Deepforge by R.J. Washburn, Ron Washburn Read Free Book Online Page A

but couldn’t know exactly when. We’re a fortunate generation to be able to see this.” He motioned up at the star.
    Grognor looked into the telescope for a long time, inspecting the rouge star. “Opticon, why is it we can see such detail, not like the other stars which appear only as flickers?”
    “Sire, this star is quite dim and actually very close, despite its appearance. It’s many times smaller than the red sun. That’s why it doesn’t do much more than the comets when they enter the system. We may feel a few minor seismic disturbances, but nothing more. The highly eccentric orbit doesn’t take it anywhere near us, just through a steep angle around the system’s center of gravity. But, it will get much brighter as the years go by, and according to the ancient records, in about two years should look as big as the red Sun, and will bathe our world in red light, even at night. We should have a good solid four months with no night. It’ll be amazing!”
    “Doesn’t the current origin theory say this star had something to do with us being here?” Teelena asked.
    “There’s a subject that’s hotly debated,” Opticon said. “Some circumstantial evidence shows that the cataclysm spoken of by the dragons was initiated by the rouge sun, which actually collided with the red sun, causing a wave of death to re set the worlds. I don’t believe any of it. The rouge sun has an eccentric, but stable orbit that takes it nowhere near the inner system, at least not that close. There’s absolutely no chance that could have happened. I think it was something else, something artificial.”
    Warriors lined up to take a look at the star, until it finally faded with the morning light below the horizon. Opticon laughed. He knew that the movement of the celestial object would be slow and visible for years to come. Everyone would see it more and more easily as time went by. But, the excitement of the first viewing was undeniably exciting.             
     
    The morning met an army well drank, well fed, and ready for travel. They set out across the Deepforge tributary river, the massive warhorses easily fording the raging waters.              
    They rode on, the morning air crisp, but warmer than it had been for several months. Spring had arrived. The wild bloom plants were everywhere, and the multicolored wildflowers blossomed and filled the air with sweet aromas. This combined with the scent of the mountain pines rolled down into the River Valley, making for an almost perfect spring morning. The sky was partly cloudy, and the two suns shone brightly down upon the mighty dwarven army.
    “Wow, what a nice morning!” Teelena said, taking in a deep breath.
    Grognor watched her as she did, her large breasts swelling with the inhale. He was very much pleased with his new wife. The day started very good, indeed.             
    The road leading east was paralleled by a series of very straight poles. At their tops, which were as much as forty feet high, were cross members. Attached securely to the cross members were four ceramic insulators. Before the EM burst from the portal, the cross members were connected one pole to another by long stretched wires. This was the telephone and electrical distribution line. It came from Deepforge and teed off at the crossroads where the road from Deepforge met the east-west road, following and paralleling the road. To the west the lines went to the Stone Village and all the surrounding smaller villages.
    The road itself was well worn and perfect for the army to trek without issue. Periodically they would stop for rest and have beer and food.
    “An army travels on its stomach,” Grognor said on a regular basis. The designated hunters had the task of bringing in food for the people, and as soon as the next rest was taken, the chuck wagon cook would enlist several people to do the cleaning and pre-prep of the meat. Then he and his assistants would prepare an