Barsk (43 page)
Authors: Lawrence M. Schoen
Belp
âa central island of the eastern archipelago, famous for having a shape like a Lox's left ear.
Emmt
âa popular destination for young bachelors traveling from Keslo.
Gerd
âa smallish, nearly circular island that is considered the central island of the western archipelago. Fant often refer to other islands in the chain with respect to their position relative to Gerd.
Kelpry
âan island south and west of Gerd in the western archipelago.
Keslo
âan island located near the northeastern portion of the western archipelago. It is home to Jorl ben Tral.
Phran
âan island north of Gerd but still a good ways south and west of Keslo. On an eastern beach of Phran, Pizlo believes he will see his fifth moon in the near future.
Relfa
âthe westernmost island of the eastern archipelago, it is a popular destination for groups of young men crossing over from the other island chain.
Telba
âan island to the north of Keslo. A Speaker there published a book of
imramha
after interviewing various adventurers.
Yargo
âa tiny island in the southeastern section of the eastern archipelago, it is famous nowadays as the birthplace of Margda, the Matriarch of Barsk. Her childhood dwelling, once home to nearly a hundred children, mothers, aunts, and female cousins, is now a vast museum, complete with research library and gift shop. Tours are given twice daily.
Zlorka
âa part of the western archipelago, it is considered the most cosmopolitan of islands. Zlorka is the only land mass on the planet to touch the equator. It is home to the premiere university on Barsk, as well as the anchor point for the space elevator that transports goods to an automated station in orbit.
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APPENDIX THREE: THE MOONS OF BARSK
Barsk has seven natural moons orbiting it (eight if you count the artificial station that serves as the planet's export facility and hovers at the top of the space elevator high above the only island situated on the equator). Every schoolchild knows that rain is the greatest constant on the planet, and regardless of the season the skies are always filled with clouds. That said, weather is by definition a dynamic system, and the only true constant is that now and then you have to expect inconstancy. So it is that at times a small patch of cloud will clear and a view of the sky occurs for anyone lucky enough to be there to enjoy it. On exceptionally rare and unpredictable occasions, that brief opening will align with a particular orbit and allow a glimpse of one of the moons. Of course, living within their islands' respective Civilized Woods, most Fant are not out and about with a view of the sky when such providence occurs. Most females go their entire lives without seeing a moon, and though males are more apt to be in the right time and place while traveling between islands, even so it is considered a moment of profound portents to see a moon.
Pemma
âthe second smallest of Barsk's seven moons. It was the third one Pizlo saw, and the moon which (he claims) instructed him to stowaway aboard a cargo pod and travel up to the orbiting space station.
Telko
âthe largest of the moons. This was Pizlo's fourth moon, seen from the viewport of the orbiting station.
Wella
âthe smallest of the moons, it has a more oblate shape, heavier in its bottom half than top. Pizlo believes he will see this moon during the season of dark in the next year. For reasons that are unknown to this author, Wella is always referred to as having a masculine aspect.
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LAWRENCE M. SCHOEN
holds a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics, and is a certified hypnotherapist. He's one of the world's foremost authorities on the Klingon language, and the publisher behind the speculative fiction small press Paper Golem. He's been a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award, the Hugo Award, and the Nebula Award. Lawrence lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
www.lawrencemschoen.com
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CONTENTS
Appendix One: Races of the Alliance
Appendix Two: The Islands of Barsk
Appendix Three: The Moons of Barsk
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This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.
BARSK: THE ELEPHANTS' GRAVEYARD
Copyright © 2015 by Lawrence M. Schoen
All rights reserved.
Cover art by Victo Ngai
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
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New York, NY 10010
Tor
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is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Schoen, Lawrence M.
        Barsk: the elephants' graveyard: an anthropomorphic novel / by Lawrence M. Schoen.
        pages cm
    ISBN 978-0-7653-7702-9 (hardcover)
    ISBN 978-1-4668-5339-3 (e-book)
    1.  Imaginary wars and battlesâFiction.  2.  Space warfareâFiction.  I.  Title.
PS3619.C44927B38 2015
813'.6âdc23
2015023323
e-ISBN 9781466853393
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First Edition: December 2015