The Clash of Silent Drums
Where the -@!# did my muse go?
Writer, dreamer, knight, shackled by entertainment . . . and people.
Captain Iremond paced the length of the bridge. He knew it wasn’t good for the crew’s morale but he couldn’t stop himself. Today he was in charge for the first time. He’d be a fool if he wasn’t nervous. Even if everything went to plan, men were going to die. And it would be his fault. For a moment he couldn’t believe he had asked for the promotion.
His clothes felt like they were too tight. He resisted the impulse to pull at his collar with the new Captain’s insignia. Instead he closed his eyes and began to hum Krakner’s 4th Requiem. It had been his father’s favorite song. The last time he had heard it, he’d been standing next to the snowy white ceremonial coffin. Phudak terrorists! He didn’t let the pain of memories touch the song. When he got to the part where the thunder-drums would have started driving the song forward in powerful staccato bursts, he said, “Launch Gray Squadrons one through three.”
A female voice echoed, “Gray Squadrons One, Two, and Three, you are good to go. Happy hunting, boys!”
Prequels
No prequels yet. Why not write one?
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TERRORIST GRAY SQUADRON ALTERNATE SWEAR: PHUDAK NERVOUS KRAKNER'S 4TH REQUIEM MUSIC STARSHIP CAPTAIN IREMOND FICTION- Published 7 years ago and featured 5 years ago.
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HSAR
Honestly, I prefer Krakner's Unfinished Fifth. It has a power that the Fourth never quite got right, even at the crescendo!
Good work. Your focus on the character is effective, but you also sketch enough of the scene (it's a bridge, there are some officers, there's enough room for the captain to pace) for the reader that they can fill in the blanks and get something of the atmosphere.