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When the scion Princess experienced entity contact by induced dreaming sleep, they had clamored, hissed, accused. She understood that they were different from the peoples she knew, which was less prominent in the exchange than the fact that they were people. A layer of mystery protected them from presupposition. They delivered key knowledge. It wasn’t a declaration (we’re going to do these things), or an ultimatum (we’ll do these things unless), but like a tsunami warning. These things are now to occur. It’s war, unlike any the Pan-Galactic Imperium has seen.

She knew nothing else would come to her directly in this conflict. Her likely appointed role would have been understanding, relating, and managing the moods of the Pan-Galactic peoples. Like any citizen, she would hear about it, and respond with thinking or feeling. It was a figurehead position that could be done by someone considerate, and gracefully dressed. Margeaux was good enough at it, and Mireille was better. Princess Soleil wasn’t a military tech pilot like her mother had been by a year past her age. She wouldn’t be leading any rash or symbolic salvos with her loyal team of ships. Soleil had pursued diplomacy. The people she met on her official travels sometimes said she made a better connection with them than any royal visitors in folk memory. So, she was good at meeting strangers.

No one else could step into the opportunity offered by the contact, like a ticket to a different future. She accepted their gambit; it was the last, best chance to learn and know them before being caught in the divide. Soleil calculated quickly that it was worth her life to do, that this was no scripted role of imparted procedure.

She’d figured it out – first, she had to do that. Using her knowledge mechanic, she uncovered theirs with the signs she’d been given. Now I see you, now you see me. You have a vehicle. I have your address. Would they have brought her through if she hadn’t shown them that she could understand? If she could put that much together, maybe she could accomplish more. Or maybe she’d be another fallen scion.

Ready, always ready. She held herself ready, to act, to perceive, to realize. Years of learning readiness meant that she didn’t overlook or turn away from the obvious door when it opened. Her path went straight through it, and she knew how to proceed along her path.

Book 2 Next Week, MidAmericon II & Word Extract 4

2 – BOOK 2: THE ENFOLDING ABYSS BEGINS NEXT WEEK –

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My final schedule for WorldCon 74:

Autographing: Elizabeth Bear, Eva Elasigue, Max Gladstone, Don Sakers

Wednesday 16:00 – 17:00, Autographing Space (Kansas City Convention Center)

Elizabeth Bear, Eva L. Elasigue, Max Gladstone, Don Sakers

Creative Commons Rights for Creators and Fans

Wednesday 17:00 – 18:00, 2206 (Kansas City Convention Center)

What can the experts tell us about Creative Commons Rights, and what does it mean to fans and authors? Let’s look at ways people use the license and find out how our creative community feels about publishing their work. Does information want to be free?

Eva L. Elasigue, Marguerite Kenner, William Frank (M)

“Have at You!” — Writing a Great Fight Scene

Thursday 11:00 – 12:00, 2210 (Kansas City Convention Center)

Fight scenes are a hard beast to write. Who’s hitting who and why? How do you describe what is happening? What’s that guy doing on the floor? How is the protagonist going to react, given her history? And wow, was that just a scratch, or did it take that other person’s leg off?! In this session panelists explore the different ways to experience a good fight scene in science fiction and fantasy, as writers, readers and martial artists.

Eva L. Elasigue (M), Dr. Claire McCague, Kathryn Sullivan, Ms. Jeffe Kennedy, Steven Gould

Between Fire and Ice: Life on a Meridional World

Thursday 21:00 – 22:00, 2204 (Kansas City Convention Center)

Most of the nearby stars are red dwarfs, where planets in the habitable zone are likely to be tide-locked with one face to a star and the other away. What would life be like balanced between fire and ice, with little or no diurnal cycle? How would plants adapt? Would penguins and polar bears (somewhat used to this kind of thing already) make good colonists? If a world is completely dark, or light, what do we do with that? Science is catching up on meridional worlds which writers have written about for decades, from Harlan’s World: Medea, to Pitch Black and S.H.I.E.L.D.

Dr. Charles Gannon, Eva L. Elasigue, Joe Haldeman, Christine Taylor-Butler (M), Larry Niven

“Go for the Eyes, Boo!” Character Design in Videogames

Friday 12:00 – 13:00, 3501D (Kansas City Convention Center)

From the humble plumber to the treasure seeking adventurer, getting characters right in videogaming is a crucial element of worldbuilding in games. Our panel discuss classic videogame characters, as well as identifying some of the failures. Why do we love our WoW characters? Is Navi really that annoying? The panel name some old friends and make suggestions for creating great avatars and characters.

Andrea G. Stewart (M), Vivian Trask, Eva L. Elasigue, Elizabeth McCarty

Freelancing in the Publishing Industry

Friday 15:00 – 16:00, 2503A (Kansas City Convention Center)

The publishing industry makes frequent use of freelance talent, from editors to proofreaders. What freelancing roles are there? What do they do? How does one break into freelancing behind the scenes?

Betsy Mitchell (M), Eva L. Elasigue, Arnie Fenner, Erin Wilcox, Richard Shealy

Stroll with the Stars: Farm to Table

Saturday 08:30 – 09:30, Marriott Lobby (Marriott) (Kansas City Marriott Downtown)

Before the city temperatures rise and the humidity takes over join us for a stroll of the The City Market where you can buy fresh fruit, vegatables and baked goods at KC Tradition. We will be a group of fans, authors, artists and editors having a very leisurely walk and good conversation. The route is a mile and suitable for all abilities and as the pace will be pleasant it is expected to take a little less than an hour.

Jeff Orth (M), Dr. Lawrence M. Schoen, Julia Rios, Mary Robinette Kowal, Cat Rambo, Tex Thompson, Esther Friesner, Eva L. Elasigue, Carol Wolf, Perrianne Lurie, Dr. Geoffrey A. Landis, Dr. Mary A. Turzillo Ph.D., Jennie Goloboy

Stroll with the Stars: The Hugo Hangover

Sunday 08:30 – 09:30, Marriott Lobby (Marriott) (Kansas City Marriott Downtown)

As we recuperate from the pageantry of the Hugo Awards join authors, artists, editors, fans and scientists as we look for the perfect hangover cure. We will be walking for a leisurely mile and the route is fully accessible and expected to take a little less than an hour. We hope you will join us for great conversation.

Jeff Orth (M), Dr. Lawrence M. Schoen, Joe Haldeman, Gay Haldeman, Cat Rambo, Tex Thompson, David Brin, Eva L. Elasigue, Carol Wolf, Perrianne Lurie, Michelle (Sagara) West, Mr Alan Stewart

Two Suns in the Sky

Sunday 10:00 – 11:00, 2503A (Kansas City Convention Center)

With the discovery of so many exoplanets by Kepler photometry, research into double stars has gained increasing importance.  Many multiple star systems have planets, and some of them are even in the habitable zone. New discoveries about binary systems are still being made. Come and learn the latest about multiple star systems, their planets, what we’ve learnt about them and what they’ve taught us about the rest of the universe.

Courtney Schafer, Eva L. Elasigue, Joe Haldeman

WORD EXTRACT 4

hallways
advantage

illuminated
living
where

curiosity
boosted
ahead
grip
beast
dark
climbed

communicating
knuckles
starting
minus
draw
together
three
front
correctly
yes
hot
kut

skill
qualities
easy
point

soft
familiar
towards
away
air
hope
shook
seem
well
expect
page
wait
feet

calling
plugged
altering

further
base
stairs
station
scrub
rainbow
allowed
young
forging
daring
display
interacted
completely
match
think
face
weapon

Save