The world of ffilmar

the world of...

ilmar

(online since '93)

A Star for Bailer

"Slice Sweet stands on the twisted mangrove root,snapping her fingers to the silent rhythm in her head."

Geeze.

One month ago we had such a simple assignment. Trudge through the sawgrass, tag a few loons, and get out of the everglades before the permits expire. Now I stand in knee-deep sludge, four miles from base-camb with a Celestron G-14 telescope strapped to my back. I hope we get to high ground before the comet sets.

Every Moment of Breakup

I knew the author of this self-help book was familiar. I read her grandmother's book on relationships when it first came out in paperback. You would think I'd be used to this by now, but I still get surprised by subtle things like this.

Who knew I would actually remember just about everything from my first life? Aren't we supposed to learn from our past life? Aren't we supposed to start further along life's path so we can move still further forward?

Goosed (Away to me Home)

Haaa-wwwkk! First light and I float on the water near My Mate. The Late Young paddle by whiles Staccato stretches it's long neck and levels it's bill. Soon the group will head over the rough to take in Green. Good Green. But what's that blurry black object out there moving about?

Light Boy

A young mathematician with the vision to understand the secret of light itself struggles to convince his peers that only faith in his methods and rigorous proofs can find the truth. His salvation comes at the hands of his nemesis: an ardent experimentalist from the geology department. What is darkness? What is light? It depends how you look at it, I suppose.

Moonshifter

A trendy techno-broker bent on becoming the richest, most provocative man in the moon-mining business. Clevis Hollock blends science, public opinion and libido into a business plan that turns the solar system into a billiards game. As long as he gets laid, so what if he blows up a few worlds!

Nicad

(to be done)

Silicon GIB

Time: Near the end of K2, the Second Korean Situation

Place: Thirty miles south of occupied North Korea

Sit. Rep.: The 'double-nickel', a highly decorated sentient reconnissance aircraft leads 'Operation Final Flare' - an offensive to bring the war to a close. Pleu, Shift, Mac and Donnelly are on-board with a new commander, and an unusual mission objective.

Simbatu

It has blonde hair and human skin, but underneath it's all feline.

The year is 2048 and NASA is putting a cat in space, Bronze Groover's cat.

Oh no!

Sperre Heart

In twenty-third century New York City a lonely young man only has passion for old books and the Empire State Building. Then he discovers the diary of a young woman from 1988, and from her words finds new directions for his life. A future look at the past, in Sperre Heart.

Third-Self Thin

Its later than you think. E-world is the bad part of town we all gotta live in. But don't worry, The People's Information Protection Act (PIPA) allows feds to see all your selves. Most just develop that filtered, back-brain version of themselves that blogs political sentiments and peep-holes the human condition. People like me who actually live off e-world need a third pretence. We're operatives. Vague. Thin. Untraceable...that is, if you have a hacked xterm and a handy 120v line.

Twenty-Twenty

Remar Jackson's vacation is all in his head.

Some go back to relive a favorite memory or to see things in their past again. But some reinvent the past to create a better future.

Viva Los Vostok

One more stop for the Timbiani Express. It's not it's real name. The Express isn't really even a train, though through fogged goggles it might pass for one.

This, it's next-to-last stop, is for the unmanned climate research center one click to the north. For Depard and others like him, though, this stop is the end of the road and the start of his Journey. True, his final destination is the Ross-Keep Station and the Klemper Habidome in Vostok, but he intends to walk the rest of way there himself.

Walking Titanic

OK, so the trip down goes like this: after the walkway is security. We then board a tight twenty-seat bumboat sub with one steward and two pilots and make way for the spot where Titanic hit the 'berg. They jostle the sub and we dive for her. Takes about an hour. Everything's fitted with pressure-walls so we don't have to worry about compression. You can touch all the original railings and the cargo crane. The capstans, lines and chains are all there up to the windlasses. Eight-hundred thirty hours. Wish I could leave now, but I have to make the trip. I have something to pick up, below.