe will be as large as life. He will get the girls that ignored me in high school, be the
hero when I was the goat, succeed where I failed, and flourish where I floundered. Joe
will live the good life. And when threatened, Joe will fight, not run; win, not lose.
But Joe will be humble, and unaware of his own greatness. He will struggle at times
with things before eventually succeeding. He will get confused, frustrated, and even
angry at circumstances beyond his immediate control. That way, when people see the
same behavior in me, they will understand that I am struggling with things on a much
deeper level than they can otherwise conceive. And they will adore me all the more.

Joe will never find the true love of his life. That will leave women the opportunity
to believe that they can be his true love, if he were only real. Not having Joe, they can have me,
his creator, in Joe’s stead. I will be to them the heart and soul of Joe, his essence. And I would be
remiss to deny them any part of Joe that was mine to give.

Joe will be a man's man, laughing and working with the best of them. His physical
prowess would make him the center of attention. His "yes" would be good enough to start
a business on, his keen wit and insight will prove invaluable to his peers, who
will constantly lean on him for their life decisions. In this way, I could receive the
camaraderie of men who so far have not noticed me. Men with power and standing in the
community will wish to be more like me, like I have so often wished to be like them. They will realize their need for a "Joe" in
their lives, and I will be him. They will envy me, but they will also appreciate the
blessing of being able to count on me as their friend. I will be their best friend.

It will be a glorious story.

I, of course, have no experience in the field of writing. I dropped out of English Lit in
college, and the thought of sitting for months at a keyboard, typing with cheeto-stained
fingers, staring blankly at a computer screen leaves a lot to be desired. So I'll probably sit
around, waiting for my Joe to come out of woodwork and drag me along with him to the
success I so richly deserve. And then, of course, I will kill Joe off. After all we can't have
two of us running about, can we?

[dANdeLION]

FLIGHT OF THE BADGER

@1992 Dan Southard

HE HUNTS IN THE DARK OF NIGHT
THE SHADOWS HIDE HIS HUNGRY FORM
YELLOW TEETH GLISTENING
IN MOONLIGHT PALE AND WARM

FLIGHT OF THE BADGER
NEVER GIVE A REASON WHY
FLIGHT OF THE BADGER
FLY, BADGER FLY

SILENTLY STALKING, EVER ALONE
HE FINDS THE SCENT HE'S LOOKING FOR
IN A FLASH THE HUNT BEGINS
AS HE TRACKS HIS VICTIM'S SPOOR

FLIGHT OF THE BADGER
IT'S ALWAYS DO OR DIE
FLIGHT OF THE BADGER
FLY, BADGER FLY

HIS UNWITTING PREY TURNS IN TIME
TO BE STRUCK DOWN IN A FLURRY
OF CLAWS, TEETH, AND FUR
THE BADGER'S RELENTLESS FURY

FLIGHT OF THE BADGER
IT'S A DIRTY TRADE YOU PLY
FLIGHT OF THE BADGER
FLY, BADGER FLY

THE BATTLE OVER, A MOMENT'S REST
HE TEARS INTO HIS PREY WITH ZEST
HIS PORCINE GRUNTING FILLS THE WOOD
HIS FOOD, IT TASTES GOOD

FLIGHT OF THE BADGER
NEVER QUESTION WHY
FLIGHT OF THE BADGER
FLY, BADGER FLY

THEN, MUCH LIKE TOOTHPASTE
SQUOZE THROUGH ONE'S FINGERS AND DOWN THE DRAIN
HE IS GONE

SUCH IS THE FLIGHT OF THE BADGER

[dANdeLION]

FLOWER OF DOOM

(by Tom and Dan, but Dan did the good part!)


The watchtower was shaken to its very foundation as Bayoman's army surged up the hills lining the perimeter of Southerland castle. Loose stones dropped from the sides of the massive gray monolith like the bitter tears of a weeping mountain. The irresistible force crashed against the immovable object.

Sentries had sounded the alarm throughout the ancient citadel well in advance of the invading horde but nothing could have prepared them for a force so vast. The surrounding countryside was blanketed by a living tide of malevolence and death.

Thousands of marauders led by dozens of hulking giants, shrugged off attacks by the out numbered, human defenders lining the battlements along the outer walls. It would have only been a matter of time before the gates fell and the castle plundered if not for King Daniel.

The Sorcerer King ascended the throne, pushed the holy launch button and laughed like a drunken clown.

The ground shook as the citadel-class spaceship "Southerland Castle" threw off the soil and gravity, which was her port. The fires from her great engines blossomed below her, engulfing the would-be conquerors in a flower of doom.

[dANdeLION]

Hole in Space

By D. Southard
2001

Chapter 1 "Escape"

Captain Samuel Dante liked to be called Sam. This way, he felt his crew would
know that they would be treated like equals, not like slaves as he was on the
vessels he had served on in his younger days. He was forty-three, with thick,
curly brown hair kept short; gentle brown eyes and a face that seemed too soft
to belong to the battle-hardened man he was. Yet when Sam gave the order to
fire, his men obeyed without hesitation.

The hulking vessel that filled his view screen was accelerating away at an
alarming rate and had to be stopped. Innocent lives had been ruthlessly taken
and the murderers were still within the range of his weapons. The entire ship
shuddered as three nuclear torpedoes erupted from the forward launch tubes.
Earth/Space Force ships were the only police for the entire solar system and a
terrible crime had just been committed. Only moments before Sam watched
helplessly as all twenty hostages were vented into the vacuum of space for no
other reason than their rapidly expanding bodies would slow pursuit long enough
for the killers to make good their escape.

The Carolina wasn't as fast as Sam's patrol cruiser Barbados, but if she were
allowed to jump to hyperspace, tracking her down would be a waste of time, as
she could be at any of an infinite number of spots on an imaginary line between
here and the opposite end of the universe.

The torpedoes closed on their target in a matter of seconds and the marauders
attempted to intercept them with canon fire without any success. Then, at the
exact moment of their contact with the hull of the Carolina, all hell broke
loose. The Carolina disappeared under a wave of flames that erupted into the
void of space, exploding outward with a violent force way beyond the
capabilities of the objects creating them. They threatened to consume the
Barbados, and scorch the very stars of their galaxy.

If her shields hadn't automatically gone up, the Barbados would have been
cooked. As it was, she was severely buffeted by shock wave after shock wave,
sending her officers and crew flying about like food in a mess hall fight.
Lights flickered and dimmed, as power was lost, requiring back-up systems to run
life support, gravity, and other essentials until main power could be restored.

"What in the Seven Systems was that ship carrying?" asked First Mate Zelda Smith
as she picked herself up off the floor, bruised, but otherwise unhurt. Zelda was
a beautiful woman, in her early thirties (Sam guessed; she would never tell)
with a round face and full, pouting lips. She was all curves but tough enough to
take out an armed man with her bare hands, with flowing crimson hair and a
sparkle in her green eyes that hinted at secrets men would die to know. She was
his First Mate, in all the ways that mattered, and the only woman that a man
like him could love.

"Nothing that could do that," answered Sam, wiping the blood off his mouth with
his sleeve. "E/S.F. only knew about the hostage situation. The Carolina was only
carrying its planets' dignitaries to earth for their convention. But it's our
job to find out just what happened here."

As the Barbados' systems came back on line, Sam set his mind to the many small
tasks that always followed these chases, and the mystery of how three little
torpedoes could have made such a big bang. "Take us to the spot of Carolina's
destruction, Zelda," he said "And scan for traces of anything left behind. We
should be able to find something that can tell us what the Carolina was
carrying, and why she would go to such extreme measures to protect her secrets".
Zelda would be busy with that task for a while, so Sam ordered all injured men
to sickbay, then went there to get his lip stitched and went to his quarters to
sleep.

Chapter 2 "Redemption"

Sam awoke refreshed, and soon was back on the helm, asking for a progress report
on the earlier explosion. "You mean your inferno, sir?" asked Zelda, with a
smirk on her face that nearly erased the lines of fatigue that had appeared in
the last few hours. "My inferno?" he wondered, and knowing there was a joke
there somewhere, merely muttered "Cute", and pored over the report Holden handed
him. After a few minutes, he understood most of what happened, but there were
still a few questions. "Zelda, I see here that there are no traces of the ship
found. That led you to the conclusion that the Carolina had managed a jump at
the last second. But this also implies that the missiles didn't find their
target, if the Carolina indeed escaped. Yet we know they detonated, and what
makes no sense to me is why is there no residual radiation from the missiles?"
At this point, ensign Starke spoke up. Starke was a quiet man, barely 20 years
old, and yet his keen mind proved itself of infinite value in the few months
since his station to Barbados. "I believe that the Carolina jumped, but she
didn't escape, Sam. The evidence suggests that she was struck at precisely the
exact moment she jumped. The residual traces we are looking for are on the other
side of the jump. That is why we can't find them here." "Okay" Sam said "that
explains the residue issue. But what was that explosion about? We had only shot
to cripple her; that explosion was way too immense, and those flames; I've spent
twenty-some years in space and I've never seen a fireworks display like that
before." Zelda answered this time, in a small voice that told Sam that this was
only a theory (she trusted fact alone), and was only forwarded because eight
hours of searching could find nothing more. "We think it may be that the
combination of the nuclear explosion with the hyperspace jump tapped forces more
powerful than either could separately. Cosmic forces, perhaps. If the computer
isn't wrong, it's conceivable that these forces could have created a black hole.
It might not be large enough to show up on radar yet, maybe won't be for a
thousand years, or maybe it will expand and swallow us up in five minutes. I
know this is all very Star trekkish, but we can find no explanation that even
approaches standard logic."

Sam chewed on this for a while before answering. "Is there any other explanation
for these happenings?" he asked. Zelda replied, "The chaplain had a rather
interesting one, Sam. It's actually the reason for us calling it 'Your
Inferno'". After a brief but intriguing explanation, Sam ordered the Barbados to
move a few light years away, safe from any possible black holes. He then issued
his report to E/S.F., warning them to be on the lookout for a "hole in space".
They would probably think he was space happy, and require the whole crew of the
Barbados take a short vacation, but the only other explanation would get him
retired, probably to his own personal rubber room.

He chuckled as he as he thought of the chaplains' theory: "Our Holy missiles
smote down the forces of evil; they sent them straight to Hell at speeds
infinitely greater than light. What we briefly glimpsed was the fires of Hell
opening up to receive those dastardly men; the inferno that awaits all those who
sin in the sight of our Lord and don't beg Jesus for forgiveness." Sam laughed
out loud. "My inferno, indeed. With a little brimstone added in for good
measure. I can just see myself reporting to my commanders that I witnessed
Dante's Inferno, first hand." But deep inside, he knew the truth that lay in the
chaplain's words. After all, what else could make a man like him, who was by his
very nature bad, become a policeman, and try to do good. What, then, if not God?

[thomasallencummins]

danomite said:

FLOWER OF DOOM

(by Tom and Dan, but Dan did the good part!)


The watchtower was shaken to its very foundation as Bayoman's army surged up the hills lining the perimeter of Southerland castle. Loose stones dropped from the sides of the massive gray monolith like the bitter tears of a weeping mountain. The irresistible force crashed against the immovable object.

Sentries had sounded the alarm throughout the ancient citadel well in advance of the invading horde but nothing could have prepared them for a force so vast. The surrounding countryside was blanketed by a living tide of malevolence and death.

Thousands of marauders led by dozens of hulking giants, shrugged off attacks by the out numbered, human defenders lining the battlements along the outer walls. It would have only been a matter of time before the gates fell and the castle plundered if not for King Daniel.

The Sorcerer King ascended the throne, pushed the holy launch button and laughed like a drunken clown.

The ground shook as the citadel-class spaceship "Southerland Castle" threw off the soil and gravity, which was her port. The fires from her great engines blossomed below her, engulfing the would-be conquerors in a flower of doom.

Hey! Did anyone realize that Southerland Castle was a spaceship?

[Avatar]

Hey, that's the first time I read The Story. It was great. Totally good choice for the anthology.

--A

[thomasallencummins]

FLOWER OF DOOM COMPLETE (by Dan & Tom)

Flower of Doom: Part One - The Initial Revelation

The watchtower was shaken to its very foundation as Bayoman's army surged up the hills lining the perimeter of Southerland castle. Loose stones dropped from the sides of the massive gray monolith like the bitter tears of a weeping mountain. The irresistible force crashed against the immovable object.
Sentries had sounded the alarm throughout the ancient citadel well in advance of the invading horde but nothing could have prepared them for a force so vast. The surrounding countryside was blanketed by a living tide of malevolence and death.
Thousands of marauders led by dozens of hulking giants, shrugged off attacks by the out numbered, human defenders lining the battlements along the outer walls. It would have only been a matter of time before the gates fell and the castle plundered if not for King Daniel.
The Sorcerer King ascended the throne, pushed the holy launch button and laughed like drunken clown.
The ground shook as the citadel-class spaceship "Southerland Castle" threw off the soil and gravity, which was her port. The fires from her great engines blossomed below her, engulfing the would-be conquerors in a flower of doom.

Flower of Doom: Part Two – Continuing The Revelation

Tresh shrugged off the burning timbers and rubble until he was able to stand erect. Other soldiers scattered throughout the wreckage that was once the lower levels of Southerland Castle, were likewise climbing out from under the smoking chaos.
“Astor! Are you alright?” Tresh moved toward his friend who was half buried in a pile of flaming planks.
“Aye, Tresh. I seem to be no worse for what I’ve been through.” Astor kicked at the ashes at his feet.
“Say Astor. Did you know the castle was a space ship?” Tresh shouted.
“No Tresh. Can’t say as I knew that truly helpful piece of information.” Astor glared at Tresh.
“Hey Donario!” Tresh found another survivor a few feet away. “Did you know the castle was a space ship?”
“Sorry Tresh.” Dondario spoke with a thick Danian accent. “I think I would have mentioned that to someone if I had known anything about a space ship given the fact that we go our asses kicked.”
“Walter. Walter Torthnosh. Did you know the freaking castle was a space ship?” Walter remained silent but extended his middle finger in Tresh’s direction.
“How about that?” Tresh spoke to no one in particular.
“How about that?”

Flower of Doom: Part Three - The Continued Revelation Part Two

Garth layed still until the G-forces and quake-like shuddering of the castle subsided, then he was able to stand erect. Other citizens scattered throughout the complex machinery that was once the middle levels of Southerland Castle were staring in dumbfoundedness, as if seeing the machinery most of them spent their entire lives maintaining for the first time.
“Ash! Are you alright?” Garth moved toward his friend who was still visibly shaken. "I seem to be no worse for what we’ve been through.” Ash muttered, kicking the dust at his feet. “Say, Ash. Did you know the castle was a space ship?” Garth shouted. “No Garth. Can’t say as I knew that truly helpful piece of information.” Ash glared at Garth.
“Hey Donald!” Garth found another citizen a few feet away. “Did you know the castle was a space ship?” “Sorry Garth.” Donald spoke with a thick Southlandian accent. “I think I would have mentioned that to someone if I had known anything about a space ship given the fact that we've been working our asses off maintaining these d**n machines for generations now.”
“Wally. Wally Southnosh. Did you know the freaking castle was a space ship?” Wally remained silent but extended his middle finger in Garth’s direction.
“How about that?” Garth spoke to no one in particular.
“How about that?”

Flower of Doom: Part Four – The Further Continued Revelation Part Three

Bayoman sat upon his horse in stunned silence. The dark features of his countenance were stretched into a strict scowl. His white teeth were stark against the thick black beard that covered most of his scarred face. Every exhalation of his breath was like hoary plume of seething anger.
“My lord. Words are inadequate.” Shool spoke with a discernable quiver in his ancient voice. The old man was Bayoman’s senior advisor. A man employed by Bayoman’s own father and his father before him. Shool was a man who was trusted beyond any questioning. His advice, a prize to any would be conqueror. Shool sat in the saddle next to his king, shivering in the glacial, mountain air. The wisps of his thin, silver hair fluttered like a pennon in the icy wind.
Bayoman remained silent but his every aspect was one of unbridled rage.
“My lord, King. There was no way I could have known that King Daniel’s castle was a space ship. Did you per chance have any knowledge of this surprising revelation?”
There was a sudden flash of steel and a splash of crimson.


Flower of Doom: Part Five - The Further Continued Revelation Part Four

As the sleek form of the spacecruiser U.S.S. Tsunami silently patrolled the Gamma-Delta star system, her sensors detected a curious event.
“Increase magnification by a factor of ten, Mr. Mr. Info” Captain Thornton spoke quietly.
“Aye, Captain”, Mr. Info answered, efficiently punching in the proper commands into the central terminal.
A spaceship appeared on the screen, escaping the gravitational pool of Gamma-Delta 5, a planet the United Planetary League had been watching from afar for decades. The ship’s velocity increased as it rapidly shrank into the distance.
“Mr. Info, what information do we have on this planet?”
“It is an earth-class planetoid, Captain; capable of sustaining life for several millions of years now. The sentient species on this planet are very human-like; they have evolved to a level roughly equivalent to Earth’s Baroque period. In fact, I cannot ascertain as to how they managed to build a Citadel-class starship that is clearly several centuries old.”
“Citadel-class, Mr. Info?”
“That is correct, captain. She is Citadel-class starship NFG-1197-X, and was registered on Earthdate 52.2.2347 as Southerland Pride, sir. Her origins appear to be Rigellian. I do not know why she was here on Gamma-Delta 5, but I do know she was disguised as Southerland Castle.”
“I see”, said Thornton.
“Ensign Ashta, can you sense anything from that ship?”
“I will try, Captain”. Ashta closed her eyes and her face became a mask of calm sedation. “I sense confusion, Captain, as if nobody knew the city was in fact a starship. I do sense one more thing; an isolated sense of glee, combined with a hint of madness. I believe that’s coming from the captain of Southerland Pride, sir.”
“Thank you, Ensign. That will be all for now.” Captain Thornton sat with an expression of mild consternation on his chiseled features. He turned to first officer Powers.
“So, Steven; did you know that Southerland Castle was a starship?”
“No, Captain. Can’t say as I knew that truly helpful piece of information, sir.”
“How about you, Lieutenant Collins? Did you know?”
“I think I would have mentioned that to someone if I had known anything about a space ship given the fact that it’s our job to know these sorts of things, captain.”
“And Mr. Blackheart, did you know?”
Weapons officer Blackheart remained silent but extended his middle finger in Thornton’s direction……

Flower of Doom: Part Six - The Further Continued Revelation Part Five

King Daniel’s supply caravan drew to a halt. The nearly endless line of camels and wagons stretched into the hazy distance, dust plumed into the clear desert air. A cacophony of squeals, grunts and calls went up from the various servants and animals that populated the procession. Aboard the lead wagon sat Treal, Wagon master. His eyes followed the exhaust trail that billowed behind Southerland castle as it sped toward the heavens. His deep blue eyes squinted as the soaring castle’s silhouette passed near the blazing, morning sun. Treal was forced to shield his eyes with his thick, work weathered hands. Stush sat next to Treal, a near twin to the Wagon master. He mimicked his brother, his motions and aspect.
“Treal?” Stush muttered quietly. “Did you know our home, Southerland castle, was a space ship?”
Treal continued to scan the skies as the bright star of the castle’s engines began to fade into obscurity. His gaze finally dropped from the sky and fell to the cracked and weathered wood of the wagon’s base board.
“You know, Stush. Do you truly believe I would have kept such a very important piece of information such as that to myself?” Treal grabbed the wagon’s reins, tied them off on a nearby peg, and leapt from the wagon to the warm desert sand. Treal stood next to the wagon with his fists on his hips. He stared off into the hazy distance in the direction of where his home had been.
“Treal?” Stush called to his brother. “What are we supposed to do?”
Treal ignored his brother’s query. He turned back toward the winding length of the caravan and shouted. “Did any of you know that Southerland castle was a space ship?” Treal’s thick, commanding voice echoed off the nearby canyon walls without so much as a whisper in response. A few moments later Treal pulled his longsword from its scabbard, placed its sharp tip against the skin at the base of his throat and…

Flower of Doom: Part Seven - The Further Continued Revelation Part Six

Regaltheon, god of power and radiance, sat on his golden throne and considered the tiny world beneath him. The humans provided many an entertainment for the gods. Regaltheon had made many secret visits to human maidens while disguised as a handsome, minstrel. Regaltheon’s wife, Protura goddess of beauty and fertility, was unaware of her husband’s baser proclivities. Regaltheon had never sired a bastard child, until now. The boy was handsome and powerful, though he had yet to learn of his divine heritage. One day young Savoteen would learn the truth and Regaltheon’s secret would be revealed but a god-father’s pride in his unusual son was worth the scandal that would result.
Regaltheon’s legitimate son, Raesor, suddenly marched into the great hall breaking Regltheon’s concentration. The young god’s sandaled feet echoed off the hard marble floor and walls. He was the very image of his mother. Regaltheon’s face contorted into a scowl of displeasure at the approach of his child.
“Father.” Raesor chimed. “I have news. I have fallen in love with a human woman. King Daniel’s daughter, Rhinda. I demand you allow me to follow my heart and wed her as a mortal man!” Raesor fell silent, his clean, boyish face was a wash of defiance.
“Hahahahahha…” Regaltheon boomed. “You have my blessing my son. However I have news that you may find troubling.”
Raesor’s face quickly shifted to an expression of cautious concern.
“My son, your beloved has been transported beyond our influence. It seems that Southerland castle was in fact a space ship and was launched this morning by King Daniel himself. The ship is hurtling away from this world at a tremendous rate.”
Raesor was aghast. He stumbled forward a few steps and struggled to speak. “But…” Raesor searched for the words, grappled with his distress but finally composed himself to frame the question that was burning to be asked.
“Did you know that Southerland castle was a space ship?”

Flower of Doom: Part Eight - The Revelation Finale

King Daniel’s laughter slowly subsided once the Southerland Pride’s hyperdrive engaged, hurtling the ship towards her destination at speeds greater than Daniel had ever imagined possible. He stared at the projection screen as stars hurtled by in endless streams of light, awed by the magnificent display. Minutes passed; perhaps even hours, before his reverie was interrupted by his trusted vizier, Corvaelys.
“Isn’t it amazing, Corvaelys?” asked the King. “It is indeed, your majesty, but I am afraid the affairs of your kingdom must now be addressed. In short, your humble citizenry desires to know a few things, and I admit that I share their curiosity.”
“Ask away, my good man; I will endeavor to answer to the best of my limitless knowledge.”
“Okay, I’ll start with this; do you know where we are heading?”
“Yes, but I prefer to keep it a surprise. Suffice it to say that this flight has effectively ended our war with Bayoman, and our landing will insure that we are the victors.”
“Very well, your majesty. On to the second question. Are we now in the habit of leaping to the heavens whenever we want to?”
“No, noble Corvaelys. My father was quite clear on this point. He said the Holy Launch button may only be used once every hundred years, give or take a few months. He mentioned something about solar generators recharging, or some such ‘technology’ claptrap; give me good old sorcery any day, and leave that technology to the madmen, I always say! In any event, once we land, that is where we shall stay. For at least one hundred years, that is.”
“I see” mused the vizier. “Well then, that leaves one final question. Did you know that Southerland Castle was a starship?”
A mad gleam shone in King Daniel’s eyes as his mind wandered back in time to the first and only time his father took him into the Holy Launch Chamber, and showed him the sacred button. “Remember, my son, this is only to be pushed in times of extreme emergency. You must first state the nature of the emergency loudly and clearly, and then, if the Gods will it, the button will glow a bright red, allowing it to be pushed. Once pushed, the Gods will do the rest.”
“But father, what does it do?” asked young Daniel. A mad gleam shone in young Daniel’s father’s eyes as his mind wandered back in time to the first and only time his father took him into the Holy Launch Chamber………


Flower of Doom: Part Seven A - The Revelation Epilogue Part 6.5

Shawn Carter slowly walked the hot sidewalk that ran along the street in front of the Terrace County Courthouse. He had spent the better part of the morning standing in line behind many of his fellow citizens waiting for his turn to pay his fines. Shawn understood the laws he had broken but it was a hard pill to swallow. Really, what was the harm in driving his car while high on crack? Shawn managed to sell just enough of his coveted drug stash to pay his fines and still held on to enough so that he could walk home and get really toasted. He would try to forget about his driver’s license being suspended and his car being impounded.
Shawn hadn’t eaten or drank anything since the night before and he was becoming dazed by the hot summer sun, the possible beginnings of heatstroke. Every step that he took seemed to compound Shawn’s inability to focus. Then suddenly there seemed to be a bright flash from the sun. Or was it inside Shawn’s head? He stumbled and his momentum sent him plunging toward the hard sidewalk.
Shawn’s head slammed unmercifully against the unyielding concrete. .
There was another flash and then darkness.
After a few moments Shawn seemed to recover, he managed to roll over onto his back. When he opened his eyes he was greeted by a bright blue sky dotted by several puffy white clouds. Off in the distance he noticed mountain peaks. Mountain peaks? Shawn lived in Florida. There wasn’t anything remotely similar to a mountain for hundreds of miles from his home. Shawn quickly sat up. The courthouse was gone replaced by a rocky slope. There was no sign of the concrete sidewalk upon which he was walking.
What the hell?
Then Shawn noticed the castle across a wide lake. It looked like the kind of castles he’d seen in movies and in pictures. It was beautifully reflected in the calm water. The castle was also surrounded by a vast army. Shawn guessed that the castle was about to be attacked. Then there was a thunderous rumble deep in the earth. Shawn could feel the powerful vibrations through the ground. Ripples appeared across the surface of the water. Then a flash of fire erupted from the bottom of the castle. A ring of flames blasted the army on all sides sending charred bodies hurtling into the air like a plume of dust. Then the castle began to rise above the ground. Shawn thought the flames beneath it resembled the exhaust that he’d seen during a space shuttle launch. Higher and higher the castle ascended, picking up speed as it soared into the sky until all that was left was a long trail of smoke, snaking upward into the heavens.
“I never would have guessed that castle was really a space ship.” Shawn muttered to himself.

End

[dANdeLION]

You forgot the last part:

Flower of Doom: The Badger Part XII

The Badger rose in the cool night air;
Into the heavens he did stare
With beady eye did he spy
A castle-shaped ship passing by

This perplexed the badger much
It invaded his thoughts and dreams and such
So much so that he decided to speak
To the wizened owl, who was taking a leak

“I say, Mister Owl, did you happen to know
That the castle was a spaceship, hurtling to and fro?”
The owl turned his head round and round,
And proceeded to answer in a voice like a frown

“If I happened to possess such a useful lore;
Think you not I’d have told you afore?”
The Badger pondered such tidings with aplomb
And decided to mail the smart-assed owl a bomb.

[dANdeLION]

The Man in Grey

The Man in Grey slowly emerged from the shadows, and strode menacingly towards the failing light of dusk. As he walked, one could not help but notice his slight limp, and, once noticed, one could not help but speculate as to what could injure such a formidable man. So it came to pass that Hans Frederik asked the Man in Grey why he had a limp. The Man in Grey glowered at Hans for a minute, then sighed to himself, and then began to speak. "It happened many years ago, long before we lost the Great War. Back when we still had our cities, and our technology. I was not a warrior then, but instead I was one of the top geneticists in my field. I was young and I had dreams. I was cocky, I had plenty to prove, and so I set out to prove it. I didn't try to correct any great social ills, or cure a crippling disease, or anything like that; my goal was more....personal. It was my intent to create the perfect woman. It took seven years to do it, but in the end I had succeeded. Or, at least, I thought I had succeeded. She disagreed. She said I made her thighs too fat, and then she shot me. In the leg. I’m sure that given proper medical attention, I wouldn’t have this limp, but as it turns out, the aliens attacked at that precise moment, and somehow I managed to escape both them and her. I’ve been running from her ever since. And now, I must bid you farewell, forever.” With that, the Man in Grey took out his ancient revolver, and reformed the face of Hans Fredjuccostos into a bloody smear on the worn pavement of the ancient road.

[dANdeLION]

The Flower of Doom, Revisited

Perschwinn wept openly as he laid his dead wife to rest in the cold ground. His tears mixed with the soft dirt he piled atop her, and when he was done, he sat there for hours, mute and unmoving. Finally, he got up and walked back to the house that they shared, a house that would never be a home again. His thoughts were melancholy. If only he had been a bit faster, a bit surer, she'd still be alive. But he allowed doubt to enter at the final, fatal moment, and she was undone, never to light his morning with a smile, never to remove the aches of a hard day's work with a kiss. He walked woodenly around the house, picking up the few things he'd be taking on his journey, and soon left for the open road. Everyone who saw him coming took a wide berth around him, because they saw two things in his troubled eyes; one was the spector of immenent death, and the other was the obvious fact that he had no earthly idea that Sutherland Castle was in fact a spaceship.