Through the Spiral Arm

By Connor Fritz

Through the Spiral Arm is a collection of short stories set in an age of survival. Where humanity has finally reached the far-flung stars and must strive to build and prospers against cunning aliens, mercenaries with powerful armored walkers, unrestrained technology, and the maddened creatures known at the Mystics. The characters within have their wits and ambitions to see them through the task. Whether that will be enough remains to be seen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Feb 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9780359056828

Book preview

Through the Spiral Arm

The World Ship drifts over the moon lit ocean towards it's next destination, the great city that adorn it's surface a shining beacon that rivals the starlight above

Written By Connor Fritz

Art by Johnson Dong

Copyright © 2019 by Connor Fritz

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2019

ISBN: 978-0-359-05682-8

1710 Litle Rd.

Parma, Michigan 49269

Table of Contents

Unscheduled Delivery

Excerpt from History of the Human Expansion

Far from home

Reformating

Unscheduled Delivery

We stalked the armored caravan through the bleached stones of the Het Wan Hills for the past week, six armored suits strode beside wheeled transports accompanied by a steel and fire battle behemoth. No paper trail spoke of the cargo nor the crew that carried it. But whatever their goods, they did not risk it to be lost to random chance. If they saw us, there was no hope they’d let us live to tell the tale. The lengths to keep such a secret only proved our mission’s necessity.

We were two people pushing my jurisdiction to uncomfortable limits. I was a pencil pusher swept up by conspiracy when the real authorities shoved my complaints up my self-important hole. Their words, not mine. Despite knowing full well the consequences for taking this in my own hands, I would accept that fate after I’d proved them wrong.

My partner, Sheila, is a retired woman. If you can call an old dog soldier now farmer left on the frontier of human space a retirement. She brought with her a laid back attitude and a cantankerous beast of a mech that strode through bone-white remains of rock formations, left to forever reach up in an attempt to reclaim the sky.

Our own vehicle was kept a safe distance away, always making sure we had a hill between us and them. I kept watch from the shoulder of our mount, keeping a thorough account in case of our sudden demise.

Day 7, I spoke, narrating to my recorder while the caravan continued it journey, unknown group continues southeast through the pass. They have marched 36 hours without rest, their destination and cargo are still unknown based on their direction. Current coordinates are-

What are you babbling about out there, boy scout? I heard drawled in my ear through my comm, causing me to jump and flatten down onto armor plates with a painful thud. Snickering soon followed from my embarrassment.

Can’t you see I’m doing something here? I growled in a whispered tone, as if our quarries’ sensors could hear us despite having a mile of terra ferma between us.

The only things I see are scrubby hills in front, scrubby hills on the left flank, and a fine, tight, bureaucratic ass in my right flank camera. Sheila cracked.

We’re in a life or death situation and you’re complimenting my behind? I shot the head of the mech an incredulous look, but she kept up her laughing fit.

Figured you’d take the compliment. It must not get many, since it’s normally parked in a seat all day. She continued while I grumbled and rose back to a crouch to continue my surveillance. If I had to defend my job every time someone mocked it, I wouldn’t have time to do my job. The intense glare of the setting sun behind us meant our advance was unseen, but it also called for another night under the twin moons left out in the wilderness. Camping out on the hard shell of the war machine was easily the most unbearable thing I’ve had to do in adult life but, so far away from civilization, the worry rooting in my mind wasn’t a sore back.

Have you ever been out this far before? I slyly prodded, trying to not sound like I was fishing for information. I failed miserably, as I got another raspy laugh in response. Her flippantry burned through my patience and left me with little desire to speak with her and her unceasing good mood. I went back and kept watch on the armored column.