One of the five sat at the controls of the heavy projectile gun of the emplacement. Knights of Desire: Flights of Fancy 2 7 Intelligence said the aliens hadn't broken the latest code yet, so the team used the communicators in their helmets. I'll lay a grenade up to them, and then we go. Meyers, you take left flank. Rawls, you take center. I'll take right.
The boy had never seen a close-quarters nuclear grenade in combat. She flicked the tongue control of the communicator. They knew even less about how well trained the soldiers were. She didn't think of it, so Shane held no animosity toward Kyle for not knowing that the alien gun emplacement had a protective force field that absorbed the nuclear blast of the grenade. Someone had trained the soldiers very well, too—they reacted instantly to the explosion, opening fire as soon as the team left cover.
The explosion created enough of a distraction that Shane was able to drop behind a tiny rock, much too small to hide her fully, but it gave her some cover. Meyers wasn't so lucky. The laser beam from one of the alien hand weapons tracked across his chest, and smoke puffed from his armor.
It wouldn't kill him, but the kinetic energy created from the absorbed photons flung Dave backwards as effectively as hitting him in the chest with a sledgehammer. He was going to be sore for a few days. If they lived that long. The burp of the gun emplacement rang out through the dying reverberations of the grenade, and she realized it didn't sound right.
Laser light, glaring white in the infrared of her visor, flickered around her. She used her tongue to flick the helmet to normal light, and saw that instead of the bright green or red hue she expected to see, the beams glowed in a dark, blood red, flickering in and out of visible light as it faded back and forth across the line between red and infrared. She studied the rays from the lasers 8 Melodee Aaron and listened to the projectiles from the emplaced gun.
The pitch of the whine was off, like the rounds came from very, very far away and receded. She smiled suddenly as the answer came to her. Doppler shift. The force field worked by absorbing the kinetic energy of a weapon. To get their own weapons to fire through the field, the aliens used low-velocity systems, and the force field red-shifted the total energy. Shane flipped her rifle over in her hands and worked the controls.
The weapon normally fired five-millimeter projectiles at outrageous speeds and rates. The default muzzle velocity was around seventeen thousand meters per second, but it was adjustable, so she slowed it down to the lowest setting, about a hundred meters per second.
She pressed the communicator switch with her tongue. Light 'em up, Meyers! Shane leaned out from behind the rock and pulled her rifle tight to her shoulder. Twisting her hand in the shoulder strap to steady the weapon, she calmed herself and her pulse slowed. Controlling her breathing, her finger moved slowly on the trigger as she aimed, not at the aliens but at the flashing muzzle of their heavy gun. Counting her pulse and respirations, she shut out the sounds and images from her mind and focused on her target.
Shane had exactly one chance at this. Her index finger moved slowly, all of her experience and training coming to bear, and she squeezed the trigger smoothly and without jerking. The dull thumping sound of her rifle was different from the normal sharp crack she was used to. Shane could imagine being able to see the slug winging its way toward the target moving only about twice as fast as the average family car. Of course, she couldn't see the bullet. She did, however, see the effect.
The low speed allowed her small projectile to slip unhampered through the force field, and it struck dead center in the muzzle of the alien gun, meeting an outbound bullet someplace in the barrel. The resulting explosion ripped the gun apart, the shrapnel flying out in all directions. The effect on the aliens was about the same as putting them in a blender set to liquefy. Knights of Desire: Flights of Fancy 2 9 Kyle speaking through the settling silence made her snap back to reality.
End simulation. The emplacement, rocks, plants, and other features dissolved into the plain gray box that was the combat simulation deck aboard Daedalus. As Kyle and Meyers came to congratulate her on completion of her final test for promotion to Sergeant, Shane stood and flicked up her visor. She was also objective enough to know that the main reason she wanted to see Q was to get some material for late-night fantasies in her cabin.
Not that Zach Reeves wasn't hot enough in his own right. The problem was that, while Q was unattached, Reeves was married. Rumor even had it that when, and if, the Emperor ever stepped down, Zach Reeves was the heir apparent to the throne.
He smiled out at her from the screen. What can I do for you, Captain Davis? Elsa couldn't help also wondering whom Q might be with on this so-called vacation. The Admiral asked that I provide a report prior to making any new contacts. Yet another detail Q left out when he briefed me. A main-sequence star with a class-M planet. Water, oxygen, and all the rest. We have life signs of a remarkably human-like people down there, as well as a wide array of animals. We're not even getting radio signals.
The imagery shows an agrarian society with lots of what look like farms and grazing land. She thought he was someplace around three thousand, but she wasn't sure of her history. He looked about thirty, and his wife didn't look a day over twenty-two, though she was about the same age. If you need anything out there, just yell, but it will take us a while to get to you.
Carry on, Captain Davis. Handley's habit of speech using the royal plural made Cedric's head hurt. He flicked his long, pointed ears to show his mild consternation. Our warriors on the ground and in the air have control of the battle, and we are simply toying with the men to increase their fear. Stories of this battle will spread among the men and make them reluctant to attack again.
I wish to get full impact from the situation before letting the surviving men flee. Advise us when your plans evolve.
Until we get a replacement for Major Spencer, I can't leave the ship for routine missions. That means I have to trust landings to senior enlisted personnel, and that's you for this mission.
Hell, you've been a grunt longer than I've been alive. Shane understood that part—what man wouldn't stick around to be with a pretty woman? The idea of him also hooking up with a man—an alien man—confused her a bit. She also wondered what made the girl want to end up in bed with two hooked-up guys. The idea of being in bed with two men always sounded like it could be fun, but in her nearly eighty years of life, she had never had the chance to play that game.
She still had plenty of time, though. With transplants, medicines, and other miracles of modern science, Shane expected to live another years, if not more, and to look good for most of that time.
Even now, most people took her to be in her early thirties. She knew she'd be able to mark that fantasy off her things-to-do list one day. But doing it with two gay guys just didn't seem right. She pictured it more as the guys fucking her, not each other. OK, not gay—bi. Somehow, the details of the language and choice of words didn't make it any better. Not 12 Melodee Aaron that she had any problems with gay, or bi, men, but she wanted to be the center of attention.
The Marine in her let that much of her feminine side out. She smiled at the Captain, but she didn't think he knew the real reason. As Landis made his way back to the camp where Clemmons waited, he thought about the dragon's behavior. While the flying dragons swooped down, their shrill voices letting loose screams that curdled the blood of men, they never grabbed a single victim in their long, sharp talons. He heard the piercing click of the claws snapping closed near him, and Landis knew the fear it triggered in him was only a pale shadow of the terror the men must feel.
On the ground, the creatures never came close enough to actually attack a man, only within range of sight, so the men could see the yellowgreen eyes with the horizontal slits staring at them with murder and mayhem.
As far as he remembered from the day's fighting, Landis saw not a single casualty on either side. Clemmons was right—the lizards played a game of manipulation, instilling fear without causing harm or risking injury. It was a ploy designed to drive men away, to stop them from following orders, and to make them avoid contact in the future. Landis reached the camp, and thoughts of the lizards faded from his mind.
Clemmons stood outside the tent they shared and, as Landis watched, he pulled his armor from his torso. The sun was warm here in the valley, and it glittered in rays of gold, red, and bronze as it refracted off the skin of Clemmons's chest, still moist with sweat from the battle.
His long blonde hair moved slowly in the gentle breeze, and Clemmons stretched, his burly arms high over his head as he let the sun and wind dry the perspiration from his body. Watching his lover across the short distance, Landis licked his lips. It Knights of Desire: Flights of Fancy 2 13 wasn't so very long ago that he was happily married and never thought of a woman other than Anna, let alone another man.
But then, seven years ago while he was away on a mission for the king, the lizards came and raided the village. Everyone knew that no matter what else had happened, no one could have saved the villagers, but guilt still filled him then. He could have at least died at Anna's side, his strong sword arm protecting her until the end. Instead, he knelt over her torn body, weeping openly, as other knights and soldiers searched for survivors that never materialized.
Clemmons had knelt beside him and touched his hand. Without a word, Clemmons led him away from the shredded corpse of his wife, leaving the soldiers to prepare the mass grave for the villagers. After the priest said some words over the grave, he and Clemmons held an impromptu wake for the dead. As they drank deeply of the wine, Clemmons told the story of how he needed another brave knight to help him fight the lizards, to stop them from raiding more villages and killing more men.
Landis knew then he had finally received the calling all knights await. He vowed his life, not only to his king but also to the death of the lizards. Over the next year, he and Clemmons fought side-by-side and back-toback against the dragons, killing many of them. While the lizards had horrendous strength, they lacked the stamina of men. The two knights learned they need only to wear down the dragons, keeping them from taking wing, and then they were easy to kill.
It was someplace in that year when the attitude between the men changed, but Landis was hard pressed to say just when. Clemmons was a well-known ladies' man at court. Rumor had it he had bedded every single one of the ladies-in-waiting at least once, most several times. Based on Clemmons's late night absences, Landis believed the rumors.
He never saw Clemmons slapped by serving wenches or ladies of the court for a quick fondling of a tit or ass. In fact, many of the women appeared to encourage such familiarities. One night, a great distance from this battlefield, he and Clemmons had sat together in the light of the dying campfire, discussing the lessons of the day's combat.
Clemmons sipped at his wine and studied him for a time before he finally spoke. He laughed. What with the friendship between them, they often seemed to be two people sharing one mind. The idea had merit. We would be even better personally.
The new relationship created a few problems at court, but most were from jealous women and of no concern. Clemmons turned and saw him approaching. He smiled broadly, a look that gave Landis a sad reminder of how Anna would smile when he returned home.
You told me so, and I've come to know you're right about the lizards playing with us. Are you planning to take advantage of me? He turned to look, but whatever had flickered in his peripheral vision had vanished, and he saw nothing.
Knights of Desire: Flights of Fancy 2 15 Clemmons sounded puzzled. It sparkled and flashed like the falling stars seen most nights, but the color was wrong. Instead of the yellowish-white of a star tumbling from the heavens, this object blazed blue and red with tinges of pure, blinding white in the mix.
The object moved far too fast and far too high for a lizard, and Landis felt no fear. Surprised by his lack of alarm, he realized quickly that the object would be on them before they could do anything about it. Resignation clearly took the place of fear. The moving light swept in a wide arc from the east to the south, moving quickly. It seemed to be falling, but Landis knew from his experiences with the dragons it was an illusion. The light descended in a controlled way, not falling at all, and passed directly overhead as it powered to the north.
High above them, he noticed a wisp of white smoke trailing behind the object. As he and Clemmons turned as one to watch the light head north, a sudden noise swept over the valley. It started low, like thunder in the distance, and then built quickly to a loud, sharp boom, like God clapping his hands together to get the entire world's attention.
The object stopped dead in the air. It hesitated and then seemed to get larger without moving at all. Clemmons chuckled softly with a hint of nervousness to the sound. And it got very big. As large as a city carriage for hauling several hundred people, the object shone like a mirror in a silver color that reflected not only the sunlight, but also trees, grass, and other things. Settling closer to the valley floor, the object kicked up dust and dry grass, and the shimmering reflections of the sides made it hard to see clearly.
It whined and screamed like nothing Landis had ever heard before but he wondered if creatures the sages spoke of in tales of banshees and demons that roam the night woods in haunted parts of the world might make the sound. As a knight, Landis didn't believe the stories, but he wondered if it might be time to start believing.
The object suddenly grew four great legs, like some kind of drink- 16 Melodee Aaron induced vision of a horrible insect, and came to rest on the ground. The sound cut off suddenly, and the eerie silence only added to the bizarre scene. He swallowed. Are you going to slit its throat? Landis then drew his sword. As they had done so many times in the past, the two men, lovers and comrades, stood shoulder-to-shoulder and faced an enemy.
But unlike encounters with the dragons, they didn't know what to expect from this strange object. The sensors identified this small cluster of people, but it wasn't until they landed that anyone noticed the people were armed.
Sort of. Shane saw no weapon more advanced than an axe. Two men stood closest to the landing site, and one held a long, nasty-looking sword while the other had only a small knife. Other men hid in the brush around the area, and most had swords, but a few had mace-like clubs or battle-axes.
Talbert sighed. As senior diplomat for the mission, he was in nominal command of the landing craft, but Shane was in charge until she assured the safety of the crew.
You and the rest stay here until I give the all clear. Talbert frowned deeply. This first-contact stuff is new for all of us, and every one is a whole new game.
Knights of Desire: Flights of Fancy 2 17 'Alright, just remember that the number-one cause of conflict is misunderstanding what the other person says.
You'll be using the electronic translators, so there may be a good deal of that. I won't shoot until they shoot at me first. The men did what they had to do despite their fear of the unknown and the terror the dragons rained on them daily.
Their steadfastness spoke well of their training and bravery. Clemmons tried to think of something to say, but he had no idea what it might be. They could only watch and wait for now. They needed more information about this odd object, but suddenly, the time to wait had ended. A small puff of steam or dust came from the side of the object, and a series of lines in the shape of a door appeared in the smooth, mirror-like skin of the thing. A small ramp grew from the flank like a living limb to reach the ground.
A small figure stepped through the door to stand at the top of the ramp, and the motion pulled his gaze from the extending ramp. It was the figure of a woman. Other than the large globes that marked her breasts, he had no way to tell it was a woman, because she wore a suit of solid black, so dark that it seemed to suck the light from the air and gave no reflection.
The total absence of reflection from the suit contrasted starkly with the mirror-like surface of the object that brought her here. The suit covered her from her neck to her toes and ran down both arms to the tips of her fingers.
A helmet that looked separate from the suit covered her head, and a dark visor hid her face. In her hands was a club or large stick, though Clemmons knew instantly it was a weapon, probably far more dangerous than a simple club. Her head swiveled around, looking in all directions, and, after a minute, she gave a funny motion with the fingers of her left hand.
As if on command, two more figures darted from the door and ran down 18 Melodee Aaron the ramp, taking up positions on either side. The door closed instantly, and the woman moved slowly toward the ground. The other figures kept the same vigil as the woman, but they were obviously men.
Much larger than the woman, they were nonetheless under her command. And the military image was exactly right.
These were soldiers, perhaps knights from some other, unknown kingdom. The object was a ship of some kind that sailed not on water but through the air. Like any ship, this one was only a tool, a piece of technology, though vastly superior to anything he and Landis knew of. Even though the woman and her comrades offered no harm to them, they might be dangerous if provoked.
It would be best to make friends with these people. Clemmons shifted the dagger to his left hand and raised his right high in the air. I am Sir Clemmons, knight of the realm, servant of King Sayid. The other soldiers didn't react to him at all. She touched the box, and he heard sound coming from her helmet. The box tried to speak. He waved his hand in the air.
The woman again touched the box. The box talks for her, but it doesn't know how. Have you ever seen tits like that on a man? She looked up at him again.
This is Sir Landis. The two men came in two different sizes—big and bigger. The big one had black hair the color of a radiator in a thermodynamics lab blackbody experiment, flowing over his shoulders and covering the shining black leather of the armor he wore. Eyes the color of emeralds stared out from beneath his high brow, and he held a long sword in his right hand with the comfort of a warrior accustomed to combat. While the leathern suit he wore covered his body fully, his wide shoulders and muscular neck told of the strength only barely concealed.
Fine black stubble covered his chin. The bigger one had blonde hair that spilled halfway down his bare torso and pale blue eyes that seemed to look through her and out to infinity. A few days growth of blonde beard covered his cheeks and chin, and when he flexed his hands, the muscles of his chest and arms roiled like rocks under his tanned bronze skin.
The two men were clearly warriors. Alien warriors. She smiled behind her visor. Delicious alien warriors. Shane shook herself a little. She needed to treat them as dangerous alien warriors until she knew otherwise, no matter how delectable they might be.
She fussed with the translator. So far, it gave her only garbled fragments of words. The lights and dials said it was working on a translation, but it would take a little time. Corporal Crosby spoke in her communicator. Scans confirm they are remarkably human-like, no major differences.
Keep an eye on our friends in the brush. Do not fire without my authorization. As the bigger one moved his mouth, the box gave its version. The times when a message was 20 Melodee Aaron important enough for the messenger to ride his steed right into the throne room to save time were exceedingly rare, and yet he now heard the clatter of hooves on the stone floor announcing that the rider approached. The rider and his mount were both soaked with sweat, cloth and fur stained and clumping wetly to their skin.
Both also panted heavily, trying to grab just a little more air in each gulping breath. At least the messenger didn't foam at the mouth in frothy white globs that dripped in sticky streamers to the dark stone floor.
The rider jumped from his steed even before the animal had fully stopped, and the man tried to avoid falling. He almost made it, but his foot slipped in the gooey drool of his mount, and he went to one knee. Sayid gave the squire credit for a good, smooth recovery. The messenger bowed his head, his chest heaving rapidly. Sayid took the parchment and waved for footmen to assist the messenger and his animal. He opened the paper and read Landis's clearly hurried writing.
These unknown men came from the sky in a machine of metal, riding on thunder before which even the sound of the wings of the lizards' pales. These are a strange people, and they speak through magic boxes they carry on their belts. They hold what are clearly weapons, but Clemmons and I have yet to discern their manner.
The men have offered no harm, but they are watchful. More to follow. Sir Landis Sayid wondered if he should go personally to meet these strangers, but that would not only be unseemly for a king, but it might be a trick of the dragons.
Best to stay here until Landis and Clemmons learned more. He busied himself for a few minutes, sending a quick message to the king. The woman's box was talking better now, and she made appropriate replies, so he guessed she could understand them, as well.
Intrigo: Samaria. Sunset Glory: Doolittle's Heroes. Too Late. Love on the Rock. Locked In. The Hollow. Santa Fake. The Commando. Atomic Shark. Dawn Patrol. The Long Night. County Line. A Bird Flew In. Show more Show less. The way women are viewed sexually in the world cannot be separated from the way they are treated.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to equality. Maria Finitzo is a two-time Peabody Award-winning social issue documentary filmmaker. Over the last 26 years Maria has directed and produced a body of work that has won every major broadcast award and has been screened in festivals and theaters around the world.
Her films are novelistic in their structure, providing multiple points of connection for an audience. She is a long-time associate of the award-winning documentary company, Kartemquin Films, one of the oldest and most respected social issue documentary film companies in the country. Finitzo is also a screenwriter and fiction film director. Her interest in fiction filmmaking is a natural evolution of her commitment to exploring different realms of storytelling. Diane Quon lived in Los Angeles for over 17 years before moving back to her hometown of Chicago.
Liz Kaar is an independent filmmaker and editor based in Chicago. She most recently directed, produced, shot and edited Stranded by the State , a web series and TV miniseries, about the human cost of the two-year Illinois budget impasse, the longest a state has gone without a budget since the Great Depression. The series won a prestigious Alfred I. In the past, she edited and associate-produced the music documentary Andrew Bird: Fever Year, festival-favorite On Beauty, and was lead editor for the web series Veterans Coming Home.
Liz was Director of Post-Production at Kartemquin Films from , managing the department and ushering in the brave new workflow of card-based media. Sign In. Play trailer Drama Mystery Thriller. Director Robert Ginty. Anthony Palmer Robert Ginty uncredited. Top credits Director Robert Ginty. See more at IMDbPro. Trailer Photos Top cast Edit.
Jeff Fahey Jack as Jack. Bo Derek Christina as Christina …. Steven Bauer Jonathan as Jonathan …. Robert Mitchum Walter as Walter …. Thomas Hall Norman as Norman. John Matshikiza Det. Lewis Stone as Det. Lewis Stone. Warrick Grier Miller as Miller ….
Michael McCabe Dr.
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