The Return Of The Muse

At long last the allied fleet approaches Mars and discovers to their relief that the Klarons haven’t conquered it yet. Roman ships are clearly in control of the ether stream that orbits the planet. The planet is under siege however. The Klaron cruiser ships have it surrounded at a safe distance, while their Persian allies control most of the ether streams leaving Mars. The only stream still open is the one which the allies entered by. As soon as they make contact with the defenders, Caesar Mark boards one of the Roman ships. The occupants quickly recognize that their king has returned. They take him down to the planet right away.

The SkyPath Crusade is an hilarious fantasy/sci-fi epic poetry posted as a serial three times a week @ http://www.skypathcrusade.wordpress.com

The SkyPath Crusade is a contemporary epic poem written primarily for science fiction and fantasy audiences.

To read the entire poem, click on the following link: http://skypathcrusade.wordpress.com/the-entire-poem-so-far/

To read an explanation and synopsis of the poem click on the following link: http://skypathcrusade.wordpress.com/explanation-and-synopsis/

To read the illustrated version click on the following link: http://skypathcrusade.wordpress.com

Meanwhile not too far away, Pirate Jim’s ship is cornered by the Persian fleet that is working for the Klarons. The Persians think they have their quarry trapped against the edge of the ether stream, completely unaware that the pirates have developed a way to fly outside the ether stream unharmed. The pirates activate a stable uranium core in order to immerse their ship in a bubble of ether, and slip out of the stream into open space. Once the Klarons find out about it, they send out their fastest ships who quickly locate the pirates on their scanners. As the Klarons close in, Pirate Jim steers for a nearby ether stream. He is too late however: his ship is destroyed. He and fifty other survivors have just enough time to jump on the lifeboats which are equipped with their own ether bubble. They get very close to the ether stream, just as the Klaron ship is turning to fire again. By random chance this is the very ether stream that the fleet from the moon is traveling on. The human kings immediately launch a barrage of missiles at the Klaron cruiser. Some ancient Greeks make a well-aimed hit with some spears causing a leak in the pressurized fuel systems, which blows up the Klaron ship. The Pirate captain and his crew are welcomed aboard amidst cheers; however, Jim himself has to be confined to the brig after he tries to stab one of his rescuers.

The SkyPath Crusade is an hilarious fantasy/sci-fi epic poetry posted as a serial three times a week @ http://www.skypathcrusade.wordpress.com

Now that the ships have made it out of danger back into the sunlight, they suddenly notice that only ten of the original twenty Chinese craft are left. At first it is assumed that the missing ships, including the one Chinese Chen was on, were all destroyed. Shortly thereafter, however, one of the missing ships is discovered in perfect condition, lost and off course, sailing the wrong way down the ether stream. Eventually a total of four surviving craft are found and recovered, but Chinese Chen is presumed dead. He finally appears alive and well along with all his crewmates at the very moment that the rest of the fleet is holding a memorial service for him. When the final count is taken, only five Chinese ships have been destroyed.

The SkyPath Crusade is a humorous science fiction epic poem posted as a serial three times a week at http://www.skypathcrusade.wordpress.com

Princess Shelah is so excited by Chinese Chen’s survival that she allows him to kiss her in front of everybody. Caesar Mark is so outraged at this that he initially wants to pull out of the treaty, but eventually his temper cools down. The days move slowly by, and in the meantime Caesar Mark grows more and more nervous worrying about the fate of his home planet Mars. He doesn’t know what he’ll find when he gets there.

The SkyPath Crusade is a hilarious fantasy/Sci-Fi poem posted as a serial three times a week at http://www.skypathcrusade.wordpress.com

The convoy travels deeper into the gloom as the blackout continues. When hope seems all but lost an albatross appears flying in front of them down the ether stream. Such birds often migrate to the outer planets from Earth and give off a mystical glow that allows them to be seen even when there is no light. The ships follow the bird in order to keep from sliding out of the ether stream. They line up single file to keep from colliding with each other. Finally, they escape from the grasp of the darkness into open sunlight.

The SkyPath Crusade is a humorous science fiction epic poem posted as a serial three times a week at http://www.skypathcrusade.wordpress.com

As the fleet flies deeper into the tail of the comet, the leaders finally make a decision. They elect to continue through the comet at their current speed in order to arrive at Mars as soon as possible. It is Chinese Chen who convinces the others to adopt this dangerous course of action, and in order to convince the rest to take the risk, he volunteers his ships to take the lead through the comet. This turns out to be a costly move. The storm gets bad and many ships are destroyed or damaged. Eventually the going becomes less hazardous, but the visibility gets worse, until the helmsmen cannot see a thing. Very carefully, they try to keep the ships within the ether stream lest they wander into open space and their occupants depressurize.

The SkyPath Crusade is a humorous science fiction epic poem posted as a serial three times a week at http://www.skypathcrusade.wordpress.com

Meanwhile the fleet of ships draws near the tail of a large comet. As they get closer, the leaders hold a council to decide whether or not to stop and let the comet pass. They are unable to reach an agreement, and a fight breaks out between Chinese Chen and Caesar Mark. The fight quickly spreads until virtually everybody present is covered in bruises. Finally, Princess Shelah enters the room and yells at them. After she leaves the men organize themselves and start discussing the immediate problem again.

The SkyPath Crusade is a humorous science fiction epic poem posted as a serial three times a week at http://www.skypathcrusade.wordpress.com

Princess Shelah parts with the angel after it heals her clogged artery. Once it disappears, she wanders outside her cabin and notices that the deck is covered in comet dust. She also notices large meandering foot prints leading to a boat near the rail. She walks over to the skiff to find Alfred inside bawling his eyes out. He is crying over his wife whom he has left behind on Earth 

The SkyPath Crusade is a humorous science fiction epic poem posted as a serial three times a week at http://www.skypathcrusade.wordpress.com

While laying in despair on her bed, Princess Shelah is visited by a being from another dimension. This “angel” assures her that she will find true love, but warns her that her husband will die young.

The SkyPath Crusade is a humorous science fiction epic poem posted as a serial three times a week at http://www.skypathcrusade.wordpress.com