FTL is not practical for intra solar system travel, by the time the ship is up to speed it is far beyond any planet.  The old rocket technology is still used for commercial transport, mostly ore from Mars and the asteroid belt, although Callisto and Titan are beginning to start producing economical returns and will soon be added to the spaceways.  Rockets are cheap, easy to maintain, and there is no law or regulations that apply to them.  (Exxon vs. the United Planets, 3116).  They are crewed by underpeople, and the living and work conditions are atrocious.  The ship's officers, all underpeople, are traitors and convicted murderers, they are expected to keep order by any and all means necessary.  Underpeople have no rights and are considered expendable, as long as the ore is delivered no inquires will be made.  It appears that two of the R'clan have had enough.  There is a colony of runaway underpeople on Phobos, they possess Sunlet© nukes and for...

 Billy has 3 cats buried in his back yard.  The least he could do was give them graves and a stone.  Sometimes his heart breaks when he thinks about how small and mean a person he has been.  Billy knows that rabbits don't get graves, are not missed when they go, and are the Big Macs of the animal world.  He does not know that he has been forgiven and is missed, and he never will.  His cat's are AWOL from the rainbow bridge, but the worst thing that will happen is that St. Peter will fuss at them and then give them treats. Win Win.    

 I doubt very much that Billy remembers who angered him this time, and he will let that fish go in any event, rabbits don't like fish. Right now this rabbit doesn't like anything.  

My distinguished colleague and fellow Imperial Sardaukar  MercenaryBlade brought this guy to my attention this morning.  Meet Jaxxon, a Lepi space smuggler.   "In Star Wars issue #8 the character of Jaxxon was introduced, who is a talking rabbit that teams up with Han Solo and others to form the Star-Hoppers of Aduba-3. This storyline was a blatant homage to The Magnificent Seven and saw the band team together to take down a villain called Serji-X Arrogantus".  Indeed. This character was very unpopular with the fans of the franchise who thought a talking space rabbit unrealistic.  (I guess a gay robot and soldiers that couldn't hit a Death Star with a blaster at point blank range were their idea of cinéma vérité).  I was a teen when these comics came out and I felt they lacked the grandeur and sweep of Spiderman and the Incredible Hulk so I did not buy the first one, more's the pity.  Jaxxon's ship is named The Rabbit's Foot.   https:/...

  Wonder was created by Gilbert Shelton in 1962.  Wonder Wart-Hog is the son of the rulers of the planet Squootpeep, sent to Earth by rocket when Squootpeep's scientists predict the planet will soon explode. (In fact it does not.) The infant porker is raised in America by hillbillies, not out of affection, but because his invulnerability prevents his being killed and cooked. (Wiki).  His secret identity is that of Gilbert Desanex, reporter for the Muthalode Morning Mungpie.  A standard Philbert appearance. The 'Hog of Steel' is borderline retarded. An original page, up for sale.  Mr. Shelton is no respecter of politicians or hypocritical values. Wonder is a formidable opponent. He has had many strange adventures. A concerned citizen. He has had his ups and downs through the years. But Wonder does OK. Wonder has often appeared with these, The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.  In spite of the name, they are of no interest to us anthro types.  The cat, F...

 The Kzinti are a savage, bloodthirsty, catlike race locked in war with mankind.  These things are nothing but trouble. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kzin  'Dad's Home' by Larry Elmore.  Fun loving kittens play a practical joke on father.  Cover art for 'The Children's Hour', Jerry Pournelle and S. M. Stirling. Two Kzinti with a female Kzin, a Kzinrret.  Kzinrret are treated as chattel and are only used for reproduction, intelligent ones are killed.  Because of this, the Kzinti are vulnerable to human females (Manrretti) as they ignore all women and forget how dangerous the race of Man can be.  Larry Elmore. 'Twas the women, not the warriors, turned those stark enthusiasts pale.     For the female of the species is more deadly than the male. 8 feet and 500 lbs.  Hell to get out of a bar if they don't want to leave.      Chmee the Kzin from Larry Niven's "Known Space".   https://www.deviantart.com/pristi...

 This is a piece of maple I bought a few years ago.  The sword outline is 28" long, and the thickness of the wood is 1 and an eighth inches.  The entire piece weighs about 2 and a quarter lbs.  I am going to carve it into a gladius shape, once I figure out the right combination of tools to use on it.  My hunting knife won't make a dent in it, I will have to use chisels to rough out the shape.  The exaggerated curve to the blade is to allow for mistakes, the finished piece will be almost straight sided.   Carving the fuller down the middle will be tricky, as will the handle.  Gladiators given their freedom were awarded the wooden sword, pretty much like I am going for here.  I will have to decide whether to paint it or leave it finished and varnished.  Since I will be useless in any crisis I need to announce my retirement from the fields of action and what better way than to have the Rudis, or wooden sword, hanging by a horsehair above my...