Buck Who? Chapter Description and Index
This originally started out as a simple idea. I wanted to take a break from editing my second novel ‘Sword of Kos: Familiar Bonds’. Once the first novel is available, then I will get back to work on this book.
I have wanted to write Science Fiction for quite a few years now, and due to strange circumstances I wrote a pair of Zombie novels, and then got into writing fantasy – specifically the Sword of Kos fantasy setting.
My Zombie novels will probably never be published, due to the absolute saturation of the market. Maybe someday, but certainly not anytime soon.
My Sword of Kos work however, will be published. I have no idea when, but eventually. Once ‘Dark Inheritance’ comes out, I will be posting thirteen short stories to tie it in with ‘Familiar Bonds’.
Buck Who is pure science fantasy. It is set in the world I have been slowly shaping with all the work I’ve done with the ‘Wisdom from the Wastelands’ series of E-zines. Many of the concepts and supplements I created are used in this series of chapters.
This index was created with the intent to provide a brief summary of the chapter, as well as what supplements I referred to while writing.
I hope you enjoy this journey I have started, as I have no idea when it will end. Call this my ‘never ending story’.
I may take time off to work on other writing projects, but I will return to this eventually.
This originally started out as a simple idea. I wanted to take a break from editing my second novel ‘Sword of Kos: Familiar Bonds’. Once the first novel is available, then I will get back to work on this book.
I have wanted to write Science Fiction for quite a few years now, and due to strange circumstances I wrote a pair of Zombie novels, and then got into writing fantasy – specifically the Sword of Kos fantasy setting.
My Zombie novels will probably never be published, due to the absolute saturation of the market. Maybe someday, but certainly not anytime soon.
My Sword of Kos work however, will be published. I have no idea when, but eventually. Once ‘Dark Inheritance’ comes out, I will be posting thirteen short stories to tie it in with ‘Familiar Bonds’.
Buck Who is pure science fantasy. It is set in the world I have been slowly shaping with all the work I’ve done with the ‘Wisdom from the Wastelands’ series of E-zines. Many of the concepts and supplements I created are used in this series of chapters.
This index was created with the intent to provide a brief summary of the chapter, as well as what supplements I referred to while writing.
I hope you enjoy this journey I have started, as I have no idea when it will end. Call this my ‘never ending story’.
I may take time off to work on other writing projects, but I will return to this eventually.
This chapter introduces two of the main characters. I originally planned on having four to six, but my stories write themselves, so we shall see what happens.
Declan ‘Shard’ Starrett is a pilot for the NoRuCom, an alliance comprised of the North American and Russian confederations.
His co-pilot and AI companion is called Babs, and was programmed with the attitude and behavior of a popular series of characters, who even nearly four hundred years after their creation, still endure. This AI has a distinctly female personality and often uses the term ‘Doc’ when speaking to Declan.
He is on a standard training mission when the task force he is assigned to is ambushed by the ChiFeds, or Chinese Federation.
After his ship is badly damaged by a powerful EMP device, he is forced to enter Cryonic Suspension. It is his only chance of survival.
This chapter introduces Ra’naa Ahteen, Tara Buko and Otres, as well as several minor characters. Ra’naa and Tara are both genetically engineered humans who are collectively known as ‘Exotics’. Otres is a mutant Otter, whose ancestors were exposed to a tailored virus known as Uplift. This virus caused his ancestors to give birth to offspring, which possessed human-level intellects and more.
This chapter sees Ra’naa being sent to see Otres, in order to ask his help to repair a large cache of pre-fall weapons that had recently been unearthed.
I referenced Wisdom from the Wastelands Issue 4: New Races, Issue 24: Weapon Modifications and Issue 40, New Races 2.
Those interested in how damaged artifacts might function are invited to view Wisdom from the Wastelands Issue 17: Artifact Conditions.
In this chapter I introduce the main antagonists for this novel, the Purist movement and the leaders, Martin and Bradly Travis.
The chapter begins with a raid, led by Bradly Travis. It is brutal how he and his Purist soldiers destroy a small community, home to a group of Damaged and other Mutants.
It also was written to show the dynamic between father and son, in this case, the Travis’s, and to demonstrate just how large the Purist movement is and how far reaching it can easily become.
Unlike the majority of the mutants and primitives living in the wastelands, this group is equipped with high tech weapons and armor and for the most part is no match for those they encounter.
The Character Ra’naa also loves to sing, and I use the lyrics from two songs by one of my favorite bands ‘Nightwish’ – Nemo and Storytime.
This chapter sees Declan returning to Earth after nearly 330 years in cryonic suspension. Unfortunately, his ship is disabled and is about to crash.
When he finally makes it down, he finds he is stranded upon an island, a few kilometers from the mainland. He explores the island and discovers the remains of an ancient resort.
And the resorts inhabitants.
I reference my Wisdom from the Wastelands issue 28: Nanotechnology, Issue 30: Nanotechnology 2 and Issue 31: Nanotechnology 3.
Issue 35: Terror Weapons will also be of interest to the readers.
This chapter sees Ra’naa, Tara and Otres arriving upon the crash site. It does not take them long to spot Declan, swimming for his life from the Resort.
They encounter a number of nasty creatures, who are intent on capturing the pilot for their own needs, be it food or other.
By the end of the chapter even more unexpected and unwelcome visitors make an appearance.
One creature I included I renamed Deep Dwellers. They are in fact a free creature I posted last year.
Finally Ra'naa continues to spread joy with her beautiful voice. This time she sings 'Elan' from Nightwish.
Chapter 6: Element of Surprise
Bradly Travis and a small squad of Purists arrive on the scene of the crash and begin to salvage the wreckage to use.
Ra’naa, Tara and Otres have secured the pilot, who is in bad shape, and are ready to return home when the arrival of the Purists put a wrench in the gears
They are almost ready to leave unscathed and unnoticed when Otres gets too inquisitive for his own good.
Chapter 7: Let the Bodies hit the floor
They have no choice but to attempt to prevent Otres from being killed due to his impulsive nature.
A battle begins and blood is shed on both sides.
This issue refers to Wisdom from the Wasteland Issue 11: Optional Combat Rules and Issue 43: Optional Combat Rules 2.
Chapter 8: Welcome to our World
They escape the encounter with the Purists and return home. Declan is taken to the infirmary and Ra'naa meets with her father.
Otres finds a nice little pool to frolic in and everyone is able to take a breather.
At long last they are able to speak to the pilot they rescued.
Bradly Travis finds the way for rescue is not as pleasant as he had hoped.
The watchers, having witnessed the events of the night, finally pack up their gear and return to their hidden base, while a new player bursts onto the scene.
Back home, Ra'naa, Tara and Otres finally are able to talk to Declan, who has woken up from his ordeal. As it turns out, Max Ahteen is exactly who Declan believes him to be.
Later that night, Tara pays Declan a visit.
Chapter 10: Morning Impressions
A new day has dawned and the people of the 'community' are coming to grips with the newest member.
It promises to be a relaxing day for Ra'naa, Otres, Tara and Declan... but sometimes looks can be deceiving.
This particular chapter uses lines from a song by Mike Oldfield called 'Moonlight Shadow'.
Chapter 11: Why did it have to be Voles?!?
Feeling stronger, Declan is escorted around the community and shown the sights.
Ra'naa and Otres find themselves involved in a second rescue mission in as many days and face not one but two of the deadly dangers, which can be found in the post-apocalyptic temperate rain-forest of British Columbia.
Bradly Travis learns more of what happend to his convoy and armor, and his father Travis reveals his plans for the compound and the Purist movement.
Declan, while mulling over his options in regards to helping Ra'naa, encounters some of the communities children.
Bradly Travis uses the technology his people control to try and track down Ra'naa and her friends. He is hot to get revenge for the death of his people and his humiliating defeat.
Except someone else does not like what the Purists are working towards and decides to intervene.
Ra'naa and Otres return to the community with the child they rescued.
This chapter uses lyrics from the Mike Oldfield song 'Heaven's Open'.
Rated A for language.
A possible love triangle?
Declan has a chance to discover what Friday means to the folks in the community.
This chapter uses lyrics from the Foo Fighter's 'Walk' Song.
Rated A for adult situations.
With the threat posed by the Purists, Max Ahteen decides to send his daughter, Tara, Otres and Declan to the ruins of Seattle. It is his hope they can gather information and more from the community known as 'Scav Haven'.
The trip to the ruined metropolis begins.
Rated A for adult situations
Chapter 15: Gears in the Wrench Work
The Purists are back to their old tricks.
Declan finally has a chance to see just how much the world has changed since he had his unexpected nap.
Changes are occurring at a rapid pace and Tara hits him with a bombshell.
Rated R for language and adult situations.
This chapter mentions the Ambusher and Brutes mutants.
Continuing the journey, Ra'naa and the others encounter the results of the Purists campaign against the mutant population.
The group finally makes it into Scav Haven, and although shaken by what he has seen, Declan is handling it better than they could have hoped for.
Declan ponders the recent revelations and what they mean to his potential future.
Inside the city, the group discovers an unwelcome visitor.
Rated A for adult situations and language.
Chapter 17: Welcome to the Neighborhood
Only the first night in the city of Scav Haven and already they have discovered it is going to be an interesting trip.
Bradly Travis learns the reputation the Purists have is a double-edged sword.
Otres has a chance encounter that could change his life.
Rated A for foul language.
Chapter 18: ... We've got fun and games
Weapons are found and purchased.
More potential allies are discovered on both sides.
Bradly finds his reputation does not help him as much as he thought it would.
Rated R for adult situations and language.
Chapter 19: All shall be revealed
The Purists are getting closer to discovering who took control of the Recon Satellite.
Babs has some devastating news for Declan, which forces him to make some tough choices.
Ra'naa and Otres are concerned for Declan's mental Health.
And lots more!
speaking to Otres, Declan comes clean about Babs to the group.
Ra'naa meets with representatives from several factions to try and enlist their aid in the upcoming war.
Wrench is given permission to intervene on behalf of the group.
The Purists ready a new toy in the search for whoever had taken control of the Satellite.
Rated A for adult situations.
The merchandise is purchased and Otres is ready to do his part.
The aftermath of the murder hits home.
Wrench, AKA Joey, makes a new friend while keeping his eyes on the Purists, and then runs into some very unexpected trouble.
The inhabitants of the Installation are discovered and their enemy ends up sending something very unexpected and deadly their way.
Arleen makes a break for freedom, and finds an unexpected but welcome ally along the way.
The transfer takes place at last, freeing both Declan and Babs.
Joey, AKA Wrench, finds out he bit off far more than he could chew.
Rated A for adult situations and violence.
Chapter 23: Intruder alert! Intruder Alert!
After spending so much time in Scav Haven, Ra'naa and the group finally leave, although not on the terms they had wished to.
The assassin failed.
Drones are sent after the Installation.
Arleen and Andy escape the city and begin searching for a new life.
Rated R for adult situations and violence.
The Androids deal with the aftermath of the attack.
Joey leaves the city of Scav Haven only to run into a group of redneck Purist wannabes.
Ra'naa and her people hope for an uneventful journey home, but the fates simply will not allow this to happen.
Rated A for violence.
After spending so much time in the City of Scav Haven, Ra'naa, Tara, Declan, Babs and Otres are finally home. The group found several new potential allies along the way.
Bradly Travis is disheartened to discover he will not be returing to the compound. Quite the opposite in fact, he and his men are to meet up with convoy that is on its way to attack the Installation.
Still reeling from the unexpected nuclear attack, Awoan and the surviving androids work feverishly to repair the damage the installation has sustained. She makes the decision to contact Max Ahteen and ask for help.
Rated A for language and adult situations.
Bradly and his troops run into problems during their trek to the Installation.
Ra'naa, her father and friends discuss the impending attack and the fact they are going to help the androids defend their home against the Purists, even if it means losing their lives in the process.
Otres is not happy with what he is forced to do.
Tara confronts Babs with an ultimatum.
Rated A for language.
Note - the image I chose was that of a half dragon, and considering the way the novel is going, it sort of fit. I wish I could provide a direct link to the artist who created this piece, but I can't. This is the only link I have!
http://archive.4plebs.org/tg/thread/25173241
At long last the Androids and members of the community meet face to face. Plans are laid and defenses are bolstered.
Bradly and the convoy continue onwards to the installation, although locals are doing their absolute best to make it as difficult as possible.
After discovering how close the enemy force managed to get, Ra'naa decides it would be a good idea to pay them a visit and see about inflicting even more damage.
Rated A for adult situations and language.
Ra'naa and Joey decide to pay the Purists a little midnight call, with predictable results.
Otres is confronted by Arleen and forced to speak with her.
Bradly and his men are forced to push their timetable forward and race towards the Installation.
Rated R for violence.
Chapter 29: Battle for the Installation
The fight for the Installation has begun in earnest, both sides pitted against one another in a battle to the death.
The butcher's bill for the home of the Androids and Joey is far greater than either side could have imagined.
Rated R for violence and language.
The battle for the Installation has been won.
Many lost their lives and few escaped the conflict unscathed.
Heroes were born amongst the fire and blood, and a new ally is brought into the fold as a result.
Arleen discovers a simple fact which will forever change her world.
Rated A for adult situations.
The dead are laid to rest and the impact of so many lives lost hit the community hard.
After such a tragic fight, Declan is feeling the effects of PTSD once again, but this time it's getting worse than it was when he first set eyes upon the ruins of his world.
Babs, having made a very important decision, acts upon it, the consequences yet to be felt.
Bradly is interrogated for the failure of the mission and what had happened to cause such a disaster.
Prisoners were captured by the androids, but what sinister plans do they have for those who dared try and attack them?
This chapter contains the lyrics from Bob Dylan's classic 'Knockin on Heaven's door'.
Rated A for language and adult situations.
The community is still coming to terms with the loss of so many of it's members. Declan is facing a resurgence of the PTSD he had fallen under after seeing the ruins of the world.
At the installation Awoan makes a decision in regards to a deadly weapon that can be used against the Purists.
Bradly discovers that there are those in the compound that believe he should not have returned home when so many others perished.
Unexpected guests arrive at the Compound with an offer Martin Travis cannot refuse.
Babs, having settled in at the Installation is given a chance to help the androids with a mission, but it's certainly not something she relishes.
The PTSD symptoms are coming harder and more frequently, and as such Declan's friends are really starting to worry about his mental health.
Ra'naa and her father Max discuss training and who should be in charge.
Chapter 34: Return to the horror
Babs arrives at the Resort, ready to fulfill the mission she accepted. She still is not pleased with her decision, but she plans on following through.
Besides, it will give her a chance to explore, and that is something she wanted to do for weeks.
Declan, still suffering from PTSD, meets with Max Ahteen to discuss his situation and see if there is anything that can be done to help him deal with the stress and anxiety.
As Babs continues her mission on the Resort and makes a startling discovery, while a super-storm hits the island and the nearby shoreline.
Visitors show up at the community with an unexpected and unwelcome offer, Tara and Declan are there to greet them and after a brief discussion, they are taken to meet with Max Ahteen.
Joey waits on the shore, hoping that Babs mission goes well, not realizing he is being observed.
Babs finishes her exploration of the Resort, pleased with how the mission turned out and the discoveries she made.
Max has no choice but to give into the assassin's demands, but he has every intention of turning the tables on the Whispering Wraith.
Joey finds a new potential friend who helps protect him from the storm.
Bradly learns of the fate that almost befell him.
The samples have been collected and refined, and are used upon the prisoners taken by the Androids during the assault on their installation.
Babs is still unsure of the ethical side of using the prisoners in such a manner, but has no choice but to accept Awoan's wishes.
Arleen and Otres have their very first lesson in the usage of firearms.
Chapter 38: Infiltration and Release
The androids release their prisoners and manipulate the situation so that they are guaranteed to be rescued by their people.
The Whispering Wraith send agents to infiltrate the Community, forcing a confrontation between Max in his home.
The mutant Momma Rathbourne senses what is about to occur and gets the warning out, but will it be in time?
Tara's surprise is revealed by accident or design.
The former prisoners make a very welcome discovery. One man has a change of heart and decides to make a break for it.
Knowing how difficult the war was going to become, Martin Travis sends out several expeditionary forces in hopes of locating a way to turn the tide in their favor. One particular group may have found exactly what he was hoping for.
Babs is still uncertain when it comes to Awoan's actions and confronts the leader of the Installation.
Martin makes a decision regarding the ruins his scouts discovered, knowing they could be of great importance.
The former prisoners are finally picked up by their comrades, and the infection spreads.
Joey and Babs return to the community and explain Awoan's plan of attack against the Purists. The reaction is exactly what Babs expected.
Ra'naa faces feelings that are surfacing, feelings she never expected or wanted.
Declan is offered a potential way to deal with his anxiety issues, but is not sure if he wants to try the solution or not.
Rated A for adult situations.
Bradly and his father Martin make short work of the Hissers at the ruins of the old military installation and are about to enter it when the real defenders make an appearance.
The compound discovers exactly what occurred at the Resort.
Max Ahteen is contacted by Awoan and the images of the Compound are transmitted to him to view and evaluate.
Joey, knowing the full truth, feels soul-deep sickness and grief. Much to his surprise Ra'naa does her best to comfort him.
Rated R for horror.
Chapter 42: Disturbing the Peace
Bradly, Martin and the remainder of the Purist forces continue to explore the ruined military base.
The Whispering Wraith witness the destruction of the Purist compound, and ponder if and how they should get involved. After all, Max and Ra'naa killed two of their own and that cannot go unpunished.
Andy keeps his promise and comes to visit Declan. With Tara's help, he begins the strange process of healing Declan's mind, helping the ancient man from a long lost era deal with what he faces.
Rated A for violence and adult situations.
Martin and Bradly Travis make several important discoveries inside the ruined base, one that could potentially change the upcoming war. The Purists once again come under attack by the mutant Hissers, making it several times in a matter of a few hours.
Tara and Declan continue to battle Declan's anxiety issues, with the help of the mutant Andy.
Knowing that there is little time left, and that they could both lose their lives in the next few days or weeks, Ra'naa and Joey discuss their feelings.
Rated R for violence and adult situations.
Chapter 44: The need for retaliation
Martin, Bradly and the expedition force arrive back at the compound only to discover what the nanotech attack have wrought.
They are met by a member of the Whispering Wraith guild and told exactly what occurred and whom caused it.
After discovering just how bad it is, Martin makes the decision to retaliate without taking the time to rescue the survivors.
Declan awakens to discover for the first time in months he has not suffered nightmares or anxiety, and has Andy and Tara to thank for it.
Ra'naa does not regret her decision.
Momma Rathbourne has one of her glimpses of the future and warns Max that an attack is pending.
Max has a surprise of his own which he plans on unleashing on the Purists, and it is one they will not enjoy.
Rated A for violence and adult situations.
War descends upon the community and everyone is forced to fight for their lives.
Rated R for violence.
Only 3 chapters left in this P.A. Epic!
The Purists have attacked the Community.
The death-toll on both sides continues to mount as Max, Declan and Babs do their best to get Max's secret weapon into the fight before it's too late.
Death stalks the woods, unseen and ready to pounce.
Rated R for violence.
Buck Who? Chapter 47: Butcher's Bill
The war, after only two major engagements, has ended.
The Community lies in near total ruins.
The death-toll is higher than anyone could imagine. Hearts are broken and lives shattered.
But it's over.
The war is over.
The dead have been mourned.
Martin and Bradly Travis are dead. The Purist movement has been obliterated.
One life ends, but it is a chance for a new life to begin.
Chris Van Deelen is the author of the Skirmisher Publishing LLC sourcebook Creatures of the Tropical Wastes sourcebook, co-author of its Wisdom from the Wastelands game supplement and contributor to the 'Sword of Kos: Hekaton' Anthology.