Flamingo Gambits (Ocean Untamed Prequel)

By Remy Zins

This story is a subplot in the upcoming Ice Bleeding, sequel to Ocean Untamed. Check out the link in the description for a video trailer.
Nelly and Odys belong to the crew of the Flamingo, a cargo ship coming back from a scavenging operation at a dead station in the outskirts of the Jovian system. When the reactor malfunctions, the crew takes a risky gambit in an attempt to weather the storm.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Remy Zins
• Release date: Oct 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005861278

Remy Zins

Frenchman, engineer by education, teacher by profession, traveller and writer by passion.

Book preview

Flamingo Gambits

a short story by

Remy Zins

Copyright 2021 Remy Zins

Smashwords Edition

Cover image credits: Pixabay

Jupiter Airspace, year 2596 (3 months before the Europa Incident)

What is this? Odys asked while raising a cute eyebrow, his cheek slightly rounder because of the absence of gravity.

It’s a personal defense drone, Nelly said.

The machine could be held in the palm of one hand. It had the smooth shape of an ellipsoid, like a flattened sphere of metal.

What does it do? he said, while grabbing the edge of the bed to avoid drifting away towards the center of her bedroom.

It fires lasers at the target you designate, and it’s autonomous. Now, it’s in scanning mode. Setting you up as its sole owner.

You mean it’s a killer drone, he said.

It’s just in case.

I won’t need it.

Stubborn brat.

She knew better than trying to change his mind when he refused to change his perspective. She had once tried to explain to him how spirituality and superstition blurred each other’s lines. She had even attempted to make him understand that no one comes back from the dead, but it had only led to bitterness. Still, she knew she could safely present him one last argument.

You never know which kind of situation you might end up in one day, she said. This is a dangerous occupation we’re having. What if the Void Ozpreys, for example, decide to eliminate their competition? Ever thought of that?

I don’t kill people. Ever. Even if they threaten to kill me. If I must die, so be it. Some things are bigger than us.

Gotta respect the laws of the universe, blah blah blah.

By virtue of past experience, she could hear him in her mind, pontificating about his principles. She knew his routine on non-violence inside out. She also knew better: you only live once. Granted, that was as much of a belief as assuming there’s an