The pieces, methodically and patiently placed over the preceding three years, were all falling into place, and having laid dormant, were apparently still undetected. The end game was ready to begin.

Over the months Aaron and I had spent many long nights discussing the situation, and I was beginning to truly feel like the partner and co-collaborator that everyone always presumed the fictitious Lade 3V3 to be.

This story is one of six new stories in the compilation, Talons of the Hawk by Emma Finn, a book of transformation stories available on Amazon.

THE PRINCESS AND THE SLAVE
by
EMMA FINN

1

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, in an exotic land very far from here, there lived a princess who was very spoiled.

A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-Nine-

Max sat in the quiet solitude of his study sipping on a dark colored liquor from Ariellian IV, when a noise caused him to glance up. It was Elise, she was wrapped in her robe and holding a cup of tea, the string swinging just outside. Max smiled and sat his drink down, "Come in Elise, sit with me awhile."

She slipped inside the room, and settled into a chair opposite her fathers. "What brings you up on such an early hour?

A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-Four-

His hands stinging from the cold, Etu continued to smack it against the bole of the tree, its impact scarring the bark deeply. To have come so close to his beloved and to lose her in this snowstorm would seem almost unfathomable to the young warrior. Always before his eyes, the swirling snow blowing in his face, seemed merge everything into one ferocious gray fog.

Desperately wanting to strike out in search of Aponi, yet he knew that once he left Machk, he might not find him again. So, the young brave did the only thing he could and continued to strike the limb against the trunk of the tree.

A Quiet Strength - Paying the Piper
by Anon Allsop

-Part Two-

-One-

Power does strange things to a person's mind, it can move someone from the quiet shadows into a ruthless, overbearing tyrant! The new 'Parker' found this to be true, only with it came a deadly companion.

For awhile, Leigh had convinced everyone that 'Parker' was just as he seemed, A first officer aboard one of New Earth's finest star ships. But that distinguished record the real Parker had cultivated over the years, began to unravel more and more over time.

As a lesbian, Leigh was a perfect match for Elise, separated only by common interests. In other words, they were almost mirrors of each other. Once the transfer had taken place, they continued their ways, almost as though playing some strange sordid game.

A Quiet Strength
by Anon Allsop

-Part One-

-Thirty One-

The air was growing colder on the mountain, Etu knew they would need to leave very soon, or they wouldn't leave at all. He thought back to their battle with the bear, thinking it was probably doing nothing more than returning to its cave to hibernate.

Aponi and Etu had the last two weeks to practice their speaking, and in those two weeks, they had come a long way. Aponi had almost erased her struggle with speaking, the practice with Etu had exercised her voice better than any other thing she had done.

A Quiet Strength
by Anon Allsop

-Part One-

-Twenty Seven-

Her hair was in disarray, she had blood on her arm. Etu was unsure whether the blood was from an injury or the bears. He slowly entered, her terror filled blue eyes followed his every move. "Are you injured?"

She said nothing, only tipping her head slightly as he spoke. He glanced around the cave, Etu could tell that she had been living here for quite some time. He saw a pelt laying on the ground and started toward it to ease the bleeding from his wound. Having only taken one step, the female threw herself between he and the small pile of pelts.

The sudden move caused the warrior to pull up, it was evident that the female did not want him any nearer. Like the wild animal he just fought, she showed her teeth at him and brandished a sharpened piece of thin stone. He backed away slowly, at the same time she held it menacingly toward him.

Confused, Etu moved back and crouched upon his haunches. Under furrowed brow, he studied the woman he had spent so much time searching for. She glanced over her shoulder quickly and then backed toward the pile, still holding the stone knife toward the man.

A Quiet Strength
by Anon Allsop

-Part One-

-Eighteen-

Etu stood at an unfamiliar edge of a meadow, he was preparing to hunt for deer. The area he was in was new to him, for it was directly in the middle of a very thick wood. Animal trails crisscrossed the entire open area, and he felt as if he were patient, a sturdy young buck might pass within a relatively close distance.

It was his way of trying to repay Kutkutuk's family for their kindness, and for nursing him back to health. He noticed a game trail that crossed the meadow and then slowly skirted the woods. Scouting the trees, he found one that would be easy enough to climb, allowing him to scale perhaps the distance, high enough above ground, where he could use it to his advantage.

He sat quietly in a low hanging limb, perhaps the height of two men upon each shoulders from the ground. He was watching the outlying area for any movement that would alert him that deer were in the area. At the far end of the meadow there were three deer quietly nibbling at the green shoots.

A Quiet Strength
by Anon Allsop

-Part One-

-Eight-

Each day the young female spent in her sanctuary, high in the hills, brought new changes to her young life. She had managed to create traps, kill and eat several types of the small creatures that dwell within close proximity to her shelter. As best as she could figure, it had almost been a full month since she was deposited on this planet by her body's former owner. Even though she was stuck with this form, she didn't have to like it. Unused to the small frame and appendages that seemed to just be in the way, she could only tolerate everything that seemed to come with being a female.

She cringed each time she had to respond with the call of nature, it was so degrading and hard to accomplish being that she had spent most of her young life with quite a different outlook. She wasn't naive, she knew that at some point she would have a monthly visitor, all females do, and now that she was one... she could expect it any day now.

It had become much warmer now, the heat of the day would build until it almost grew uncomfortable in the animal hide that she was wearing. Often she would remove it and slip into the water to bathe, but only when the moon was out and never in daylight.

Tonight was one such night, it was warm and she had just finished eating half of a small creature that she had caught. As the stars high overhead began to dot the sky, she slowly slipped down to the stream below her shelter. There, she carefully made her way to the edge of the stream staying within the shadows.

Pulling off the skins she slipped quietly into the refreshing water. She felt along the underside of her arm where the skin had begun to chafe her tender flesh. The cool water helped to take some of the soreness away. As she slowly swam, she heard several voices.

A Quiet Strength
by Anon Allsop

-Part One-

-One-

The young man stretched out on his bunk, pulled deeper into sleep by the constant hum of the ship's powerful engines. As the welcome sleep began to claim him, a electronic beeping pulled him back into the land of wakefulness. "Shit!" he groaned as he swung his feet outside his bunk. "Hang on, I got to get some clothes on!" He called out to the unseen visitor outside his cabin door. Once he had himself covered up, he called out to the computer. "Enter."

The door quickly slid to the side, making a sound of air escaping as it moved. The man looked into the eyes of his visitor and took a step backward.

"First Officer Stockwell, the High Commander requests your presence immediately." The stoic security officer advised.

"Let me get dressed first." Park replied as he began to search for his uniform pants.

"Now, sir." The Officer stepped inside the room, "I have been ordered to bring you right this minute– just as you are."

"Did he indicate what the reason for this unusual request was about?" Park complained as he tossed the pants on his bunk, "I just finished sixteen hours on the bridge, I really need to get some sleep." He pulled on a thin robe and fastened it closed.

"Sir." He said as he motioned for the young officer to exit ahead of him. As he passed the Security Officer, he noticed him place a hand upon a phaser that hung from his hip.

Twice Foiled, Thrice Lustful

By Paul Calhoun

It's Halloween season, so I thought I'd bring back one of my most popular casts, though not in the way requested. Filip/Rachelle and Rob meeting is a romantic story, and Halloween is the season for tricky stories! So we have Delmore and Lerman once again trying to prank a friend with a girl disguise.

With the score so heavily weighted against Delmore, one can only wonder what the third installment will do to him...

Maiden Voyage
By Czolgolz
[email protected]

A young orphan tracks down his long lost twin sister on the day of her wedding to a rich man. Gosh, I hope she doesn't have something sinister planned.
***

Two stories based on My Life As a Teenage Robot

1: Sheldon house sits for the Wakeman's and finds Jenny's spare outer casing. Sexiness, hilarity, mistaken identity and attempts of superheroics ensue. Includes a brief reference to: http://toongrowner.deviantart.com/art/Found-You-207168682

2:
A commission to do Sheldon in an XJ-9 disguise again, this time using a test version of her adult body

The Ultimate App: Part 1
by Toxic Allie

Story Notes:

Catburglar’s Cradle
By Paul Calhoun

The final installment of Catburglar. Kelly takes care of loose ends, Ned comes to terms with his forthcoming death of personality and Mike lets the nanites loose on Kelly.

Contains foreshadowing for an Allie story that is forthcoming this week which in turn is foreshadowing for the Unplanned Adventures.

Synopsis:

A youthful Conan, having just won his freedom from his eastern masters, has traveled to the wild coast port city of Costa. Conan has settled into Costa and is using his skill as a thief and a warrior to survive. The sorcerer/merchant Captain Zula commissioned Conan the thief, to retrieve a pair of spell books from his mother’s (the infamous Sea Witch) island. During the raid Conan and Infidia the ‘Blade of Costa’ fall victim to the Sea Witch’s magic. Now they must use wits and blade if they are to survive and return to Costa!

Tabloid Tales: Memphis Interlude
By Ellie Dauber
Copyright 1999

This is the second of my two stories about Twentieth Century icons. Except for this one, all the “Tabloid Tales” stories were written by a very fine writer named Pyrite, whose work I heartily recommend. The stories are part of a VERY long line of tales set in a pub, bar, or other drinking establishment by authors ranging from Lord Dunsany to Spider Robinson. In the Tabloid Tales, the characters are all writers working at tabloid newspapers, the sort of paper sold in the checkout line in grocery stores. Since they write about the odd and fantastic, they’re willing to listen, at least, to any sort of story told by one of their own. In this story, it’s a fellow named Billy McNeil, who has a KING-sized tale to tell.