FAN FIC

Announcing the first ever Fan written piece of fiction for Eclipse Court!  Enjoy!

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A Jiaklem Adventure
by Dave Kirby

The words were important; he knew they were. Words he could understand, and he knew the funny marks on the paper were words, somehow. The marks meant words, in the silent language, and they were IMPORTANT! His people should see these Important Word Marks; they would know what to do. Especially the smart one, his friend’s podmate. Or maybe the quick, bouncy one. That one had an Important Place. Yes, the Important Word Marks should go in the Important Place.

Decision made, Jia started forward, than stopped. He would have to be careful; the others would try to stop him. If they saw him, they would trap him, capture him, hold him, TANK HIM! Jia quivered in place, torn between fear and loyalty, DUTY, to his friends. They should know about the Important Word Marks. He would be careful, and not get caught, and take the Important Word Marks to his friends. Maybe he would get shrimp! He liked shrimp.

He made himself look like the wall, the part over in the corner, by the tapestry, and carefully inched his way up. He stopped where the tapestry ended and carefully looked for movement. He couldn't see much, but more importantly it was quiet. He eased up the rest of the wall to the ceiling, and recoloured to match.

One of the Others came into the room, clattering and banging, moving things about. Jiaklem, master of disguise, stayed still in his shadowed corner of the ceiling, and wasn't seen. Eventually the noise and movement stopped, and Jia felt safe enough to continue on his vital mission. His luck held, and he swarmed down the wall as fast as he could, dropping the last little bit directly onto his prey. Holding the Important Word Marks carefully in one tentacle, he fairly leapt back up the wall, and squeezed into a grating disguised behind a decorative carving. The Important Word Marks gave him a bit of trouble, until he figured out how to trick them into fitting through the grate. The passage behind the grate might have been made just for him – it was just the right size for him to really move, his tentacles on all the surfaces, and he could go anywhere! This time he was going straight to his friends, though, so he could put the Important Word Marks in the Important Place. There was no time to lose!

There might be shrimp!

–

“Gan?!”

“Yes, love?”

“What the Hayel is Antras's shopping list doing in my jewellery case?”

“Dunno.  He was stomping around looking for it all morning...” 

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By Dave Kirby

I'm tempted to call it 'There Might Be Shrimp" but that would give so much away.