The Idea Factory

Hi, folks, and welcome to the factory (large engine noises) where today we're working on the first draft of "Rogue Dancer", the SF sequal to "Blade Dancer". If you would step around those boards...that's it. Like to show you this large brown thing here on the table - the one that looks like someone tried carving a Nintendo out of a big honk'n brick.

Now, this here's what you and I call a computer. That's right, there ain't nothing fancy about it. (Looks up the scaffolding) We're about to insert this thing into the First Draft beside me. Gonna be a tight fit, cause we don't want people just thinking that aliens are gonna call this the same thing we do. It's all part of that world-building stuff. Getting readers inside something different. (quickly tears the Intel logo off the side of the box).

So, what the hell do we call this thing? Yeah, I know. Computer. (jerks head at scaffolding) That's not what they call it, though, so we got to come up with something fancy. (gives box a speculative look). We can call it a box I suppose. Calculator? Naw, cause you and I already know what a calulator is, and this shore as hell ain't it. Adder? Hmmm, naw, cause it can do more than that. Folks might think I'm talking snake here too. Hell of a puzzle trying to figure this thing out, ain't it? (obligatory light bulb above his head)


Later, with Rale in one arm and a half-empty wine bottle in the other, Mikial ventured over to the table to discover the source of all the music. She recognized the series of jewel buttons affixed to a board in front of the brown cube, and there was the crystal display listing songs too. “You pulled this out of the palace dance hall Paleen and I found?”

Dalen, still sweating from his and Paleen’s exuberant performance, nodded guardedly. “When Paleen described that room, I knew immediately what they had up there and, with your Kiorannan mother’s permission, took it.”

Mikial shrugged. “This is the big mystery you were afraid of showing me?”

Dalen exchanged looks with the other Cothra at the table that told Mikial she was completely missing something. “This is a Taqurl puzzle box, Mikial.”