Marco winked. "You can leave the bottle on my doorstep, Jansen. I prefer expensive vodka… ya know, if any still exists."
"I don't get it," Jansen said.
Hopkins said, "Look, I was…"
Jansen quieted him with an upraised finger. "Not that… expensive vodka. The more it costs, the less it tastes like anything at all. Why not just get cheap grain alcohol?"
"Style," Marco said lasciviously.
And Jansen shook his head. He glanced over at the corpse he'd just made, and tried not to beam with pride. "So, what do we do with Señor Ugly Puss?"
"Put him on ice and haul him back to the Fleet," Marco said. "Gotta figure out who came knocking on our door."
"Ooh, good one," Jansen said. "Very dramatic."
"We should scavenge its ship," Hopkins added. "Bring back whatever fits in the hold."
Marco nodded, and after a second, Jansen did too. Then the three stood silent and motionless, none of them in any rush to collect the fallen, and quite likely foul-smelling, beast.
* * *
807 Words from the Author
Hey, thanks for checking out my story! If you've got an extra minute or two, why don't we get to know each other a little better?
My name's Chris, and I'm one of those independent writers you've probably heard about. That means the piece you just read was written, edited, and converted into ebook form by yours truly, thanks in large part to the help of free software.
I'm a little different than a lot of the other indies you may've run into though, and I'd like to explain how.
First up is the way I look at copyright. It's not something I consider a divine right, but rather a useful tool that can be used for good or ill. Specifically, I really couldn't care less about piracy, and in fact, I'd actually really appreciate if you'd send a copy to a friend. Please do!
Also, if there's something you dig about this story (or any of my others), and it inspires you to create something related, I fully endorse that. Some people like to create worlds, and some people like to work with something already established; neither is better or worse. You are cordially invited to come play in my world if you'd like.
To accomplish all of this, I employ a Creative Commons license, which is a slightly complicated way of saying that you're free to share, and free to adapt, remix, or otherwise create related works. More detailed information concerning the rights you've been granted can be found at: CreativeCommons.org
My line-of-thought is that storytelling has always been a communal thing for mankind. We're instinctually wired to share and build upon stories, and I think we're all stronger creators when we embrace that fact.
The second thing about me is that I have a strong drive to search for better answers. If I see a whole host of people climbing up a hill one way and stumbling, I'm very likely to go looking for a different path.
Right now, I feel like a lot of indie writers are stumbling (myself included), so I've been on the hunt for another way up.
One of those new ideas is embodied in this story right here. It's a self-contained short compiled from a few chapters of my upcoming novel, Biotech Legacy: Long Fall, but I'm not just releasing it to promote the book… consider it more like a pre-order. As a thank you for taking a chance, I'm giving you the whole dang thing when it's released.
How am I planning to do that? Easy… when the novel's ready to ship (planned for November, 2013), I'll replace this file on Amazon's servers, and all you'll have to do is remove the copy from your Kindle and redownload.
If this doesn't work for some reason (for instance, because Amazon didn't let me), just email me at [email protected] and I'll gladly send you a copy. Heck, I'll even send you one if you didn't buy it.
If you'd like to read all of the novel so far, come by the Oktopod Blog at oktopods.wordpress.com where I'm releasing chapters shortly after they're completed. The entirety of Biotech Legacy: Long Fall will remain up on the site even after it's been released.
Last (we're almost done!), I'd like to talk a little bit more about where I'm headed. As I said, I'm not really satisfied with the publishing options currently available to writers, and I'm very keen to find a better solution. The key to my plans is that second most wonderful of four-letter words: Free.
Now, I'm not some ideological zealot who thinks everything has to be free. Authors should be able to make their own choices about pricing and whatever else affects their livelihood. On the other hand, I think free can work, and I'd like to prove it.
In short, my long-term goal is to establish a service run by authors where you as a reader can download and read anything that interests you at absolutely zero cost. No purchases, no subscription fees… nothing. If you love what you've read and you want to thank the creator, you can drop a tip in their jar or buy some of their merchandise. It's as simple as that.
If this idea interests you, come by the blog and watch as my project evolves. It's called Oktopod Digital Press, and I'd love your help in making it a reality.
Thanks again for reading, and I sincerely hope I've entertained you for a spell. That's really the whole reason I'm here.
Well… that and total world domination. But we'll get there in due time.
Special thanks to the programmers behind WriteMonkey, Notepad2, and Blender. You build awesome tools, and without your work, this story might not exist.
Chris J. Randolph
Writer, Graphic Designer, Madman
Oktopod Digital Press
[email protected]
oktopods.wordpress.com
Out in the Styx — A Biotech Legacy Adventure Page 4
