Sifu Blackirish
SOC-14 1K
ELIZABETH G. ZAMA
START - 779869, BORN 2131
COLLEGE +3 EDUC
INDEPENDENT MILITARY ACADEMY GUN CBT (.SMG) .LEADER .TACTICS
T1 N/2 .FWD OBSVR .ELECTRONIC
E1 -57 PATHFINDER FOR STRIKE TEAMS
T2 -/3 .ADMIN .COMPUTER
E2 -61 COMMAND STAFF FOR GENERAL
MUSTER OUT
+2 EDUC GUN X 3
EGZ EX-ARMY MAJOR 7798B9 Age 30, 2 Terms
GUN CBT-1(SMG), Leader-1, Tactics-1, Fwd Obsvr-1, Electronic-1, Admin-1, Computer-1, GUN CBT-2(Autopistol)
Autopistol 6 BP
SCOUTS AFFILIATION, TRANSFERRED AFTER TWO ARMY TERMS
T3 -/- (-1/-1/ 0) .BRAWLING ..TACTICS
E3 -65 INDEPENDENT PLANETARY EXPLORATION, GROUNDSIDE
T4 N/- ( 0/ 0/ 0) +1 ENDUR ...TACTICS
E4 -69 LISTED AS MISSING IN ACTION, SHADOW EXPLORATION
STATUS AS OF 2169: 66A8B9 Age 38
Tactics-3, GUN CBT-2(Autopistol), GUN CBT-1(SMG), Leader-1, Fwd Obsvr-1, Electronic-1, Admin-1, Computer-1, Brawling-1
Autopistol 9 BP
“WILDERNESS SCOUT ZAMA, REPORT TO SURVEY COMMAND.”
It is hard to hide when one is interfaced with a station wide communications network. She sighed, rose to her feet in a graceful motion and was about to turn away from her table when she spotted her still full cup of steaming broth.
It was a reminder of her rapidly diminishing credit balance. Telling herself that she had better be efficient is using what little she had left, she picked up the cup and drained it in a single motion. With just a hint of unsteadiness in her steps, she deposited her empty cup in a recycling bin and proceeded via slideway into the massive Terminal sector, located at the station’s hub.
In stark contrast to a silent training area, Merchant’s Hall was noisy and apparently chaotic. Rows of controllers guided space and orbital traffic as cargoes and passengers were routed through this vital location.
Shadow was appropriately named, by an Exploration Guild Scout that initially doubted her own sensor readings. With an unstable variable central star, two asteroid belts of no real value, one in the habitable zone, and no gas giants, this system was not on anyone’s short list for a vacation spot. Only its fortunate location, connecting two lesser chains of easily accessible stars and a larger one leading out of Terra’s sector, made it desirable real estate.
It was an important enough choke point that various merchant guilds managed to restrain their usual cutthroat impulses enough to agree to this joint project. From this United Guilds hub, there were three separate routes that they could take into the unknown.
Zama passed through a glass partitioned gallery where she could hear a faint murmur of sound, only a small sample of what the controllers’ working space contained. Continuing on into occupied office spaces, soon she reached her destination.
She sprawled across a plush couch that could have seated four people and gave a casual wave to another woman who worked at the only desk.
“Scout, there is a new zone opening up, and I want you to be the pathfinder.”
Zama did not move, not even bothering to look up.
“Not interested.”
A brief flickuer of emotion, quickly stilled, crossed the seated woman’s face.
“Would it help if I informed you that there is a substantial bonus involved?”
“Still not interested.”
Survey Liaison Anderson rose to her feet.
“Come on, Zama. Your record in support roles is consistent and outstanding. I think you are ready to work without a net. Please accept this assignment.”
Zama jumped up and walked over to the desk. Leaning over it so far that they were nearly nose to nose, she growled her response through clenched teeth.
“Why push me? My credit balance is not so low that you can force me to accept. Find another victim.”
Anderson did not seem impressed by this display of bravado. Resuming her seat, she aimlessly shuffled papers until Zama began to calm down, then she leaned back and smiled.
“You don’t have to argue with me. I read the psych profiles of all my Wilderness Scouts. Yours is as clear as a holoprint. There is no way your performance would be less than exemplary.”
Zama had finally calmed down enough to return a smile of her own.
“You do know me, don’t you?”
Anderson held out a datacard.
“Here is our latest download from Mapping and your inertial locator presets. Bonus had already been credited to your account. Shuttle departure is in thirty-nine hours. Good luck.”
Born at the peak of the Great Exodus, that massive migration that exploded from Terra to form the provinces known as the Core, Zama was the recipient of a favor repaid at the right time and place.
Right time and place. Hmmm...
I wrote those words some years ago, when my concept of the alternate universe 'stunt double' was still embryonic. I made it to the end of the story, where she is in dire straits and her survival was uncertain. Then her story sat for some time.
My creativity demands that I shift gears often, unless a story demands to be written and will not leave my head until it is done. When this bubbled back to the top of the rewrite pile, I had figured out what to do with her.
Now 'stunt doubles' inhabit all three novels. Last count was forty five reflections of her...
START - 779869, BORN 2131
COLLEGE +3 EDUC
INDEPENDENT MILITARY ACADEMY GUN CBT (.SMG) .LEADER .TACTICS
T1 N/2 .FWD OBSVR .ELECTRONIC
E1 -57 PATHFINDER FOR STRIKE TEAMS
T2 -/3 .ADMIN .COMPUTER
E2 -61 COMMAND STAFF FOR GENERAL
MUSTER OUT
+2 EDUC GUN X 3
EGZ EX-ARMY MAJOR 7798B9 Age 30, 2 Terms
GUN CBT-1(SMG), Leader-1, Tactics-1, Fwd Obsvr-1, Electronic-1, Admin-1, Computer-1, GUN CBT-2(Autopistol)
Autopistol 6 BP
SCOUTS AFFILIATION, TRANSFERRED AFTER TWO ARMY TERMS
T3 -/- (-1/-1/ 0) .BRAWLING ..TACTICS
E3 -65 INDEPENDENT PLANETARY EXPLORATION, GROUNDSIDE
T4 N/- ( 0/ 0/ 0) +1 ENDUR ...TACTICS
E4 -69 LISTED AS MISSING IN ACTION, SHADOW EXPLORATION
STATUS AS OF 2169: 66A8B9 Age 38
Tactics-3, GUN CBT-2(Autopistol), GUN CBT-1(SMG), Leader-1, Fwd Obsvr-1, Electronic-1, Admin-1, Computer-1, Brawling-1
Autopistol 9 BP
“WILDERNESS SCOUT ZAMA, REPORT TO SURVEY COMMAND.”
It is hard to hide when one is interfaced with a station wide communications network. She sighed, rose to her feet in a graceful motion and was about to turn away from her table when she spotted her still full cup of steaming broth.
It was a reminder of her rapidly diminishing credit balance. Telling herself that she had better be efficient is using what little she had left, she picked up the cup and drained it in a single motion. With just a hint of unsteadiness in her steps, she deposited her empty cup in a recycling bin and proceeded via slideway into the massive Terminal sector, located at the station’s hub.
In stark contrast to a silent training area, Merchant’s Hall was noisy and apparently chaotic. Rows of controllers guided space and orbital traffic as cargoes and passengers were routed through this vital location.
Shadow was appropriately named, by an Exploration Guild Scout that initially doubted her own sensor readings. With an unstable variable central star, two asteroid belts of no real value, one in the habitable zone, and no gas giants, this system was not on anyone’s short list for a vacation spot. Only its fortunate location, connecting two lesser chains of easily accessible stars and a larger one leading out of Terra’s sector, made it desirable real estate.
It was an important enough choke point that various merchant guilds managed to restrain their usual cutthroat impulses enough to agree to this joint project. From this United Guilds hub, there were three separate routes that they could take into the unknown.
Zama passed through a glass partitioned gallery where she could hear a faint murmur of sound, only a small sample of what the controllers’ working space contained. Continuing on into occupied office spaces, soon she reached her destination.
She sprawled across a plush couch that could have seated four people and gave a casual wave to another woman who worked at the only desk.
“Scout, there is a new zone opening up, and I want you to be the pathfinder.”
Zama did not move, not even bothering to look up.
“Not interested.”
A brief flickuer of emotion, quickly stilled, crossed the seated woman’s face.
“Would it help if I informed you that there is a substantial bonus involved?”
“Still not interested.”
Survey Liaison Anderson rose to her feet.
“Come on, Zama. Your record in support roles is consistent and outstanding. I think you are ready to work without a net. Please accept this assignment.”
Zama jumped up and walked over to the desk. Leaning over it so far that they were nearly nose to nose, she growled her response through clenched teeth.
“Why push me? My credit balance is not so low that you can force me to accept. Find another victim.”
Anderson did not seem impressed by this display of bravado. Resuming her seat, she aimlessly shuffled papers until Zama began to calm down, then she leaned back and smiled.
“You don’t have to argue with me. I read the psych profiles of all my Wilderness Scouts. Yours is as clear as a holoprint. There is no way your performance would be less than exemplary.”
Zama had finally calmed down enough to return a smile of her own.
“You do know me, don’t you?”
Anderson held out a datacard.
“Here is our latest download from Mapping and your inertial locator presets. Bonus had already been credited to your account. Shuttle departure is in thirty-nine hours. Good luck.”
Born at the peak of the Great Exodus, that massive migration that exploded from Terra to form the provinces known as the Core, Zama was the recipient of a favor repaid at the right time and place.
Right time and place. Hmmm...
I wrote those words some years ago, when my concept of the alternate universe 'stunt double' was still embryonic. I made it to the end of the story, where she is in dire straits and her survival was uncertain. Then her story sat for some time.
My creativity demands that I shift gears often, unless a story demands to be written and will not leave my head until it is done. When this bubbled back to the top of the rewrite pile, I had figured out what to do with her.
Now 'stunt doubles' inhabit all three novels. Last count was forty five reflections of her...
