#PlayingTheHero
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kairaloi.bsky.social
#WIPSnips #MaskOfAshes #PlayingTheHero #Scifi
Just a little tidbit about my semi-symbiotic alien lizards :)

read for free: tapas.io/series/Mask-...
Ma'Gatas nodded slightly, his seriousness returning. "I'm sending the files Ha'Natan wanted you to have now." Nodding, Vathion watched as the man's face disappeared and the swirling envelope logo replaced it, meaning it was receiving mail. Jathas whipped his head to look at Vathion. "That's amazing! You get to have the Natan Fleet!" The document finished downloading. Opening it, Vathion shook his head in numb shock. "Not quite the right attitude here, Jath." Just saying it made his eyes water, and Vathion blinked rapidly in an attempt to clear his vision. He couldn't be mad at Jathas, though. Hyphokos could take the memories of a fallen member of their people and absorb them. In essence, the body could die, but Memory Lived On. It was too bad they couldn't do it with Gilons. Jathas' ears drooped as he fell silent. Vathion sniffled and typed in the password to open the protected files, then began to read, eyes widening as it turned out to be the autopsy report on Natan's death. Crushed by a crate in cargo bay four? He wiped his hand across his eyes, coming away wet. "What the hell was he doing there?" Though Vathion had never physically been on the Xarian, he knew the layout of the ship like the back of his hand. Years ago, Natan had given him a video game based on the Natan Fleet so he could pretend to be the admiral. It was his favorite game. Cargo bay four, located directly under the shuttle bay, was used for spare parts. There was nothing interesting at all in there, but the report said he had been found at the beginning of first shift when the crew came in, so it could not have been a late shipment. This didn't make sense.
September 26, 2025 at 12:02 AM
kairaloi.bsky.social
#WIPSnips #MaskofAshes #PlayingTheHero #Scifi
not really by accident.
Accident of genetics, maybe.

read for free: tapas.io/series/Mask-...
"Vathion," a voice called out. He looked back to see Paire, the drama teacher's pet, coming up behind him, the one who had been stuck with the unfortunate role of Ma'Gatas. Paire was nice enough when not provoked, but Vathion was glad that Paire would be graduated and gone in another week. Grinning, he dropped an arm around Vathion's shoulders, which only he could do since they were of comparable height, somewhere around five feet and seven inches. "You did a great job!" Paire's expression was pleasant. His tone was not. They were distant cousins on Vathion's father's side. Paire had no idea. Vathion shook his head slightly. "I think you would have done better. You know I didn't want to do the kiss." Paire removed the amber wig and fluffed his sweaty cyan hair, some of it falling into his sleepy ocean-blue eyes. The stage makeup, simulating Ma’Gatas’s scars, made him look older. He picked at it. "This stuff smells terrible," he muttered, then returned to the topic. "No excuse for dropping her like that." He prodded Vathion's ribs. Vathion squirmed, uncommonly ticklish. "Besides, you look just like him—and do that line so well," Paire concluded. He rolled his eyes. "You're a passable look alike, too, and a senior in the class. I shouldn't have gotten the role." "You've got the hair, though." Vathion shoved his dark violet hair out of his face. He'd had it cut just before the play into the shaggy, slightly wavy mop that Natan had made quite popular. The twin locks framing his Bondstone were the most annoying part about it. "Quite by accident, I assure you," he deadpanned.
September 26, 2025 at 6:12 PM
kairaloi.bsky.social
#WIPSnips #MaskofAshes #PlayingTheHero #Scifi
Got tired of posting Soulless Prince clips. Here's Vathion's mom, putting her foot down about absentee dad being a flake. Again.

Read for Free: tapas.io/series/Mask-...
Hasabi shifted, making the slightly wobbly chair thump on the floor as Vathion skittered across the room to check the oven and ensure dinner wasn't burning. He returned to the door just in time to hear his mother answer, "I know. It's just getting hard to believe you even exist anymore. Natan, I love you, Vathion loves you, but, we're lonely. Can't you come for a day? I need you." Her voice lowered again, "I don't know if I can last much longer without you." "I'll send something," he sounded distraught. "I don't want something! I want you!" "But... I can't just visit. I'd never be able to leave." Vathion jumped slightly as Hasabi slammed her hand on the desk. Hasabi raised her voice, "Then why not take us with you? Vathion's out of school in a week, and I talked to the Dean just the other day. Vathion doesn't need to stay for two more years. He's got all his credits to graduate. He's wasting time here!" Risking getting spotted, Vathion peered around the corner, spying his father sitting with his shoulders slumped, head bowed. "Hasabi, it's dangerous out here..." Natan objected, though not strongly. Surging to her feet and blocking his view, Hasabi shouted, "I don't care! I want to be with you, Natan! That's all I ever wanted! You're playing with our lives! It was risky enough for you to leave back then, but it's been so long... It's starting to wear on me, and I doubt it's done you much good either!"
September 24, 2025 at 11:38 PM
kairaloi.bsky.social
I finished editing #PlayingTheHero for #tapas today. now I get to start #SymbolOfHope and get my buffer back. I've been slacking...

#MaskofAshes #SFF
➡️ tapas.io/series/Mask-...
Read Mask of Ashes | Tapas Web Community
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August 23, 2025 at 1:56 AM
kairaloi.bsky.social
tapas.io/series/Mask-...

#SFF #MaskOfAshes
New chapter of the re-edit of #PlayingTheHero from #NatanFleetShow posted on #TapasCommunity today
Read this epic #Sci-Fi about an alien civil war and a boy breaking free of the shadow of his famous father for #Free every Mon/Thur
Read Mask of Ashes | Tapas Web Community
Read Mask of Ashes and more premium Science fiction Community series now on Tapas!
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August 7, 2025 at 3:03 PM
sffreview.bsky.social
Congrats on finishing #PlayingTheHero! 🎉 Excited for you to dive into #SymbolOfHope! Every step is progress—keep shining! ✨ #WritingCommunity #SFF
August 23, 2025 at 10:01 AM