Ironmongers: Known World Series, #4

By Lon E. Varnadore

This is not a story about science fact. This is fantastic science fiction. The old guard kind, the raypunk kind. It''s one I think that should be dusted off and played with from time to time—the pulp era of science fiction, when Mars had canals, Venus held dinosaurs, and man could travel to other places in rockets or spheres coated in anti-gravity paint, or even mysterious beams of energy. Where savages could hold axe and sword, fighting alongside a raygun-toting gunfighter or Space Ranger.

Won't you come along for the ride?

 

Tosh du'Vaul, and his one time kidnapper Azal, must joined forces to deal with the robotic Ironmongers and their general Richard Renard. Tosh is hired--through blackmail--by Renard to enter Shatterspike and steal something the general needs. What will Tosh do? What can he and Azal do? Can Azal be trusted at all?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lon E. Varnadore
• Release date: May 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9781393305132

Lon E. Varnadore

is a writer of many facets of the science fiction and fantasy genres. Sci-fi noir like Mostly Human, raypunk stories of the Known World Series, to space operas like Junker Blues and Starlight Saga.

Book preview

Raypunk

This is not a serious story. Not in the sense of hard science facts and what we know. This is more fantastic. Instead of reaching into the future to what could be, I have reached into the past, into the times before people knew Mars was a dry, dead world with no air. Instead, it held giant, four-armed monsters and savages, where Venus was a lush jungle world under a constant barrage of rain, and where the outer planets were so massive their satellites held life foreign to humans in more than one sense. And beyond that, deep in space, the bug-eyed aliens and strange creatures existed that shocked, terrified, and entertained us.

This is not a story about science fact. This is fantastic science fiction. The old guard kind, the raypunk kind. It's one I think that should be dusted off and played with from time to time; the pulp era of science fiction, when Mars had canals, Venus held dinosaurs, and man could travel to other places in rockets or spheres coated in anti-gravity paint, or even mysterious beam of energy. Where savages could hold axe and sword, fighting alongside a ray gun-toting gunfighter or Space Ranger.

Won't you come along for the ride?

The Ironmongers

1.

Tosh still reeled at what Bors had announced. He’d left his friend—and Mars—in a daze. First waiting in a lounge in Deimos Station. Then a fast rocket anywhere. Anywhere became a rocket to the Zilmarian Port on Ganymede. Most of his mindwas occupied with trying to understand why Bors had told him to journey for a Martian year, then return to the alehouse Bacchanal Respite to see if he wished to continue to follow Bors around as a wondering adventurer.

It was a short jaunt to Ganymede, yet Tosh didn’t want to stay on the swampy planet. Finding another lounge in the lavish Blue Carpet Club—his family held a standing place for any member in any Blue Carpet Club—Tosh found a bartender who would make the ancient drink of a Manhattan without a heavy hand on the bitters. Drink in hand, Tosh leaned back, contemplating his next move as he stared down at the yellows, pinks, greens, and the aquamarine patchwork of Kalik City below on Ganymede. He caught a disturbance at the door of the private lounge and saw a figure he thought he’d never see again.

Azal.

The bandit leader, dressed in ragged clothes, still had the metal and leather mask over his face and was screaming as security drones tried to restrain him. Tosh’s curiosity was only further piqued when he very clearly heard Azal call out, Tosh du’Vaul! I need to see you. It is a matter of life and death!

At that moment, one of the security drones was able to finally land a stunner on Azal, and the bandit leader let out a choked cry before flopping onto the rich, thick carpet of the lounge.

For a heartbeat, Tosh considered not helping. The bandit leader had done nothing to help him. "If