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[Special Note: The new website is now live. As a result the links throughout this thread are invalid except for the latest posting to the thread. All of Al Norris's stories can now be found at Al Norris]

NEW STORY

Prologue Presented at http://www.castleroland.net /library/author/al_norris

Edited by Zach Caldwell
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Al, intriguing prologue... Can't wait for more.... Several questions for you....

Where in B.C. (I assume it is in B.C. since you say it is 250 miles north of Puget Sound) is the approximate location of the colony? I know that a large number of hot springs are in the Kootenay Rockies but there hot springs on Vancouver Island and northern B.C. as well.

Over the years, do you think some Scireians may have rejected their society and wanted to leave to see the world and if they did, word of the colony would have slowly spread?

With the long lifetimes, do you think over time, overpopulation would have been a problem for the colony?

It would be easy to hide the existence of the colony up through near the end of the 20th century but in the 21st century, do you think the government would be aware of "something" at least and possibly more about the colony?

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The Kootenai Rockies is within the general region. But remember, I wrote "about 200 miles north"... Regardless, you are in the ballpark.

 

There have been some that have left the cloister, so to speak, but that has been to go into service with their First Nation friends.

 

The Scireians have not only biologically mastered puberty, to make it as nearly painless and quick as they can, but only have children when really needed. It is part of their societal credo.

 

The society went fully and literally underground, before Outside governments had the tech to notice them.

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The society was much more pacifistic then, than they are now. Could they have? Oh yes. Would they have? No.

 

Even now, there are factions that would hold steadfast to their secrecy, which I tried to show in that council meeting. This society is for practical purposes, ultra conservative. While they are all about discovering new things, within the bounds of science, they are also all about tradition. They don't see their traditions as stifling their creativity.

 

I also tried to show a change in attitudes by some. Their leader, Katja, and their Defense Minister, Marko are two whose attitudes have changed. You will see more of this, in future chapters.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Alan,

 

After reading the first chapter of "We're Not Gonna Take This" (which I LOVE!)  I decided to check out this story. I will admit upfront that I am not a fan of the fantasy/alternate universes/sci-fi/whatever-you-want-to-call-it genre, so I did NOT read this story when it first posted because of my own self-imposed limitations. Was I ever stupid! This is a great yarn thus far, and while I do not follow all the scientific research topics and the fantastical idea of people living until they are 180+ and some of the other "non-real" elements, I do deeply appreciate the bones of this story and the character development thus far. You have captured my attention and my desire to know more of this society you have envisioned. PLEASE - I hope you include relationship elements within the fabric of your story, and not just action and intrigue, as it is the relationships between characters that give the tension of the action and intrigue its deeper relevance. In other words, I won't care one iota about the drama if it doesn't involve people I care about. And you, good writer, definitely have some interesting characters on display already. I am intrigued and wanting more.

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Since I don't want to lead people on, I have to admit that this story was written to help another author address a specific problem. How much further it goes (after that problem has been addressed), and what may develope between my characters, still remains to be seen.

 

The bulk of this story was written a year ago. Should you follow this story and the other one, I suspect you will see a huge difference in the style. Especially as this was my first attempt to write anything of this sort.

 

As for interpersonal relationships, I strongly suspect that we won't see much of that until at least Chapter 6, which is where the "Problem" is to be resolved. So any continuation beyond that point, will be how well the the story is received before we get to that point.

 

Geez... Can I get any more cryptic? :P

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Umm, not much, grin... Just glad you are writing. By my questions, hope you realize I am hooked on the story and premise... (Both your stories) Since I am currently ahead of you in Europe, I like knowing I can fill up your post while you are asleep, grin...

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Let's see... Lateley I've been going to bed around 1am or 2am, mountain time and waking up anywhere from 4am to 6am... With a 2 hour nap somewhere between 10am and noon.

 

Gotta be sneaky to get by all these various time-zones!

 

Anyway, I think you will enjoy Chapter 2. When we get it out, that is. ;)

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Thanks Mark. Good to know that someone could read it and not walk away with a headache (take that, Roland :P )

 

Those paragraphs actually took a week of research, reading monograph after monograph. Then cross checking as I wrote it - Sort of a "String Theory For Dummies" type of thing. I'm just glad that I won't have to try and explain what the Higgs boson is!

 

Regardless, it was essential, to the story-arc, to give an explanation that made some sort of sense, in order to explain the "How", if not the "Why", for the appearence of the UNIT.

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Ha ha! I thought string theory was a made up idea for "The Big Bang Theory" TV show. Guess I'm a little far removed from college science class...grin. I enjoyed this chapter, and it's interesting how you wove your story's characters into the fabric of other stories. You are a very good writer, Alan. Stop doubting it. The words on the page prove it. The pace was good, and I'm just as intrigued as ever for what you will do with the Scireans.

 

Good work, Mr. Author!

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Thanks Jack.

 

I suppose I should quit doubting, when authors of your caliber tell me I'm good...

 

I just hope these voices in my head, don't have me trying to explain Dark Matter! String Theory was hard and I'm still not sure I've wrapped my head around that. :lol:

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Alan,

 

One of the most enjoyable yet totally unexpected things about writing for me has been the opportunity to learn about new things and new places. I've researched topics like commercial real estate, business startups, cooking & recipes, private jets, exotic islands, Pearl Harbor tours, desert life, plant life in different locales, and of course, hours of learning how to clean swimming pools - all to make my stories true and real for my readers. And all of that was just for the background. I learn as I write, and it makes the process so much more rewarding.

 

In writing a short story for the 1700's contest, I've spent many hours researching life in colonial America at the time. I've learned things that were never taught to us in school, things like they didn't use American money - it was British money until the 1800s. And did you know when the first coins were minted in the U.S., there was a plan to make a 1/10 cent piece, called a "mill"? I don't think a federal coin was ever actually minted, but several of the new states made their own for awhile. 

 

I love writing for many reasons, and I suspect the more you do it the more you will, too. Learning about new things is just one of the many joys we can experiencing while "wielding the pen".

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Oh, I definitely know what you mean about learning new things.

 

I helped, in a small way, in the writing of our 2 year anniversary serial, And Justice For All. The things I had to research to make it credible that you could actually land a C-5 on the deck of an Aircraft Carrier. Then there is the research into things like Rail Guns; Rocket Assisted Artillery; Blister agents; Saran gas; Dirty bombs...

 

The casual reader buys into "suspension of belief", because of this kind of research which makes the story telling believable.

 

Although, I admit, having the NSA watch everything we do, can be a bit disconcerting!

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