Audrey leaned over and gazed into his eyes. “You are my everything.”
Her deep, blue eyes dazzled him. They kissed.
“Keep it somewhere safe on your battle, and if you ever need to sell it, do. I’ll buy you more. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Will I do that thing you like?”
Timothy nodded.
Audrey began to kiss his chest, then moved lower as his heart raced.
They entered the residence where they were staying. It was quiet. Timothy shuddered at the thought of his fallen comrades.
His dad waited for him in his room, sitting on a sofa, reading a magazine. “Have a good time?”
Timothy nodded. “A fantastic time.”
“I’m glad to hear it. The two of you deserve it after everything you have been through.” He tapped Timothy’s shoulder. “Proud of you. Let’s get you into bed. You must be tired.”
Audrey had a bath while Timothy’s dad helped him with his nighttime routine.
Lying down, Timothy heard but couldn’t see her enter. “Check out the upper drawer. There’s something I got for you earlier. The thing I wanted to show you from earlier.
He hears the sound of the wheelchair motors as she moves.to the drawer. Then the sound of paper being removed.
“Oh my Emperor! She climbs into the bed beside him. “What is this?”
She held the blue diamond up for him to see.
“It’s from a Tamorian mine. A symbol of our love.”
Audrey frowned. “Was it expensive?”
Timothy smiled. “There is no reason for us to worry about money. You are my everything, and this is what you deserve.”
“That sounds lovely,” Audrey commented as she looked down at the menu once more. “I’ll go for it.”
“Yes, me too,” Timothy added.
“Great.” The waitress smiled and took back the menus before heading to the kitchen.
The delivery of the food was fast. Audrey helped Timothy to eat. It tasted unlike anything he had before. Different flavors swirled in in his mouth.
Almost a shame to swallow it.
“Enjoying it?” Timothy asked.
“Yes, it’s lovely. But would be nothing if you were not here with me.” Audrey rubbed his arm.
“I feel the same,” Timothy replied. “There is something I want to show you after we come back from the theatre.”
“What is it?”
“You’ll see.”
A few hours later they are returning from the theatre going down one bright corridor after another.
Timothy frowned. “What did you make of it?”
She was quiet for a moment. “I was surprised that the Emperor had to kill so many. I never heard about all the worlds that were slaughtered. They never taught us anything about that.”
I was thinking the same.
“Yeah, but apart from that? I thought the acting was brilliant.” Timothy said.
“Oh, yes. They were brilliant and I’m so happy we went.”
Timothy had never seen anything like it before. It was full of cuisines with long, indecipherable names, from a slew of languages.
Audrey looked at him perplexed.
Timothy smiled. “I guess we’ll be taking a recommendation.”
They were positioned close to kitchen doorway of the kitchen giving them a good whiff of the aroma of the food.
It sure does smell good.
“So, what will we do afterwards?” Audrey asked over the chatter in the restaurant.
“Well, there is a thing they call theatre on this layer. It’s like a film except the actors are on what they call a stage right in front of your seat.” He paused looking for her reaction.
Her brow furrowed. “What about all the special effects?”
“Well, you have to use your imagination. This is an ancient art form that precedes technology. There is a play as they are called in three hours about the rise of The Emperor. What do you think?”
“Yea, I’d like that. Something different while we’re on this layer.”
The waitress returned and at Timothy’s request gave her recommendation of Cascadian shark with mushrooms.
“Have you ever been to that planet?” she asked. Timothy and Audrey shook their heads.
She continued. “It’s a large planet almost completely covered in pristine water. The high gravity leads to denser flesh. It is covered in the most exquisite of sauces.”
A few hours later they entered the Uisneach Beag Restaurant. Timothy wore a suit for the first time ever. His dad had insisted on him looking good for Audrey.
Audrey wore an immaculate pick dress and top. She looked suave and smelled of the best flowers of the planet Assisi. Timothy’s eyes had lit up on seeing her.
The restaurant itself was small, only able to accommodate forty patrons. One of the reasons why it was so expensive, there was no chance of Timothy affording this if not for his latest victory. Ornate pictures of spaceships in the Emperor’s fleet hung on the walls. Tables and chairs had to be moved so they could reach their table. The sound of aquatic life played in the background.
The other patrons chatted and pointed at them, to whispers of their great victory.
I am admired even here.
A female waitress approached. She was stocky with brown spots over her body and face – a Vulvian far from her home planet. She handed both of them a menu. “Have a look at these, I will be back to you in a moment. Let me know if you would like recommendations, or if there is anything else I can do.”
Dear readers, I need to build the relationship between Timothy and Audrey. All feedback welcome.
Their swords clashed once more. “You really need to mix things up,” Audrey scoffed.
“I know, but I like keep you on edge, can’t be showing you all my moves. What happens if we meet in one of the arenas?”
Audrey smiled. “You die, that’s what.” She drives her chair forward, catching Timothy off guard, who powers backwards.”
I love it when she gets feisty.
Audrey laughs. “We need better weapons. It’s too short to really you open you up.”
“I’m really feeling the love.”
She lowers her sword. “Ah, you know I don’t mean it. Not going to go easy on you thought, that will only make you weak. And I can’t have that.”
“I know my love.” With that, they drive their chairs close and they embrace.
The hall they were training in was very different to the ones on a lower level. The walls were all bright whites blues and greens. Everywhere was clean, ordered. The weapons were smaller and blunt.
“How do you feel about going to a restaurant? A proper one? My Dad said there is one close to here. It’s supposed to be the best in the star system.”
“Are you sure? You could have any woman go with you?”
Timothy looked into her eyes. “I only want you.”
She smiled and nodded.
My dear readers, it has been some time since I last did a review. I’ve been working away on Wheelchair Wars, which I hope to finish this year.
In the meantime, I recently started streaming War of the Worlds. (TV Series). It stands tall as a smart, haunting, and emotionally resonant reimagining of H.G. Wells’ classic. This multi-season international co-production (originally airing on Canal+ in Europe and Epix in the US) shifts the action to contemporary Europe and delivers a slow-burn apocalypse that prioritizes human drama, mystery, and creeping dread over nonstop action. Anchored by a stellar cast led by Gabriel Byrne, it’s a compelling genre series.
Gabriel Byrne, in a stellar performance, brings gravitas and weary intensity to Bill Ward, a brilliant but flawed astrophysicist/neuroscientist whose personal demons and scientific curiosity drive much of the narrative. His grouchy, world-weary performance grounds the chaos, making Bill a relatable everyman hero who’s equal parts determined and haunted. Byrne’s chemistry with the ensemble elevates every scene.
What sets this War of the Worlds apart is its eerie, understated tone. The invasion begins not with fireworks but with a mysterious signal from space, building anticipation before unleashing silent, efficient horror. Alien “Mechanicals” (killer machines) and ships create a sense of overwhelming technological superiority without constant spectacle. The quiet desolation of emptied cities, abandoned streets, and pockets of desperate survivors is palpably unsettling—think The Walking Dead meets thoughtful hard sci-fi.
The production values are top-tier across its three seasons. Pan-European filming locations give it a grounded, international scope that feels authentic. The visual effects are impressive yet restrained, emphasizing scale and otherworldliness. A haunting soundtrack amplifies the tension, blending electronic dread with moments of fragile hope.
This isn’t a straightforward retelling—it’s a loose, modern adaptation that explores colonialism, human nature under pressure, survival ethics, and even time travel in later seasons. The mystery of the invaders’ motives unfolds gradually, keeping viewers hooked with revelations that tie into bigger philosophical questions. Season arcs build cleverly: Season 1 focuses on the immediate aftermath and survival; later seasons expand into resistance, conspiracy, and high-stakes temporal elements that pay off in satisfying (if bold) ways.
Gabriel Byrne’s commanding presence makes this series essential viewing. If you crave intelligent sci-fi with heart, mystery, and emotional depth— then this is for you.
Five stars out of five from me.
They hurried behind the sandpacks and readied their weapons. The thunderous noise made it apparent in what direction they were coming. Still, he told John to keep an eye on the rear. In an urban warzone like this, you need to think three-dimensionally.
This time, there was no subtlety to their assault. It was full frontal and continuous.
The plan worked perfectly. They went into the line of fire. Each one cut down, one after the other.
Luke’s machine grew hot. It needed to cool. Then it stopped. From his training, before becoming a Trooper, he knew that it would take at least thirty seconds. John’s gun fell quite. The heavy machine gun kept firing, but now the horde grew close.
John and Luke took the grenades they had in their pockets and threw them into the oncoming mass.
The explosions rocked them from their feet. All except for Lisa, who kept the heavy gun firing at its targets.
What a woman.
The rest get back to their feet. The grenades had the desired effect, pushing them back.
Luke felt his machine gun. It felt more temperate now. He once more opened fire, with John following suit. The Alachins were struggling now to climb over their dead.
Lisa lifted up Yvonne’s blood-soaked head and cried. John’s eyes welled up. Luke’s hands covered his face.
She didn’t deserve this.
An Alachin shriek brought Luke back to the present. It was standing on the bodies of its fallen brethren, a large monster even by Alachin standards. More appeared behind it.
Lisa put Yvonne’s head back down and turned to face the enemy, her facial muscles tensed. “We must not let them pass, if they reach the fusion reactor they could jeopardize the orbital defense. Yvonne died defending it, her death will not be in vain.”
Nobody argued with her.
The Alachin charged as the machine guns opened up. Bullets ripped through its torso, still it propelled forwards.
Luke stopped firing and aimed in between its eyes, before opening up again
The creature crashed to the floor.
Smaller ones sprinted over its body. They were close. An Alachin lurched forwards, grabbing the feet of one of the Troopers, pulling her away, screaming.
Luke heart throbbed as he continued to fire. There could be no retreat, as they would be cut to pieces once they turned to run.
He exhaled as the last one fell.
An eerie silence.
What next?
“Where are the rest?” John whispered.
The floor shook as Luke watched the holographic display. Fighting across the planet was intense. Most of the time though, he concentrated on viewing positions in and around the huge city he was in.
The Alachins had breached the outer two defensive lines leading to some of their forces reaching the soft underbelly of the metropolis, huge residential areas where humans were forced to fight with their hands, feet and teeth. A spectacle too gruesome to watch, he had to flick through them.
“Stop!” John exclaimed. It was an image of five active Troopers shooting a heavy machine gun down a corridor against an oncoming horde of Alachins who were forced to climb over their dead. Three Troopers lay motionless on the ground, a red pool between them,
“What?” Luke asked, his eyebrows raised.
“That is where Yvonne and Lisa are located.”
Luke zoomed out of the location. “They are holding the position for now. They are at a junction of corridors. Another Alachin horde will attack from this corridor shortly overwhelming them.” He pointed to one of the side corridors.
John looked at him. “We must do something. They would for us.”
“Come on, lets go.” Luke said with resolve.
Mark's Writing Corner 