Kevin L. O'Brien's Blog: Songs of the Seanchaí, page 31

Team Girl Crimefighting Team

Crimefighters --- Dike, Nike, and Nemesis, The Dirae; "Ms. Justice", "The Aristocrat", and "Nightshadow"

Eile Chica, aka Themis Dike "Ms. Justice"

Eile Chica is an orphan. Her parents were killed by the criminal mastermind, Conrad Sheraton, before they could bear witness against him at his trial for corruption and murder. Their car lost control and went off a bridge into a river. The crimefighter Anann Morrigu, who was watching out for them, was unable to save her parents, but she rescued her. She then adopted and raised her, and when she was old enough, trained her to be a crimefigher. She excelled at self-defense and detection, and soon joined Morrigu in her duties. Unlike her mentor, however, she preferred to cooperate and work with the police, who recognized her value as someone who could get evidence they could not. Even so, they kept their collaboration a secret, both for the sake of public appearances and to prevent anyone discovering that she was a police agent. Eventually, she learned the truth about her parents, and she went after Sheraton. At first, Morrigu feared she would kill him, but when she had the chance she spared him, thus demonstrating her dedication to justice, law, and order. She took the name Themis Dike, but to the public at large she is known as Ms. Justice. Morrigu continued as her mentor and partner until she joined forces with two other crimefighters to form The Dirae. Morrigu then retired and became their supervisor.

Eile is the unofficial leader of the Dirae, the first among equals. She is the public-friendly face and the liaison with the police. She excels at organization and planning. She is a master of unarmed combat, she refuses to use weapons of any kind, and she has never taken a life. Her detection skills are second to none and she is most often the one to find clues at the scenes of the crime. She has a keen and observant mind, often spotting what others miss, especially if it seems trivial and banal. She urges cooperation and joint action with her team members over individual effort. She is a natural leader and diplomat, she is cautious and deliberate, and she is an excellent strategist, but she sometimes moves too slow, she is constantly concerned with proper police procedure, and she is the optimist, always believing in innocence until the evidence proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. She is nonetheless the solid bedrock to which the others anchor themselves.

Sonne Hiver, aka Erinye Nemesis "Nightshadow"

Sonne Hiver, known to her friends as Sunny, was raised by Maela Hiver and Oda Jaeger, a woman thief-con artist duo who adopted her after she was abandoned. They targeted the wealthy and the corrupt, often times turning over evidence to law enforcement officials in the process, but they were never too concerned over whether their victims were ever brought to justice, believing their stings were justice enough. They trained her and took her all over the world, giving her a great education. Meanwhile, she devoured books, especially on science and technology, and she was trained in martial and weapons arts, including ninjutso. When she was old enough, they started letting her help them, but it wasn't long before she was pulling her own jobs. Her parents were upset with her when they found out, and in a fit of rage she left them to strike out on her own. She did very well, too, investing her profits in safe stocks and bonds with the intent of creating a nest egg with which to retire on. Then she learned her parents had been killed by a drug gang when they tried to scam them. She tracked the gang down, virtually destroying their entire operation. A number of people were killed in her vendetta, but she didn't care, being as she considered none of them innocent. Finally she discovered who the ganglord was and came to Denver to kill him. She succeeded, but discovered that he had a wife and a child. She spared them, realizing that there were innocents even among criminals, and out of shame for depriving them of their husband/father. She remained in Denver to fight crime as Nightshadow. Though she tried to protect lives, she sometimes felt forced to kill an assailant or criminal if she didn't think the justice system could punish them. This made her a vigilante hunted by the police and Ms. Justice. One day, however, she saved Ms. Justice's life and helped her solve the crime she was investigating. Thus began a strained, on-again, off-again partnership that lasted for a year before Sunny broke with her over how to deal with a murderous gang of counterfeiters and went after them on her own. That's when she met The Aristocrat, who offered to partner with her. She refused at first, but after a confrontation with Ms. Justice, and a subsequent cooperative effort in which they tracked down a serial killer, she realized they could work well together. She made a show of resisting when The Aristocrat suggested forming a team, to see how serious the other two were, but soon discovered they were very serious, and she agreed. She took the name of Erinye Nemesis, but continued to call herself Nightshadow.

Sunny is the lone wolf of The Dirae, the independent who prefers to go her own way. She is the vigilante who avoids all involvement with law enforcement, both for her protection and to better perform her work. She excels at stealth, concealment, evasion, and surveillance. She is a master of melee combat with various bladed and impact weapons, and while she isn't a killer, she has taken several lives over her career, sometimes by choice, and she has not yet sworn to never take a life again as Nike has. She is the forensics expert, and runs The Dirae lab; she is the one most likely to discover clues through scientific analysis. She has powerful deductive and inductive reasoning skills coupled with a logical mind, and is a master of analysis. She tends to act on her own the most, or at best with Nike, who has a similar tendency. She is a natural intuitive, she is headstrong and impetuous, and she is an excellent puzzle solver, but she can be immature, flighty, and flippant, she has no concern for proper procedure, and she is a pessimist, always suspicious of other people and their motives, and quick to assume guilt. She is, however, the inspirational and motivational force that spurs the others to action.

Sir Differel Van Helsing, aka Adrestia Nike "The Aristocrat"

Sir Differel Van Helsing was one of several bastard children of Sir Henry Van Helsing, the 36th Baronet of Denver. A wastrel who never married, who owned his title, a decaying ancestral manor, and little else, he nonetheless somehow provided for his children as best as he could. Differel had a trust fund big enough to send her to Eton, but no more. While there, she joined the fencing team and became good enough to go to Oxford an a fencing scholarship. At Oxford she had an eclectic education, studying forensics, literature, and law, among other subjects, as she competed on the fencing team, but her favorite class was theatre. She enjoyed acting and planned to make a career on the stage upon graduation. First, however, she participated in the Olympics and won one gold, three silver, and two bronze medals. That gave her the edge to obtain prominent parts in prominent plays, which in turn boosted her career faster than she had expected. She was also brave enough to take on roles others balked at, including swashbuckling roles and those requiring nudity and even sexual situations. Because of her slim figure and low voice, she also took on many roles that normally went to men. Her most famous role was as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. During much of this time, her father kept in contact with her and she enjoyed a friendly if casual relationship. When he died, she discovered that he had left her his title and manor, but she was greatly surprised to learn that he wasn't the playboy bon vivant he appeared to be but a British secret agent. He also possessed a hidden fortune in Swiss banks worth hundreds of millions of pounds. She fixed up the manor, then gave it away to the Norfolk historical preservation society. She liquidated all his other assets, took the cash out of the banks, and invested in stocks, bonds, commodities, and real estate, creating a portfolio large enough for her to live off the dividends, most of which she simply reinvested. She then moved to the US, to become a Broadway star and perhaps a movie actress. She cultivated an image similar to her father's; she even started calling herself "Sir" Differel, adding to her mystique. Later, when she was starring in a production based on the life of Oscar Wilde, she learned that some mobsters were shaking the company down for protection. She embarked on an investigation, obtained sufficient evidence to convict them, caught them in the act, and captured them. In doing so, she discovered that she enjoyed it. After the play had finished, she quite show business to become a full-time crime fighter. She moved to Denver to be centrally located, but also was very active along the front range. People started calling her The Aristocrat. She worked alone, though with the cooperation of the police as much as possible, and she was familiar with colleagues Medb and Ms. Justice, but never worked with them. Then one day she was investigating a counterfeiting operation when a crime fighter named Nightshadow destroyed it, injuring many of the perpetrators and killing a few. She tracked her down and offered to work with her. She refused at first, but then Ms. Justice came after her and Differel defended her. Meanwhile, the backer of the operation, Marseilles Sheraton, wanted revenge, and she captured all of them. They were forced to work together to escape. Afterward, they joined forces again to find a serial killer. That was when Differel suggested they become a team. She also suggested the name, provided the financial backing, and persuaded Nightshadow it was in her best interest. In this way, The Dirae were born. She took the name of Adrestia Nike, but on the street continued to be know as The Aristocrat.

Differel is the swashbuckler of the group, the cavalier who appears out of nowhere to save the day, then retreats back into the shadows. She is the knight-errant who will cooperate with local authority, but acts independently of them. She is a master of disguise and infiltration. She is an expert swordsman and a crack pistol shot, and she has a taken lives a few times, but never by choice. Since joining The Dirae she has vowed never to take a life again. She is the consummate researcher, and the one most likely to find clues through library and database searches. She has powerful insight, which allows her to find connections between seemingly random bits of data and construct patterns where none seem to exist. She is both a team player and a free agent, switching from one to the other as needed seemingly without effort. She is a gifted actress and a social chameleon, cool under pressure, quick-witted, and decisive, and an excellent tactician, but she can be arrogant, she has a temper that can flare at any moment, she disregards proper procedure when she feels it becomes cumbersome, and she is a pragmatist, cynical when it comes to people's motives but willing to trust once trust has become deserved. She was the catalyst for the formation of The Dirae, and she is the glue that holds the organization together.

Medb hErenn, aka Anann Morrigu

Medb hErenn had been a crime fighter for decades before she adopted Eile, operating under various guises and names; currently she is known as Anann Morrigu. She is a master of criminal investigation and combat, all self-trained. Though she works alone, she has partnered with numerous individuals, all of whom were either killed, retired, or went off on their own. Though she does not cooperate with law enforcement, she has contacts in nearly every police, criminal investigation, government, and intelligence organization all over the world. Her lair has a computer system that can hack into any computer network in the world, regardless of how well encrypted, and leave no trace. She has taken lives, but only because she believes her experience and knowledge gives her a unique perspective no individual or organization possesses. Even so, she has killed only when absolutely necessary. Eile is her star pupil, not only because of her skill and dedication, but also because she refuses to kill and has not left her though she operates on her own. She trusts Eile implicitly. She has come to accept that Differel is honorable and therefore trustworthy but with reservations. She hasn't made up her mind about Sunny, but as long as she remains within the team, she is willing to accept her for what she is. When Eile proved herself, Medb decided to semi-retire and support Eile from behind the scenes, though she occasionally took to the streets to help as well. When Sunny came into the picture, she took the role of mentor to both of them, but Differel's presence and their subsequent formation of The Dirae has convinced her she can leave active crime fighting to them. She now operates as a supervisor, adviser, and intelligence gatherer, giving them the support they need to accomplish their missions. Even so, she is prepared to don her costume again if they need her.

Allies

Det. Sgt. Dolores Cadera-Hueso

A member of the Denver Police Department, she is one of Medb's contacts. She has developed a good working relationship with Eile and with the formation of The Dirae has been named their official liaison. However, she considers Sunny to be a detriment to the team, and she has reservations about Differel. Even so, she is highly impressed with the way the three women are able to work together and she cannot argue with their results. Despite her misgivings, she trusts Eile and is willing to transfer that trust to the team as a whole.

Inspector Flann Chromain

A member of Interpol, she is another of Medb's contacts. However, she helps out of a sense of obligation. When she was still a rookie, Medb saved her life. She began granting help enthusiastically, but as time has gone along, she has become more reluctant, believing that vigilantes, even those who work within the law, are more of a hindrance than a help. She is on reasonably good terms with Eile, though she would still rather not cooperate with her if she can avoid it, but she is openly hostile towards Sunny as being little better than a terrorist, and is antagonistic towards Differel, who has shown her up a time or two. Only her obligation to Medb has kept her from arresting either of them, and that relationship is wearing thin. Nonetheless, if she agrees to help, she cooperates as far as she believes she can without violating Interpol policy.

Wendy Cleasa

She is a nurse practitioner that runs a charity clinic for the homeless and poor. Eile once stopped a gang from extorting her for drugs. In return she provides information from her clients and fellow professionals, and medical services whenever one of The Dirae become injured.

Betty Stivic

She is a street person; not quite homeless, but with no steady income. She supports herself by turning tricks, running numbers, petty theft, acting as a lookout for drug traffickers, and other minor criminal activities. She is loyal to Sunny for having saved her from a serial killer, and she provides The Dirae with valuable street and criminal information.

Giovanna Borgia

She owns a nightclub in a fashionable part of town. She was being blackmailed by a business rival who wanted her place, until Differel forced him to withdraw and found evidence to have him convicted of murder. She provides information from affluent society and the business world, as well as various shady sources, and she gives them free drinks.

Enemies

Dr. Mabuse, aka Echidna Thanatos

During her many years of crime fighting, Medb's greatest enemy, her nemesis, was Echidna Thanatos, a mad scientist who specialized in biomechanical creations. Medb could never catch her, or defeat her for long, and each time she thought she had been killed, she always returned, as if from the dead. Even after many decades of effort, all she ever learned was a name: Mabuse. Mabuse is a genius in cybernetic, mechanical, and biological systems. Her greatest achievement was the development of the artificial brain. When her body gave out, she had her mind transferred into such a brain housed inside a vast computer network spread throughout the world and connected through cyberspace. She developed a holographic operating system, which means that even if some of the units are destroyed, her mind will remain intact with all of its accumulated knowledge; nothing would be lost. Though she has robotic proxies to do her work, she creates clones of her biological body called Avatars and downloads a copy of her mind into them. These are equipped with a chip that records all memories and experiences and transmits them to the artificial brain, so that each successive Avatar knows what all previous Avatars knew. Mabuse Prime cannot control the Avatars, but she can destroy their brains if there is a danger of them being captured and interrogated, switching loyalties, or going rogue. Her goal is world domination through control of information and technology. Since The Dirae have taken over Medb's duties, she has come into conflict with them, and while she does not hate them, she will seek to eliminate them to prevent them from hindering her plans. She is their most dangerous, implacable foe.

Marseille Sheraton, aka Avaritia Invidia

She is the daughter of Conrad Sheraton. She served as his right-hand man, and took over his empire after he was imprisoned, killing off or subduing all her rivals. She hates Eile for ruining her father and him dying in prison. She has since transferred that hatred to The Dirae as they continue to hamper her operations. Her father had been content with controlling all criminal activity in the US, but she has bigger ambitions. She dreams of world domination through control of financial markets, industry, and shipping, as well as extending her control over all criminal activity throughout the world. Though somewhat less dangerous than Mabuse, she is nonetheless equally implacable.

Hilbert Space

In the essay on Parallel Universes, we described what is called a Level 3 multiverse (ML3). An ML3 is one in which all possible outcomes of every decision, every cause, every interaction permitted by quantum mechanics already exists simultaneously in separate universes. For example, if you role a die, you will get one of six possible outcomes. In any one universe, only one outcome is possible, but in an ML3, all six outcomes occur at once, just in separate universes. Being trapped in our universe, we can see only the one outcome, but if we were somehow able to transcend our universe and observe all the universes in an ML3 at once, we would see all six outcomes at the same time.

The problem with an ML3 is that it really tells us nothing new. That is, an ML3 is really no different from a Level 1 (ML1) or a Level 2 multiverse (ML2). For example, a classical ML1 occurs when a Big Bang creates an infinite number of Hubble volumes and randomly sets the initial arrangements of their particles. A quantum ML1, however, starts off with just one Hubble volume, that then rapidly splits into an infinite number of branching volumes, each with its own set of probable outcomes. Yet the result is exactly the same in both cases: an infinite number of universes with an infinite variety of timelines. Put another way, the distribution of outcomes on different quantum branches in one Hubble volume is identical to the distribution of outcomes in multiple Hubble volumes within a single quantum branch.

So the result of adding an ML3 to a level one is to simply compound to infinity the number of possible parallel Hubble volumes, most of which will be identical to each other since each can only hold a finite number of particles arranged in a finite number of combinations. And the same result will occur at progressively higher levels as well. If through symmetry breaking an ML2 can create an infinite number of ML1s, each with its own cosmological properties, it can also create one that splits off into an infinite number of quantum branches. This phenomenon is known in statistical mechanics as the principle of ergodicity.

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Next eBook: The Golden Mushroom

The next story in my schedule to be published through Smashwords will be:

The Golden Mushroom

Eile and Sunny are commissioned by an apothecary in Ulthar to collect medicinal herbs in a remote forest, but what starts out as an adventurous lark turns into a battle for their very souls.

This will be another free ebook.

New eBook: The Price of Folly

I have just published my latest ebook:

The Price of Folly

Three hundred years into the future, Mankind has moved out into space, but no one has found any evidence that other alien technological civilizations actually exist. Such constitutes the Holy Grail of space exploration, and both the central federal government and the megacorporations have offered vast rewards for even a shred of evidence.

Then an artifact is found on the colony world of Avernus at Barnard's Star, and the colonists realize that it may be the proof everyone is looking for. They contact both the government and their parent corporation, and in response they send an investigator to verify its authenticity: Medb hErenn.

However, she has an ulterior motive for making the long trip. Based on the colony's description, she believes she knows what kind of artifact it is, and what it can do, and if she's right, she knows she must destroy it before the colonists can activate it.

This story contains strong sexual themes. Reader discretion is advised.

This ebook is free and can be downloaded from Smashwords.

Small Scale Water Purification

Heaven forbid that anyone here should be caught in a disaster without clean potable water, but it could happen. What I wish to describe is a cheap, easy way to create a do-it-yourself portable water filtration and purification system for emergencies. Even if you are a survivalist preparing for the collapse of civilization, Armageddon, the Zombie Apocalypse, or the tyrannical government coming for your guns, and have bought an expensive water treatment system plus cartridges and tablets, eventually your fancy system will wear out, your cartridges will clog, and you'll use up all your tablets. The system I will describe is almost foolproof and will work indefinitely.

First, collect 2-liter pop bottles and remove the labels. A few can be colored, but most should be transparent. Cut the bottoms off the colored ones and attach lines to them so they can be hung upsidedown; these will be the filtering bottles. Leave the transparent ones intact and don't lose the bottle caps; these will be the storage bottles.

Next, take a wad of cotton or cheesecloth and plug the inside of the narrow neck of the filtering bottles. The neck is where the filtered water will drip out and the plug is to keep the filtering material from falling out.

Fill the bottom of the filtering bottles with activated charcoal to a depth of two inches. Activated charcoal is charcoal processed to be porous. If you can't buy it, you can make a crude form by burning sawdust or wood chips to ash. Even the charcoal from a campfire will work as long as it is pulverized to powder.

The next layers depend upon what material you have available. The most basic is a few inches of sand topped by a few inches of gravel, but you can use fine sand and course sand, diatomaceous earth and sand, or diatomaceous earth, sand, and gravel. Be sure to leave a few inches of open space at the top as a reservoir for water.

The principle is that as the water flows by gravity from the reservoir down through the layers and out the neck at the bottom, the layers remove smaller and smaller particles until the water is clear. The charcoal will then remove toxins, metals, and chemicals. Also, organisms will colonize the gravel and sand, creating a biofilm that will consume dissolved organic material and kill harmful and infectious organisms. The system works best if the water is fairly clear to begin with, so if the water source is cloudy or murky, you should allow the water to stand for a couple hours in a bucket to allow as much material as possible to settle out. In fact, the cleaner the source is, the better the system will work and the longer it will last.

Also, the system should be run continuously as much as possible, not only to insure a continuous supply of water, but also to keep the bottle from drying out. If it can't be run continuously, the neck should be capped and the reservoir filled to keep the system wet until it is needed again. The beauty of this system is that if it becomes clogged or the water quality worsens, the contents can be dumped and the bottle refilled.

The water that comes out, however, is not yet fit to drink. It will still contain bacteria, protozoans, and parasites, so it needs to be sterilized first. This can be accomplished by bringing the water to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, but there is an easier way, and that's where the clear bottles come in. Each is filled leaving a few inches of air at the top and sealed with a cap. They are then shook up and laid out in the sun. The ultraviolet light from the sun will destroy microorganisms by damaging their DNA, and organic pollutants by creating oxygen free radicals that break them down into carbon dioxide. That's why plastic needs to be used (glass blocks ultraviolet rays) and the bottle must be clear and free of labels. This process works best if the bottles are placed on corrugated tin. If the sky has less than 50% cloud cover, a single day's exposure from dawn to dusk is sufficient to render the water drinkable, but more than 50% will require up to 2 days. Only continuous rainfall makes the process unworkable.



Once the water has been sterilized, it will remain so as long as the bottle is not opened and the water removed. As such, when the bottle is opened the water needs to used as soon as possible to prevent recontamination.

With half a dozen filtration bottle running more or less continuously and plenty of storage bottles on hand, clean drinkable water can be made available as needed. This system can also be scaled up if larger containers are available.

Alcoholic Beverages in the Dreamlands

The Dreamlands is awash in alcohol. That perhaps isn't surprising, considering that the Waking World is also, but the Lands have one feature the Waking realm doesn't have: as a quasi-Medieval world, alcohol is often safer to drink than the water. While the essays on water sources and sanitation show that natural water is often safer to drink than in the Waking World, beverages that involve some form of water treatment, such as alcohol, coffee, and tea, are very prevalent as a safety precaution.

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Caerleon Order Personal Equipment

These are the items, other than weapons, that Order personal carry when on duty. Note that not everyone carries the same things, or that all these items are carried by any one individual. They are carried only when needed.

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Team Girl Evil Genius Team Asgard

Asgard --- Evil Supervillain Organization

Asgard is a global organization, combining some of the features of a terrorist organization, a criminal organization, and an intelligence agency. It is apolitical, being unaligned with any nation or political or religious ideology. It's purpose is world domination, but behind the scenes, through the use of counter-intelligence, terrorism, extortion, revenge, economic manipulation, and superior technology. Though it operates a number of legitimate concerns, it's primary sources of income are criminal activities and consulting for terrorist and criminal acts. All members are codenamed with Anglo-Saxon/Germanic/Norse gods and heroes.

The leader is Sonne Aourgen Hiver, codenamed Woden. Like her namesake, she has only one eye, and she wears a monacle over the other. She's a scientific and technological genius, who believes that the world should be run by technocrats.

Her partner is Eile Marelys Chica, codenamed Frige. She's a genius with commercial and political organization, specializing in psychological manipulation and brainwashing.

Their headquarters is an island fortress codenamed Valhalla. It is located in the Indian Ocean, inside an extinct volcano. Their Security/Enforcement Detachment is codenamed Waelcyrie, and its members are popularly known as The Valkyries. Their Paramilitary Force is codenamed Herlaping, and is popularly known as The Wild Hunt. Waelcyrie is used for internal defense and security, as well enforcement of the organization's rules, and summary judgment and execution, whereas Herlaping is a mercenary and special forces group for external offense and black operations, though occasionally their jurisdictions overlap.

They have a Weapon of Mass Destruction system codenamed Muspilli, which consists of nuclear devices hidden in a dozen supervolcanoes around the world, including their own island. When detonated, the devices would cause the volcanoes to erupt, creating a nuclear winter that would destroy civilization and cause mass extinctions, including they hope the human race. It is a last resort weapon, meant to be detonated if their organization is destroyed, thereby making it their final act of ultimate revenge.

Organizational Structure

Board of Directors

Woden (Chairman) --- Sonne Aourgen Hiver
Seaxneat (Counter-Intelligence) --- Maela Hiver
Tiw (Terrorism) --- Oda Gabrielle Jaeger
Earendel (Sabotage) --- Maumee Oldebucks
Ingui (Extortion) --- Uallach Ruadhrion
Geat (Revenge) --- Torain Thegn
Sceafa (Corruption) --- Leannan Soit
Frey (Economic Manipulation) --- Shasta Taffaday
Welund (Science and Technology) --- Dr. Elizabeth Rebecca Mabuse
Njord (Industrial Enterprises) --- Neo Ivor Zorndyke
Volla (Criminal Enterprises) --- Marseilles Sheraton
Wyrd (Consultation) --- Liadan Fionuir

Executive Officers

Frige (Chief) --- Eile Marelys Chica
Ullr (Strategic) --- Morgan Leia Ross
Hretha (Financial) --- Kojoro
Sunne (Communications/Media) --- Wendy Cleasa
Eormen (Intelligence) --- Dolores Cadera-Hueso
Eostre (Personnel/Recruitment) --- John Sjauken
Bedwig (Science and Engineering) --- Annie Tuhl
Wada (Psychomanipulation) --- Joyce Luasaigh
Freo (Security and Enforcement) --- Ceithlenn
Thunor (Paramilitary) --- Vlad Drakulya

Field Agents

Beowulf (Intelligence Operative) --- Giovanna Mencia Borgia
Gautaz (Terrorist) --- Mariam Alina-Fuad
Godwulf (Blackmailer) --- Betty Stivic
Agilaz (Assassin) --- Annis Nin
Waldere (Sabateur) --- Lucas Cornelia
Alurna (Valkyrie) --- Flann Chromain
Sigemund (Paramartial) --- Fael Cayleen

Their primary adversary is a UN counter-terrorist agency led by a mysterious woman codenamed Queen Maeve. Her primary agent is Sir Differel Van Helsing, codenamed Artur. Her classification is Ailm-Null-Zed, written A0z. The Ailm level agents are the best in the world, with the Null designation indicating elite status within Maeve's organization. Zed simply indicates order of induction; Sir Differel was the 26th person to be inducted to Ailm-Null status. The Ailm-Null agents have full summary judgment and execution powers when on assignment in the field, subject to certain restrictions. Maeve's Chief of Staff is Aelfraed Dalton Walters, the only Ailm-Null agent to ever live long enough to retire. His designation was A0t, and he had been Sir Differel's trainer and mentor. He is now her nominal superior; however, she usually takes her orders directly from Maeve.

Quantum Mechanics

Modern cosmology is so inextricably linked to quantum mechanics that a full understanding of the former is not possible without a proper understanding of the latter. This essay explores the history and theory of quantum mechanics, but this discussion will involve some of the most bizarre concepts and theories in modern science. Not even theoretical physicists understand them completely. Yet it is well worth the effort to try, so if anyone is adventuresome enough to join us in our sojourn into Wonderland, we would welcome the company.

Jump to the webpage.

Next eBook: The Price of Folly

The next story in my schedule to be published through Smashwords will be:

The Price of Folly

In the far future, Medb hErenn is sent to a colony world to evaluate an artifact that might prove, once and for all, that alien life really exists. However, her primary concern is whether it is safe, and if it isn't, how she can convince the colonists to give it up.

This will be another free ebook.