All Comments on 'Life as a New Hire Ch. 47'

that the Questions and explanations on here are almost as entertaining as the actual story ( I said ALMOST!). Off now to read the story from the start for the umpteenth time, keep going James, your making an old man very happy

All I can say is that my spirits have been raised immeasurably by your recent comments. As a fellow obsessive it only means to me that you are deep back into it......whether you submit anything soon or not.

Soldier on, we will be here.

Good afternoon James

Understanding your RL situation do you have an idea about when you will be posting the next chapters? I really have enjoyed your story-line and hope we get to read about the great hunt soon.

Dreadlok, not much progress to report. My mind is mush. I was up to 4:40 a.m. last night because around 2 a.m. my computer crashed and I was trying to resurrect it. I haven't lost any work done on LNH 48 ... because I hadn't made any progress on it in the past few days and saved my story notes elsewhere ~ thanks AoD.

Actually, I think I am going to have to re-write some of the scenes I've previously worked on. I need to re-examine some relationships. In the rush to add elements to the story I wanted in place before the Great Hunt, I think I let some things slide ... so ... not much to report.

I hope to have better news in the upcoming week.

I have my consultation for the magnetic therapy for my bi-polar condition next week (Wednesday - noon). It is a six-week/five days-a-week process for 37 minutes each session. 50% of subjects have shown remarkable success. 20% of the rest have shown some level of improvement. No medication. Few side effects.

I called those fine folks in Serbia. The first time, the guy on the other end became frustrated and hung up. The second time, a different fella put the phone down and, after a minute, came back with a woman who spoke some English. We eventually agreed I should e-mailing them my request concerning the properties of the M86/M89 30mm autocannon's ammunition. I haven't heard back from them yet ... or from the US Department of Homeland Security.

James aka FinalStand

Just a word of encouragement while you deal with real stuff.

WJ

... I why I love reading your work (and it's not even part of a story!):

"I called those fine folks in Serbia. The first time, the guy on the other end became frustrated and hung up. The second time, a different fella put the phone down and, after a minute, came back with a woman who spoke some English. We eventually agreed I should e-mailing them my request concerning the properties of the M86/M89 30mm autocannon's ammunition. I haven't heard back from them yet ... or from the US Department of Homeland Security."

Be as well as you can, James. You make the universe a way more fun place for the rest of us!

Looking forward to the next one.

You're welcome, James. It has been a pleasure working with you on LNH. And, your notes are safe with me, in a place no one can breach. You know where. Lol.

I hope magnetic therapy helps you.

Don't know what made you call the Serbians to find out about the properties of M86 auto cannon ammunition. But, it's hilarious. Lol.

- AoD

i'll ask about the IFV vs T55 30mm scenario you are proposing.

I might know a person with an answer.

... and I'm not a good candidate for the magnetic therapy either. A side effect I found out about this afternoon ... and only because the Regional Supervisor was in the room with myself, my wife and the technician is ... it can cause spikes in manic activity.

We were going through all the basic information, length of each session, what the pain (not much) would be like and how long it would last. Then, in an off-handed comment, my wife mentioned I hadn't had a manic episode in over a month ... and the look on the RS's face wasn't good ~ the "thank goodness we just avoided a malpractice suit" not good. See, the magnets stimulate brain activity ... which in people suffering from depression is a good thing. For a person suffering from mania ... just throw some fucking gasoline on me and call it a BBQ.

I'm bi-polar. Why my psychiatrist sent me to a therapy which could cause such a side effect, I have no clue, but it will certainly come up next session. Let's just say I didn't take this latest blow well.

James aka FinalStand

Damn man! The blows just keep on coming. You have my support, bro.

-AoD

That sucks James, I hope they can figure out a treatment that works. Sucks when doctors get your hopes up and then they're dashed by one issue or another. Just have to keep living for the moments that you can enjoy and enjoy them.

James, I can see why you planned on 48 chapters for LaaNH but if you are having difficulty ending with the big hunt in chapter 48 , none of your friends/fans/LAANH junkies will mind if it naturally takes a few more chapters.

From your previous posts we realise that LaaNH ends at the conclusion of the Hunt but Caéls story / the Amazon universe does not.

If you are struggling to bring some of the threads together either to end them or set up any spinoff or sequel perhaps you will find it easier to remove the artificial constraint.

Artificial in the sense that it is a limit you placed upon yourself.

If the final volume (Volume XII) of the published version is slightly longer so be it.

I am not a writer so I don't know if the fixed structure is necessary for you creatively or possibly because of your condition but if creative freedom is more important then go for it.

Finally your health is the most important issue so don't worry about the time taken.

Many of us who pay for books that are nowhere near as rich in content and creativity happily wait for months if not years (though hope it's not years) for the next volume.

Finally 200 plus comments for a story on this site. Is that a record?

Jon

Glad to see you are still working on this, but sad to hear about even more issues cropping up for your doctors to try and sort out.

As for a record. the 200 comments are on THIS chapter......the whole story has probably got 5-10 thousand comments as many of us comment off and on about various chapters and the absolutely crazy amount of various things that can occur within a single chapter of his stories.

Keep your head up James and get us more LaaNH fun when you can. We'll be thrilled to see it regardless of when it gets completed. I know I always hold my breath when I check your author page for new material every few days.

Thank you for this ginormous thrilling story, I just finished reading it.

For the confrontation between a T55 and an IFV.

I'm not that knowledgeable about weapon but after some research, I found out that the T55 has a 45mm thick armor with an angle of 17° at the rear.

The 30 mm caliber usually mounted by russia on IFV are 30x165mm ammunition and for the 2A42 canon which has its own wiki page, the M929 ammunition is said to be able to penetrate 55mm of steel at 1,000m. I think this is enough to penetrate the T55 rear armor even considering the armor angle.

The caractersitics of the munition come from a page of the FAS website on the BMP 2, a russian IFV from the 80s which use this canon.

I'll go with that. The weapon the Serbians use is an upgunned version of what the Czechs developed from what the Russians used and still use. The APDS round for the 30x210B is supposed to be an improvement on earlier models.

The T-55's in question are slightly up-armored, but on the front glacis and side skirts ~ so nothing extra in the back.

Still, that mad dash to get within 1000 meters ... because you can be damn sure their armor won't stop a 100 mm round traveling 1000 m/s. Gotta love those Soviet auto-loaders too {sarcasm}.

James aka FinalStand

The insights and backstories that you've posted into the comments are AMAZING!!! As someone who has followed this story on the mobile app, I've never actually read the comments and feedback for the story. Just reading the comments for Ch. 47, has me anticipating the next chapter. Take your time and give us all the chapter of a lifetime.

This is my 2nd time reading this and realising i missed bits the first time. Any updates on when chapter 48 is going to be ready? I'm guessing like myself everyone who has read this is looking forward to reading "The hunt" (and for the record i think you write better than Clancy, he is to dry with technical facts that bog down his stories while you add satire and humour to yours)...Hope yer doing ok, i'll be keeping an eye open for posts :)

Tazzy

Thank you and I've been trying to work on it. I've been working through some "anger issues" and done "angry writing" so I'm still writing - just not stuff I want to put in LNH. One of my editors has been working overtime helping me order my thoughts and trying to get me to reorganize the story I have written to date.

A little more work on 48:

**

{7:31 pm, Monday, September 8th ~ Last day}

{The Roof of Havenstone HQ; New York City}

I pushed the ritual hood aside – the one I used to gather the smoke up from the embers to add my tears to those contributed by my Isharan Sisters. I was inducting five more new, flesh & blood warriors into our ranks and calling upon our Ancestors to escort twenty-one to the Halls to the Paradise which awaited those loyal to the Goddess and her dictates. Eighteen had been the unheralded ghosts of now former-Runners from the Amazons’ past. The other three …

Dead in Japan. There had been an ambush yesterday. Those three gave their lives so the rest of their party – ninjas mostly – could escape a trap set by proxies of the Seven Pillars. It was the price they paid for my promises … yet three more were already champing at the bit to get on a plane and replace them. They were our first War Dead in sixteen hundred years and I wanted to make sure our Ancestors would be ready for them.

I read off the last name ~ Maribel Custer Ishara … 31 … my Sister. I burned the script with her name upon it, mixed the ashes with our blood and tears and commended her name and deeds to those who waited for us beyond this life and to our Goddess ~ Dot Ishara. I finished pulling back the cloth, letting it fall to my shoulder and then stood. To my right was Buffy, to my left was Helena … and across the brazier from me was Hayden.

I choked, nearly stumbling forward into the embers.

“Hayden?”

“Yes, Cáel,” she smiled. “I have come to tell you ‘we are with you’.”

“With me?” I mumbled. I caught Buffy’s worried look. Of course, Hayden was a ghost so none of the assembly could see her.

“You have our support in what you are doing … what is known, and what is not so well known,” she gave me a prescient look.

“Even if …” I left the threat to reality hanging there.

“Yes. That is why they sent me. The fabric of the Weave has started to unravel and the Goddesses do not wish to confront this growing danger. They have grown overly cautious by necessity yet we ~ the Ancestors ~ have voted and decided bolder action is needed,” she counselled.

Voted? Thousands upon thousands of those who had proceeded us were so concerned about the fates of their living descendants and those yet to be born they had felt compelled to gather and … vote … but for what precisely? And why tell me and not the augurs?

…

Because …

Krasimira wasn’t the firebrand, I was.

Krasimira wasn’t on the Council, I was.

I was the one romantically and sexually involved with two of the three members of the Regency, not her.

Finally, when I relayed this conversation to Aya, she wouldn’t have a single doubt about my motivations plus the Ancestors couldn’t communicate with Aya. The Ancestors could find ways to chat with me because of what Alal had done to me ~ turning his weapon against the Host to their own use. How appropriate.

Still … shit … didn’t I have enough on my plate already?

…

Apparently not and Hayden hadn’t come all the way back from Death to watch me mentally dawdle. Of all Amazons now deceased, she had the clearest experience witnessing my dedication to OUR Race no matter what the cost to myself, to my morality, and the spiritual and emotional penalties I’d have to pay. I had to keep forging ahead.

“Will there be any help on your end?” I inquired.

“Yes, but we must be careful. You are a subject of concern for several of the Goddesses,” she warned me. She was also letting me know the Ancestors, within some nebulous limitations, were wishing to risk their matron deities’ ire to do something about this looming crisis.

“Craptastic,” I muttered darkly.

“You saw how … perturbed Istustaya and Papaya where when you noticed their appearance as Tadêfi made her most recent predictions?”

“Yes.”

“Cáel?” Buffy touched my shoulder.

“I’m okay,” I addressed her while keeping eye contact with Hayden’s specter. I was afraid if I looked away she might vanish. “Hayden has returned to give me counsel.”

The mortal hush around me was truly telling. For most of the assembly, Hayden was the only High Priestess they had ever known – their Absolute Authority. I had killed her. No one had disguised that. My confrontation had led to her some personal crisis, her decree which led to the death of the worst of the Runner-hating, hardcore Traditionalists leadership … and her own trip to the cliffs.

Before her demise, she had shorn her hair and renounced her membership in House Anat thus dying Houseless ~ like virtually every other Runner. In death, I had defied even the Goddess Ishara herself to make her one of us so now Hayden was one of us – and Isharan. The true reason Dot Ishara allowed Hayden in wasn’t something I had shared with many others. Sharing it with everyone wouldn’t have helped anyone – even me.

“Yes,” I related to Hayden. “How did you know this?”

“The fate of our children is of great concern to us,” she gave her pantheress’ smile. “For many of my Sisters it has been a long term concern.”

“Oh … I can understand that. I noticed.”

“What can we do?” the deceased High Priestess offered.

“Do? Aren’t you in your designated reward?”

“Yes, but we are alive, just not here ~ in this reality.”

I had a blasphemous brainstorm.

“Can you gather a party of our best hunters and send them into the Endless Black Sands?” I blurted out. I regretted doing so immediately. These were my Honored Dead I was talking about. Each had already given their all for my House and my Host in their lifespan.

“Yes … it is possible,” Hayden frowned … in concentration … as if she was in communication with others beyond my own supernatural perceptions.

“Can you find Artimpasa of Anat?”

“Who is she?”

“The twin sister of Sērkuēn of Anat, also known as Shammuramat, Queen of Assyria and currently called Sakuniyas. Sērkuēn killed her sister … badly and I suspect she has been denied her place in the Halls of Anat for her actions.”

“By what thread would the Daughters of Ishara find her? After so many centuries, are you sure she has somehow survived?”

Hate carried Ajax and his warriors. Hate carried Shammy. What could … love? If you believed love was as strong, if not stronger, as hate then I had to hope the love for her sister and worry Artimpasa had for her exiled twin might have kept her going all this time. How to find her though? Then I felt stupid for asking.

“Could an augur transition an object, or objects, from this World across the Weave to the Ancestors?” I inquired of Hayden.

“I would have to ask,” she nodded grimly. “What do you have in mind?”

“Saku’s gear comes from the other side – from the Black Sands. She will gift you/us with some arrows.”

“We will find a way to chat again when you come back from the Great Hunt. Oh, and Cáel?”

“Yes?”

“Please tell Katrina ‘my love for you has never been stronger’ ~ those precise words and …”

“And?”

“Don’t embarrass us,” she chided me. The Great Hunt. Gee, thanks ladies.

“Wasn’t planning on it. I’ve got a strategy all figured out - something they'll never see coming.”

The ghost rolled her eyes. As she turned away, her form faded into the night sky and I was left with thirty-seven of my very mortal sisters who had been gifted with only my side of our conversation. Oh joy.

**

James aka FinalStand

Thanks for this preview, I read it three times now and it's definitely insightful. Hope you will sometime soon be in the right mood to finish this as it is one of my favorite stories on this site.

Just one error, most likely a typo: Hayden was of House Anahit afaik, not Anat.

All the best, G

I just read your excerpt from chapter 48..DUDE, So looking forward to reading the hunt..Take yer time man yer health is more important than the writing no matter how much jonesing we do needing our fix lol.. I've been thinking about this story the past few days and it occurred to me That since he (Cael) is immortal then the story can go on and on or have sequels..Working for the president of Havenstone i predict is going to be interesting..anyways, anger issues aside (I find weight lifting and smacking a punchbag while listening to rock music therapeutic and mind focusing you should try it, plus the exercise is good for ya) i'm glad your doing ok mate.

Tazzy

F.S., I stand in awe of that preview. I'll probably read it several times before chapter 48 comes out, and each time will mirror the first. Just plain awesome.

I know a story can take on a life of its own, and you can put so much into it you get tires and don't want to continue. I also know how draining, and how depressing writing an epic story can be. I just wanted to say hang in there, and thank you for sharing this story with me, and all of us. You listed some of your favorite authors, and we share very similar tastes. I will tell you I have enjoyed this story just as much as I have enjoyed a Tom Clancy or Clive Cussler novel. I hope you can take strength from our support and find your love for the story again. You have written an epic and I can't wait for the finish!

James,

You're such a tease! ... Hayden ... really!? T-E-A-S-E!!!! I hope you work through this bout of anger writing. Sometimes it is good for the soul. Absolutely loved the snippet.

These snippets are driving me crazy. Please for the love of God release the new chapter ASAP.

.

Nothing new. I survived Spring Break with the kids (15 & 13). I haven't written anything new in nearly two weeks and its driving me crazy ... or is that crazier?

Currently I've re-read One in Ten and Oh No! (unpublished) - looking for inspiration.

Thanks for asking for the update. I know it has been FOREVER. Ugh. I wish I had better news.

James aka FinalStand

Thanks for the update James. I think most of us know how rough Spring Break can be on parents of teenagers. Either they're wanting to go to parties, or with the younger teens taking them on family trips during that time frame. Maybe write a haiku or short story unrelated to your current stories?

Hope you've at least been able to get out and enjoy the beautiful scenery! Good to hear from you James.

... I keep bumbling along. I made it to our local Farmer's Market last Saturday ~ miraculous in both my confronting crowds of strangers and doing so on foot, but I've been paying for it physically all this week.

As for stories, I've written two tales which don't demand (in my crazy parliament of a mind) some level of continuation after one installment. Both are old and have been gathering dust for some time. I'll see what I can do.

Take care,

James aka FinalStand

James, you stories are all pretty decent stories. I've lost track of the number of times I've re-read this tale, and a few others. It is because you make them very re-readable. There is always something to pick up or to use later details to see things in a different light. For example, we now know he is immortal. So that means if Leona had succeeded, he would have popped right back up given time. Something that probably would have worried the host if they found out right away given someone else they know that just won't die usually lol. I hope your physical ailments retreat at least a little bit so you can feel human and at peace. Look forward to reading more from you, till then well I'm re-reading lnh presently.

At this point, anybody that has read your work is feeling withdrawal simptoms something fierce. I get my required dose by reading what comments you do post to keep us informed. Not as good as the real thing but better than nothing while providing hope for the future.

As always my hope is for you to take care of yourself first, then and only then look after your fans. We can wait.

My Best to you and your's my friend.

Nut

How you doing James?

I must admit when I read this on the 8th I was feeling pretty low. I had no progress ~ nothing to report. Yet, like every time I get prodded on any story, I open that tale up and give it a shot.

So, I opened up Life as a New Hire Chapter 48, not expecting much ... and today, on the 12th, I've written over 5,200 more words so far and growing. I thought you'd like to know.

I do read every comment on every story and try to respond to most of them. Thanks.

Also, I'm not sure this will make the 'final cut', but I like it.

**

While most children her age were texting their schoolmates, or tackling their homework, Aya Ruger ~ the alias of Nasusara Assiyaišhamai ~ was getting briefings of her global, secret empire worth billions and that of her equally nefarious compatriots. She received a very abbreviated version of what the Regents received, delivered by a member of Shawnee Arinniti’s staff.

When Aya hopped off her chair unexpectedly, everyone tensed. He bodyguards’ hands went to their sidearms and Lorraine, also in the room on this occasion, stood and prepared to tackle her ‘former’ sibling to the ground if the situation escalated into an assassination attempt. No such attack was generated so the security ratcheted down and the attendant returned her focus to her Queen. Aya paced four steps, turned retraced her way then repeated the action three more times.

“How many people live in the combined areas?” she asked.

“The combined areas? Of Cabinda and Zaire?”

“Yes.”

“I …” the woman referenced her material, “roughly 1.1 million.”

“What is the yearly value of the offshore oil and natural gas production?”

“Forty-nine billion, eighty hundred and sixty-seven million by our best estimates at this time …”

“How many live in Soyo City proper?”

“Roughly 70,000.”

“We take Soyo,” she spoke in a small yet deliberate voice. “We take and hold Soyo as an independent city-state within the Cabindan-Zaire Union. From the maps it appears Soyo is a series of islands. It has a port and airport. It has an open border to an ocean with weaker neighbors all around.”

“What of the … Zairians?”

“Bakongo. As a people they are called the Bakongo,” Aya looked up at the briefer. “We relocate those who need to work in Soyo into a new city, built at our expense, beyond the southernmost water barrier. The rest we pay to relocate elsewhere in Zaire, or Cabinda.”

By the looks of those around her, Aya realized she needed to further explain her decisions.

“This is more than some concrete home base for our People,” she began patiently. “In the same way it gives our enemies a clearly delineated target to attack us at, it is a statement to our allies we won’t cut and run of things get truly bad.”

“In the same way it will provide us with diplomatic recognition beyond what tenuous handouts we are getting from Cáel Wakko Ishara’s efforts through JIKIT. Also, it is a reminder we are not like the other Secret Societies in one fundamental way – we are not a business concern, or religion. We are a People and people deserve some sort of homeland. We have gone for so long without.”

“But Soyo?” the aide protested. “We have no ties to it … and it backs up to … nothing.”

“Northern Turkey and southern Slovakia mean nothing to us now as well,” Aya debated. “No place on Earth is any more precious than another. As for backing up to nothing – no. You are incorrect. It backs into a promise from our allies in the Earth & Sky that if we need support, they know where to park their planes and ships.”

Aya was surrounded with unhappy, disbelieving looks.

“The Great Khan is my mamētu mešeda,” she reminded them, “and I have every reason to believe he completely grasps the concept’s benefits and obligations.”

The looks confirmed ‘but he’s a man’ to the tiny Queen.

“Aya … are you sure about this?” Lorraine was the first to break decorum.

“Absolutely. Do you know what he sent me when he was informed of my … ascension to the Queendom?”

“No,” Lorraine admitted.

“We must go horse-riding sometime soon, Daughter of Cáel – Queen of the Amazons.”

More uncertain and unconvinced looks.

“He didn’t congratulate me, or send any gifts. He could have and you would think he would have – but he didn’t. He knew the hearts of me & my Atta and we weren’t in the celebratory mood. No. The Great Khan sent one sentence which offered solace and quiet … atop a horse on a windswept bit of steppe.”

Nothing.

Sigh. “I know this sounds Cáel-ish,” Aya admitted, “but I strongly believe this is what we should do. We are giving the Cabindans and Bakongo in Zaire independence and the promise of a much better life than what they now face. We will be putting thousands of our sisters’ lives on the line to accomplish this feat and well over a hundred million dollars.”

“What about governance of the city ~ Soyo?” the aide forged ahead.

“Amazon law,” Aya didn’t hesitate. “We will make allowances for the security forces of visiting dignitaries and specific allied personnel, but otherwise it will be one massive Amazon urban freehold.”

“I cannot imagine the Golden Mare, or the Regents, will be pleased,” the attendant bowed her head.

“It is a matter of interconnectivity,” Aya walked up and touched the woman’s cheek with the back of her small hand. “We could liberate then abandon Cabinda with the hope a small band could help them keep their independence. Except we need the refinery at Soyo so the people of Cabinda can truly support that liberty.”

“So, we must keep Soyo and to keep Soyo, we must keep Zaire province. There is no other lesser border which makes strategic sense ~ a river – highlands – a massive river – an ocean ~ those are sustainable frontiers. You can’t simply keep Soyo and not expect the enemy to strike and destroy that refinery … thus we must take Zaire province.”

“But the Bakongo of Zaire cannot defend themselves and will not be able to do so for at least a year, if not longer. That means we must do so … and for doing so, they will give us Soyo and we will be honest stewards of their oil wealth. We cannot expect any other power to defend this new Union and if we don’t have a land stake we will be portrayed as mercenaries and expelled by hostile international forces.”

“So, for this project to have any chance of success, we must stay and fight and have an acknowledged presence … and if you can think of an alternative, please let me know,” she exhaled.

“What if the Cabindans and Bakongo resist?”

“It is ‘us’, or the Angolans and they know how horrible the Angolans can be. Didn’t you say the average person there lives on just $2 a day?”

“Yes.”

“We can do better than that,” Aya insisted.

“How?” the aide persisted. “I mean, ‘how in a way which will be quickly evident and meaningful?’”

“Oh …” Aya’s tiny brow furrowed. Her nose twitched as she rummaged through the vast storehouse of her brain.

“Get me in touch with William A. Miller, Director of the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service. He should be able to help me navigate the pathways toward getting aid and advisors into those two provinces ASAP.”

“I’ll let Katrina know …” the attendant made the notation on her pad.

“No. Contact him directly,” Aya intervened. “We established a … rapport when we met. I think he might responded positively to a chance to mentor me in foreign relations.”

“Really?” Lorraine’s brows arched.

“Yes,” Aya chirped.

“Are you sure, Nasusara?” the attendant stared. She used ‘Nasusara’ whenever she thought Aya had a ‘horrible’ idea instead of a merely a ‘bad’ one.

“Yes. He owes me. Last time we met I didn’t shoot him.”

“Didn’t?” the woman twitched.

“Yes. I drew down on him with my captured Chinese QSW-06. I didn’t want to kill him, but I felt I was about to have to kill Deputy National Security Advisor Blinken and he was the only other person in the room both armed and capable of stopping me.”

“Why is he still alive?”

“Cáel Ishara saw through my distraction and then took my gun from me … asked for it actually,” she shyly confessed.

“Would you have shot him?” the aide inquired.

“What do you think?” Aya smiled.

**

I hope this helps,

James aka FinalStand

I check your stories every day for just this type of Gem. You are awesome.

Ron

that you're feeling more up to it. and fantastic that you're managing to put words down. This being one of the three Multi-part epic stories that keep me coming back

Your two excerpts were just what I needed to keep me from pulling out what hair I have left. Thank You! Both showed that your creative skills are alive and seeking release. Keep your faith in yourself and take care of your health and the words will flow. And your fans will be here to receive them with open arms and high praise. Again.🙌

I check for new comments every couple of days(used to check every day, but changed in mid april) and every excerpt you post refuels my love for this series. I am glad you have been able to write more, I am eagerly awaiting ch. 48 and I will continue to wait even if it doesn't happen until the U.S. has elected a new president (hopefully sooner than 2023).

Woohoo! Love the new chapter tidbit. I know you have a lot going on IRL right now, but I, and a lot of others, really appreciate this story, the effort it's taking and the time and energy it's requiring. This is a great story! A big thanks to your editors as well.

James, James, James... Oh how you tease us all so with the tidbits and flashes of brilliance that you post into the comments... Hopefully, all is well and you'll continue to work at bringing the highly anticipated Ch. 48 to us all..

There is good news and no so good news.

The good news is I am writing regularly again. The source of this is my psychiatrist has put me on a new medication called DULoxetine HCL DR. It is an anti-depressant and pain-management drug. The 'down side' is it isn't a drug you normally give to bi-polar suffers because it causes you to 'cycle'. In my case I've begun to cycle rather rapidly ~ but considering this gives me hours of inspiration, I'll take it!

The not so good news is that while I've been inspired, I've been inspired to work on WMD 4 at the moment, churning out over 10,000 new words and hopefully getting to a point where I can submit it to my editors before this weekend.

That done, I'm unsure if I'll finish right away writing the sections I need for Chapter 48 ~ Cael's trip to Chicago to wrap up some of his family business, the pre-dinner 'celebration' for the Great Hunt, the conclusion for the Great Hunt - all of which I know how will turn out. I just need to put thought to page.

Honestly, I've got almost all of Ebb Tide 4-B in the bag as well.

Best of all, in my opinion, I HAVE NOT written anything in any NEW stories in four days. That may sound odd, but with the way my mind works, it means I'm able to concentrate on my established story lines ... which means things will finally get done!

Thanks you all for your patience.

James aka FinalStand

I am so excited that you are writing. I am looking forward to all of those stories. I know all of your readers will be stoked as well.

I swear, James, sometimes you almost bring me to tears......

In a good way!

If a woman gives birth to an immortal does she gain some sort of power too? Because even though her blood doesn't exactly mix with the fetus it is connected to her.

A thought occurred to me.

Now that Aya is Queen and no longer an Epona who is her Matron Goddess?

Hayden on adoption after death became an Isharan and now Dot is her Goddess

Who is the Goddess of the Amazon Queen, all of them? If it is all of them then the Goddesses of the dead houses now have a living worshiper in Aya and that could give her some turbocharged powers. And then ..............

{Warning: this is LONG}

[IMMORTALITY]

Since there is not a lot of immortality going around in Life as a New Hire there is no rule set in stone. In general practice, immortality is a matter of the soul, not the flesh, so the mother of an immortal would gain no particular benefit from birthing an immortal child.

This would, in theory, stops someone from researching an ‘immortal’ gene, or genetic sequence. We have seen there was a price to be paid for Alal’s experiments on the subject whereas his ‘daughters’ are only ‘immortal’ if they get an elixir created from Alal’s ‘essence’.

No – Sibeal has gained no special benefit over her sisters by birthing Cáel. Her extended survival was accomplished by other, yet revealed, means.

Yes – this means Alal, for practical purposes, is no longer an immortal. That benefit of the Alal-Baraqu-Cáel triumvirate now rests with Cáel.

Yes – this means, if Alal can ‘kill’ Cáel, he could assume the ‘immortal’ mantel (you can imagine he has such a contingency) … or it might jump to Baraqu … wherever that is (if the Weave continues to be a fickle bitch).

Cáel being the ‘immortal’ at this time is why the ‘Daughters of Alal’ ~ his Aunts ~ need to reverse-engineer the experiments Alal worked through to create their life-extending elixirs as opposed to simply copying the formulas he used – because Cáel is not the exact same person, or soul shard, as Alal.

**

The only other three ‘immortals’ we have seen, to date, are Temujin, who reincarnates – which is a pretty straightforward birth-life-death-rebirth cycle. His mother pays no particular price for being the vessel for his return into the Sunlit Realm.

As Temujin grows up, he recalls his memories at roughly twice the rate as they came to him previously. So, the 22 year old Temujin of today recalls the memories of all the reincarnated 44 year old Temujins of the past with a preference for the ‘original’, 13th century memories. Temujin can accelerate this learning curve by revisiting key places of significance as well as spiritual centers with the accepted dangers that such accelerations could drive him mad.

**

As for the other groups of immortals ~ the Cult of the Jaguar and the Seven Pillars.

The Seven Pillars steal the Human Potential of victims and sacrifice them to horrific entities to extend their lifespans on this side of the Weave. The problem is the ever-increasing cost of avoiding their fates becomes astronomical – so their current methods simply aren’t all that practical except for the most potent Gong-tau practitioners. Even then, this is more life-extension than True Immortality.

The gods and goddesses of the Cult of the Jaguar, on the other hand, are truly immortal. When they ‘burn out’ their current ‘mortal shell’ they gestate a new body within a hapless sacrifice. The fetus grows inside, slowly weakening the mother as it does so. Its rebirth into the Sunlit Realm accompanies the Mother’s death [and I swear I had this plotted out way before seeing the 2017 Season Finale of Supernatural!].

How long this shell lasts depends upon the normal wear and tear of time plus exceptional damage rendered to the body. Otherwise they regenerate damage rapidly and appear young and vigorous until shortly before they ‘drop dead’.

That is the rather short list of immortals and, as I said, there really isn’t any specific rule governing them all.

**

[AMAZON QUEENS AND GODDESSES]

There is no Matron Goddess for the Amazon Queens and this comes from the genesis of the Amazons. Back in those days, even the goddesses had a mostly male priesthood who were just as invested in the patriarchal ruling structure as every other institution.

When the Pala lands were invaded, the armies of the Pala were decimated. The Pala men decided to placate the invaders with some of their lands and women as opposed to losing everything. This would allow them – the men – to hold on to some of what they had. If you were a woman being handed over to these invaders, this was a far more loathsome alternative.

Thus began the long rebellion of the Amazons. Initially it was just among women who escaped the slavery of the invaders. They fled into the hills and forests they knew well and the invaders knew little about. Slowly, over time, they improved their fighting skills and gained more weapons.

Eventually they inflicted a series stinging, humiliating defeat upon the invaders. The invading army marshaled its best warriors and chased the proto-Amazons south into those wild valleys. In a particularly steep place the women attacked from the high slopes with bows, slings and javelins while setting a huge blaze at the only exit.

The men tried to take shelter underneath their shields, but the Amazon War Leader, Kururiyahhssi, was prepared for this ~ they tossed bees nests down among them. The men couldn’t climb up the sides fast enough without being hit in the back by the women on the opposite slope. None returned.

Then, in the dark of night, the vengeful women descended upon the villages and towns handed over to the invaders and killed them all. With the last invader dead, she sent this messenger to the male leaders of the Pala ~ the invaders have all departed.

First the leaders sent scouts to verify this. They found women working the fields and tending the herds … and no sign of the invaders. The Amazons hidden their corpses … and their weapons. So, the Pala men hurried back to the lands they had handed over to reestablish their control.

“Where have the invaders gone?” they asked the women.

“They went south (into the mountains) to make war and didn’t come back,” was the response.

The men rejoiced, gave thanks to their gods and held a great celebration.

That night, when they were drunk enough, the Amazons fell upon the men of the Pala too, killing the warriors and taking the rest as their slaves. This accomplished, Kururiyahhssi marched into the ‘Free Pala’ lands and took them as well.

All men were enslaved … except for the priesthood. They were sacred … and they hated Kururiyahhssi and her Amazons. Soon enough, because of the disruption of labor and bad management by the invaders, there was hunger in the land. The priests blamed Kururiyahhssi and her ‘unholy’ ways.

They claimed the gods and goddesses had turned their backs upon the Pala. The women were afraid. Leaving her ablest daughter in charge, Nasusara (Queen) Kururiyahhssi headed back into the mountains for a full lunar cycle.

When she returned, the masses were restive and the Amazons were fearful all they had fought for would be lost. Kururiyahhssi declared she had received enlightenment in the mountains and there was to be a major religious celebration. All were to gather and the land was to be reborn.

They gathered – the hopeful and fearful – the greedy and the furious. At the height of the festival, the Queen’s most loyal fighters seized all the priests and brought them before Kururiyahhssi.

“They say the divinities have turned their backs on the Pala because of my ways,” she shouted to be heard over the uneasy crowd. “They say the gods are angry with me. They say it is sacrilege to slay a priest because they are the vessels of the gods’ and goddesses’ will.”

She drew forth her long knife (they didn’t have true swords back then).

“I say the gods and goddesses abandoned US,” she screamed. “I say ‘where were the gods and goddesses when we were raped and beaten by our slave masters?’”

“I say ‘where were the gods and goddesses when we were cold, hungry and alone in the woods and mountains?’ I say ‘where were the gods and goddesses when our sisters were bleeding and dying to free all of us from the invaders?’” she screamed.

“The gods and goddesses abandoned us!”

“Blasphemy,” the lead priest shouted. She rammed her blade into his skull from underneath his chin.

“They say it is sacrilege to kill these fools who represent ‘our’ gods and goddesses,” Kururiyahhssi yelled.

“I say we have punished the men for their betrayal, but we have failed to punish our gods for theirs … and THAT IS OUR FAILURE!”

The crowd wavered, ever fearful of the wrath of the divine.

“I will take the penalty if this sacrilege, if it is. I, Kururiyahhssi, by this act, exact our vengeance upon the gods for abandoning us,” she began walking down the line, using axe, knife and spear to dispatch each and every male priest assembled. Even when her arm ached and others offered to take over, she refused. After it was finally over she made this claim.

“I, as your leader, have done this for all of us yet the sin is mine alone. Let the wrath of those selfish wraiths fall upon me. I have sworn an oath to never bow before any man. Now I swear to you I shall never bow before any deity as well – as a reminder to them of their betrayal and to be more mindful of our People.”

With that act she damned her soul and destroyed the last center of male resistance within Amazons lands. She accepted she was doomed to be torn apart by demons for eternity for her defiance. For her ‘daughters’, she felt it was worth it.

Imagine her surprise when she awoke to the face Lelwani, Goddess of the Underworld, and dozens of her welcoming warrior-friends who had predeceased her. A place had been set aside for her afterlife. She wasn’t getting a ‘we apologize’, but she wasn’t facing eternal torment either so …

After the massacre of all the male priests Kururiyahhssi created the position of High Priestess (and any God who wouldn’t accept a priestess – all of them it turned out – had their temples torn down) to interact between the various divinities, their clergy and the Queen.

{She also created the position of Keeper of the Records at the same time and, unbeknownst to all, gave them their secret mandate – to record the truth – for she foresaw a time when her ‘daughters’ would chose expediency over reality and how that might come back to bite them in the ass.}

Each succeeding Amazon Queen has taken Kururiyahhssi’s Oath to bow before no ‘one’ ~ period. The Royal has no favorite deity. No ethos means more to her than another. She isn’t even religious, or pretends to rule by Divine Right.

The Amazons believe they rule by the fact they seized their destiny with their own blood-stained hands alone and their Queen is the ultimate representation of that. She owes her authority to no one save the Host itself of which she is the preeminent and absolute steward.

**

[THE QUEEN TODAY]

As the ultimate role-reversal in this tale, little, weak, looked-down-on Aya is now viewed as best suited to rule over the Amazon Host … and all in a matter of three months. Not solely based on her blood-pedigree, but because of what she’s accomplished and endured.

St. Marie doesn’t show her respect because “she’s the Queen”. She shows respect to Aya because she read the reports from the Archery Range, Summer Camp, her & Cáel’s kidnapping, and her confrontation in DC. Taking into account she is only 9 … St. Marie sees truly awesome potential in Aya.

St. Marie’s ability to judge people and their potential? She has promoted the likes of Elsa and Rachel within the Security Detail. She HATES Cáel yet was able to see past that to see his utility as Chief Diplomat for the Host and look at all the benefit the Host has reaped from that decision.

Despite the completely unorthodox nature of the combined forces involve stealing the PLAN carrier – she approved the Amazon contribution to it as well as their actions in the South China Sea.

Despite her and Rayen Artio being rivals for Golden Mare at one time, she didn’t hesitate to place Rayen in a critical position either.

We all know Katrina can be ruthless even where family is concerned. If Katrina didn’t have faith in Aya’s potential, do you think she would be supporting her niece?

Krasimira is the same way ~ she sees great potential in the young Queen.

There will be councilwomen who see Aya as too young – too untested for her important role. Her leadership is certainly not universally accepted without protest within the Amazon ranks. Yet no Queen ever has been. Even Kururiyahhssi faced internal opposition during her reign.

The thing is the councilwomen feel they have the right to be heard and the right to protest – and they do. Aya would never deny them this basic principle. If would be the hallmark of a bad ruler if she didn’t listen to her subjects, even those who often disagreed with her.

The right and willingness for each woman to speak freely is one of the cornerstones of Amazons society. All risk their lives and those of their beloved kin. It is what makes them Amazons, thus superior, in their minds, to everyone else.

This does not make them a democracy though. They still have to follow orders – even orders they don’t like. Just because you protest doesn’t mean you will change your leader’s mind. Because the Amazons are a militant organization, they accept that not all questions get answers, or you might get answers you don’t like. Speaking your mind doesn’t equal getting your way.

The councilwomen expect this from the junior members of their Houses. In the same way, they accept this will happen when dealing with their tiny monarch. They aren’t out to seize control as much as crafting persuasive arguments supported by a large number of other councilors.

The councilwomen have the right to be heard. Nothing in Amazon law requires Aya to agree, or follow their advice … and Aya is fully aware of this burden. The final decision is always hers. Even if she defers to St. Marie, or Katrina, they are in effect merely acting on her commands. That is what it means to be the Amazon Queen.

**

A final bit of ‘oddness’. It was normal at the time for leaders & heroes to claim to be the descendent of one divinity, or another. Not the Amazons. Even when such claims were tossed at them, they vehemently refuted them. For the Amazons it was other races making excuses as to why the Amazons were kicking their asses and nothing more ~ certainly not praise.

**

Oh look … a nearly 2,500 word essay to answer two questions and a whole lot more. Sweet freaking Jesus!

I hope this helps,

James aka FinalStand

Can anyone help me point to the chapter where Katrina licks Cael's nipples? I've read the series thrice, but still have trouble placing the event.

She doesn't actually lick his nipples, but she threatens to in Chapter 12, towards the bottom of page 2, after Cáel's formal apology to Fabiola, but before he gets dragged off to Full-blooded Gym for his spear vs. ax bout with Elsa.

James aka FinalStand

James, I am re-reading the entire series again for probably the 4th time and had a couple of questions. What was the full extent of impact of the anthrax attack. The 7-P don't seem to be impacted very much and I would think they would have been.

Second, how would Ajax restore the queens honor and why would Death Song believe betraying the Amazon free hold would motivate Ajax to "restore" her mothers honor.

Finally how did delivering C'ael and Aya to the 7-P ferret out the spy in Havenstone? Was the spy an Amazon or runner or someone else. I figured someone else since a

Traitor is unheard of in the Amazon culture

I'm sure I've just missed the connects in the story but I appreciate you clearing this up. Love all of your work.

Lewis

Lewis,

The Anthrax attack – the real damage of the Anthrax attack was the ‘scare’ then the inoculations which actually gave those people a concentrated, highly lethal form of the disease. It also ‘burned out’ very rapidly. Most of the Seven Pillars were never inoculated so never got sick. Those running the ‘Special Operations’ Sections dedicated against the Khanate were and many of those people did die.

Note how the Seven Pillars has been very unsuccessful countering the Earth & Sky since the first blows landed. They aren’t assassinating key Khanate people, foiling coups, or even enacting important works of sabotage. Compared to how rough the 9 Clans have it … the Anti-Khanate Section has been effectively gutted. To be ‘fair’ the Khanate never intended to use the Anthrax to wipe out the entire Seven Pillars because that disease could have killed all Mankind too.

Critical people were saved by using Gong Tau to siphon off the life force of victims, but that was rarely done. The cost simply isn’t worth it (unless, of course, you are the one dying). It will take years for the Seven Pillars to re-establish those networks and train those specialist.

**

Kwenhamai’s Motivations – you have to go back to the Trojan Wars to get the gist of this. Kwen’s mother, Hueksanhbizahhāi [Penthesilea], after accidentally killing one of her sisters in a hunting accident was cursed to die an ignoble death. During the War, she battled both Ajax and Achilles. Ajax danced around and mocked her until Achilles fought to his side then Achilles struck her down, stunning her.

Hueksanhbizahhāi, without a weapon in hand, begged for chance to pick up one and die a Warrior’s Death, but Achilles mockingly cut her down as she was ‘just a woman’. Achilles then stooped down, took off her helmet and was aghast he had slain such a beautiful creature … and realized he’d acted in anger. He took her body back to the Greek camp so the other Greeks would not despoil her.

Kwen, who had not been on that part of the battlefield went to the Greek camp. She learned of her Mother’s fate from Ajax as Achilles was still brooding in his tent. Yet through an emissary, Achilles promised to return the body with honors and hold a feast for the Amazons. She accepted.

Fate would intervene and Achilles would not attend the feast, Ajax and the other Greek champions would betray the Amazons and the rest is history. After the Amazons tricked Ajax into murdering his own men, he took his own life – something the fleeing Amazons were aware of. The final fate of Achilles was unknown though for some time and would be learned from another group of Greeks.

Esharsanh [Antiope], last sister of Hueksanhbizahhāi [Penthesilea] became Queen after her death. In Colchis (current day Georgia) the fleeing Amazons came across a group of Greek explorers which included one Theseus of Athens. To gain the Amazons help in stealing the Golden Fleece from a guardian Dragon, Theseus kidnapped the Amazon Queen.

The Amazons helped, they ‘tricked’ the dragon and got the fleece, but the Amazons didn’t get their Queen back. Kwenhamai led a desperate party to track them down while the majority of the Amazons continued their trek northward into Scythian lands.

Well, Kwenhamai caught up with Esharsanh [Antiope], but by that time, she was Queen of Athens, had fallen in love with Theseus, had born him sons and didn’t want to return. So, Kwenhamai killed her then, so word of their deaths would reach the Amazons, she had the few survivors of her party betray her to King Theseus, murder her and give him Kwen’s severed head. They did so and a grief-stricken King allowed the surviving Amazons to depart and bear the news to the rest of their people.

Had she given the task of killing Queen Esharsanh [Antiope] to another, they would have been denied their Afterlife. Kwen sought out the Endless Black Sands so she could force Ajax and Achilles to forgive her Mother for wanting nothing more than a weapon in hand to die with.

Kwenhamai was also feeling very betrayed by her people and divinities as well. For an unlucky blow, her Mother was cursed to die and unlucky death. Her lesser Aunt was chosen to rule over the Amazons instead of her because of her Mother’s curse. Finally, nothing in 3000 years had been done to redeem her Mother’s name … instead, it is virtually cursed.

Hueksanhbizahhāi [Penthesilea] took too much of the Amazon might to the aid of Troy so that between the losses suffered in battle, those lost at the banquet and those who didn’t survive the travel back to their homeland, they didn’t have enough left to stave off their regular cast of enemies. Since Troy and their regular allies lost, there was nothing for anyone of them to send to aid the Amazons as well.

She found the wraiths of Ajax and his slaughtered company. Achilles had passed on. They remained. Ajax decided to use her unreasoning grief against her. Ajax could, with the force of his Legend, bend the fate of Hueksanhbizahhāi so that she meets a noble end and her spirit is deserving of paradise. The Amazons could do so, but won’t. The Amazon Goddesses could, but won’t.

From Kewn’s limited understanding of how this works, only Ajax remains to save her Mother from another form of eternal damnation. The problem for her came when she passed through the Weave into the Sunlit Realm and the reality the Amazons were living with was revealed to her. The Amazons didn’t rehabilitate ANY of their people – ever.

Basically, Ajax was going to lie to the Modern World about what happened to her Mother and lie loud and hard enough do so that Hueksanhbizahhāi’s fate was rewritten. The Amazons were going to accept this new ‘lie’ and everything would turn out okay. Except Ajax was using her and her ‘new’ knowledge of the Amazons to hunt them down and slay as many as possible.

Kwen never expected to survive the process of redeeming her Mother. She still feels she owes Amazon Society for the murder for their last queen. In Aya, she found the answers to both salvations ~ their lines will remain unbroken and their deaths will have purpose ~ be the catalysts for something greater. With Kwen, it is death in name only … for now. It is still a big, dangerous World out there after all.

**

The Spy Inside – Havenstone is Katrina and her Executive Services ladies. This is based on the principle you rely on the ‘spies’ you know as oppose to constantly looking for the ones you don’t know about. Ever since the ‘Protocols’ were established, the other Secret Societies have been trying to penetrate the Amazon Host.

Before the First Directive, this was essentially impossible due to the fanatical, misandristic nature of the Full-bloods. With the advent of the ‘Runners’, efforts were made to insert agents inside the proto-Havenstone … with limited success mainly due to the above mentioned fanatical cult-like nature.

Around the time Havenstone came into existence, attempts were made to ‘turn’ already accepted ‘Runners’ instead. Katrina’s predecessor decided instead of disrupting such efforts, to turn a select few (if every attempt was a success the enemies would get suspicious) ‘Runners’ into turncoat moles.

Normally they wanted non-essential information such as ‘who does what within Havenstone’, or ‘who is in what House’. This allowed the ‘Spear’ {the truncated name of Katrina's office} to control the exit of intelligence to the others as well as figure out what they were interested in. It was also decided to give each agent an expiration date ~ a point when they would ‘betray’ their handler and ‘blab all to Executive Services’.

This gave the impression ES was on the job and that no ‘Runner’ could be ‘bought/blackmailed’ forever thus was a finite resource. This accelerated what the enemy handlers requested of their ‘targets’, giving ES a better view of what their enemies were interested in.

The biggest … problem … with this project was it has been rejected by the reigning High Priestess of the time as she felt it was a violation of the Protocols … and the ‘Spear’ implemented the policy anyway. Katrina, upon being nominated for the position decided to keep this policy secret as well. After all, the reaction of Full-bloods when learning some Runners were acting as ‘double-agents’ might not go over well.

You can be DAMN sure Katrina has NOT told St. Marie, the Golden Mare, of what ES has been doing for the past thirty years.

The Seven Pillars learned the Amazons had a yearly Summer Camps (one in each Africa, the Americas, Europe and Indonesia), but not where it was, due to this program. Not the precise time table, or location, but the very idea the Amazons gathered so many of their young in one spot at one time was revealed.

The Seven Pillars used their necromancy to locate the camps in Indonesia and North America. The one in Indonesia deemed to mystically dangerous to attack so the 7P’s created a contingency plan for the one in America.

Yes – this means Daphne lied when she said it changed location every year. An Amazon lied to Cáel … who would have thunk it? ;)

Mind you, there have been untold snippets of information gained from this program too. The ability to locate and track enemy agents who were under the impression they were flying beneath the radar. The ability to spread disinformation. The ability to, when the opportunity presented itself, turn enemy agents into turncoats for the Host.

Why haven’t any Full-bloods figured this out? Treason is so far-fetched to their way of thinking, it is a difficult concept for them to wrap their minds around. Look how poorly they react to Amazons who leave the Host and marry/mate for love. Besides, if you have a complaint vs. a particular Amazons, you can fight it out with them on the mats.

Amazons don’t ‘get paid’ so it is difficult to bribe them with material possessions. If someone did bribe an Amazon, they would shameless show others the ‘gift’ the stupid outsider gave them. They’d be allowed to keep it unless such a thing was desperately needed elsewhere. The Host takes care of all their needs from Cradle to Grave.

From an early age you are encouraged to have three close friends (their groups of ‘4’) which bind you to the community. They constantly compete which burns off aggression and frustrations. You can bitch to your boss, your House Head and even the High Priestess if you really feel wronged.

For Full-bloods …

You don’t fight over ‘dick’. You take the ‘dick’ you want.

You don’t fight over ‘jewelry’. Jewelry is ‘Honor Gold’ in Amazons Society and is earned.

If you are not #1 today at something, you work harder to become #1 at it tomorrow. This is encouraged.

Rivalries are encouraged and you know certain sisters will have your back so jealousy and greed aren’t seriously corrosive issues.

Even Blood Feuds are ritualized affairs encouraged by their Society.

No one is encouraged to swallow their feeling for the welfare of the group. Speak out, sing out and being heard are expected behaviors.

Now, the Full-bloods already look down on the ‘Runners’. If they were to learn some were, even for a short time, thinking of betraying the Host, what do you think their reaction would be?

Forward-thinking Amazons such as Katrina and Tessa take into account that Runners haven’t grown up in Amazon Society so it is much harder to accept the all-encompassing and accepting nature of the Amazons.

The FACT they have never not revealed such a betrayal wouldn’t matter to traditionalist Full-bloods. Treason is treason and should be met with DEATH. You can’t run an intelligence operation that way ~ not in the Modern Age.

Taking into account no Runner has made it to a Directorship, Runners otherwise get the same benefits as Full-bloods as far as healthcare, food, clothing, expense accounts, domiciles and responsibilities go.

They don’t have the House structure, but the Runners compensate by keeping up with one another’s careers ~ which truly came to the fore when House Ishara sprang into existence.

They don’t practice with archaic weapons. They do practice the Amazon Martial Art form as well as a plethora of Modern weapons so they really don’t care all that much.

Runners don’t practice the Amazon religion (yet), but they never have so they do see themselves as missing much. They weren’t aware of the Afterlife they were being denied, or that the Full-bloods felt they were unworthy of it.

Beyond that ~ Runners were Amazons. They could complain all the way up to the High Priestess if they felt wronged. They are encouraged to compete, create friendships and rivalries. They are encouraged to believe they belong.

That occasionally a Runner may stumble on the path is something other Runners do understand, as do open-minded Full-bloods such as Katrina. Full-bloods like Katrina and ES Runners give such ‘fallen’ Runners a chance to redeem themselves and they have done so admirably, hurting their enemies in the process. For Katrina, it is those victories which truly matter.

Oh … if it was revealed Katrina was behind all of this, she would be told to step down as ‘Spear’ and face numerous House challenges. Most likely she would die on the first blade she faced, dying an Epona. She could not cut a lock of hair and declare herself a Runner – she knows too much about the inner workings of the Host to be risked so she would be forced to commit suicide so better to die an Epona in her eyes.

And Cáel and Pamela know this and Katrina knows they know yet Cáel’s loyalty to both Katrina and the Host keep all their mouths shut.

Why hasn’t any other Secret Society figured this out? Fanaticism and self-sacrifice. Until you are inside the cult you really can’t grasp what becoming an Amazon does to an otherwise ‘fucked up & fucked over’ woman aka the ones recruited to be Runners. The ability of the normally hidebound Amazon leadership to exploit this opportunity – the willing of Runners to sacrifice their new lives rather than live with the shame – is unfathomable.

I hope this helps,

James aka FinalStand

James, how about getting Cael a horse/mare for the hunt? The horse riding at the summer camp is one of my favourite, especially coz he is an unnatural born horseman. Ii bsolutely loved it, being one with the animal. I so wished there was more of his comraderie with peppermint to read. It was over too soon.

I also hope I don't inconvenience your writing or distract you with this suggestion.

Rohan

James,

I enjoy your writing and hope you are feeling better.

A couple of chapters ago, you mentioned that the hunt would be the end LNH, but the story would continue. Depending on the story arcs, here are a couple of suggestions for the following arcs.

Life as a new Father

Life as a new Immortal

Thank you for the stories. I really enjoy them.

Jay

... thanks.

My current 'working title is ...

LNH: The End of the Beginning

‘Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.’

~ Winston Churchill ~

And the first chapter has broken 13,000 words plus over 4,000 more in notes including:

**

My favorite ninja-acrobat was fussy. Her second trimester had been so tough on her that her family sent her to the States. The experts said twin daughters (thus twin souls) that was making it so rough for her petite frame.

From my standpoint, it fell to me to be her only real friend. Other people might know and like her yet she was naturally a private individual. I was also the only one who was okay with her keeping up her exercise regimen. The OBGYN wanted her to sit around with her feet elevated all day.

Miyako wanted to free-climb skyscrapers late at night in the pouring rain. Pamela had my back, so to speak, and created a series of low-impact martial and acrobatic exercises for her, me and Pamela to share.

I also brought her into Unit L of JIKIT (now JCKIT) as a technical advisor. Her knowledge of what the 9 Clans in Asia could accomplish was extensive as she had cross trained with both the Ghost Tigers (as well as the Black Hand). Addison had come to appreciate how Miyako would pose requests to get the normally taciturn GT’s to cooperate in an organized fashion.

**

And ...

**

(JCKIT OFFICES, 1:15 AM THURSDAY DEC. 25TH, 2014)

How can you tell when your closet ninja is unhappy? You step off the elevator and she is standing there in the open waiting for you. Miyako looked ragged to the point her Amazon SD minder looked concerned and those are some hard-ass bitches. I took off my jacket, twirled it around then placed it over her shoulders.

[Japanese] “I must be looking horrible,” she muttered, turning my compassionate gesture on its ear.

[Japanese] “You have dark circles under your eyes (true) and your hair is a tangled mess (false),” I cooed, “yet you have never looked more beautiful to me.” I put my arm around her shoulders and began escorting her toward the main office where we gathered for our general meetings. I was about to be late.

[Japanese] “Liar,” she pouted. She also drove her fingers into my nerve cluster in my shoulder joint. Agony shot up my collarbone to my neck and down my arm, making my fingers twitch.

“OW! Mother-,” I ground out, “-fucker … that hurts, Babe.”

[Japanese] “You are lying to me,” she groused loudly. I needed to play up my passionate angle and be a true romantic.

[Japanese] “I can’t … talk … like this,” I whimpered because the pain was really intense and all the more because the arm wasn’t paralyzed. It hurt when it moved.

[Japanese] “Stop lying to me,” she grew teary-eyed. She deftly undid her damage. “I’m swelling up like a hippo. I can barely feel my ankles anymore.”

‘Chose your next words carefully,’ I thought to myself. Miyako was fragile and needed me to be me.

[Japanese] “But I like fat chicks,” I complained. Miyako jerked to a halt. I broke into a run, opened the closest door and dove into the room. Two sharp ‘ka-thunk’s followed me. That would be her throwing darts. Over the past month I’d learned her throwing stars sounded differently.

“Whoa there,” the SD trooper called out. “Does he really deserve death?” She was in a quandary of her own. She was supposed to protect the unborn children of Ishara without letting the mother kill Wakko Ishara himself. That didn’t stop her from having some inter-woman solidarity.

“He called me fat,” Miyako sniffled. Pause.

“Okay, I’ll hold him and you get one free hit, just not the face,” the guardian offered.

“He said my face was …”

I was already running for the connecting door that would put more hard surfaces between me and my pregnant ninja.

In the next room were Agent-86 from the NSA, Daphne Pale, my fellow, former new hire with Havenstone, and Beatrice Ya Konan, from the US State Department Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and who ran our nighttime operations. We were still a small outfit with most people working twelve hours shifts six days a week.

“Addison is already in the building. She’s on the phone in the next … did you say something bad to Agent-99 (codename for Miyako Yuki the Ninja)?” Agent-86 asked.

“I’m cheering her up, I swear,” I stated before I thru myself behind the sofa. It wasn’t like I’d hear ‘99’ sneaking up on me. If anything, she was bad at being obvious; soundless and seamless were what was natural for her after so many years of indoctrination.

“You could have let her sleep in,” Daphne chided me.

“Like I really had a choice,” I murmured.

“Fine, Staff Sgt. (Nicholas) Billings and Agent (Anastasia) Sandusky are on the way in. It seems they have a life,” he joked.

Miyako chose the direct approach. She opened the door and strode up to me. I was manly enough to stop cowering during her final approach.

[Japanese] “Why are you so mean to me?” she sniffled. What she really meant was ‘you had better be nicer to me’.

[Japanese] “You are moping around and …” I got out before she snap-kicked my instep then jammed a thumb into my trachea. I fell over screaming soundlessly in pain. I could have been dead.

[American Sign Language] “You are so fantastic right now.” I was struggling to breathe, but needed to take the initiative. Uncontrollable hormones and raging passions came to my rescue. Miyako collapsed beside me and began massaging my throat.

[Japanese] “I’m so sorry,” she cried. “I’m so miserable I’m lashing out at you and I know you care, but I get crazy and …

[Japanese] “I can take it,” I rasped. “I’m here for you.”

See, I had the pregnancy I deserved, not the one poor Miyako deserved. And to prove it,

[Japanese] “I missed you tonight … do we have time?” In case there was any confusion, she wanted to know if we had time for a quickie. I’m a lucky, lucky man who was currently crippled and fighting for air.

“I’m afraid Addison is on her way up,” Agent-86 intervened. He understood Japanese yet only spoke it when talking to Miyako in private. He was weird that way … and in so many others. As far as I could tell he had no personal life that involved actual people. He gamed on line and watched anime like his life depended on it. He was also easy to work with and damn excellent at his job.

I got to my knees and hugged her to me. I petted her hair and she stroked my erogenous zone along the inside of my right wrist. She wanted to express her sexual power over me even though she’d been ranting against me thirty seconds earlier. This was pretty much what nights with her were like. She was somewhat calmer during the daylight hours.

I was on my feet holding Miyako from behind and nuzzling the top of her head when Addison and Anastasia showed up. Since Billings was on the ‘supply side’ of the intelligence question, Addison began the meeting.

**

Take care,

James aka FinalStand

... I am giving your suggestion serious thought. It would certainly change some of the dynamics of the Great Hunt I've been considering.

James aka FinalStand

Just checking in to see how your doing man we haven't heard anything from ya since February

Tazzy

... not directly applicable to Life as a New Hire, but I have finally submitted my first story of 2017 ~ WMD 4. 31,143 words. Honestly, I feel a great weight has lifted off me as I've been wanting to do SOMETHING for months now.

I am still working on LNH plus other continuing tales.

Right now ... it is 3:16 in the morning and I'm exhausted, but happy.

Take care All,

James aka FinalStand

FELLOW LNH FANS:

I know we've all been waiting anxiously for the latest edition to this saga, but it just occurred to me while reading all the updates, that we've technically been given a raw form of the saga, through snippets in this section. Maybe, just maybe, if we leave James alone long enough, we could get the polished version that we all desire. Trust me. I'm every bit as anxious as everyone else, but as a writer, on of the hardest things to do is FOCUS, especially when everyone is harassing you for more.

James, as always thanks for the update. Its good to know that you haven't abandoned the story.

We are thinking happy thoughts for your continued recovery.

Sorry if you thought i was pressuring for story updates mate i was just checking in on ye to see how you are coz you've been quiet is all, glad your happy man :)

Tazzy

... I'm a big boy. I don't feel harassed by questions and requests for updates. I am honored my readership have retained interest in this and other tales. The pressure on my to produce is put on me by me. I want to write and write productively. I want to create stories and bring them to some sort of conclusion. When I fail to do this, the first person I let down is me.

For that matter, more than one feedback, question, or comment has spurred me on to some level of activity. It push my mind to look at things I may have ignored, or provide clarity to issues I'm uncertain about. Hell, I have written two, multi-chapter stories based off 'one-shots' because of feedback. You never know.

James aka FinalStand

I've sent Ebb Tide 4B to my editors tonight ~ 34,246 words which translates over to ten to eleven Literotica pages. It may take a few days for the editors to work through, but that TWO completed! On to the next one!

James aka FinalStand

James. While we all await the big hunt and check the site for updates, I just wanted to say thank you for 2 new stories or chapters. Ebb tide is a solid story and WMD is beyond funny. No it's not C'ael being hunted by Elsa, but it is top shelf writing. One question will we ever see a Buffy Hanna Cael sex scene, the ultimate sharing event?

Or can the magic dick bring peace to Elsa and Buffy at the same time. Impossible events imagined by an idle mind waiting for the next story

There is a great likelihood of a Buffy, Cáel and Hana get together. First off, Buffy has developed a great deal of personal respect for Hana ~ person to person ~ as Hana projects a sense of calm leadership similar to that of Katrina. Only around Cáel do we see a more vulnerable Hana. To the outside World, she is more Jormo's daughter and the person he trusts to run his global empire.

Then there is the fact Hana is acting as a diplomat and peace-maker like a true Isharan. She makes no pretensions to being an Amazon so it is actually easier for the Isharans to accept her as Cáel's fiancee.

Buffy's biggest worry is that she and Cáel are so much more proficient at sex (and in such top physical shape), she might intimidate Hana in the bedroom. She would't want to do that to Hana, so she is a bit worried. Again, she should have better faith in Cáel to manage such things.

I haven't mapped out such a sex scene yet, but I imagine it would take place post-marriage, but before Cáel goes to Brazil to look for the Lost Arinniti.

**

Elsa and Buffy on the other hand ... would be ugly. By the thinnest of filaments, Elsa is better than Buffy in most physical and martial things. In sex, Buffy would annihilate her. On the sexual battlefield, Buffy would want to destroy her as well ~ dangle a Cáel three-way before her then leave her in the dust. Sure, Elsa has the stamina, but she simply doesn't have the skills to compete with Buffy, or Cáel, where sex is concerned ... and Buffy is petty enough to lord this over Elsa.

This would make the sex 'not' fun for Cáel and he'd know it before the situation ever arose. To get around this, he'd probably have some 'Elsa Instructional Sessions' where he and another guy ~ maybe even Felix ~ would have a go with Elsa in the gym as an open lesson on sex ~ a Primer for Full-blooded Amazons.

Sure, this may result in the male new hires having to go around in groups of two, or three, so they don't get cornered, dragged off and raped, but isn't Havenstone a wild, wacky, erotic carnival ride anyway?

I hope this helps,

James aka FinalStand

... this came up.

**

(At Amazon Summer Camp XX years in the future)

Daughter of Ishara [DoI] (angry): "You only want my Brother to be in your warband

because you think he looks hot!"

Three teenage Amazons [3As] look at one another trying not to appear too suspicious

then, in unison, say: "No, we don't!"

DoI: "I know those looks! You've been giving him sexy eyes all week long!"

3As: "No, we haven't. We've been beating him up."

DoI: "That too! Stop ambushing him, tying him up and dragging him off into the

bushes! He's becoming afraid to go out after dark."

3As: "Aaahhh ... wasn't us."

DoI: "You made him cry out your names as he licked each of you to orgasm ..."

3A's: (guilty looks all around) ... "But he's really, really good at it."

DoI: "He's the son of Cael Ishara ~ so 'well duh! My Atta didn't get all those

scars because he was a pacifistic wimp."

(Two more Daughters of Ishara walk up) One says: "Hey, has anyone seen Raider?"

1st DoI: "We've lost another one? I swear we can't trust any of these bitches

around any of our brothers."

(more guilty looks all around)

**

James aka FinalStand

Enjoyed WMD4. Keep up the good work

I just finished my umpteenth reread and I realize that a couple of the comments I have made on the earlier chapters in the past couple of days have been inaccurate with regards to how much we hear about the other ES interns and Desiree in the later chapters. I wish to apologize for misremembering.

Also, the story is as good as I remembered and I hunger for chapter 48 and beyond.

I know it still isn't Chapter 48 and the Great Hunt ... but its progress, right? I am actually planning to polish off two already written 'new' stories then tackle LNH 48. I may even split it into two chapters so as not to create 'reading fatigue' and publish 48 and 49 a few days apart and still wrap up the story in 'one shot' ~ so to speak.

As it is ... I've been up editing until 6:41 am ... and I'm beat.

James aka FinalStand

Glad the bellows are slowly starting to pump again, James.

Here's to a good run, lets make the best of the situation!

On the opposite note, hoping to see more of OG Cael after the great hunt, with a crisis of faith (in amazons, brutality in general, coming to terms with the person he has become throughout his internship & lamenting leaving a life outside havenstone etc)

This is all selfish on my part & my way of seeking perspective, so take all this at its face value haha.

Seriously, though. He's riding some serious momentum... In my experience readjustments in spiritual purpose come mainly from enduring hair-pulling endeavors.,. I mean Cael is the biggest glutton for punishment ever, but things never truly degrade to the poimt where he loses touch completely.

.... The sadist in me is wishing for this all to be made clear in the giant orgy that will be #Rio2017...

Who knows though Im missing a few screws at the moment ;)

Remember, Aya makes all that pain, blood and injury worthwhile.

And besides, Pamela gives him shit over it ... and Buffy gets to constantly and physically remind him he has both personal bodyguards and is part of a freaking Martial Secret Society, for Ishara's Sake!!!

Which is okay because when he's unconscious, Ishara gives him shit about it too.

But, HEY ... it's Rio ... Garden Spot of the Southern Hemisphere (also, it is Rio~Carnival 2015! as Life as a New Hire began way back in 2014 ...). They have topless beaches. Where could assassins, or roving bands of mercenaries, possibly hide any weapons? All he has to do is find some old Hungarians, remind them of their ancient, mystic heritage and the get down to some serious partying, right? Easy-peasy ... what could possibly go wrong?

It isn't like he destroyed the Amazon Summer Camp ... or portions of downtown Budapest ... or set fire to the Hungarian countryside ... or incited the largest land battle in Romania since World War II ... or saved the life of the man who went on to, through subterfuge, use of WMD's and violent force of arms, create a new nation which is now the second largest by land-mass, third most populous and seventh largest economy on Earth ... crashed a jumbo-jet into the Pacific ... or overthrew the Thai government ... and we don't really need to talk about a Free Tibet ... or the missing Latin Kings in a certain New York neighborhood ...

Wow ...

I'm sure when the Brazilian Government learns Cáel is on his way ... they'll endeavor to shoot down his aircraft over Guyana in a desperate attempt at self-preservation. Poor, foolish mortals ... SzélAnya isn't going to like that. She's about to get 'Daddy' back and a few dozen jets shooting missiles at her favorite Idiot would put a damper on those plans and she's not an overly rational Dragon-Storm Goddess to begin with.

**

{A few months down the line}

Hana: "Honey, do you know any sane women ... or deities?"

Cáel: "Sane as in prone to act rationally in otherwise irrational situations?"

Hana: "It is so sad you have to qualify 'sane' ... but 'yes'."

Cáel: {points at Odette}

Hana: "Okay ~ she's a 'maybe'. I withhold judgement on Odette. After all, I have to take into account she smuggled herself aboard your flight to Europe that first time."

Cáel: {looks around} "Currently in my life?"

Hana: "Yes."

Cáel: "Who haven't tossed their old lives away for the Great Unknown, or part of a crazy, killer cult, or think they can run/ruin my life from beyond the Weave?"

Hana: "Yes."

Cáel: "Besides you?"

Hana: "Yes."

Cáel: {concentrates} "Ummm ... not really."

Hana: "At least you are both frighteningly consistent and married the only unique woman who shares our mutual time and space."

Cáel: "You've got that right, Hercegné. One marriage is more than enough for me!"

Hana: {pokes Cáel}

Cáel: "Hey! {looks to Juanita} "Aren't you supposed to be protecting me?"

Juanita: {steps over and pokes Cáel}

Cáel: "Damn it! I repeat: aren't you supposed to protect me?"

Juanita: "Yes, but that's secondary to keeping you in line."

Cáel: (mutters) "And ya'll wonder why I sneak off and seek death ..."

Hana: "What was that, Hercege?"

Cáel: "Nothing, Honey."

**

I repeat ... Wow ...

Two things occur to me.

1) Why is Cáel still allowed to walk around anymore? I know it is because most people can't tie him to ALL of those events, but still ...

And;

2) Alal's got to be going "That's my boy!" like any proud Grandfather would say about any Grandson following in his (bloody) footsteps.

Just my ruminations,

James aka FinalStand

How insightful :)

Guess I want more Aya/Cael dynamics more like their exotic island getaway... Seems to help Cael deal with things on a spiritual level and contrasts pretty well with the "crazy bitches all day everyday" gauntlet that he can only "keep up" so long (immortal perks).

Aya. Backpack. It all comes full circle! Apparently my mind merely wants the great hunt and will be satisfied with nothing less!

Sanity: An Exclusive Eau de Perfum by House Ishara. Available only to those who are genetically resistant to magyar - gaelic monster sausage and in areas suspiciously void of dick.

**

Sanity: An Exclusive Eau de Perfum by House Ishara. Available only to those who are genetically resistant to magyar - gaelic monster sausage and in areas suspiciously void of dick.

**

Thank you, Anonymous.

J aka FS

<3

on a more serious note, when will Pamela be kicking off her grand plans to hijack wakko & induct him into the secret house eris?

Knowing the two of them, they would likely just fill it with normals just to prove hana wrong & do intensive testing on the max amount of schlong exposure before they bridge the gap & go cuckoo for his cocoa puffs. After several failed attempts at finding a control group, they annoyingly had to settle with dragonflies.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING WHEN IT COMES TO Cáel AND HIS ANTICS. We would all be thrilled with 20 page chapters, but if it's writing fatigue, take your time you know we support you.

Thanks for Ebb Tide 4 b although I worry about you running out of tidal states

High, Low, Spring, Neap, Rip, Slack, maybe Tidal Bore if one cannot say Bore Tide.

Alicia

I am rereading LaaNH for the nth time where n tends to a helluva lot.

I am interested in Alicia's story. Caél's original theory was that she was a man hater's man hater. His new theory is that only true Isharan descendants born when the gates were closed are eligible. (Assuming he is right might this not make Stella eligible again which could cause another revolt? )

Anyway I am interested in Alicia's story. She must have been devasted to have her hopes dashed. Afterwards she would be incandescent with rage at the disappointment to the extent that she might be a threat to Cael veyobd declaribg a blood feyd which would lead Buffy or Pamela to pre-emptively kill her.

The only thing that might save her would be to be adopted by House Anat. Maybe she could be considered by the other houses although would they take Ishara's rejects?

Probably not

Idle musings on a hot day.

Jon

Although, it's been a while since I read LNH but who is Alicia?

... was the Runner rejected by the Goddess Ishara at Ferko Niylas' graveside service. Alicia was unwilling to surrender her pathological hatred of men to the Will of Ishara in order to join House Ishara.

As we see later, several members are happy enough to challenge Cáel solely because he has a nut sack yet, even when presented the perfect opportunity, they aren't willing to simply slaughter him for their own advancement, or to soothe their personal psychosis.

Alicia ~ at her point of mature at the graveside service ~ would have murdered the Chosen of Ishara for totally selfish and self-serving reasons (her hatred of all things male). Even the women who challenged Cáel for leadership later did so thinking they would make better leaders. Alicia would have attempted to gut him just to watch him die; his blood soaking into the mats.

Alicia may yet conquer her inner demons. Time will tell. Both Buffy and Helena thought she was worthy of being in the first 20 to join House Ishara so she's clearly qualified.

***

FYI: In the terminology of the New House Ishara, those inducted at the graveside are called the 'First Twenty' by the rest of the House and held in particular regard. Buffy, Helena and Cáel are placed in the Trinity of the House's rebirth ~ the House Head, House 'First'/Apprentice and House 'Keeper of Records' who all became Isharans on the day of House Ishara's resurrection.

This take into account they are only 19 in number because the lesson of Alicia Holt is added to their Creation Mythology. Alicia could not put aside her personal baggage to become Full-blooded Amazon, ignoring the lesson of the First Ishara - Yakko Ishara - who surrendered her name, thus all her past accomplishments and Legend, for the sake of the Sisters and Daughters of her House. Alicia couldn't let her past go for the sake of her Sisters and future Daughters so Ishara's doors were closed to her.

I hope this helps,

James aka FinalStand

Thanks James another brilliant insight.

A question I may have already asked.

Do you have these answers already plotted out as part of the immense research you do in world creation and back story

Or do you just wing it and create the answer to our questions immediately?

Or both

Jon

... it is both. In some cases I've already thought out various histories and relationships. In other cases, your questions cause me to consider personal backgrounds and create backstories which I feel embellish the tale as well as answering their questions.

James aka FinalStand

James.

First thank you for posting the other stories, they are fantastic and a great way to tide ( pun intended) us over till the great hunt.

And like many of you fans I have read LNH a few times. Early in the story Katrina is asked "What do you expect of Cael?" ( By Nickie I think or the other cop) And she replied "I expect him to save the world." Or something like that. This was well before much of the story developed and Cael is literally saving the world or from his view point trying. At the time was the smartest person in the room only thinking of the Amazon world or was she thinking bigger and had an insight into the workings of the weave? Why did Katrina pick Cael in the first place for executive services?

As always thank you for sharing your thoughts and your works.

LBLR15

Katrina picked Cáel because of all the five guys, he was the most adaptive, the greatest risk taker, well though of (by former girlfriends ~ surprise, surprise) and treated women the best.

On Day Two he keeps his cool after he discovers their secret and allows Katrina to save him. Oh, she had spies on him to make sure he didn't run for it ... but he didn't even seem to contemplate it. Instead, he kept to his schedule as much as possible.

Cáel's compassion for Aya was unlooked for yet touches Katrina's heart as well. She sees Aya's brilliance yet can't seem to find a way to help her. The Cáel comes along and works his magic. Suddenly Aya is walking around going "Aya is a Winner" all the time ~ and believing in it. After all, if Cáel could stand in the firing line for her to shoot at, how can she believe in herself any less?

So, even before he resurrects a dead House and becomes a member of the Council, Cáel is working to save the Amazon Host. He finds unlooked for, unconventional ways to succeed ~ Save the (Amazon) World.

James aka FinalStand

Great insight and always a pleasure to hear new words about your characters. Hint hint.

Rohan

Hey Finalstand,

This will be my 5th reread of this story, and every time I read it I find little tidbits that make it that much better. It's been a tough month for me. Our business closed, my husband is only working part-time and I lost my job. Times are tough. Your story has given me joy, and a much needed mental break every day. Can't wait to hear about the hunt.

C

Hey Finalstand,

This will be my 5th reread of this story, and every time I read it I find little tidbits that make it that much better. It's been a tough month for me. Our business closed, my husband is only working part-time and I lost my job. Times are tough. Your story has given me joy, and a much needed mental break every day. Can't wait to hear about the hunt.

C

bornwildnfree, I sent you a private message. Please contact me.

As for everyone else ... life keeps adding on the 'happy' {sarcasm}.

My neurologist decided to prescribe a more powerful tool to manage the pain in my feet. So, he gave me a foot cream. What wasn't obvious was the non-prescribed 'side effects' of the foot cream which included ... (sigh) ...

Well, as my feet have been hurting like sons-a-bitches, I was slathering that cream on three and four times a day. It had minimal positive effect which was leagues ahead of the pain I was going through. Besides, it was foot cream. What was the worse that could happen?

Baclofen (2%) ~ [Lightheadedness or fainting, trouble seeing, severe tiredness, weakness],

Cyclobenzaprine (2%) ~ [Anxiety, restlessness, seeing or hearing things that are not there, severe drowsiness, fainting, or confusion],

Diclofenac (3%) ~ [Sudden or severe headache, or problems with vision, speech, or walking],

Gabapentin (6%) ~ [Behavior problems, aggression, restlessness, trouble concentrating, moodiness (especially in children), problems with coordination, shakiness, unsteadiness, unusual moods, or behaviors, thoughts of hurting yourself, feeling depressed, dizziness, drowsiness, sleepiness, tiredness],

Lidocaine (2%) ~ [which, somewhat stunningly, isn't trying to fuck with my head]

So I've been staggering around in a semi-lucid state for the past several days, unable to figure out why I couldn't do much, if any, writing. It took me complaining to my wife to provide some clarity.

I repeat - it is freaking foot cream!

I've stopped with the foot-crack and am back to dealing with the pain. Hopefully I'll be back to writing soon too.

James aka FinalStand

FS, that sounds rough. Don't worry. Your loyal fans are patiently waiting for your next episodes. Take your time getting yourself together and hopefully you'll feel better soon.

Glad you're coming out of the fog! Man, side effects are crazy and it's lovely that they don't always tell you what's what. Tha Kris for the PM, but I am apparently PM challenged on this forum as I can't even find the area to see the PM. I did update my email address so hopefully that helps but just the thought was awesome! I hope you find something that helps with the pain.

I just want to let all the fans know that FinalStand has been nominated for Most Influential Writer

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=1443174

Go Vote!

made the link smaller to avoid the cutoff

forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=1443174

I enjoy this series and have anticipated the release of a each and every chapter. Just finished reading it again for the third or fourth time. Out of curiosity I looked up the store on Google and it brought up the series in ebooks. Before I bought them I wanted to know if they are the finished set to include what happens after chapter 47 and that you'd actually put them out there and someone wasn't ripping off all your hard work.

Thanks

The unhappy side effect of getting of some relief to the pain is getting off the drug is the pain hits back pretty hard. I've not been able to do much concentrating.

No progress to report. Ugh and double-ugh.

The books on Amazon are mine. I'm James Dosher, alright. I plan to complete Life as a New Hire here - no worries.

James aka FinalStand

when will you add more chapters? how many in total do you think?

I love the story and can't wait to see how the HUNT goes.

Hey there. Right now (July 10th, 2017) I'm struggling physically and mentally to get anything done. I've finished a few independent stories, but am dragging my ass on sending those to my editors because I'm just not all-together in my head. I'm sorry, but this is how it is with me at times. I seriously wish it was different.

I'll try to keep people updated as things progress.

James aka FinalStand

If life isn't dealing you a good hand, fold and take a short break. Don't even think about forcing progress. Rest, recover, and then once you're in better shape, maybe open up your computer again. We've waited this long, we'll be happy to wait longer if it means you can get better. Life is more important than a story.

Best wishes,

~K

You are a great writer. We appreciate all you have done.

You owe us nothing. We have not paid to view your magnificent work.

It is us that owe you.

Enjoy life. Get well.

We will still be here whenever you choose to resume writing. After all Lien Geller took 2 years between writing chapter 4 and 5 of The Missing Dragon. And you know what, ch 5 was best thing he has ever written.

Put yourself first. You and your family deserve it.

James, After Caél was wounded att the Archery range he whispers the first line "Your eyes are like a river of molten gold"

Did you or Cael ever finish the poem?

Given the opportunity (very few these days) I plan to file off any serial numbers and see how well it works in real life

Jon

Still stop by looking for an update to this story. Take care of yourself though. Hope u feel better.

James you keep going dude. I have leukemia and I will keep pushing forward as long as I can. Giving up is not in my nature. I certainly know how you feel. When I take all my meds they make my mind feel like a big cotton ball. So I pushed them to review them and try others. Its a little better for the most part but sometimes the future just drags me down. I find the best defense against the situation is to focus on something. Reading your story "Life as a new hire" has been great. It's mentally challenging, and still a good escape. I look forward to the continuation of your story, and hope it lasts for a good long time.

So Im waiting too. In the meantime enjoy as much of your life as you can and know you have people out here that understand and care for your future too.

this is great.

I love your stories and hope you can finish them soon.

I can't tell you to hang in there, that's not fair. I understand the struggle and then you're in the dark, it's tough. Just know you are appreciated and beloved. You are in my thoughts and prayers and take care of you. We will be here when you get back. If you don't, well, they are amazing as they are, and I am glad to have read your words.