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Chapter 1: Glass Cages
Dynasty Lost

Lyric of Remembrance

Chapter One: Glass Cage
"What we call the beginning is often the  end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we  start from."
—T. S. Eliot, "Four Quartets"
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a  matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing  to be achieved."
—William Jennings Bryan
MARCH 26, 3076, AD PS HEADQUARTERS, TOKYO
"They say Jaegar launched an attack on one of  the cities in the Americas yesterday." Rye ran a hand over a  support column, face unreadable, narrowed eyes trained on the stone.  "Has your mother said anything?"
"No, but something's got heChapter 1: Glass Cages
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Chapter Two: Surprises
Chapter Two: Surprises
"The only thing you take with you when you're gone is what you leave behind."
—John Allston
"He who has done his best for his own time has lived for all times."
—Johann von Shiller
11:04 AM, FRIDAY, APRIL 16
Jerik looked long and hard at the dark outline of the girl who had just fallen out of the cylinder-thing, then at Ander, her "mommy." More accurately, he took notice of how she was collapsed against him. This was the only girl in the school other than some of the teachers. "Hey, Ander, you wanna trade places?"
"Fat chance," his friend growled, eyes a mixture of golden red and orange, betraying confusion and irritatiChapter Two: Surprises
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Chapter Three: Dogfight
Chapter Three: Dogfight
"Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards."
—Aldous Huxley
"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."
—Latin: "Seize the day, put no trust in tomorrow."
12:03 PM, SATURDAY, APRIL 17
Boys. Everywhere, there were boys of every age—making dirty jokes, jostling each other, scarfing down food—all being so…gross. Obviously, not much had changed over the course of three thousand years. With a nervous gulp, Lethya picked up a tray and headed for the nearest metal box that they called a Nutrition Scanner, its occupant stepping out as she arrived. "NEXT." A door slid open and sChapter Three: Dogfight
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Chapter Four: Partners, Part 1
Chapter Four: Partners
"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."
—Buddha
"I wish they would only take me as I am."
—Vincent Van Gogh, Dear Theo: Autobiography of Vincent Van Gogh
MONDAY, APRIL 19, 6118 AD V.E.O ACADEMY, NEO TOKYO, JAPAN
"I'm telling you, you do this and you sign the death warrant for every person in this school!" Maientra insisted angrily. "If Jaegar finds out about Lethya, nothing will keep him from unleashing every force he has on this school to destroy her!"
"He may have heard about it by now, Maia," Principal Emelath said wearily. "Many of the boys could have alreaChapter Four: Partners, Part 1
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Chapter Four: Partners, Part 2
TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 6118 AD, V.E.O. ACADEMY, NEO TOKYO, JAPAN
The next day was only slightly better. Jerik ate with her again, ignoring Ander's darkling looks from where he ate by himself, and Sakfas only directly insulted her in front of the entire class two or three times. Professor Tanek was pleased with the studying she'd put in—she'd taken about two more hours to go over all of her subjects after the detention and gone to bed by eleven—and told her that, at the rate she was going, she would be far enough along to take the midterm test in two weeks. After that, another three weeks and she'd probably be caught up with the class. Lethya sileChapter Four: Partners, Part 2
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Chapter Five: Cracking Open
Chapter Five: Cracking Open
"Nothing happens by itself…it all will come your way, once you understand that you have to make it come your way, by your own exertions."
—Ben Stein
"The rose and the thorn, and sorrow and gladness are linked together."
—Saadi
9:36 AM, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 6118 AD, V.E.O. ACADEMY, NEO TOKYO, JAPAN
Ander stood in Lethya's living room, arms folded, as homework and books were shoved off the table and into a pile at his feet. The bag she'd pulled from the rubble, on the other hand, was set on the now clear tabletop with something almost like reverence. "Lethya, if you don't explain soon I'm leaving."
"Jaegar's going to go Chapter Five: Cracking Open
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Chapter Six: Mu Lan
Chapter Six: Mu Lan
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear."
—Ambrose Redmoon
"She had much fighting ability, and could act the leader. Her body passed through one hundred battles, always at the front, and compared to the fiercest soldiers, she was still better."
—Last lines of the Mu Lan Play
10:58 AM, SATURDAY, MAY 8, 6118 AD, NEO TOKYO, JAPAN
Standing two hundred stories tall, Valiandessa Eve Obrieun Academy for the Martial and Psymantic Arts was one of Neo Tokyo's proudest buildings. In emergencies, the students could defend the building and even hold back an attack onChapter Six: Mu Lan
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Chapter 7: Decisions, part 1
Chapter Seven: Decisions
"Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have."
—Margaret Mead
"To be successful, a woman has to be much better at her job than a man."
—Golda Meir
For his very first battle, he actually wasn't doing so badly. He'd been fifteen for a matter of days, and technically he shouldn't be allowed in an aerial battle until he'd passed the permit exam, but it had been an emergency. So far, he'd managed not to maim anyone or anything that he wasn't supposed to, even with the unprecedented addition of a female psymancer working from below. He'd been too busy to do more than Chapter 7: Decisions, part 1
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Chapter 7: Decisions, part 2
6:20 PM, THURSDAY, MAY 13
At dinner, Lethya sat with Lawrence again. This time the discussion was something she could weigh in on: exactly all the differences between a Dragonship and a DA. Sakfas was having the most advanced Mechanics and Engineering class work on repairing Ander's DA-002, and while the work was going slow, at least it was getting done. Simultaneously, the first DA's were being mass-produced for the older and more experienced pilots, but the first production round wouldn't be available for another three weeks.
"There's an extra set of boosters under the wings," she said, frowning in concentration as she attempted to sketch iChapter 7: Decisions, part 2
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Chapter 8: Learning to Fly, p1
Chapter Eight: Learning to Fly
It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.
—William Blake
The deeper sorrow carves into your being the more joy you can contain.
—Kahlil Gibran
6:23 PM, SATURDAY, MAY 15, 6118 AD, V.E.O. ACADEMY, NEO TOKYO, JAPAN
Lethya chewed one last bite of broccoli, swallowed, and picked up her tray. "Well, I'm outta here. See you guys later."
"See ya." Lawrence and Eizo waved to her, bent over a diagram of a DA as well as most of the other occupants of the table. She smiled slightly and walked away, dropping her tray in the Disposal Chute, then turned to her old table, where Ander and Jerik sat. It was time Chapter 8: Learning to Fly, p1
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Chapter 8: Learning to Fly, p2
11:03 AM, MONDAY 17
"You will be flying DT's," Maia said briskly. "That stands for Dragonship Transport Model. Ander and Lethya, you'll be flying DAT's so you don't have to go back to the single steering handle. No matter what make you've got, it'll fly like whatever you're used to, just bigger, slower and with less maneuverability. Also, you'll have ten to fifteen people on board, so no monkey business. With a little over a hundred pilots taking at least ten each, we should have the refugees staying here shuttled down in no time—one trip each. Some of you may be assigned Orientation Duty, which means you show them around. Also no screwing arChapter 8: Learning to Fly, p2
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Chapter 9: Leaving Home
Chapter Nine: Leaving Home
"He who commands the past commands the future. He who commands the future conquers the past."
—George Orwell
"In this age, which believes that there is a short cut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest."
—Henry Miller, The Books in My Life
From space, Earth was one of the most beautiful planets to behold, with the silver points of urban sprawl, green and brown land, deep blue oceans, and over it streamers of white clouds. To those with psymantic Sight, it was even more beautiful, with natural power shifting around the sphere as green light anChapter 9: Leaving Home
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Chapter Ten: Self-Destruct
Chapter Ten: Self-Destruct
"To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day."
—Sir Winston Churchill
"I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."
—J. Robert Oppenheimer, on the invention of the atom bomb (paraphrase from the Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu text)
The Key turned in the lock, and Lethya squeezed her eyes shut, prepared for nothing short of a Second Apocalypse. She hadn't even gone into her room; instead she was standing in the hallway, book in hand, the Key fitted in its hole.
There was a click, and a release, but nothing happened. Forcing an eye open, she frowned, confChapter Ten: Self-Destruct
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Chapter One: Dust to Dust
Dynasty Lost
Law of Redemption
Chapter One: Dust to Dust
"O mighty Caesar! dost thou lie so low?
Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils,
Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well."
—Mark Antony, Julius Caesar
It is one of the severest tests of friendship to tell your friend his faults. So to love a man that you cannot bear to see a stain upon him, and to speak painful truth through loving words, that is friendship.
—Henry Ward Beecher
Two days had passed, and still the air was choking in dust.
A thick carpet of gray lay over much of Neo Tokyo, stirred up as rescue teams dug in the ruins of multiple skyscrapers, searching for anChapter One: Dust to Dust
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Chapter Two: Crash and Burn
Chapter Two: Crash and Burn
"If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow."
—Chinese proverb
"It is said an eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him with the words, 'And this, too, shall pass away.'"
—Abraham Lincoln
1:51 AM, SUNDAY, MAY 30, 6118 AD, FOREST OF HOURS, NORTH RHEANIA, SATURN
From the Forest of Hours rose a great column of smoke, rippling and undulating as it poured into the night sky, like a giant worm halfway between dissipation and solidity.
The source was thChapter Two: Crash and Burn
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Chapter 3: Gods and Monsters
Chapter Three: Gods and Monsters
"The end comes sometime: Does it matter when?"
—Albert Einstein
The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways—I to die and you to live. Which is the better, only God knows.
—Socrates
2:23 AM, SUNDAY, MAY 30, 6118 AD, KAMALI BUILDING, NEO TOKYO, JAPAN
It was far too early for Lady Iaren to be awake. In fact, it was far too early for someone to be calling her. But she was indeed being called, and pretending the ringing didn't exist wasn't making it go away.
"This better be important," she muttered sullenly as she sat up, calling a bathrobe over from its hook to wrap around her. "Who's calling?"
"V.E.O., Chapter 3: Gods and Monsters
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Chapter Four, Part One
Chapter Four: The Way of the Bell
"Time flies, death urges, knells call, Heaven invites, Hell threatens."
—Edward Young
Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp,
Or what's a heaven for?
—Robert Browning
7:34 PM, MONDAY, MAY 31, 6118 AD, RODERIS, FOREST OF HOURS, NORTH RHEANIA, SATURN
The wind twined through the square, whispering a silent lament. Ander could only stare at the shell of Lethya, feeling empty—feeling like the connection between reality as it was and as he knew it had broken. He knew he was in shock. He knew that soon the numbness was going to fade, and the pain would be unbearable at best. And he knew Lethya was dead.
BuChapter Four, Part One
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Chapter Four, Part Two
>The sun had let loose a torrent of memories about a boy named Ander. She'd gone through many of the star memories in order to stock up with enough little memories that she could at least partially grasp what was going on, and so she had a tentative grasp on what her life was looking like and who exactly this Ander was to her.
It was also starting to become clear that her life was—well, it kind of sucked. And it was starting to put her in a bad mood. Waking up was going to be like waking up from a lovely, pleasant dream, only to discover that you had no money, the rent was due, you were starving but the fridge only had moldy pickles in it, yoChapter Four, Part Two
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Chapter 5: Lost and Found, p1
Chapter Five: Lost and Found
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"Fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing directions. You change direction but the sandstorm chases you. You turn again, but the storm adjusts. Over and over you play this out, like some ominous dance with death just before dawn. Why? Because this storm isn't something that blew in from far away, something that has nothing to do with you. This storm is you. Something inside of you. So all you can do is give in to it, step right inside the storm, closing your eyes and plugging up your ears so the sand doesn't get in, and Chapter 5: Lost and Found, p1
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Chapter 5: Lost and Found, p2
6:27 PM, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, FOREST OF HOURS
Ander looked at the sky, checked his watch, and estimated that the sun was going to set soon. Hopefully Jerik and Tyra had at least made it to the coast by now—Lethya was starting to get a fever, and he wasn't sure how much longer she could hold on outdoors. Abhaya was curled up by the cot, clearly having put all fears and doubts towards her 'mother' aside, and wouldn't leave other than to eat and drink. Anthina was amusing herself making a card house, but whenever she turned away, Mihir blew it down and hid behind a bag.
A faint drone picked up on the edge of Ander's hearing, and he straightened, lChapter 5: Lost and Found, p2
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Chapter 6: Happy Birthday, p1
Chapter Six: Happy Birthday
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I've spent most of my life walking under that hovering cloud, jealousy, whose acid raindrops blurred my vision and burned holes in my heart.
—Astrid Alauda
Pity is for the living, envy is for the dead.  
—Mark Twain
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2:43 AM, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 6118 AD, SAINT BINKERIUS GENERAL HOSPITAL, CHRONOSIA, NORTH RHEANIA, SATURN
The lights in the corridors were dim, but they lightened temporarily in front, directly over, and behind AnChapter 6: Happy Birthday, p1
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Chapter 6: Happy Birthday, p2
7:38 AM, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 6118 AD, SAINT BINKERIUS GENERAL HOSPITAL, CHRONOSIA, NORTH RHEANIA
Ander's senses were ringing at full alarm when he woke up and bolted to his feet, looking around for the threat.
Jerik waved from the other side of the room, a squirt gun in his hand. "See, Tyra, in this case, you don't want to pinch his nose and cover his mouth to wake him up because he's likely to rip you to shreds faster than Commander Maientra on a bad day." Tyra nodded, thoughtful. "Happy Birthday, by the way."
Ander glared at him, but caught the package tossed in his direction anyway. "What's this?"
"Your present," Jerik said. "Duh."
He unwrappeChapter 6: Happy Birthday, p2
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Chapter 7's Title Is Too Long
Chapter Seven: The Dangers of Dating Alethyis Fanyathe
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Jealousy and love are sisters.  
—Russian Proverb
In the sex-war thoughtlessness is the weapon of the male, vindictiveness of the female.
—Cyril Connolly
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11:46 AM, SUNDAY, JUNE 6, 6118 AD, V.E.O. ACADEMY, NEO TOKYO, JAPAN
Lethya ran a brush through her hair, humming happily. In—she checked her watch—fourteen minutes, she and Binkery were going to go to lunChapter 7's Title Is Too Long
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Chapter 8: The Line is Drawn 1
Chapter Eight: The Line Is Drawn
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No woman is required to build the world by destroying herself.  
—Rabbi Sofer
The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn.
—David Russell
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7:34 PM, SUNDAY, JUNE 6, 6118 AD, V.E.O. ACADEMY, NEO TOKYO, JAPAN
Jerik strolled down the hall, studying the doors. C-680 was Tyra… C-682 was Lethya, and that one he really didn't want… There it Chapter 8: The Line is Drawn 1
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:iconluxinnocte:
~luxinnocte Jan 3, 2013  Hobbyist Writer
I know it's a long time since the last post, but any chance of seeing the remainder of the story? Either in digital or physical copy? :)
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:iconravensscar:
~RavensScar Jul 29, 2009  Hobbyist Writer
Hey, I'd just like to add my voice to the chorus asking for some opportunity to read the finale. I realise it's been a while, but is there any chance the last chapter(s) might see the light of day in some form?

Cheers. :D
Reply
:iconmimikurume:
Mood: Wow! ~mimikurume May 12, 2009
so my dear,
I have waited patiently for you to complete your editing. Now it is finished. To the editor now! :) I would like a real book of this. I have told countless people that this book is my favorite and that it will be a book soon. So I think it is time to send it to the editor. :D
Reply
:iconclarinetlovr:
~clarinetlovr Jan 19, 2009  Hobbyist General Artist
erm...just wondering, will your dynasty lost series ever be completely submitted? it's been a looooong while since the last update, but i'm a big fan of your writing, so i had to ask :]
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