text:
Drakin: An Empire of Ashes. Please remember to leave feedback! #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi
Hello everyone, so An Empire of Ashes has been out for a little while and the enthusiasm has been really awesome! I thought this would be a good time to take a moment to ask everyone who reads it to leave feedback either on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, or even just a nice blog post on here! Word of mouth is everything in this business and it would really help me out with Amazon's rating system as well! Thank you!
Two hundred years have passed, and the Red War has become a distant memory for most. Dragons and humans now live together in peace… but one powerful woman who has been deranged by her own history unleashes her vengeance on a helpless population.
Now, the world's only hope for survival rests with Kaori, a naïve and wayward princess of the Eastern Empire. Having been disillusioned with her mother's rule, she discovers a dark secret about her family that will change the course of history forever. She soon crosses paths with Nayeli and Joaquim, a pair of rogues living within her borders.
Their fight for survival takes an unexpected turn as a shadow of from the past reveals that the situation is more dangerous than they know. The fate of billions of lives rests on these three unlikely companions putting aside their differences to stand against the world.
The book is available in Kindle form on amazon here:
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
ASIN: B07XDDXL2Z
And will soon be available in both hard and softcover at stores near you!
Please like and share to help spread the word around! If you enjoy the book, please leave me some feedback on Amazon or Goodreads! It really helps me out!
Posted in Book, fantasy, Fiction, News, Uncategorized, Writing
Tagged announcement, Book, Dragons, fantasy, fiction, New Release, writing
Drakin: An Empire of Ashes Question??? #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi
I was hoping you could comment on the ability that dragons now seem to have to appear as humans. They didn't have that ability in either The Story of Raiya or The Orphans of Haven. I find it intriguing, but kind of a dues ex machina. Can you provide a little more detail about how it works? Do dragons see themselves as human when in human form or is it just an illusion for humanity? Also, why couldn't dragons do it in the other books? That would have been a good infiltration tactic.
Loved the book, though!
Hi Ella,
SPOILER ALERT!!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the book. UGH, I tried to keep the dragon shroud ability from becoming a deus ex machina, now it seems I've failed. Truth be told, I was planning on delving into a little more detail with another book I'm working on… however as there's still a question on whether or not I'll ever finish that book, I suppose it makes sense to try to give some detail about what the shroud ability is.
So let's try to take this in chronological order. I actually did tackle the issue as to why this ability wasn't used during the war in the book. It was mostly considered a lost art, dating back thousands of generations. Secondly, a massive dragon cannot appear as a human. They have to be roughly the same size. The G1 and G2 dragons could not accomplish this. Aside from the fact that they were too big, their bodies had not fully adapted to our Sun's radiation or our planet's atmosphere, thus many of their abilities were drastically hindered.
As the generations continued, dragons adapted more and more to our atmosphere until they barely resembled their foreign counterparts. In addition to the physical changes that occurred as the result of the Terran sun, their mental abilities were also greatly enhanced, reasserting such abilities that were thought to be long lost. So while this new generation was not as strong or impervious to attack as their older brethren, they have enhanced cognitive and empathic abilities.
The ability is basically triggered at-will by a dragon. It works similar to the way we change our hand from a hand to a fist. I know it's a crude example, but that's basically how easy it is for their advanced minds. The ability triggers an autonomic function that coats the dragon's body in a type of telekinetic field that tricks not only external sensors, but internal ones as well. So to answer your question, dragons see themselves as whatever they've decided to transform into. Once the ability is trigger, it becomes autonomic, so even if a dragon loses consciousness, their mind maintains the field. The only way they shift back without doing consciously is if their brain experiences some kind of shock or trauma.
If we want to get a little bit more into this, dragons do have some limited ability to alter how they look. I say limited because their basic features cannot change. They can only change minor things. Simply put, a dragon cannot copy a human's exact appearance. The strain on doing so vs. simply appearing as whatever their mind decides is a generic human, would be too immense. They're stuck with whatever form appears. However, they can alter small things such as eye color, ear shape, hair color, etc. Qira alluded to this when it was mentioned that she didn't look entirely human. She explained that the form she appeared in was the form she appeared in when her mind merged with Radley's before he died. It wasn't a perfect human because her mind hadn't quite figured out a perfect human form. However, it was pleasing to her as a memory of her love, so she decided not to change it. I kind of tried to hint that she was among the first of her kind to relearn the ability.
As the threat of the Eastern Empire loomed, dragons quickly taught one another how to do it in order to protect themselves. Unfortunately, the ability wouldn't protect them for long. Eventually humanity finds ways to combat it so that they can tell who is and is not a dragon. These are in the form of scanners and a serum that disrupts brain activity, forcing a dragon to change back.
Though I didn't specifically say it in the book, I did hint that as dragons evolve, their minds are able to resist the serum, to a point, but the scanners still read them as dragons. In other words, the serum may work on an early terran dragon like Qira, but it wouldn't work on one that was the product of hundreds of years of breeding on Earth.
Great question! Hope I answered it to your satisfaction! Please like and comment and we can keep the conversation going!
From My Writing Playlist
One off the newest Avantasia album… it's haunting, to say the least.
When to listen: Plot building. This is a great song if you're looking to build a plot line into your story or even if you're just looking to brainstorm what to right next!
Posted in Heavy Metal, Inspiration, Metal, Music, Uncategorized, Writing
Tagged Advice, fantasy, fiction, Heavy Metal, Inspiration, Music, writing
Action Figure Review, Star Wars CUSTOM Black Series Mara Jade
This figure is a custom design done by Eric LeFeber of Insidious Customs and has been featured on several websites, including StarWarsCustom.net.
I saw it on Ebay a few weeks ago and instantly fell in love with it. Hasbro and other companies have yet to release a 6in figure of her and the selection of figures available for this character are… well… let's just say there's not much to choose from. The 3.75 inch figures either have weird faces, bulk body sculpts (huge shoulders), or the hair is insane. For such a beloved character out of the now-Legends series, you'd think there would have been better options made. There is a large anime statue of her that isn't terrible, but it's super expensive and the art is from a form of Japanimation. If you're not into anime, this isn't for you. So that one caters to a specific audience.
So Mara Jade has unfortunately been all but forgotten in the action figure world… or so we thought. Then this little magnificent piece shows up…
So let's take a look at it!
She comes with a purple lightsaber, a removable gray cape, and a blaster. Her belt is not removable, but the goggles are.
I absolutely love the design of the figure. The creator got her almost perfect, down to the little details. Her eyes are green and her hair is the correct color. The paint quality is top notch and feels very durable. This has been a problem I've had with other customs where the paint can and often does rub off when you're trying to put the figure into a new pose.
Her belt and lightsaber appear to be taken from the Jaina Solo black series figure and repainted. It's a nice touch as they both resemble the what we see Mara Jade with in the mediums she actually appears.
One thing I will note is that it seems people can't decide if the color of her outfit is blue or black. The creator went with black and that's fine by me as some of the action figures did as well. This figure appears to be from the Emperor's Hand time period, so that makes sense.
It can do several poses and the body looks like it's the female Marvel Legends mold (I think), thus it is quite versatile. However, here's where we run into our first problem. One leg appears to be a few millimeters longer than the other leg. As such, the figure cannot stand straight up on both feet without bending one foot slightly. She looks better in a 'ready' stance because of this.
Another issue is that the belt doesn't quite fit her properly. I think I might try heating it to see if I can get a better mold to the figure from it, but I have not decided yet. It's a minor quip, but one I thought I should bring up.
My last and final issue with the figure is gun.
It actually looks like the gun she uses, so credit where credit is due… however, the gun seems a little big for her and not really to scale. (look at it in comparison with the one in the photo. Arguably it's not super huge, but it is noticeable. It also goes to my only MAJOR complaint with the figure; the gun does NOT fit into the holster. Not even close. There is no way to jam it in there. As a result, there is no way to get it to fit, and because the character can only grip one accessory (the other hand is open), you can't have both on her at the same time.
My rating… 3.5/5
This is a tough one, because while the figure has some problems, but I really do love it. The creator clearly put a lot of time in choosing the correct parts and sculpts so that it actually looks like Mara down to perfection. The problems with the figure are mostly minor and even the most critical of collector can live with.
If you're interested in this one, I'd encourage everyone to keep an eye on Eric's blog and his ebay listing. He posts some really great stuff there!
Posted in Action Figues, Comics, fantasy, Movies, Opinion, Science Fiction, Skyrim
Tagged action figure, Collectibles, Elder Scrolls, fantasy, Geek, Skyrim, video games
The Death Of Star Wars: "Toxic" Fandom and Drama #StarWars #LucasFilm #Fans #TheMandalorian
Full disclaimer, I do not believe that all Star Wars fans are toxic, not by half. So please actually read my article before you get all hot under the collar one way or another. If you disagree with me, let's talk about it in the comments.
Okay, I know I'm treading on rather sensitive grounds here, but this is something I really think I need to go over. As of late, there has been a lot of mudslinging back and forth between Entertainment News Media, Hollywood, and the fan base of Star Wars. Though admittedly my blog has a limited readership, I wanted to do my part to try to tackle each of these and create a point of order… or some semblance of sanity.
First thing I want to tackle, is Star Wars dead? I've actually heard some people out there, including independent journalist Tim Pool say that Star Wars was dead the moment The Last Jedi hit the theater. A lot of people stated that the more they saw it, the worse it got… and honestly, that's fair criticism. Upon seeing the backlash to it, I wrote a post defending the Last Jedi. I stand by what I said at that point, though even I have to admit that each time I watch it, it really does get worse and worse. Perhaps another bad sign that it wasn't good was when I left the theater, my wife asked me if I liked it, my response was 'I don't know'. That has NEVER happened. I loved Episode 1 so much that I went and bought all the action figures when I left the theater… and they're pretty much worthless now. I still defend the prequel trilogy because I don't think it was as bad as everyone said and has a lot of good elements that adds to the Star Wars mythos.
For The Last Jedi, okay… I'll come out and say it. It was bad.
HOWEVER, if you think The Last Jedi was the worst thing to ever happen to Star Wars, go watch The Holiday Special, Caravan of Courage, or the Battle for Endor, realize why you're wrong, then come back and talk to me.
A close acquaintance of mine once said that once Disney purchased Star Wars, we'd all be begging for Lucas to come back within a few years. I'm honestly not sure that's true. Let's take a look at what Disney has put out individually…
The Force Awakens: AWESOME! Yes, somewhat of a retread of ANH, but there was enough new stuff to keep us interested and IT FELT LIKE STAR WARS!!!
Rogue One: A gritty look at the Rebellion's behind the scenes activities. It was gutsy and had the best space battle since Endor. It was action packed, and kept me on the edge of my seat.
Rebels: I have to admit… I love this show. Like… I REALLY love this show. it had a few problems and… God help us, it brought continuity-killing time travel themes into Star Wars, but it handled them well (so far), brought back fan favorite Ahsoka Tano, introduced inquisitors, and brought Malachor from KOTOR 2 into the fold.
The Last Jedi: This… yeah, was a horrible HORRIBLE mess. However, one issue I take with the criticism was the concept of fuel… um… fuel has been around in the Star Wars universe for a while. In ANH we see them fueling the fighters, and in TPM, they literally say "There's not enough fuel to reach Coruscant"! That's the whole reaon they had to set down on Tatooine.
Solo: Had some problems and no one asked for it, and yes… I don't like who they cast as Solo, but the movie itself was pretty good. It was a somewhat dark, but lighthearted heist movie. For what it was, it was pretty good.
The Mandalorian: SO FAR, it's been awesome!
So, there you go. One truly bad movie. That's it, that's all we have to complain about here. The jury is still out on The Rise of Skywalker, and granted we've heard that there have been production trouble… but the movie isn't even out yet. This movie could be a make or break for Star Wars as everything comes down to how it ends, but we still have to wait and see.
So let's move onto the second topic, toxic fandom… Are Star Wars fans truly toxic as a whole? NO! Absolutely not! Star Wars fans are really the most loyal fanbase there is. These were the people who kept the hype going even during the dark ages of 1983-1991 when there was close to nothing coming out for the franchise and kids like me, who were born after the movies came out, had to rely on their older cousins and siblings to get their hands on the merch. It is a very diverse group of fans ranging all ages, cultures, ethnicity, and backgrounds.
I will admit that some fans consider Star Wars sacred and I can understand that. My intro to Star Wars comes before I was even born! My mother saw Return of the Jedi in theater while pregnant with me! Apparently I was very excited during the whole thing. So I can understand why Star Wars fans get so vocal about their disdain when something bad comes out.
Now, does that mean that some fans don't take things too far or are not worthy of the label 'toxic'? No…
The toxicity has been on full display with the treatment of people like Kelly Marie Tran and Jake Lloyd. It is sad commentary on what they've had to deal with. On top of that, we get people who are saying that the whole franchise is dead because of one movie, or are refusing to watch the good movies/shows because the franchise is dead, or just seem to be unable to please. This is part of the reason so many directors have refused to tackle Star Wars.
That being said, they are hardly the majority or even a vast percentage. These days, for some reason, Hollywood has gone head-first into the political realm… and not just politics, but deeply divisive, arguably radical one-sided politics. As a result, they seem to have become part of the twitteratti and entered into a bubble where everyone who doesn't like the direction they go is… seemingly akin to Adolf Hitler himself. As such, when people criticize their movies, those people are labelled as haters and toxic. This is propaganda and nothing more. I think in many cases, this meme sums up the problem pretty well…
So if you want to make the argument that Hollywood is complicit in creating this whole 'toxic' fanbase problem, I'm right there with you. This also lends credence to my argument that politics can ruin a story if that is the focus. Anyone who reads my posts knows that I try to keep things apolitical with the exception of two areas; children, because I love kids and have long advocated for their welfare… something that should be universal, and escapism, because I feel like it's so important and politics has invaded almost every facet of our lives, making it near impossible to escape.
So in summation… Star Wars is not dead and Hollywood is as toxic as they claim the majority of the fan base is. People… it's just a creative universe. I know we all love it, but it's not worth getting this worked up over. If you loved the original movies and the clone wars series… they're still there, you can go watch them and enjoy. The books from the original Expanded Universe are still being published, as are the comics! Star Wars is awesome, go enjoy the literal universe of material!
Posted in fantasy, Fiction, Movies, Opinion, review, Sequel, Uncategorized
Tagged fantasy, Geek, Opinion, review, Spoilers, Star Wars
The Ins and Outs of Publishing, A Directory of Advice. #Writing #Author #Advice
Okay, so it looks like I'm still getting a lot of publishing questions. These are recurrent questions I get on a regular basis, and while I want to try to respond to everyone who reaches out to me, I don't want my blog becoming redundant. So I think I'm going to repost this on a weekly basis from now on to help people navigate the publishing world. I don't really see another way around it.
So if you have questions regarding publishing, PLEASE check below to see if any of this helps you before reaching out. I'm always happy to help, but I may have already answered your question.
Publishing is a tough road to navigate. Please check out the links below. These are previous posts I've made about the ins and outs of publishing. They should be of assistance in your journey:
Am I Ready To Publish? This is a must read BEFORE even considering starting the process. I can't tell you how many authors burned bridges by not being ready.
Editing… There is a Cost That Must be Paid… or is There? You can skip this one if you've already had your writing edited (by someone other than you!). However, I'd still recommend reading.
Getting Published… the basics… In this post, we explore traditional publishing vs. self-publishing. Here you'll get the pros on cons of each and the steps you need to go through in order to be successful in either.
Copyrighting my Writing. Am I Protected? This isn't required reading… however, if you're concerned about plagiarism, or in the future may need to file a copyright claim, I recommend giving it a read.
Feeling overwhelmed yet? I'd be surprised if you didn't. The only sage advice I can offer you other than the documents above is simple…
Do not give up. A million "No's" suddenly become irrelevant if you get that one "yes".
People will tell you that everyone and their mother wants to publish a book. You're up against insurmountable odds and a flooded market. This is false. You're not up against everyone and their mother. Permit me the luxury and I'll prove this mathematically: First of all, take the entire group of people who want to get published. Now take that number and reduce it by roughly 60%. You just eliminated all the people who want to get something published, but don't have the time, ability, drive, or inspiration to write. Next, eliminate another 20%. You've now taken down all the people who can put pen to paper but can't afford the time/money to put the work into advertising and getting published. Eliminate another 10% who can't take criticism and thus aren't going to be able to get their writing properly edited. Now eliminate another 5% either don't have the patience for or get discouraged by receiving a series of "No's" from publishers.
Now take that last 5% and eliminate all of them, except you. Why? Because they're irrelevant. You have your writing and they have there's. Whether or not you get published and how successful you are isn't about other people's writing. Yes, in the end, it's you against one person, you. Whether or not I'll ever get to buy your book off the shelf depends on you; how much time, effort, and funds you're willing to put into your writing. So make it good!
Let's open it up to the floor. Readers, do you have any publishing advice for our friend here? Let her know in the comments!
Posted in advice, fantasy, Fiction, literature, Opinion, Science Fiction, Writing
Tagged fantasy, fiction, literature, physics, science fiction, time travel, writing
Drakin, where to buy, and what's next? #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi
I hope everyone has enjoyed The Drakin Series!! Please don't forget to leave me a review on Amazon once you're done. That really helps me out a lot.
Copies of these books, as well as my others, can be purchased on Amazon by following this link:
James Harrington's Author Page
They're also available at Barnes and Noble, as well as many other places where books are sold!
Please feel free to like and reblog this post. Word of mouth helps us writers out a lot!
Drakin: The Story of Raiya
' "Abomination, freak, monster…" You get used to names like these when you have yellow eyes, horns, and scales, but Raiya could have really cared less.
After being forced into exile because of her appearance, Raiya's mind has been focused on one goal; hunting down the dragon lord that killed her parents. For over thirty years, humanity has been locked in a struggle for survival against a race of dragons that had fallen from the heavens. They took everything from her and consumed the planet in a fierce war. Humanity's numbers are quickly dwindling, leaving her few options in the way of allies.
What she doesn't know is that her journey will strike at the very heart of the Red War and uncover truths about her past that she may not want to know. Can she finish what she started while coming to terms with the truths of her origin? '
"Unbelievable… thirty years of this shit… wonder how we've been able to keep this up for so long."
As Jagger pulled his jeep onto what was once Route 9, he reached over to the dash and turned the radio on. A tired-sounding voice appeared over the speaker, "This Matt Lowry, WPR hourly news. Today the Second Battalion, Eastern division, rendezvoused with the Third Battalion outside of New Washington beneath the third parallel in district 5. They were successful at warding off the dragon advance. Casualties were estimated at 30%. However, initial reports estimate that at least six dragons were downed in the fight…"
Jagger sighed. Why do I even bother listening to this? It's never good news, just a constant reminder that we're all fucked. Every time those beasts attack, we're pushed a little closer to extinction.
"In other news, Captain Suen Luli of the Eastern Coalition Air Corps was awarded for…"
Jagger turned the radio off. He knew the typical song and dance of the news source. They'd tell the bad news first and then deliver some good news which would be played up to be more important. He understood why things were done this way. Morale was very important… especially when it was hidden from no one that humanity was losing the war quite badly.
The jeep drove under the remains of an old overpass that had long since collapsed. It maneuvered gently around the piles of debris. Jagger had spent a lot of time rebuilding and refurbishing his truck. He wasn't about to get it banged up. Once it cleared the debris, he pressed the gas and picked up speed.
A sign on the side read 'Now Entering Natick.' Jagger had been told stories about how that whole area used to be lively with stores and restaurants for people to enjoy. He was too young to remember any of this.
The Red War had been going on for years before his birth, and Natick had been laid to waste while he was still a young child. Now all that remained was rubbed and maybe some salvageable equipment buried in the dirt.
The jeep rounded a large piece concrete that, at one time had been the side of a storefront. This was usually Jagger's marker to find his way back home. As the jeep hit the open road, a loud noise cut through the air. Shreeeee!
Jagger hit the brakes, "Wyverns… shit! One of those days…"
Jagger quickly put the car in park before reaching behind the passenger seat and grabbing a large bolt rifle. A dark shadow passed overhead as he checked the cartridge battery. The indicator light jumped from red to blue, showing a full charge. Good… let's do this!
Jagger jumped out of the jeep, brushed a few strands of his long, brown hair out of his face and aimed the rifle. The first wyvern he saw was flying low overhead. He ducked down behind the large piece of rubble that he has passed a moment ago. His gray eyes followed the target. He watched and waited… waited until he had lined up a clean shot, and pulled the trigger. Three large, positively-charged bolts flew from the barrel. Two shots hit the large beast, sending it falling from the sky. I've gotten too used to taking down drakes. I used to be able to hit with all three shots!
Sparks of blue electricity flashed through its body as it hit the barrel ground. The wyvern's skin was too thick for the bolts to do any real damage. They only stunned it, but it was enough to give Jagger the advantage.
He quickly ran to the wyvern, pulled a large machete from his belt, and jabbed it into the only vulnerable part of a dragon's body; the eyes.
The blade destroyed the creature's left eye and plunged into its brain. The dying wyvern let out a painful cry as it tried to dislodge the blade. It was a gruesome sight that Jagger had grown used to. He'd been trained for a long time to show no mercy.
Every time he had to watch this scene, he remembered back to the first one he'd killed during his training. He remembered that it had made him sick to his stomach. Seeing a creature suffer like that seemed cruel, but every time he was about to look away his drill sergeant would stop him and force him to watch, "They're lethal to the very end. Turning your back on one now could be the biggest mistake you ever make."
'The biggest mistake.' It was something that he'd never forgotten.
The wounded beast slowly ceased movement as death overtook it. Jagger placed his foot over the beast's snout and pulled his blade from its head. Greenish-purple blood spewed from the wound as Jagger wiped the blade off.
As Jagger finished cleaning the blade, he turned to head back to his jeep and grab a few supplies. The snout of a second wyvern was in his path. Oh shit…
Somehow the beast had used its partner's death screams as a cover to hold Jagger's attention long enough for it to sneak up on him. The beast smiled, "Hope you taste good!"
Jagger frowned, "This is one meal you're going to have to work for."
Jagger gripped the blade at his side, knowing he'd never raise it in time. He waited for the wyvern to lunge. This was likely it, "Bring it on… you ugly freak!"
As the wyvern took a step towards him, a black blur appeared in its path. It shrieked in surprise upon realizing that it had become outnumbered.
Jagger blinked as his eyes adjusted to the new player. They were completely clad in black robes from head to toe, making identification impossible. A gray backpack was strapped tightly to their back. Whoever this was, they moved with lightning speed.
The wyvern snapped at the robed figure, only to have the figure dodge out of the way and grab it by the neck. The stranger held the wyvern in a headlock as it struggled to get out. Jagger watched as it hissed and roared, "Damn… this guy is good!"
"Let go, bitch or I'll tear your heart out!" The wyvern snarled.
Female… okay, well that's a start. Jagger thought as he quickly moved to grab his bolt gun.
No amount of thrashing could shake this stranger lose. Her hands were locked tightly around the wyvern's neck. She spoke in a voice that was barely more than a whisper, "No… you won't…"
To Jagger's utter shock, she jerked her arms, causing the wyvern's neck to sharply turn to the side. The sound of a loud snap caused the wyvern to go limp.
The skeletal structure and bone mass of even the youngest dragons were considerably thicker than humans. Their muscle tissue was also incredibly strong. No human being should posess that strength. It was a physical impossibility.
Jagger watched in amazement as she let go of the beast, tossed its head to the side, and turned to confront him. He put on a friendly smile and nodded nervously. Careful Jagger, she looks like she's ready to kill you. "Thanks."
He couldn't see most of her face under the hood, but her yellow eyes almost looked like they were glowing. Her voice was deep and very quiet when she spoke. It was almost a whisper and difficult to hear, "It was stupid of you to leave your car. A jeep can outrun those beasts and they always hunt in pairs, at least."
Yup… definitely a woman. "It didn't seem that dangerous. Wyverns can't breathe fire, so its easier to fight on foot, especially if there's only one. I didn't see the second, and I'm usually not caught off guard like that."
"One stupid move… all it takes."
"Words of Wisdom."
"Why did you fight?"
"Instinct I guess."
The figure stared at him for a moment. To Jagger, it felt like he was in the middle of drill inspection back at WesCon command. Her eyes darted up and down for a moment before she abruptly turned and began walking away.
Jagger called after her, "Wait!"
The figure stopped but did not turn and did not respond. Jagger took a few cautious steps towards it, "I owe you one for helping me. Do you need anything?"
"Really? Nothing?"
"No… not unless…"
The figure paused for a moment. Jagger waited as she slowly turned around. Her hood was down as though she were looking at her stomach, "I haven't eaten in a few days… I could use of some supplies. Do you have any?"
Jagger smiled, "No, but my town is nearby. Hop in, I'm heading for New Framingham. There are plenty of shops there."
"A… town?"
"Yeah, you'll be able to find anything you want there."
"I… I'm not sure…" The figure replied in a nervous whisper. "I don't typically do well around large groups of people."
Jagger looked at her oddly, "Well… It's the only major hub in this part of old New England after Boston and Worcester were destroyed. The survivors moved out here and established a fortified city in the only nearby area with buildings left standing."
"Boston and Worcester… they were both destroyed?"
Really? How could she not know about this? "Yeah, for almost ten years now, where have you been?"
"Away?"
The robed woman climbed into the jeep and rested her hands on her lap. She turned to watch as Jagger grabbed a saw out of the back, "Yes… I've been wandering the country since my grandparents were killed by an elder dragon. I don't have access to a radio so…"
Her eyes narrowed as Jagger walked over to one of the fallen wyverns, "Wait… what are you doing?"
Jagger looked down at the saw, "I'm going to get their teeth."
"Dragon teeth are flame-resistant. They can be melted down and used to make armor, weapons, walls… all kinds of different things. They're worth a fortune if you can get them."
He placed the saw on the nearest wyvern's mouth and began to run the blade across its gums. Blood stained his hands as he struggled to make conversation, "So… you're a nomad?"
"There a better way to live beyond city walls?"
"Not really…" Jagger chuckled as he removed the upper jaw. "Okay… well let's see, ten years huh?"
"All right so I can fill you in on the Red War, but what do you know so far?"
The girl shrugged, "Not much… From what my grandparents told me, the dragons first appeared in New York… After decimating Manhattan, they flew east and were seen weeks later heading towards Siberia. The five of them disappeared for about five years. When they reappeared, there were many… many more of them and they continued to multiply."
She leaned on the roll bar of the old jeep as Jagger threw the teeth into the back. He then quickly wiped his hands and went to work on the second wyvern, "They were immune to conventional weapons and were too fast for nukes to work… not for a lack of trying… obviously."
Jagger looked around the barren wasteland that used to be Wellesley, Massachusetts and nodded, "Obviously… is that it?"
"No." The woman replied stoically. "I heard that countries were toppled by the onslaught of the dragons… Even the U.S. Government retreated. I heard the president's speech, vowing to return and retake the land lost to the dragons… That was three days before he and his chiefs of staff were all killed. The remaining world leaders set aside their differences and formed into two governing bodies; the Eastern and Western Coalitions. They established regional governors, but the cities and settlements themselves are largely self-governed… That's all I know."
Jagger nodded as he removed the second wyvern's jaw, "Sounds like you've heard most of it. The problem was that most weapons couldn't penetrate a dragon's scales. Missiles didn't work, bullets didn't… some armor piercers did, but they're rare. Eventually we developed electrostatic shock weapons and super-focused lasers that could burn a hole through them, but by then…
Jagger let out a deep sigh as he spoke,"… by then, it was almost too late. Humanity had been reduced to nearly 2 billion people."
"You're losing the war…" The woman said in a whisper.
Jagger grabbed a bottle of water from behind his seat and poured some over his hands. The cool water rinsed away the dragon's blood and soothed his skin, "Don't you mean we're losing?"
Jagger got behind the wheel of the jeep and started it up. The engine came to life and caused the entire car to vibrate. He pulled back on the break and allowed the car to wheel forward.
The stranger eyed the dash, "Your car's engine sounds different. They're usually louder."
Jagger smiled, "They're usually falling apart. I spent years working on this one."
"Impressive."
Jagger kept his eyes on the road, though he occasionally looked up to make sure that the sky was clear, "By the way, I'm Lieutenant Jagger Bishop, WesCon Security."
"What, you don't have a name?"
"All right then…"
Jagger couldn't be certain, but he thought he detect and annoyed sigh before she spoke, "… Raiya if you must know."
"Raiya, that's an unusual name."
"I'm an unusual person."
Jagger nodded, "Yeah I believe that, just from watching you."
"Whatever you say." Raiya said in a disinterested tone.
Jagger released a deep breath as he watched the debris pass, "So… those were some nice moves you pulled back there. You must be pretty jacked to snap the neck of a dragon. That was amazing."
"It's not that hard if you know where the joint is."
"Maybe you could show me?"
"Doubtful, you also have to be really fast…"
"Oh… too bad."
As the jeep picked up speed, Raiya struggled to keep her hood up. It acted like a sail, catching the wind that blew past her face. As it was pushed back, small flashes of her skin appeared. She grabbed the sides and forced them forward, holding the hood down over her face.
Jagger had his eyes on the road and could only see her out of the corner of his right, but what he saw left him with more questions than answers. Her skin was tanned, but her pigment appeared to have an almost greenish hue to it. The strands of hair he saw looked like it was a dark olive color. Maybe she dyed it somehow? Yeah right, where would she get dye out here? You're probably just seeing things.
It was a reasonable thought. He never really had great lateral vision. However, as the hood flew back a second time, he quickly glanced over to confirm what he initially saw. His eyes caught sight of the odd complexion of her skin. There was no doubt that something was off with her. Who or what was this girl? Dragon's Bane? There hasn't been a confirmed case of it in a few years…
"I'm fine… why?"
"Your skin… it's… pale."
"So what…? It's just how I look."
Drakin: The Orphans of Haven
The Red War may be over, but not all wounds have healed. For Sergeant Radley Zall, the nightmares never end. After years of struggling for survival, he finds himself in a dead end job, deporting wayward dragons to the Exclusion Zone. The horrors of his past have left him a broken man, slowing killing himself in a bottle of whiskey. It's a wearying existence that many former soldiers have been subject to since the war ended, but for Radley, that is all about to change. Throughout his life, Radley's hatred of dragons has been unmatched until one evening when a small one shows up on his doorstep. The pathetic creature is emaciated and begging for shelter. Her appearance reminds him of his younger self, compelling him to help her. That uncharacteristic decision forces him to confront his past actions— some of which may have contributed to a sinister plot to reignite the Red War and wipe out the few remaining dragons on Earth.
"Let us overcome these obstacles together, in the spirit of what our forefathers, friends, and neighbors fought and died for!"
It was a good speech… too bad that's all it'll ever be. I remember the cheers. I remember the savior standing off to the side before she disappeared… It was only ten years ago, but I remember it like I remember my childhood… as a distant memory.
"Radley? Sergeant Radley Zall, are you with me?"
Radley felt a gentle elbow to the midsection, "Sarge, snap out of it!"
He immediately came back to reality and nodded, "Yes, sir. I'm ready, sir!"
A gruff-looking commander eyed him suspiciously, "Are you sure, Sergeant Zall? I mean we can wait. Whatever you've got going on is clearly more important than doing your job. No rush, you know? It's just a dragon after all. It's not like the men rely on you to back them up."
Radley felt his face heating up and was sure that it was turning red, "Sorry sir."
"Are you feeling sick? Do we need to have Sergeant Bosell check you out?"
Radley felt the tension in the back of his neck. When Commander Miles decided to mock someone in his unit, the man would push it as far as he could. The worst part was that it worked. The officers did everything they could to stay on their toes and avoid it.
"No, I'm fine, sir!" Radley replied as he straightened himself out. He could hear a couple of snickers coming from the ten armored men standing with him.
"You sure?" The commander asked.
"Yes, Commander Miles… I'm sure."
Commander Constantine Miles eyed Radley for a few moments. The younger officer blinked as he waited for the commander to finish. His blue eyes felt dry under his protective goggles. He could feel his brown hair matting to his head under the heavy helmet he wore.
Commander Miles had been his commanding officer since he joined the security division. The man knew him well, too well. He clearly didn't buy that Radley was all there.
Finally, Commander Miles nodded, "Well… All right, let's go."
He flipped on the radio wired into his vest, "Command, this is Security Group Alpha, we're in position and ready to move in."
"Copy that, Commander. Proceed with caution. Good hunting."
The group entered a massive cave that was hidden deep in the Yellowstone Canyon. The cave walls were as black as coal. The stone floor had once been molten rock, flowing outward. This gave the floor an almost organic look.
Radley carefully balanced himself on the terrain that looked like it had been frozen in time and petrified. He planted his legs between to inclines and raised his bolt rifle.
Six of the other officers followed close behind him. One, a younger man jumped up behind Radley "I thought we'd be waiting out here forever. Finally, we can get this over with."
"You may hope you'd been able to wait even longer, Kevin," Radley replied as he removed his goggles, revealing the burn over his left eye. "These dragons usually do not want to come willingly. Often they're protecting a nest."
"Is it going to attack us?"
"Hard to say. That happens from time to time."
"Stay close and keep your weapon ready, Rookie. You'll do fine."
"Cut the chatter," Commander Miles called out from the front. "Let's get in and out as cleanly as possible. We don't want a repeat of your first time, Sergeant."
"First time?" Kevin whispered.
"It's a long story Rookie, and I'm tired of telling it. I'm sure someone will fill you in before too long."
The group separated into two as they entered the cave. One proceeded left, while the other went right, forming a pincer. Radley led the second group, closely behind Commander Miles's. Within moments, both groups were cloaked in almost total darkness.
A staticky sound filled his helmet as the groups kept moving. It was quickly replaced by Commander Miles's voice, "Okay, everyone… lights on, stay sharp, and keep focus! –Command, this is Unit Commander Miles. We have confirmed the location of an illegal dragon roost. We're moving into position now."
The sound of the officers' footprints was quickly replaced by the sound of throaty breathing. The sound resembled the growl of a lion, only deeper. It echoed through the cave like a shockwave rushing to the entrance.
Radley clenched his rifle as they stepped closer to Commander Miles group. He'd seen this situation play out before and it was nothing new. They'd go in, surround the dragon and take him down from either side. If he tried to fly, they'd shock his wings. If he tried to fight, they'd incapacitate him. It had all become perfectly routine.
"Member of the Dragon species, my name is Commander Miles, Western Coalition Internal Security. You are in direct violation of WestCon Provincial Edict 453, stating that no dragon shall roost outside of the designated dragon zones. This is several miles outside of the Exclusion Zone and your designated areas. You are ordered to surrender and submit to processing. Once you have been tagged, you will then be transferred to a designated holding facility for processing. Please understand, we do not wish to harm you and if you surrender peacefully, you'll be treated with care."
The low breathing turned into an angry growl, "The Exclusion Zones… you mean the barren wastelands that your people have set aside for us… You mean the lands with minimal food and few ideal places for us to build roosts! Lands that we have to fight cannibalistic humans for. You offer us amnesty and then force us into the worst possible living conditions!"
Miles didn't appear to be moved, "I don't make the rules, I just enforce them. We gave you nearly the entire western coast of this hemisphere all the way down to Mexico. Many dragons have found ways to cultivate a living. If you can't do something with that, it isn't my problem. Surrender now, and we promise you'll be treated fairly!"
This isn't going to end well… Radley thought as he raised his rifle. This dragon is going to escalate!
"Get out of my home!" The dragon roared before a plume of flame shot past the officers, out of the cave.
The cavern walls lit up orange and revealed the large green dragon that was curled up in a small nest. There were no eggs and no sign of a mate, so this was likely a rogue.
Radley's eyes widened, "Alpha class. Watch it, everyone! This guy is going to be tough!"
Miles dove away from the flame and hit the ground hard as a second plume passed over him, "Light him up! –Command, we've got a code 42. Engaging hostiles!"
The orange hue was replaced by momentary white and blue blasts that spread throughout the cavern as the officers let loose with a spray of electrically charged pulses. The loud pops from the guns echoed off the walls creating a deafening cycle
The dragon's scales glowed as the pulses electrified them. Little beams of blue and white static outlined each scale. The dragon let out an intense scream as it immediately fell to the side. Its body trembled but otherwise did not move.
The moment the dragon's head hit the ground, the officers gather around it. The sparks slowly died down as the group moved in. Commander Miles stood in front of its snout and turned to the man closest to him, "Get the shackles."
As the man went back to the tunnel to fetch the large metallic rings, Commander Miles read the dragon the required statement of rights, "Illegal dragon, you are hereby under arrest. The charges are illegal roosting, desecration of human territory, and resisting relocation efforts."
The dragon looked menacingly at Miles as it was shackled. The stun bolts had done their job as it was unable to even lift its head. Smoke emanated from its mouth as it spoke, "May you burn for this…"
"Not today," Commander Miles replied as he switched on his shoulder radio, "Command, mission accomplished. The dragon has been subdued. We're looking at an Alpha class, so you're going to want to bring in the heavy hauler."
"Acknowledged," replied a staticky voice. "We were starting to worry about you for a moment. Good work."
Commander Miles nodded, "Sergeant Radley, let's get cleaned up here."
Radley sighed as he turned to his group, "All right men, we're done here. Let's head back to the entrance."
The rookie officer's eyes focused on the dragon. He remained still as the others moved towards the exit. He was like a statue, frozen in place as though forever contemplating the universe around him.
Radley stopped in front of him as the rest of the group continued, "Hey Rookie, you okay?"
"It's… it's not what I expected at all," Kevin replied.
Kevin beckoned to the dragon's eyes, "Look at it… I always thought they were giant killing feral machines, acting on instinct like a shark. Now… they actually…"
"You've never been up close to one of them, have you?"
"No, I mean I've seen pictures and all, but they always flew overhead or were at a distance."
Radley nodded that he understood, "Right, that's how it always is. It's easy to take them down when they just look like mindless killing machines, but when you see them and see the life and intelligence in their eyes, all that changes. Still… it'll pass and you'll see them for what they really are again."
"Really are? You mean…"
At that moment, the dragon came to life and snapped at them, "Inanimate killing machines? We are living creatures, just like you! We think and we feel things. All we want now is peace!"
Radley ignored the dragon's words. He turned calmly and gave Kevin a gentle push, "Come on Rookie, let's get out of here so that the relocation team can get in and do their jobs."
"You can't ignore us forever!" The dragon roared. "Someday you will pay for what you're doing here!"
"We already did," Radley shot back, "5.5 billion times over."
Outside, Radley closed his eyes and sucked in a breath of fresh air. For years, the air had been badly polluted from dragon flame and an extreme reduction in plant life. When the war ended, the coalitions put their combined science teams into creating massive air filters that were placed all over the world. They would clean the air until new plant life could take over. Is this what fresh air is like? It doesn't smell like burnt wood or like something's being cooked… it's actually kind of nice.
"Good job in there, Sergeant Zall! For a moment, I thought we'd lost you," Commander Miles said in a light tone.
"Sorry sir, I just… I was thinking about everything that's happened since the dragon horde left Earth."
"You certainly chose an interesting time to become reflective," The commander chuckled.
"Sorry sir, it won't happen again."
"That's fine. You've been at this longer than most, a little backward thinking is normal every now and again. Just try to save it until we're in a little safer circumstance."
Commander miles nodded, "Good. –How about you Kevin, you were all excited about getting to see some action, this everything you thought it'd be?"
Kevin frowned, "No sir…"
"No?" The commander asked, surprised.
"I joined the force to help fight canbans and raiders… I didn't want to be assigned to the dragon core. This was kind dropped on me by command due to a lack of volunteers."
Commander Miles nodded, "I understand, it's not the most appealing work. Sometimes I wonder if the danger is even worth it, but it's work that needs to be done."
"Does it?" Kevin asked. "Do we really need to hunt down these dragons? Is it really necessary to force them to live in sectors that are cordoned off from the rest of the world? I've heard stories…"
Radley scoffed. His lips twisted into a menacing grimace. He'd heard people talk about dragon rights before and it always got him heated, "Have you forgotten the war that literally just ended ten years ago or how many people they wiped out?"
"No, I haven't," Kevin replied sternly. "But those dragons are gone. We built ships for them and they left as quickly as possible. It's been years since then. These dragons didn't want to fight anymore and requested amnesty, which we granted them."
Commander Miles nodded, "Yeah and when the new government came to power, they enacted policies to protect dragons and humans. There's still a lot of bitterness between dragons and humans, and rightly so. This is as much for the dragons' good as it is our own."
"You sure about that?" Kevin asked. "I mean…"
Kevin's eyes darted between Radley and the other men. He quickly shrank back a little, "I'm sorry sir, never mind."
"Speak your mind, Rookie," Commander Miles said. "Tomorrow's too late."
"Sir, the dragons have done everything we asked them to right up until they were segregated. It was only after we pretty much banished them to the Mojave Wastelands that they began to try to find roosts elsewhere. I've heard of what life is like there; it's hot, nothing grows, and finding food is difficult."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that… maybe we're part of the problem?"
"You think humans are part of the problem…?" Radley asked in a state of disbelief. "They came here uninvited, attempted to steal our world and wipe out our entire population. After they lost the war, we did what they asked and built them a ship to get back to their own world. We should never have allowed some of them to stay here, but we put aside our differences and allowed the ones that wanted peace. Now they're hiding outside the designated area. They should have been a lot more grateful than that!"
"But maybe if we didn't segregate them and allowed them to interact with humans, this wouldn't be a problem," Kevin shot back. "We want peace, yet we continuously take rights away from others, breeding hate and resentment! How does that make us any better than them?"
Radley clenched his teeth as he ripped his helmet off and brushed back his brown hair. His cheeks felt like they were on fire as the hair on the back of his neck bristled. He had to hold himself back from striking Kevin across the face, "Watch it, Rookie! You were only old enough to experience the ass end of the war. Watch a dragon torch a shelter for children and mock them as they burned… then we'll talk!"
Kevin fell silent and lowered his eyes. Commander Miles stepped between them and spoke with a stern voice, "That's enough, both of you."
Radley nodded and stepped back, "Yes, sir… Sorry, sir."
He flashed Kevin an angry look. It was momentary so that Commander Miles wouldn't see it, but Kevin clearly got the message. The rookie lowered his eyes and bit down on his lower lip. Neither one of them said anything else.
Commander Miles turned and began to walk back to the other group, "Radley, head back to the carrier. The relocation team should be here any minute. It's just about time for us to go home. You look like you could use some rest. –Kevin, I want you to wait here and go with the extraction team. This will be good practice for you."
DRAKIN: An Empire of Ashes
So few of us left… No matter where we go, no matter how far we run… death always follows.
The fires of Old London burned brightly in the distance. They engulfed the buildings in a veil of yellow and orange. They were miles away, but their smoke choked out the stars in the night sky. A dim orange hue added a sinister touch. The pungent odor from the decaying corpses added to the dark scene.
Nayeli could hear the crackle of the massive flame like a million pieces of paper being crumpled in the distance. She ignored it and scraped through the rubble, looking for something, anything of value that could be traded for food or supplies. Bodies of dragons, EastCon, and Imperial soldiers littered the ruins. Many of them had been there for years.
You would think that with all these bodies, at least one bolt pistol would have been overlooked!
Nayeli was familiar with the scene, she'd lived in that horror for years in almost every city along the outskirts of the Imperial Territory. This was the fate of those who dared oppose the Eastern Empire.
She kept her head close to the ground as she quickly turned over another body. A relieved sigh escaped her lips as she looked at his belt, "Yes!"
Her eyes flared as they focused on a black holster that had been hidden under the fallen soldier's hip. Unlike the others she'd seen that day, this holster wasn't empty.
Nayeli's hands shook as she quickly unsnapped the flap that was holding the bolt pistol in place. She paused as a light flashed in the corner of her eye. A massive silhouette loomed in the distance, letting off a menacing hum. Her spine stiffened as a feeling of dread overtook her. An Imperial Hunter-killer… Shit, I need to get out of here.
Her left hand wrapped around the pistol and pulled it from its holster. She had no time to check out her prize. The distant hum grew louder as the silhouette approached. She quickly hid the gun under her filthy red cloak and dove behind some rubble as the patrol ship passed overhead. A blue energy beam carefully scanned each piece of rubble.
Nayeli pressed herself against the remains of a concrete wall. Like everything else in the area, it was covered in black soot. Small metal pipes protruded from the sides. Where ever it came from, something powerful must have dislodged it.
As the hunter-killer passed overhead, her hand clenched her own gun as she held her breath. The ground shook, dislodging small pieces of rock and dust, sending them flying. Her lungs began to ache, but she refused to breathe as she waited.
She pressed her back hard against the rough concrete and waited for fate to pass its judgment. If the hunter-killer found her, it was all over. There was no way to escape one of these things. They were fast, maneuverable, and almost completely impervious to ground attack. The curved armor covering the thrusters made shooting it down a difficult task.
The ship cruised overhead as though it was ignoring her completely. The debris had blocked her from its field of vision. She was safe for the moment.
Her lungs felt like they were about to explode when she finally released her breath. She pulled the dead soldier's pistol from under her cloak. Though filthy, it looked intact. She pressed the safety in and waited to see what happened. Come on… give me something.
The lights on the side flickered off and on a few times. It took a moment for the indicator on the side to come to life. The meter rose out of the red, passed through the yellow bar and stopped with barely a sliver of green illuminated. Yes, plenty of power left!
She carefully inspected the markings, using the little rays light that peeked over the concrete, "Mauser T-21… with half a cartridge left. Not a bad piece…"
Guns had been a valuable commodity for dissidents since the UPW was forced to withdraw from Europe. If anyone had any hopes of survival, they carried one, but that's not why Nayeli was looking for it.
The right buyer would pay handsomely for a gun. Even a small pistol like the Mauser was worth a small fortune. She quickly returned it to her pocket and focused her situation.
The hunter-killer she'd seen in the distance was now passing over another large piece of debris. The sophisticated trackers could sense even the slightest movement from the ground. Even something as gentle as a heartbeat could give someone away.
The sleek, black, cone-shaped vehicle passed quietly over the rubble. The blue thrusters glowed as they held the craft a few hundred feet off the ground.
Scree! Scree! Scree!
Had she been detected? No, it was too far away for the sensors to have caught her movements. The craft immediately turned and headed towards another pile of rubble where a second hunter-killer was hovering.
At that moment, Nayeli saw what it was going after. A female dragon and two lings had tried to take refuge in a collapsed building. They raised their hands with terrified looks on their faces.
Even at a distance, Nayeli could make out the sheer horror. The eyes of the dragonlings were soaked with tears. The older one trembled with fear while trying to hide it. They were fully aware of the fate that was likely waiting for them, Nayeli was sure of it.
The older one threw her hands in the air, "No, wait, plea…"
The terrible robotic sound of a rapid-fire pulse cannon cut off her screams. Nayeli immediately turned away and closed her eyes. She knew what was happening. The body of the female dragon hit the ground with a loud thud.
A second later, the firing ceased and was replaced by the screams and sobs of the juvenile dragons. Nayeli closed her eyes, waiting for the next shots that would end their lives, but to her surprise, it never came. The pilot had apparently decided to spare the lings, but why?
Their voices were quickly overpowered by an older, far more intense one, "Don't move or we'll open fire!"
Nayeli turned back to see that two soldiers had apparently been winched down from the hunter-killer. They were dressed in heavy black armor and brandished massive rifles. Their masks made them look like fearsome monsters.
The children obeyed the commands, likely more out of terror than obedience. Nayeli reached into a second pocket in her cloak and withdrew a larger pistol with a scope and significantly larger muzzle.
The rubble crumbled as she rested her stomach against it and peered into the scope on the pistol. She steadied her grip and slowly moved the crosshairs so that they lined up with one of the primary thrusters on the hunter-killer. It was a narrow slit between the armor and the thruster itself.
She sucked down a deep breath, waiting until she was ready. It was nearly an impossible shot, but she had to try. A scream from one of the dragonlings prompted her into action, "Let's see how you like this, Imp scum!"
She squeezed the trigger, unleashing three blasts from the pistol. The blue bolts screamed through the air, striking the hunter-killer on the port side primary thruster. The engine sputtered and died out, causing the ship to lose altitude and pull away. Yes, got it! Oh man, Joaquim will never believe that!
The startled soldiers turned their attention to the rubble where the gunshot had come from. One of them raised his rifle, "We're under attack, take cover!"
Not happening!
Nayeli grabbed something under her cloak. It was a smooth, round, device with red lights on it. She depressed a small button on top. The light changed to blue as it released a high-pitched sound. Here we go!
She quickly stood up and threw it. Her body was only exposed for a moment, but it was all the soldiers needed. One of them took aim and opened fire, hitting her in the shoulder before the small orb exploded in a flash of light.
She yelped and collapsed behind the rubble again, nursing her shoulder. She only had moments to deal with the pain and did her best to ignore it. It's okay… it's just pain… just pain… it's not bad.
Her hand squeezed the wound as she turned and looked back over to see what had happened. Both soldiers had been knocked out by the concussion grenade, while the dragonlings were sobbing a few feet away. They were both shaking, afraid to move from their spot.
Nayeli sucked down a deep breath before moving over to the soldiers. She quickly grabbed their rifles and sidearms and threw them in her pack.
A small flicker of light caught her eye from the side pouch on one of the soldier's hips. He was carrying four replacement power cells for the guns. She grabbed the cartridges and tucked them away. Jackpot!
Having grabbed everything she could carry, Nayeli turned to leave. The sobbing of the dragonlings stopped her in her path. She looked back at them with an indifferent stare, "You should get out of here. They've only been knocked out."
The two dragonlings curled up together but refused to speak. Nayeli frowned, "Don't you have someplace to take refuge? A home somewhere?"
One of them shook its head.
"Nowhere?" She demanded.
The dragonling again shook its head, "No."
Nayeli looked at the dead dragonkin a few feet away, "Was that your mother?"
The tears in the dragonlings' eyes answered the question for her, "Oh… I see…"
"They came for us in the night… they killed our daddy! He never even…"
The dragonling lowered its eyes, too upset to say anything else. Nayeli clenched her fists as she looked back at the two soldiers she'd knocked out, "I'm sorry…"
This was nothing new. Several dragon refugees at her camp had similar stories to tell. She had slowly become numb to them over time. However, she couldn't leave these babies where they were.
She reached out her hand to the nearest dragonling, "Come on, I'll take you somewhere safe."
The dragonlings looked up at her in fear. They looked at her hand but didn't take it. The smaller of the two recoiled nervously.
Nayeli sighed, "What's your name?"
The larger of the two blinked as it timidly looked up at her, "Eutera, and this is Ixen…"
"Eutera, those people are going to come back. If they catch you, they'll take you somewhere that will not be pleasant. I can't stick around and make you feel better. I'm really sorry about your mother, but she gave her life to try to save you. I can help take you somewhere safe, but you have to come with me now."
In the distance, she could hear the smooth engine of a hunter-killer. Ixen sucked down a deep breath and quivered, "They're… they're coming back?"
Nayeli looked into out towards the crumbling buildings as a shadow passed by. The damaged ship must have sent out a distress call, "It won't be long now."
Nayeli turned back to the dragonlings, "You have to trust me! We don't have any time, you've seen what these people will do! Now, are you coming or not?"
Her eyes flared as she spoke. The dragonlings looked at her oddly for a moment before Ixen grabbed Eutera's hand and then reached out for Nayeli's.
She smiled, "Okay, good. Let's get out of here!"
I hope everyone is as excited for this one as I am! I can't wait to introduce you to a new world of dragons!


Equine Equipment | Hoover Fence Co.
Our equestrian product offerings cover all your needs from stalls, to corral panels, to feeders, which are designed specifically with horses in mind.
We offer three different grades of horse stall components. The Select and Elite series differs only by the stall front used as they both utilize the same side panels. The Standard series is also a wonderful choice for your boarding needs.


text:
Obama-appointed Judge says Transit Authority Can Ban Christmas Ads
A federal judge appointed to the bench by President Obama says the public transit authority in Washington, D.C. has the right to ban religious-themed Christmas advertisements.
The Archdiocese of Washington had filed for an emergency injunction after the Washington Metropolitan Ara Transit Authority rejected a Christmas ad promoting its annual "Find the Perfect Gift" program.
Click here for a free subscription to Todd's newsletter: a must-read for Conservatives!
The advertising banner featured shepherds and sheep walking toward the North Star – along with the words, "Find the perfect gift."
The transit authority argued that the banner was declined because of a ban on religious-themed advertising.
Their attorneys explained in a court filing that Christmas is actually divided into two components – a religious half and a secular half.
"Advertisements involving secular symbols of the holiday – reindeer, the Yule log, the Christmas trees…address the secular half of Christmas," the transit authority argued. "Overtly religious ads, like those featuring religious imagery like a scene of shepherds and the Star of Bethlehem…address the religious half of Christmas."
"Here, WMATA has simply prohibited advertisements related to the subject of the religious half of Christmas, but not the secular half," the transit authority pointed out. "That is not viewpoint discrimination."
Shockingly, Judge Jackson actually bought into that nonsensical argument and ruled rejected the Catholic Church's emergency injunction.
She said the transit authority has the right to ban advertising that either promotes or opposes "any religion, religious practice or belief," Courthouse News reports.
"Given (the transit authority's) concerns about the risks posed by issue-oriented ads, including ads promoting or opposing religion, its decision was reasonable," the Obama-appointed judge ruled. "The regulation is reasonably aligned with WMATA's duty to provide safe, reliable transportation…and it does not violate the First Amendment."
Bah! Humbug!
"We are disappointed," Archdiocese spokesman Ed McFadden said in a prepared statement. "We will continue in the coming days to pursue and defend our right to share the important message of Christmas in the public square."
Jeremy Dys, an attorney with First Liberty Institute made an interesting observation regarding the Christmas-hating public transportation authority.
"The remarks that President Trump delivered at the lighting of the national Christmas Tree could not be quoted on the side of a DC Metro Bus," he told the Todd Starnes Radio Show.
But they will accept advertising from the "secular" side of Christmas.
"They will take Santa but not Jesus, three French hens, but not the three Wise Men," Dys noted.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Why glass jars aren't necessarily better for the environment than plastic ones
Glass peanut butter jars are another example of the way "natural" living and "environmental" living diverge. (Bigstock)
By Brian Palmer
If you've been in a supermarket lately, you've probably seen shelves full of "natural" peanut butter, which usually contains just peanuts and salt. The name distinguishes it from the peanut butter many of us grew up with, which you might justly call "unnatural" since it contains a host of wild-card ingredients such as hydrogenated rapeseed oil and mono- and diglycerides.
The proliferation of "natural" peanut butter is a welcome change, but there's one thing that perplexed me about these new natural peanut butters: Why do so many of them come in glass jars rather than plastic ones? Does the glass jar offer a health or environmental benefit over a plastic one? The answer, in short: No.
Glass peanut butter jars are another example of the way "natural" living and "environmental" living diverge. Other examples include industrial pet foods, which are better for the environment than "natural" alternatives, and canned fruits and vegetables, which are, in some cases, easier on the Earth than fresh produce.
As the small-scale Vermont Peanut Butter Co. writes on its Web site in defense of its plastic tubs: "Glass is almost 1 lb heavier, which increases shipping costs and requires more gas and oil to transport. If you practice recycling, the plastic jar is a greener way to go."
The science supports this position. A 2008 comparison of glass and plastic baby food jars, for example, found that the glass jars produce between a quarter and a third more greenhouse gases than plastic jars. In fact, the plastic jars bested the glass in almost every category: They released fewer carcinogens into the air, sent fewer pollutants into waterways and required less acreage. A year later, an assessment of soft drink containers also found plastic superior to glass. (The study was funded by a plastics manufacturer, but the company that conducted the review is independent and widely respected.) The results were broadly similar to the baby food study, with glass producing approximately four times as much greenhouse gas as plastic.
The problem, as Vermont Peanut Butter points out, is weight. Glass is far heavier than plastic. Two years ago, peanut giant Planters cut packaging weight by 84 percent by switching from glass to plastic jars. That affects most aspects of an environmental assessment. Lighter products require fewer raw materials, which means they take less energy to make and usually produce a smaller carbon footprint. They take less energy to transport to the consumer, and it's easier to dispose of them when the peanut butter, baby food or soda runs out.
There are always caveats with environmental assessments, which have to make many assumptions and generalizations. Since plastic's advantage has so much to do with weight, you could tweak the assumptions in favor of glass by changing transportation distances. Missouri-based East Wind Nut Butters, for example, buys its glass from a manufacturer in nearby Arkansas, cutting down the distance the jars travel before being filled. If the product is distributed locally and if customers walk to the grocery store, glass may be environmentally superior. It would also help if buyers reused glass jars rather than having them hauled to a recycling facility or — for shame — a landfill. There are also factors beyond a consumer's control or knowledge, such as whether the jarmaker has access to renewable energy.
I try to stay focused on the environment and off human health in this column, but I'll relax the rules in this case because the health aspects are keeping glass on the shelves. First, plastic peanut butter jars are typically made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which does not contain bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that has raised concerns in other plastic products. Animal studies suggest that PET doesn't leak any hormonal disruptors into food products, either.
The most valid concern with plastic is the leaching of antimony, a possible carcinogen. Under normal circumstances, this process happens extremely slowly — so slowly that it shouldn't worry you in the slightest. A 2013 study in Europe found that the rate at which the chemical migrated into food was around a fortieth of the legal maximum in the European Union. But leaching seems to accelerate at extremely high temperatures. If you store a PET bottle of water at 185 degrees, for example, the water will become legally contaminated with antimony in 32 hours. Those are rather extreme storage conditions. If you keep your peanut butter at ordinary temperatures for a reasonable period of time, there is absolutely no reason you should fear plastic jars.
There may be a better option than either plastic or glass jars: tubes. There have been few ecological assessments of food tubes, but a 2007 study on Tom's of Maine toothpaste containers suggested that tubes can be an environmentally friendly choice. We don't have enough tube food in the United States, in my opinion. Tomato paste is one of the few products that come tubed, and it's a huge improvement over cans. I'll take tubed peanut butter over jarred any day. Hold the diglycerides.
Philadelphia is about to fire 13 police officers for their racist, violent Facebook posts


I introduced you to my friend Jim Britt a couple of days ago. Jim is an extraordinary person and multimillionaire. He wanted me to share something really special with you. If you've been reading the Wealth Building Blog, you'll quickly realize that what Jim is saying is absolutely true and more important timely for your success!
Jim is a special person and I look up to him.
He trained Tony Robbins before he became great!
Jim has written the following article just for you and I consider it a must read if you're serious about your future. If I were you, I would read it very carefully… And read it more than once. There are a lot of great gold nuggets in this article and you don't want to miss any.
PS: Leave a Comment and let me know what you learned. I want to hear from you.
This may come as a shock to you, but most people really don't want to change. Just give them a beer, point them toward the sofa and give them the television remote. They will continue to complacently live out their lives. Most people are much too busy earning a living to become financially free. They spend the majority of their time focused on what they don't have and what they don't want, instead of focusing on what they do want.
If you want to become successful, if you want to become financially free, you have to take action to change, otherwise there will always be somebody telling you how to run your life, making you feel insecure and doubtful. I know people, as I'm sure you do, who go to work every day to a job that they hate. They hate what they earn and/or what they do, but they stay because they feel they have no other choice. They justify their position by calling it job security. But what they don't realize is that there's no security in a job! It's called prolonged poverty in my book! It's like living in a place you hate but you're afraid to move because of your job. Then you lose your job and can't afford to move, so you look for another insecure position that will keep you in the place you hate. That's a sort of insanity, don't you think?
What would I say to a person in that position? If you want to get better, you have to be bold. You have to make a decision to do something differently. Stop working for someone else's goals and dreams and make a decision to start working for your own. So, the next time you catch yourself saying, "I have no choice," stop and ask yourself if that's really true. The more you make choices that move you in the direction of your objective, the faster you will arrive there.
Are you like most everyone who is obsessed with success, with having more money, more things, and better futures for themselves and their family?
Are you intrigued by the top companies: success stories of rags to riches…who's the coolest, the hottest, the richest, the boldest?
Are you just dreaming about success or standing on the sidelines observing other people's successes?
Do you justify why you aren't successful?
Do you want to be rich? Do you want to retire wealthy?
Do you want personal freedom? If so, have you stopped to think about what freedom means to you?
Most people have never defined what success or personal freedom would be for them, and they've never made a decision to have it. And that's the only reason they don't have it! The most important question that you can ask yourself is, "Have I defined what success means to me…or am I just working for someone else's success and letting them define my level of success?" How you answer that question can change your life.
Do you think that others consider you successful?
Do you have a success role model? If so, which of their attributes do you most admire…courage, personality, resourcefulness, self-confidence?
Can you see any of these qualities in yourself?
What behaviors, beliefs or attitudes would you need to change to have success on your own terms?
What one step could you take that would move you in the right direction?
Do you live your life on your own terms? Are you able to do what you want to do when you want to do it.
Now … make a firm, unshakable, decision to be successful!
It is absolutely essential to have a crystal clear picture of what you want to accomplish before you begin. You must learn to operate with a sharply defined mental image of the outcome you want to attain. Focus your attention on the spot where you want to land, not on where you are now, or on any misconceptions or shortcomings you may think you have. In other words visualize your arrival and you'll develop a sort of magnetic harmony with the ways and means required to get there. You'll attract the people and circumstances needed to get you where you want to go. Solutions will begin to appear and obstacles will seem to disappear. Answers will come to you. People will show up to support you in your endeavor.
Look at your end result as something are already prepared to do, you just haven't done it yet. You have the potential, and the resources are available for you to have anything you want. The only thing missing is your firm, unshakable decision.
Your success is something that you have been preventing; it's not something you have to struggle to make happen. You can't force anything into existence. All you can do is step out of the way and let it happen. The key is to not let fear, or doubt, other people, or mind chatter stop you. You'll find the solutions taking you toward your goals will come to you in the most unexpected and sudden ways.
You don't need the perfect plan first. What you need is a perfectly clear decision about your success, and the ideal way to get you there will materialize. You can't get all the answers up front. The success formula doesn't involve getting everything neatly organized, with everything in its proper place and sequence and all the risks eliminated before you make the move. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur you have to sometimes shoot from the hip, going into new territory and charting the map as you go.
Be willing to cope with confusion for a while, and shape your plan as you go. Allow some disorder, and then create order out of it. If you get too detailed in the beginning you'll find yourself worrying over potential problems and non-productive details, instead of what's really important – getting the job done. Get a target point – then take action!
What sets us apart from the other species of animals on the planet is our ability to imagine. Your true greatness lies within your imagination. Decide what you want, make a commitment to have it, and then imagine it into existence. Don't think outside the box; don't ever get in the box!
The world you perceive is the world you will create. And the world you create is limited only by your imagination and your conviction. Create your vision. And then stand back as your conviction decides the quality of your life and your degree of success!


text:
Interview: Sarah McCann-Bartlett
By Adam Branson2013-10-09T10:10:00+01:00
The director general of the British Constructional Steel Association on fighting for her members' interests
Source: Astrid Kogler
Steel specialists have taken some hefty knocks in recent years. In a sector that had already seen several high profile names go to the wall, the news in March that Severfield-Rowen - for so long seen as unshakeable - was facing a loss of £28.9m came as a heavy blow. Then in April the Cardiff based Rowecord went into administration. While there have been signs of recovery since - specialist contractor Billington last month reported a profit for the first six months of the year following a loss in the same period of 2012 - it is clear that steel specialists and the wider steel sector remain in a fragile condition, even as the construction industry as a whole is seeing signs of a recovery.
The health, robust or otherwise, of the steel sector is very much on the mind of Sarah McCann-Bartlett, director general of the British Constructional Steel Association. In person, McCann-Bartlett is relaxed and genial, but clearly dedicated to her cause. Just two years into the job and relatively new to the UK - she was born and raised in Australia where prior to joining the BCSA she was deputy commisioner of the Building Commission and Planning Industry Commission - she seems genuinely enthusiastic about batting for Britain. So, what
does McCann-Bartlett see as the greatest threat to her members' interests? And what can the sector, the wider industry and the government do to prevent yet more company fatalities and both prepare for and encourage therecovery?
Top of the list of McCann-Bartlett's concerns is that her members face unfair competition from foreign companies, many of which she says are able to undercut British firms because they receive some form of state subsidy. "What we are concerned about is foreign steel work contractors that are subsidised by government," she says. "It's a major issue. Other governments - not the UK - have no qualms about subsidising local industries."
The greatest threat, says McCann-Bartlett, comes from China. "I've seen China carve out manufacturing in Australia through heavily subsidised state-owned industries," she says. "Certainly at the moment with China taking its foot off the domestic pedal you've got a lot of production capacity that needs to be kept busy and if the government has to subsidise that in order to maintain jobs to maintain social stability - still a major issue in China - then they will do it."
Some of the prices that are coming through from places like Spain and Portugal, you wonder how they got that price
McCann-Bartlett maintains that the Chinese threat to the UK constructional steel sector is no longer theoretical, it is a clear and present danger. She points to the fact that the majority of thesteel for the Forth Bridge replacement scheme, easily Scotland's biggest civil engineering project, will be fabricated by Zhenhua Heavy Industries in Shanghai, which she says should have provoked UK-wide protests.
"I came into this role and being Australian I looked at it and said 'where are all the people marching on parliament because in Australia we do'. We get the unions and the industry marching and protesting."
Being undercut by state-sponsored Chinese firms is one thing, but McCann-Bartlett also has suspicions about some of the bids she has seen coming from within the EU. State subsidy on jobs tendered through OJEU, of course, breaks state aid laws designed to ensure fair competition.
"It's very hard to prove, but some of the prices that are coming through from places like Spain and Portugal, you wonder how they got that price because it's impossible," she says. "If they did manage that price then why haven't they gone bust within six months? And if that hasn't happened then how are they being funded?"
So, given the subsidised competition from China - and possibly EU members - is it possible for the UK constructional steel sector to sustain itself? Unsurprisingly, given McCann-Bartlett's role is to promote the sector, she is keen to talk about how the skills in the UK distinguish it from overseas competitors. "The sector is technically extremely forward-looking," she says. "Whenever our members go on overseas missions, it's obvious through the discussions that the UK is still years ahead of other constructional steel work sector.
However, despite her insistence of the sector's technological superiority, McCann-Bartlett believes that the government needs to do more to ensure that its procurement processes are fair for British companies - while still adhering to European legislation. She says that there are still ways that public sector clients can level the playing field - or even tip it in favour of the domestic industry without subsidising British firms.
"I'm definitely not advocating breaking EU procurement law, but you can do things a little differently," she says, pointing out that it is permissible to include clauses in tender documents that refer to providing local benefit, as is commonplace in the wind industry. "Government attitudes are starting to change and that certainly wasn't the case when we started campaigning on this 18 months ago."
But if such procurement specifications are open to the government, why have public sector clients failed to use them? "I don't think they thought it mattered that much," says McCann-Bartlett. "I don't think that they understood the ramifications for not only local jobs, but also whether we want to be a manufacturing country. I think that there was a real focus on the new manufacturing - aerospace, bio, high-end auto - and a lot of people forgot that we have a heavy manufacturing sector."
Similarly, she says that central government has been negligent in ensuring that its own strategies are translated into action by its various departments and agencies, as well as by local government. If numerous strategy documents were to have been followed through, initiatives such as project bank accounts and swift payment policies should now be the norm. "If you look at the fair payment policies that they've put in place, if they'd all been effectively implemented then we wouldn't be talking about this today," she says, adding that she is currently in dispute with a government agency that wrote to tell her that it doesn't do project bank accounts. She promises that if the dispute goes unresolved she will name names.
McCann-Bartlett's irritation reaches beyond the public sector. She also has complaints about main contractors, specifically when it comes to swift payment. "Our members are finding it incredibly difficult to get paid," she says. "There's a disconnect between how a chief executive would like to see their company run and the incentives for [contractors' internal] QSs on the ground. What that does is put the rest of the supply chain under tremendous pressure. If main contractors want to wake up one day and find that they have no supply chain at all they're going about it the right way."
Despite her grievances McCann-Bartlett is clear that a corner has been turned in terms of the market. Her members, she says, are more optimistic than they have been for years.
"What we're hearing from our members is that orders are starting to strengthen, order books are getting longer and the quality of enquiries that are coming through is getting better," she says. "I think that reflects that main contractors and clients have been out to the low end of the market, but you get what you pay for. They're now coming back to the supply chain that they know and trust. While margins are still very tight, prices are starting to firm up as well. We're definitely at a turning point."
This article was originally published under the headline: "Testing her metal"
Slouching tiger: Construction in China
With regional government debt spiralling into trillions of pounds, there are growing fears that China's rise might not be quite so irresistible after all
China to invest in £650m Manchester airport development
China's biggest bank will invest in the £650m Manchester Airport City project
Tata Steel plans 500 job cuts
Cuts to fall in its 'Long Products' business that serves the construction sector
Interview: Dar's Andrew Loudon talks to Building
Dar may still be an unfamiliar name to many, but the Beirut-based owner of Currie Brown, Elementa and Perkins+Will has ambitions to grow its operations rapidly in the UK, Brexit notwithstanding
Lee Polisano: The high life
PLP founder Lee Polisano's greatest hits cluster the City skyline, visible from his London office. As the 10th anniversary of his practice and the looming storm of Brexit approach, he discusses what further work he sees on the horizon.
Crushed: The story of one firm brought down by poor cash flow
Richard Dors and James Sinclair's Dancourt toppled into administration. They tell Will Ing how it all went wrong – and how it feels to go under


This humidity and temperature probe with digital I²C interface excels with its wide measurement ranges, high accuracy and robust construction design. It is therefore suitable for most applications.
In combination with the wireless datalogger kiro solo this probe measures the temperature and humidity reliably and with high accuracy. Thanks to the industrial M8 plug the probe can be easily connected or exchanged on the kiro solo device.
The probe is compatible with the B+B kiro solo 1x°C / %RH WLAN Datalogger (Art. No. SHOP 0566 1003 and SHOP 0566 1003-20). In addition the probe can be easily operated with a microcontroller.


Yesterday I finished my Sugar and Spice quilt and I couldn't wait to share the pictures with you but by the time I had the last threads tied and buried in the quilt it was to dark. Luckily I have another week holiday this week so I took some photos this morning.
Prepare yourselves for an flood of photos.
First the top and back. The front you have already seen when I was constructing it but to recap this is made of half square triangles from the Sugar and Spice fabric collection from the Quilted Fish. The white halfs of the triangles are made from Kona white.
The colours of the collection I particularly loved where the green, aqua and red. I wasn't that fond of the softer pink parts and kept these to a minimum in the quilt.
For the back I used Kona Ash for the first time and am rather pleased how it offsets the two pieced strips I incorprated in the back. I quilted in straight lines along the squares thereby emphasising the pattern. I love how this shows most visible on the back of the quilt.
I infact was so fond of the squeeky fresh green that I decided to make that a feature of the binding and luckily my local quilt shop Tiki had just what the doctor prescribed. Look at that wonderful stripy green. Doesn't it remind you granny apples ? (Mind, I am more a breaburn kind of apple girl than a granny one come to think of it....).
The binding offsets the front and back perfect in my opinion and works so well with the Kona Ash.
I also changed my binding technique a bit. If you are a regular reader you probably know that I mostly machine stitch my bindings rather than machine stitch the binding onto the front and than handstitch it onto the back. I do this for several reasons. It saves time, doesn't kill my wrist and I think it looks really good. Normally I sew the binding onto the front and then fold it over to the back and then stitch it onto the back ensuring that the stitch line on the front is close to the binding. Recently I saw on a blog (sorry can't remember who) that it was done the other way around. So I tried it and must say I rather like the look of it and I find it easier on the whole.
Previous listings can be found here, here, here and here.
Brilliant Judith! So bright and cheery! That's exactly how I stitch my bindings btw. I like the look of the stitch line on the front, and if you mess up a bit and don't get it as close to the stitch line, well hey, its on the back anyway!
Oh so pretty to me!
The green stripe binding completes the look!!
This looks great and I love the Granny Smith binding!
Superb - love that binding!
I am in love with that binding - and the rest of your quilt. They go together perfectly. We like Royal Gala from the shop and St Edmund's Pippin from the garden!
SUCH a fan of a striped binding. I just love a great green! It's absolutely perfect.
apropos binding: sorry, i did not understand how you did it this time, could you explain that maybe a bit more?? i am an avid machine-binding person myself and always search for nicer ways to do that (by machine..).
Hello! Came over from Lily's blogfest and glad I did. I do my bindings that way too and I think it's just fine and dandy!!! Love the colors and moderness of the quilt!!!


Understand the characteristics of waves.
Use a metal coil to make and then measure waves.
Understand sound and the Doppler effect.
Not in class. Only the online test, see homework site to complete.
Finish Wave Math and Behaviors.


text:
Benalmádena település Spanyolországban, Málaga tartományban.

Népesség
A település népessége az elmúlt években az alábbi módon változott:

Híres személyek
Itt született Isco (Francisco Román Alarcón Suárez), a Real Madrid CF labdarúgója 1992. április 21-én

Jegyzetek

További információk

Málaga tartomány települései
Bottal létrehozott spanyol település cikkek

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
CTVNEWS
Suicide among seniors a real but overlooked problem
CTVNews.ca Staff Published Friday, October 7, 2011 12:21AM EDT
When discussing suicide, one aspect that often gets forgotten or ignored is that seniors have some of the highest suicide rates in the country.
The focus might often be on young people, but the highest rate of completed suicide in Canada is among men over the age of 80.
Some doctors now worry that those numbers will rise, as the number of older adults grows in Canada and baby boomers struggle to accept the ravages of aging.
Every week, 10 seniors over the age of 60 die by suicide in Canada. But their deaths rarely grab the media spotlight.
Iris Stanley is one senior who has considered suicide. A once-active senior who loved hiking and swimming, Stanley, 71, had trouble coping after she came down with a number of illnesses at once and ended up in a wheelchair. Her decline was so sudden and so severe, she prepared to end her own life.
"I was frustrated and angry at my own body. I had always lived an active healthy life, I was totally floored," she tells CTV News.
"My life to me was not enjoyable. It wasn't what I wanted or what I expected. It just didn't seem worthwhile anymore."
Stanley won't say how or what she planned to do. Stanley did say, however, she changed her mind after thinking about what her suicide would do to her adult children.
"I sat there and had everything ready (for the suicide). I thought of my son and my daughter, and they weren't prepared for it. They weren't aware of how ill I was," she says. "So I didn't do it."
Instead, she looked for, and found, help for her depression.
Stanley is just one of many Canadians who has found the stress of aging can be too much. Many seniors have to cope with illness as they age, as well as the stress of losing spouses and friends, and their own independence.
Dr. Leon Kagan, the director of Geriatric Psychiatry at the University of Alberta, says many seniors cope well with aging. It's when they begin to lose their independence that they become at risk for depression.
"What makes them vulnerable to suicide is, I would say, the isolation that develops, more than anything," he says.
"These older individuals are having everything taken away from them in terms of their work, their health, their families and finding their role diminished…. And for some of them, taking their own life seems like it might be the only option that they have."
Dr. Marnin Heisel, a clinical psychologist and an assistant professor in the Departments of Psychiatry at the University of Western Ontario, says part of the problem is that many doctors aren't always looking for suicide risk among their older patients. And many seniors don't realize they can seek out mental health support.
"Suicide can be a hidden problem. We tend not to hear about in older adults. It tends to be an issue that gets neglected," he says.
For those who don't find help, the results can be tragic. Like the case of Erich Mueller, who sank into a deep depression at the age of 68 and took his wife Cathy's life before taking his own. And Irene Swaniga, a wife and grandmother who ended her life to the utter shock of her family.
Psychologist Heisel says there are worries that suicide rates will rise as more baby boomers hit their senior years and face the frailty of old age.
"Even if the rates of suicide remain the same, the actual numbers affected will go up tremendously," he notes.
"There is urgency to this," he adds. "This is a population that is growing quickly. These are issues that have to be dealt with."
Doctors say there are effective counselling and medication treatments that can help.
"There is a growing body of evidence that shows psychotherapy and medication can be highly effective at reducing the risk of suicide," said Heisel.
Iris was treated at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, with a two-days-a-week, five-month program that helps seniors suffering from depression.
"It helped me so much because I could deal with my depression," she says. "I learned how to recognize when I was starting to feel down again and that I could ask for help."
She adds: "I feel very lucky. I have had the help. My friends, my family physician helped me. I wouldn't be here otherwise."
The best advice for those with aging parents and friends who are feeling depressed comes from Iris herself: "Make sure you talk to them. Don't leave them alone for too long. You need to find out what is wrong."
With a report from CTV's medical specialist Avis Favaro ad producer Elizabeth St. Philip
Seniors walking
Dr. Leon Kagan, the director of Geriatric Psychiatry at the University of Alberta, speaks with CTV in this undated photo.


In this masterful work of historical scholarship, Zeev Sternhell, an internationally renowned Israeli political scientist and historian, presents a controversial new view of the fall of democracy and the rise of radical nationalism in the twentieth century. Sternhell locates their origins in the eighteenth century with the advent of the Anti-Enlightenment, far earlier than most historians.
The thinkers belonging to the Anti-Enlightenment (a movement originally identified by Friederich Nietzsche) represent a perspective that is antirational and that rejects the principles of natural law and the rights of man. Sternhell asserts that the Anti-Enlightenment was a development separate from the Enlightenment and sees the two traditions as evolving parallel to one another over time. He contends that J. G. Herder and Edmund Burke are among the real founders of the Anti-Enlightenment and shows how that school undermined the very foundations of modern liberalism, finally contributing to the development of fascism that culminated in the European catastrophes of the twentieth century.
Zeev Sternhell, who won the 2008 Israel Prize in political science, is Leon Blum Professor of Political Science, Hebrew University.


text:
Black Hair Characters
Dark Brown Eyed Characters
Cupid Characters
Full Name: Kama
Species: Cupid
Cupid's Harrow Last Appearance
Kama was the first female cupid to be seen in both the TV series and the comics. This is not including P.J. Halliwell who is only half Cupid.
Kama was waiting at Cupid's Temple for Coop when he returned after the funeral of an infant. Once he returned, she helped him transfer the soul of the infant girl into a brand new living Cupid. The two of them discussed Coop's family situation and she suggested maybe he'd do better in the nursery than getting the new recruits. He agreed that he'd like that, but she didn't say whether he could do the job or not.
Retrieved from "https://thecharmedcomics.fandom.com/wiki/Kama?oldid=13723"