Desperate Defense Snippet 1

Okay, first up, Sitrep:
  I am 21 chapters into Waking the Sleeping Giant. (In other words I'm half way done the book, past the first Act) Progress is about to slow however, I have family and stuff happening all this week. :P
  
   Also, Rea got DD back to me today. I've added the TOC and stuff and sent it off to Goodlifeguide.com for final formatting. I've got my fingers crossed I'll get it back by the end of the month.

  If you haven't noticed, Ransom, Wayne, and I think Duncan have been having fun at the Wiki. They've done some really good work updating it. Check it out!
http://federation-datanet.wikia.com/wiki/Federation_AI_Historical_Datanet_Wiki

If you'd like to lend a hand, let them know. I'm sure they'd love the help!

   I'm still printing stuff, with 2 printers I've worked through a lot of projects faster than I expected, but not without some hiccups along the way. Yesterday sucked, a full day of printing and only 1 item turned out half as expected, everything else was junk. I hate days like that.
  

   I've got a lot of stuff I want to print, but the stuff I'm making I've had to hold off. Some of it is because I'm still learning how to deal with the holes. The software has a fit about normals, the orientation has to be perfect. Even when I get it right sometimes it doesn't like it. It also doesn't like it when I add pieces together. Mechmaster has recommended I try Meshlab. I downloaded it, but I haven't given it a shot yet.

  My foot is getting better for those of you in the know. The swelling is almost gone and the bruise is mostly faded. It is still painful to touch though. The family is after me to get it checked but I'm too pig headed. :D

   I've considered a go-fund me page again. I'm putting that off as usual. I'd love to do that for donations but then I'd feel like I need to do something more to earn it. I've had a few of the betas and fans suggest it, especially for projects like videos, games, 3D models, comics, and such. But if I got into all of that I wouldn't be writing!

   Believe me, it is so tempting to pick up the new Facegen Pro program from Daz3D and use it. I've tried other freeware programs like it over the years. I'd get a kick putting someone's face in a 3D model... and maybe printing it out. Anyone wanna be a Marine? lol No, I'm not doing it anytime soon but it is tempting!

Okay, on to the snippet!

Chapter 1

August 2232

Planet Eden in the Pyrax Star System

“Such a beautiful world,” Menolly Lagroose murmured as she sat in her husband's arms and looked out across their rustic porch to the setting sun.

“Yeah, it is,” her husband murmured as he kissed her on the top of her head. She looked up and smiled at him, aware that he was more interested in what was in his grasp over the view.

“Hedonist,” she teased, stirring under the blanket. They'd oriented the porch swing and windows to get that gorgeous view whenever they wished.

He snorted and kicked the swing a bit to rock it a bit more. She reached up and wrapped a hand around his head to pull his lips down for a kiss. It was awkward for him, but he didn't complain.

“Now who's being hedonistic?” he asked as she released her prey, for the moment.

She snorted and poked him, then settled down to look out at the view. “I miss times like this.”

“I know. Enjoy it while you can. Once the little one comes …,” he shook his head.

“That bad?” she asked softly, clearly amused by him.

“Bad enough,” he said as he looked over to a sleeping Max. He shook his head. Despite the rejuv the two of them had undergone while in stasis, Max was aging faster than he should. His muzzle was graying and he was moving slower. The doctors said he had trouble with his hips. He was prone to sleeping more and more.

Jack felt for the pooch. The Neodog had been through hell and back with his late son Zack.

“Hey,” Menolly murmured, poking him harder.

“Wha? Sorry,” he said, blinking and looking down at her.

“Don't get maudlin on me, bub,” she warned.

“Am I that obvious?” he asked as he stroked her hair and shoulder with his free hand. The other arm was currently in use as her pillow.

“To me and to those close to you,” she murmured.

“Sorry.”

“No, you aren't. But I'll forgive you if you behave.”

Jack opened his mouth to say that he would, but he saw Max snort and then flick his ears and tail. “Shut up you,” he growled, looking over to the dog.

Menolly looked up at him in surprise, a little hurt, but then saw who he was looking at. She turned to look at Max. “Playing possum?” she asked.

“Something like that,” Jack grumbled just as Alan called.

“Duty calls or at least Alan,” Jack sighed.

“It was inevitable. I wish he'd wait until Monday, but he's probably got something cooking,” Menolly said as she let him up. She stretched and then smirked a little as she saw her husband's admiring gaze. “Like what you see?”

“Don't I know it!”

“Go answer Alan's call. We both know what happened the last time you didn't,” she said, voice darkening as she got up carefully.

“Now who's being maudlin?” he accused. She rarely ever brought up those dark times when they'd met.

“I'm not. I'm … you know what, never mind,” Menolly said as she padded off sans shoes to the house. The screen door opened. “I'll get dinner started while you get a SITREP.”

“I can help,” he protested.

“Sure you can. You get the cleanup,” she said with a grin through the screen at him as she went inside.

He chuckled, acknowledging his defeat. He saw Max's tail flop a few times.

“Don't get cute, bub. You can dry the dishes too,” Jack said as he stretched and opened the call. Max whined just as Alan's voice cleared. “No, you don't get to wash! The last time you did that you licked the plates clean and called it good!” Jack growled. “Hey, Alan,” he said in a different tone of voice as his implants blinked Alan's portrait on his HUD.

“Talking to the mutt again I see,” Alan chuckled.

“Yeah,” Jack said as he folded the blanket. It had been knitted in town, another local product. It was nice and rustic, with a deer knitted into the center. It wasn't quite perfect, but he was fine with it. Menolly liked it. It wasn't quite as warm as the fleece-lined blankets or their comforter, but it was nice for outside to keep the chill off.

“What's up?” he asked as his fingers flicked the blanket into approximate folds and then flipped it over the back of the swing. He was aware Menolly would come out and fold it her way later. She was like that, into little details now that she was pregnant. That and odd cravings, demands for massages, and a bit klutzy. He was still nursing a few bruised toes.

At least the morning sickness was over he thought. He'd rarely experienced that with Aurelia and their three kids he thought with a brief pang.

“Just thought I'd check in. We've had a minor crime wave, but we caught the culprits. Kids again.”

“I see. Well, glad they were caught. Orestes handled it?”

“As always, so you don't need to be involved. The families were a bit upset. Two were on record with prior warnings for antics. Kids these days …,” he sniffed.

“We all got into some mischief growing up. It's the quiet ones that can get into the most trouble; they get egged into things that frequently sink them over their head. No one was hurt?”

“Nope.”

“Good,” Jack said with a nod of approval.

“We've had thirty births since this morning. A bulk of them are Neos as expected. We've got our own mini baby boom going on it seems, especially in some of the Neo enclaves,” Alan reported.

“Just as long as they understand they have to feed and educate those kids. We might need a social services department soon to check in on that.”

“Spare me more intrusive government agencies. There is a reason I went to space. And a reason I signed on here,” Sheriff Tupper growled.

“Sorry. I'd sic someone else on it, Alan, you know that.”

“I do. But my people would be the ones enforcing things.”

“If it comes to you, then you know it is going to be serious,” Jack said. “But, we're currently borrowing trouble so let's not go there. Anything else?” he asked in a different tone of voice.

“No. Well, yes, we've got another ship coming in.”

“That makes number seven?” Jack asked eyebrows up in surprise.

“Yes. They transmitted their clearances to us this morning. They've got fifty thousand people on board, Jack,” Alan said.

“Well, I'm sure we'll find some place to put them,” Jack said with a shake of his head. He had a team working on prepping for incoming colonists. They had temporary housing in Landing, big apartment complexes, plus additional apartment complexes in some of the other growing cities. Most of the people on the planet liked to spread out on to their own homestead.

“Whoops! Gotta go. We've got a claim dispute. Another one … looks like a border dispute. I'll have to send someone out in the morning if I can't resolve it remotely.”

“I guess we need to lock that boarder down hard. Send in another survey team?” Jack asked.

“I don't know if it will do any good. Someone's bitching that the survey markers have been moved,” Alan said, reading the report out loud. He swore.

“We need more GPS in orbit then. Mark the survey with waypoints so no one can get cute like that,” Jack said. “And use identifying markers that they can't move. Like rock formations.”

“Right, since some people get cute and cut down trees,” Alan sighed. “Okay, I'm on it.”

“We'll be in tomorrow morning,” Jack said as he heard Menolly start to sing softly to herself as she cooked. “But not too early,” he said with a grin.

“I know what that means,” Alan chuckled as he hung up.

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