July-August 2002

The Troll King Chapter One.

May 2002

A gust of wind whipped through the small cabin, banging the shutters against the window frame. The hammock swayed, and the old houseboat creaked a bit -- enough to wake up the thirteen-year-old boy who slept there. He immediately rolled out of the hammock and landed barefoot on the wooden deck of the houseboat.

Milos stepped to the window and grabbed the banging shutters. Outside, the morning sky was streaked with thick clouds. They were colored like the blooms on his mother's bougainvillea bushes -- reddish purple and bright orange. Although the air was warm, it smelled damper than usual, heavy with the scent of salt and seaweed.

It will probably storm today, thought Milos. I'd better get moving and make my rounds. It was always tough to patrol the beaches in the rain.

Dolphin Watch (Dinotopia, 15) (March 2002)

October 2001 - May 2002

Chapter One - Star Trek The Next Generation: Genesis Wave Book Three

September 23, 2001

A few seconds later, the Kreel first assistant, Kwalrak, drifted into view over Picard's head. Oddly, a weightless Kreel possessed none of the awkwardness of a walking Kreel. With her long muscular arms to guide her, Kwalrak maneuvered gracefully around the weightless cabin.

She stared in dismay at the blackened controls, then remembered her purpose. "Captain," she gulped, "Admiral Ulree would like to congratulate you on regaining control of the shuttlecraft, but he warns you not to remain long in the asteroid belt. We have lost many ships here."

"Understood," nodded Picard. "Tell the admiral and the rest of your party that we appreciate their patience. We will leave here as soon as possible."

Kwalrak bowed her triangular head and floated away. Jean-Luc watched her go, then slumped back into his chair, wondering how long "as soon as possible" would be.

Star Trek The Next Generation #16
Contamination

September 9, 2001

"You naturally want to go big when you're playing insane."

Genesis Wave 3
due out January 2002

July 8, 2001 - Chapter One

The young woman gazed in amazement at the bizarre, alien landscape stretching before her. It was red, parched, and barren. Weathered rocks and burnt branches were twisted into strange shapes, as if blasted by unknown forces. The ground was scarred with deep, black crevices, and it looked as if it hadn't rained in centuries.

Lifeless dust floated on the hot breeze, and the sky was filled with golden clouds. Sunlight filtered through the clouds, giving them a fierce glow that was oddly beautiful. In the distance, the curve of a giant moon peeked over the horizon. Like everything else, the moon was beautiful, frightening, and unreal. It was so close, the young woman felt as if she could touch it.

Aki Ross shifted uneasily on her feet, because she didn't know where she was. The wind rustled her shoulder-length brown hair, tossing it back from her face. She whirled in every direction, but there was nothing moving except the ageless dust. She knew she had to be patient and wait--for whatever was coming to this blasted wilderness.

July 22, 2001 - Chapter One continues

It began as a low rumbling sound--far away but coming closer. The young woman fought the impulse to run, and she held her breath as the rumbling grew louder. The roaring noise washed over her like a wave, and the ground began to shake. Rocks tumbled down, and Aki was tossed off her feet...

And into her laboratory chair! That was where the scientist found herself when she awoke. When Aki realized it had all been a dream, she let out her breath and rubbed her eyes. Her fingers reached for the holographic control panel floating before her, and she easily worked the shimmering device.

When she was done, the display read, "DREAM FILE SAVED. 12/13/2065."

Aki pressed a blinking light, and the hologram disappeared. Scanners pulled back from her body and retracted into the chair, and the magnetic connectors clicked off. Free at last, Aki floated weightlessly out of her chair, slowly drifting upward.

Now she used her legs to give a real push, and she zoomed across her laboratory on the scientific shuttlecraft, Black Boa. She had to enjoy the low gravity while it lasted, because it would end when they left orbit.

Near a viewport, she grabbed a handhold and came to a gentle stop. Wistfully, the young woman gazed down at the serene blue Earth, so far below the shuttlecraft. She only wished the planet could be as peaceful as it looked from up here. Once the Black Boa had been a science ship with a full crew. Now it was just her, cirumnavigating the globe, looking for life-forms.

The dream is always the same, she thought to herself. I'm standing, waiting for something. It's over the horizon--coming for me. And then it's over. If they knew about these dreams, they'd shut me down. But I need to know what the dreams mean.

I think the answer may lie with them down there. The question is, will I be in time to save the Earth?

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (July 2001)

June 18, 2001

Suddenly a spume of sulfur and steam shot a hundred feet into the air! The sky galley bounced on the hot air currents caused by the vent. Cai's feet slipped off the rigging. With a surprised yelp, he swung out of the basket.

"Help!" he shouted. He tried to grip the ropes but his fingers were too cold and numb.

"Hang on!" yelled the galleyman. He and Moraine both lunged for Cai.

But they were a second too late! Cai lost his grip. With an icy scream, he fell down, down -- toward Sabertooth Mountain.

Dinotopia #5: Sabertooth Mountain (May 1996)

February-June, 2001

Chapter One - Genesis Wave Book Two

January 27, 2001

Journal of Curt Connors - Day 7

A two-legged creature sat crouched by the main entrance to the henhouse. As I peered closer, I could see that he was biting a chicken in the neck, like some drunk geek in a carnival. I thought I was perhaps dealing with a transient, someone even more pathetic than myself. I was prepared to be lenient, if he would just go away, but I was grateful for the hefty pitchfork in my hand, because nobody quarrels with a man holding a pitchfork.

As I approached, the chicken thief lifted his head and sniffed the breeze, then rose to his full height of about five feet and stepped into the moonlight.

It wasn't a man at all, unless a man has dragon-like wings and spiny appendages across his back. Its torso was wiry and hunched, and it had a reptilian face, which made me shudder. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

Spider-Man: Valley of the Lizard (February 1998)

January 14, 2001

"Help!" she shrieked again, sounding as desperate as the dying man.

Now he gripped her tunic, spreading blood across her chest as he tried valiantly to speak. Nothing came from his mouth but frothing green liquid, and his body rattled in its death throes. Still, he gasped, trying to tell her something.

So urgent was his need to communicate that Teska forgot her usual caution. She spread the fingers of her right hand and laid them upon the dying man's cheekbones. His spasms instantly subsided, and a peaceful expression spread across his face.

But Teska's face twisted in agony, and she screamed.

Star Trek #82: Mind Meld (1997)

Excerpts - July to December 2000