8FOLD/ACRA: Orphans of Mars: To Bell The Cat # 5

[Andrew Perron]

On 8/6/2014 8:20 PM, Tom Russell wrote:
<snip>
>     Once, before the Martians learned to leave their world, every
> planet and moon that circled the One Star had some kind of life. Now
> there are only three: Earth. Dread Venus. And Eris, if one can call
> the Eridians alive.

Fascinating.

>     The rest are dead by their hand. Titan was the first, and Mars
> itself the last.

Hmmmmmmmm. o.o

>     It's quieter now. There is less screeching, and the male's voice
> cannot be heard at all. That doesn't necessarily mean it's safer.
> Nerrine knows above all never to dismiss the female of a species.

Hmmmm. Does it even make sense for the Daughters to think like that?

>     There's still eight of the females left. Nesting, likely. Great.
> One thing she's learned from observing these Earthlings is that they
> are psychotically attached to their eggs and their young.

Now this *does* make sense from their perspective.

>     "You think?" says Quasha. Then, sourly: "You let her get away."
>     "Oh, Danalee, thank you for making sure I wasn't dying."
>     "I've suffered far worse," says Quasha ruefully. "It's just hard to
> recall when. Let's press on."

That's pretty adorable.

>     Her grip is loosening. She can feel her fingers becoming like
> jelly. Soon she will either black out from the pain or the lack of air
> or both. She needs to get back to the surface. She needs to get away
> from this thing. And with a broken shoulder, leg, and ribs, it doesn't
> seem likely to happen.

Jeeeeeeeeeeez.

> Ress and Fenn.
>     "We're big girls?"
>     Fenn shrugs. "We'll have Nerrine. Have you seen what Nerrine can do?"
>     "Yes," says Ress. "I have."
>     "Nothing to worry about. We run into any trouble, Nerrine can handle it."

Haha um. ^^;

>     The rex tracker would have been a brilliant idea if it had worked,
> but it didn't. She's not going to try again, nor will she ask anyone
> else to try it. She got arrogant. Just because you haven't been hurt
> yet doesn't mean you never will be.

Well that's a good perspective for--

>     She's not sure how long she can keep delaying the vengeance she
> promised for Jarissy, especially with Quasha, but life is the word.
> First and foremost, before revenge and before glory, they will live.
> And that definitely includes Nerrine.

Uh-oh. o.o

>     No, the Martian lowers the bow as a reflex. It has nothing to do
> with Nisja of Titan, and that is what makes it strange. She's not even
> looking at Nisja, not even acknowledging that she and her deadly
> atomizer exist. She is looking past Nisja.
>     There is a sound like a thunder that cracks a planet in half. Then
> the ground screams and shakes, each hammer-blow louder and closer and
> faster than the one before it.
>     Nisja does not have enough time even to turn around and look at it
> before the old rex scoops her up in his jaws and breaks her in half.

OH SNAP

Andrew "NO .SIG MAN" "Juan" Perron, didn't expect that.