RKYV Online #54

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Table of Contents RKYV # 54 {Feb. 2012} RKYV ONLINE LOGO David Marshall {current} r. j. paré {modified} Roy G. James {original} Virtual Covers # 54 - art by Igal Fedida - Design/Layouts by David Marshall & r. j. paré Interior Art - by r. j. paré, Kevin Curtis Barr, Igal Fedida, Stephen Gibb, Josh Bowe, Mike Grattan, James ‘JigOne’ Titman

Editorial Column - “At the Outset: A Few Thoughts from the Editor” - By r. j. paré World View - “Some observations on Race Relations, The Media and Gun Control in the wake of the Trayvon Martin killing” - by r.j. paré, Featured Artist Review - Igal Fedida - By r. j. paré On Writing - “Walk This World” - by Mick Edwards

by Mike Grattan

Short Fiction - “Codename: Aurora” - by Calvin Daniels - “Beneath a Prairie Grave” - by r. j. paré Poetry - by Marie Lecrivain, Wanda Smith, Dani Raschel Jimenez, Frances Nichols Vargas, David Stone, r. j. paré Pop C ulture - “Digital Scribbles & This Idiot Box Random Spotlight” - by Darke Raven - “Raised on Saturday Morning Cartoons” - by Pauline Paré

At The Outset _____________________________________________________________________________ RKYV ONLINE Printed as PDF | Feb. 2012 | rkyv.online@rogers.com آ

A few thoughts from The Editor… by r. j. paré

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here Here comes the sun – Here comes the sun, and I say It's all right Here Comes The Sun – The Beatles

Welcome everyone to Issue 54 of RKYV Online. As you sit, sipping cocoa keeping the February chill out of your bones I hope you… {one moment} {oh… I see – this issue was supposed to be released in February and it’s now May} {never mind then} Ahem… where was I? Oh ya, welcoming everyone to this long overdue edition of their favourite art-lit, pop-culture eZine! We’ve got an assorted bag o’goodies for ya this time around so I won’t keep you long. On the following pages returning columnists Darke Raven, Mike Edwards & Pauline Paré are back with some witty opinions and reviews. Several contributing poets & prose writers [credited throughout] share their amazing work with us; I am grateful for their continued support. As we are every month, RKYV is also incredibly fortunate to share the works of many talented contributing artists [also, credited throughout]. We are particularly pleased to shine our spotlight on Igal Fedida as this month’s Featured Artist! Igal took some time, recently, to share some of his work [past and present] and participate in an interview – for an article that you’ll hopefully enjoy reading as much I enjoyed putting it together. And lastly, for more RKYV entertainment than we can fit into a PDF, here are some fun and engaging sites we’ve set up, to expand your RKYV experience all month long!

RKYV twitter feed – text us with your feedback! http://twitter.com/#!/RKYVOnline Darke Raven’s RKYV Blog & Pod Casts – vote for your favourite segments! http://rkyvrevue.blogspot.com/ Official RKYV Blog – send us your comments, questions & suggestions! http://rkyv.blogspot.com/

RKYV Editorial Video Blog – watch me act the fool and hype the Zine! http://www.youtube.com/user/RKYVONLINE RKYV ONLINE Facebook Group – post submissions and chat with contributors! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2399067108

I was asked recently what I like to "do" with my writing [well, I'm not going to build a bridge with any of it - if that's what you're getting at]. Anyhow, here's my response:

I like to agonize over my writing in secret; take my roughs and eviscerate them with self doubt; edit second drafts with a manic loathing; lose a third draft as the wind whips it from the passenger seat while I speed along the highway with my windows down oblivious to the weather conditions; after several fruitless sessions of Jungian Analysis, distracted by a shameful lust for mine own Anima [talk about ego-driven neurosis!], I crawl home and scrawl a finished draft, in charcoal, on rolls of exquisite vellum; finally like the druids of yore, I dance naked beneath a sacred ash tree and bury the pages amongst its divine roots; my artful coitus of paper and pen - offered as tribute to the gods of inspiration; in time the vellum decomposes to an earthy loam and... …I've missed another f@cking deadline!

Frog in your throat? – by De Tourist

Painting Wonders What’s Underneath – by Stephen Gibb

World View _____________________________________________________________________________ RKYV ONLINE Printed as PDF | Feb. 2012 | rkyv.online@rogers.com آ

Some observations on Race Relations, The Media and Gun Control in the wake of the Trayvon Martin killing by r. j. paré As I write this charges, of second degree murder, have finally been laid against George Zimmerman for the shooting death of 17 year old Trayvon Martin. This brings to a close another chapter in this tragic story. Now the justice system can move on with the prosecution and defence - hopefully reaching an appropriate conclusion. This case has had the unintended side-effect of exposing the all too ugly truth that even today, in 2012, racial prejudice runs deep. From the get-go, the media has played an, at times, disturbing part in ramping up public tensions in this case. On the one hand – without the media coverage, Trayvon’s case would have not been investigated at all. Martin’s family were frustrated and distraught that police took George Zimmerman at his word [that the shooting was self-defence] rather than thoroughly investigating and perhaps allowing the courts to decide if an argument of self-defence has merit [much of this tied up in a seeming misunderstanding by police of the “stand your ground law}]. On the other hand the media has also tripped over itself in presenting extreme and contradictory images of both Trayvon and George in an effort to ratchet up viewership. We’ve been told that Trayvon was anywhere from 6’ 0” 140 lbs to 6’ 3” 180 lbs and that George was anywhere from 5’ 8” 180 lbs to 5’ 10” 240 lbs – these are pretty huge discrepancies – the media ought to have done some fact checking. These two men could have weighed the same [with Trayvon being taller and thinner] OR George could have weighed as much as 100 lbs more than the teenage Martin. Depending on the spin of the article, blog, tweet or broadcast there seems to have been deliberate picking and choosing going on. This extends beyond something as basic as their height & weight as published photos of the two men portray Trayvon as anything from a seeming 12 year old innocent to looking like a gangbanger – while photos of Zimmerman portray him as everything from a smiling professional in a business suit to an unshaven drunken brawler. Image plays a large part in how an individual is perceived and judged – in this case the media has been very guilty of deliberately “selling”

competing narratives which could very well have placed the public in danger as police received numerous calls of threats and demonstrations. Perhaps the most egregious of the contradictory portrayals has been the question of racial motivations behind the shootings. Depending on the media source, Zimmerman was either an angry bigot hunting an innocent child OR Trayvon was a delinquent wannabe gangsta who was beating a brave neighbourhood watch member, near to death, before being shot. In this age of seemingly endless sources of information the public is left increasingly frustrated and suspicious of any news as each report seemingly contradicts the one before it. So much so, that many have taken to “selective tuning” – ie: they only read or watch the news that supports their preconceived notions and thus they become increasingly polarized in their opinions. Some in the media [Geraldo Rivera infamously, but his sentiment echoed in countless online blogs and forums] have even presented the argument that Trayvon wearing a hoodie made him look suspicious. Because, of course, only criminals wear hoodies. Such asinine assertions further illustrate the lengths to which the media can fan the fires of outrage. Take the 911 recordings – numerous media outlets have played so many multiple altered and edited copies of the recordings that the truth has been lost in contradictory reports. Many believe George uttered racial slurs [“f@cking c@@ns”] – while others believe Zimmerman said nothing racial at all [“goons,” or “punks” or even “it’s f@cking cold” – depending on your media source]. What is interesting about these conflicting reports – is not just the inherent biases of those reporting – but the coalescing of followers behind a particular skewing of the facts. Go visit a news site that is 100% certain that George was a racist and you will find numerous commenters calling for mob violence and expressing support for the Black Panthers bounty on George. Then visit a site that is 100% certain Trayvon was a gangsta-in-training and you will find numerous commenters who express support for White Supremacists and the Neo-Nazis who claimed to be preparing for race riots.

It is deeply saddening to see how much racial animosity is still brewing, just below the surface, waiting for the right circumstance to bring it to a boil. I had hoped we’d moved beyond all that. It does beg the question though – did race play a role in the tragic events of that night? While we cannot know for certain we can ask a couple very reasonable questions: 1. What was so “suspicious” about a young man walking home from the store, wearing a hoodie in the rain? 2. Had Trayvon been white, would he have seemed as suspicious? These are the questions that cut to the heart of the matter and we may never know the answers to them as I doubt if the answers are 1. He was black and 2. No – that Zimmerman would ever admit to it. But perhaps, in the long run the attention this case has received will make others think twice, in a similar situation, and avoid pointless, dangerous confrontations. What has been lost in all of this is that had Zimmerman been unarmed none of this would have occurred. The extreme Left have ignored this argument in their furor over the possible racial motivations of George Zimmerman’s actions; while the extreme Right have ignored this argument [as they always do] in their furor over imagined gangsta motivations for Trayvon’s actions. Had Zimmerman been unarmed he certainly could not have shot Martin – but more importantly would not have pursued the young man through the neighbourhood and neither of them would have engaged in the altercation that preceded the fatal shooting. George was emboldened by having a fire-arm… it allowed him to ignore the 911 operator and follow Trayvon and once in a physical struggle with the teenager, that he was getting the worse of, to shoot the young man. We simply cannot continue with this idea that we live in the Wild West and can settle differences with a gun. We may never know who threw the first punch [not that it matters much] but we do know that greater gun control could reduce the possibility of such a tragedy in the future.

Featured Artist Review _____________________________________________________________________________ RKYV ONLINE Printed as PDF | Feb. 2012 | rkyv.online@rogers.com آ

Igal Fedida by r. j. paré

BIO: Living in Miami, Florida. Igal Fedida owns his own art gallery where he routinely creates new pieces and teaches abstract art classes twice a day. You can find Igal at his Miami gallery where he spends many sleepless nights with a brush in his hand and a vision on his mind, passionately driven to deliver to the world his ingenuous masterpieces. For more background info on Igal feel free to visit his website: http://www.igalfedida.com/ rjp: Who was your main source of encouragement, in pursuing art? IF: It was not an easy to answer this one since I'm very tuned to my surrounding and sensitive. However, the deeper I thought about the question I realized that my main source of encouragement in pursuing my art was my inner voice. Since I was very young, I was always involved in creating on my own. As an adult, to become an artist was the most natural right thing for me. rjp: Did you study or major in art while in college/ university? IF: [from his website] In Los Angeles, Igal enrolled in an intensive photography study program at UCLA. Exploring the world of photography, his need for expression drove him to develop a unique form where he combined Polaroid photographs with water color in order to deepen the effect of the image. In doing so he discovered that his need to express the nature and the World that surrounds us far surpasses the limited potential of photography. Subsequently, as if an invisible hand pointed a direction, the magic door opened and he was pulled into the world of painting. Completely self taught, over the time he developed his own fascinating style of contrasting images.

Artist Name: Igal Fedida Title: Contractions II Media Used: Enamel, ink and polyurethane on canvas Size: 48” x 60” Date Created: 2011

rjp: What is your favourite media to work with? IF: For almost 10 yrs I did only photography. At one point, I felt that the camera didn’t allow me to express myself enough. I was growing, maturing and I needed some stronger tools to allow my inner voice to speak. This is how I took the painting. Particularly, abstract painting has been my main medium for the last 8 yrs (approx). rjp: Do you use any special tools and techniques to create your art? IF: Yes. My uniqueness relies on the fact that I'm using mostly building materials such as: enamel oil/water base, wood floor stains, epoxy, polyurethane, print making inks and chalk line etc... I apply it all in various ways, using brushes, sticks, metal wires, knives, pouring or simply with my hands. My main purchasing of materials, besides canvases, is done in hardware supplies stores. rjp: Where do you find your inspiration? IF: In my breathing… in my praying… When I breathe I inhale it all.

Artist Name: Igal Fedida Title: The Wheels Media Used: Acrylic and bicycle chain on canvas Size: 14� x 16� Date Created: 2009 rjp: This piece combines an inventive mixed media presentation with layers of cultural resonance. rjp: How would you categorize your artistic style? IF: My artistic style is a combination of two main styles. One is Abstract, much related to the abstract expressionism of the 1950's-1960 of the N.Y School movement. And the other is what I name "Symbolism". I express out a theme, an event, mainly biblical such as genesis, the creation through abstract motifs. rjp: Would you say that there is a "message" or "unifying theme" in your work? IF: Yes, Recently (2-3yrs) most of my work is unified by expressing the theme of creation, the moment before everything starts, the intention of the creator to create us, to include earth, the difficulties with that creation (as a delivery of a baby) and the physical laws it involves. When I am not exploring that, [creation] I simply look within myself, at the "nothingness" of my inner being. Dealing simply with my emotions. rjp: If you could meet any living or dead artist, who would it be and what is the one question that you would ask him/her? IF: I would love to meet Mark Rothko and ask him about his pain.

Artist Name: Igal Fedida Title: Naming of the Night and Day… Heavens and Earth… the Seas.... Media Used: Inks, Enamel, polyurethane, stain on canvas Size: 48” x 60” Date Created: 2011

rjp: What do you think of the term "starving artist"? IF: I don't know. It is very much connected I think to set of values that you raised upon. I can associate with the fact that we(the artists) need to create and its a strong passion that can paralyzed us of being "Normal" and just do other things like everybody else. For me, since I'm very young I'm with my wife having responsibilities to 4 beautiful kids. I can’t have the luxury of being hungry. I do what I need to do in order to support and if its takes that I need to continue creating after everybody goes to sleep or working long, long hrs. That's OK.I feel many time how much we need to sacrifice in our life in order to create but not starving. rjp: Do you feel more a sense of community with other artists or a sense of competition? IF: There is a sense of community as long as its not connected to the same resources. Once its involved competing for the same grant, juries competitions, being accepted by a particular gallery than it’s all different. rjp: Do you find that the advent of internet exposure & distribution has "changed the game" for today's aspiring artists? IF: Yes, of course. We need to be more out there. There is a sense of becoming a "public figure" even if you just starting. People want more of you and you (almost) have to deliver so they can connect with your work.

Artist Name: Igal Fedida Title: Opening of the sea's song Media Used: Enamel, Inks and epoxy on canvas Size: 40” x 40” Date Created: 2011 rjp: This wonderful, vivid piece was my immediate-choice for the back cover to this month’s issue! rjp: With advancements in computer graphic tablet technology, some artists are now creating their work directly in the digital medium and releasing it in purely digital formats... Are the days of paper & canvas doomed to the realm of fading memories? IF: It will never be doomed to the realm of fading memories. Maybe even the opposite. We will go back to see more of those beautiful cave paintings and to those that holding the old masters skills. The same thought went on when the camera was being invented and there was no use of those skilled artists that did their beautiful drawings for the news coverage and in general use, and here we are in 2012 and you can still see the use of drawings and the camera didn't take the place of a beautiful "Hand-made" painting. People will always feel the need for connecting, in the most fundamental way, to feel. Just like the computers can not replace the need for other human beings. rjp: What advice would you have for a young artist starting out today? IF: That talent is not enough. Graduating arts school is not enough either. Only hard, hard work, a strong will and believing in yourself…

Artist Name: Igal Fedida Title: Kilim ShelouvimConceiving / Genesis Media Used: Enamel, inks, polyurethane and stain on canvas Size: 48” x 60” Date Created: 2011 rjp: This powerful, vibrant piece was David Marshall’s choice to adapt when designing the beautiful front cover to this month’s issue! rjp: Do you have any big plans or shows coming up? IF: My big plan is to exhibit my work at the Metropolitan museum in N.Y or Tate (London).I'm patience...  rjp: How would you like your art, and by extension yourself, to be remembered? IF: I would like to be remembered as a Jewish artist that kept his traditions and delivered, against the main stream, a universal message of daring and peace to the world. I’d like to thank Igal for taking the time for this interview and for sharing some of his amazing wotk with our readers. For those who would like to follow Igal on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/fedidafineart

This Month's Commentary

Digital Scribbles by Darke Raven

The writing is on the wall. The PSP’s place as the central device for reviewing digital comics, are numbered in days. Hopefully by June 2012's edition we have moved on to the next device of Digital Scribbles... speaking of which here is a good reason to move on, the next phase of the Star Trek reboot universe in comic format. Sadly if you thought this was some sort of awakening on both IDW and Paramount's part... boy are you so going to be in for a major downer. But first lets recap how we got here... and how Paramount, for all the enthusiasm of the fan base which reflected in high ticket sales, seems to be dragging itself towards Star Trek 12's release with all the energy of a rotting half zombie corpse. Summer 2012? Nope. Holiday 2012? No way. New date? May 2013... barring yet another delay of course... but how did we get to this point?

Star Trek 12 Movie Tie In Comics Episode 1: The movie is taking how long?!?

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Let's see... Back in June 2008 it was reported that Paramount Pictures was interested in signing the main producers of the 2009 Star Trek film, J. J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci for a sequel. Flash forward to March 2009 (just before the first movie release) and it was reported that these five producers had signed up to produce the film with the script to be again written by Orci and Kurtzman with Lindelof joining the writing team.

So where is the movie? Presently in production as of a few weeks ago. Why? Well it seems by 2010 a release date of June 29, 2012 was set with a Pre-production set for a January 2011 with actual filming probably beginning as of the spring or summer of 2011, of which Actor Zachary Quinto aka Spock II later had to shoot down as untrue. Then came the odd tidbits:

To that end they had a preliminary script rumored to be completed by Christmas 2009 for a 2011 release... that of course didn't happen. Why? Well it seems that Screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci did begin writing the script back in June 2009, originally intending to split the film into two parts... really? No Classic Spock in the movie though. Leonard Nimoy has already stated he would not be making an appearance in the film. Classic Kirk maybe? Abrams was reportedly considering including William Shatner in the sequel... no word on that though... again. Sigh.

 Writer/Producer Lindelof comparing the sequel to The Dark Knight... say what?  Abrams, Kurtzman and Orci stated that selecting a villain was hard, with Abrams citing that "The universe Roddenberry created is so vast that it's hard to say one particular thing stands out"... except of course the fan backlash against recasting Ricardo Montalban's classic Khan... he was officially ruled out of the sequel in October with confirmation that a character from the original series will appear, albeit not a traditional one... aka a reboot version I take it. I have a notion on that by the way.  Kurtzman and Lindelof stated that they have "broken the story" and rather than being a sequel, it will act as a stand alone film. However, Abrams admitted in December (10?) that there was still no script... so you know its stand alone how?  Paramount Pictures approached Abrams and requested the sequel be in 3D but J. J. Abrams stated the film would not be filmed in native 3D, but rather shot in 2D on film, and then be converted into 3D in post production, and that the film may be shot in the IMAX format... so... why?

 In February 2011 Orci posted on his Twitter that he aims to deliver the script in March (hurry up) though the script was not finished at the time, Paramount began financing pre-production... ladies and gentleman, the world's most lethargic sequel.

 By April Orci revealed at WonderCon that the film's first draft of the script has been completed... really? No hurry. Abrams then reported to MTV that once he finished on Super 8 he would be turning his full attention to the film... and wow, that took FOREVER since they only started NOW!

Relevant to this month's article, in October 2011 Orci reported that location scouting was underway and a series of comic books, which Orci will act as creative director, will "foreshadow" the film... hopefully to include digital comics since I learned that not all the 2009 tie ins were digitized yet... at least PlayStation Network wise. So the film was given a revised release date and pushed to the present May 17th 2013 release date... and that is where we are right now. The film is due to be released in 3D, and composer Michael Giacchino has confirmed he will write the score... thanks Wikipedia for the fresh update. I heart you... in a manly friendly way of course.

As for the name, that is yet vague and unknown, J. J. Abrams had stated that unlike the original series Trek films, this film will have a subtitle with no number following the series title Star Trek, like The Next Generation's film series... hmm... is that a good thing since 75% of the Next Gen movies sucked? We'll see... especially since this movie either way rides a positive wave if you believe the mythos of Star Trek movies (even numbered sequels equal good). So who might be the villain? Right now I think the secondary cast points the way. Not the fact Pike is back.

 We have Noel Clarke as a "family man with a wife and young daughter" for instance.  We have Benedict Cumberbatch as a reported villain... no need to look at him since makeup could drastically change his appearance ala Nero from the last movie.  We have Alice Eve in an unknown role. Maybe daughter?  We have Peter Weller in an unknown role.  We have Joseph Gatt in an unknown role.  We have Nazneen Contractor as the wife of Noel Clarke's character.

While we need those unknowns identified here is my speculation.  Kodos the Executioner. Family characters being survivors of Kodos (Possibly Kirk's relatives). One of the unknowns may be O'Reilly... wait, was that it? From the family characters that's where I drew that idea from. Another possibility is...

 The French Crepe Pancake Parasite Monsters. That would, of course, make Cumberbatch the embodiment of the "hive", the Locutus of the pancake brain cell monsters if you will... I hope not, it might seem interesting but can easily become campy and unwieldy quickly... what was I thinking?  {Editor’s Note: These creatures’ proper name - Denevan Neural Parasite’s – geek cred, oh ya}

 The Excalibans? Be nice if they returned, now intrigued by the radical alterations to reality to set their agenda of pitting good versus evil once again to find out which is stronger. Probably with a Federation Klingon war ala Star Trek Issues #1 to #4 (first DC Comics run back in the 80's).

That's all I could come up with, and I racked my brain hard on the topic. Once again once those unknowns are filled in we'll have a better idea of the pace and direction of the movie... and, of course, once these new info we'll bring it here... as well as the new comics in a future review. See you next month for... urgh... comics based off Michael Bay's Transformers movies... sigh.

by Kevin Curtis Barr

On Writing _____________________________________________________________________________ RKYV ONLINE Printed as PDF | Dec. 2011 | rkyv.online@rogers.com آ

“Honoring a friend” I would like to take this column to simply express a big thank you to:

< Dave

Cockrum, Dick Dillin, >

< Marshal Rogers,

Gene Colan, > …and numerous under-rated and under-paid artists who spent their life giving us entertainment despite their health and poor financial status. So join me in a silent moment remembering these great artists. Next Walk This World I will open up about what each of these artists did to help flourish my imagination. -Michael

Pink – by Corinne Vuillemin Crayons de papier/Pencils on paper, A4

Short Fiction _____________________________________________________________________________ RKYV ONLINE Printed as PDF | Feb. 2012 | rkyv.online@rogers.com Ă˜¢

The warehouse sat in darkness. The windows boarded up and the streetlamps, which were near, conveniently not working. Someone had gone to some effort to make sure Carlton's Gear Works looked abandoned. The intelligence that Conrad Thomas, a member of her Majesty's secret service, had given her was that the place should have been anything but abandoned. The red brick building just off the Thames was supposed to be the centre of Jacque Larouche's operation in London. The woman, who hid in the shadows of the equally bleak Fordson's Cartage building across the street, had been on Larouche's trail for weeks now. It was her assignment, her first since being recruited by her government. They sought an operative for missions that as the Prime Minister had said "not for the rest of the world to know of."

by

Calvin Daniels Part I

The lights of a car turned onto the street. She faded back deeper into the shadows of Fordson's building, the blacks and blues and purples of her suit blending into the darkness. The car pulled up in front of the supposedly abandoned building. It was well past midnight, so whatever had brought those in the car was immediately suspect.

The driver popped out of the car, and after checking the street both ways, a sign of caution if not nerves, opened the rear door. A man, tall and thin, unfolded himself from the back seat. He stood at least a foot taller than the driver, although details of the man were hard to distinguish in the light of a sliver moon and distant street lamps. Of course there was no need to see the details of his face for her to recognize Gaston Bourque. Bourque was Larouche's right hand man. He was the one who got his hands dirty and had spent a few years of his life as a guest of the state as a result of the eagerness he held for his job. Larouche never got blood on his hands. Not directly anyways, or at least nothing the police had been able to prove. That was her job. That job had taken her from the Prime Minister's office to Quebec City, then to the Isle of St. Pierre, the last vestige of French power in North America, unless you counted the nationalists who were starting to make their sentiments for independence known, and now to London. She had almost had Bourque in St. Pierre, but he had slipped away amid an explosion of rum barrels.

And then Aurora would reintroduce herself to Mr. Bourque. Prime Minister St. Laurent would be pleased. *** Aurora reached to her hips with each hand lifting the Nambu pistols holstered there. The Japanese pistols were somewhat an unusual choice, but the compact pistol created in Japan between the great wars an intended for pilots, air crews, and tank crews, were lighter than most and that made them ideal for a woman. Satisfied the pistols were loose in the holster, Aurora slipped across the street, the swirls of color on her skin tight body suit giving her a near ethereal look in the dim lit street. She tried the knob, but as she had expected it was locked. Bourque was not about to leave his lair unlocked. But Aurora had the solution. From a small pouch on her belt she extracted two fine metal picks and went to work. It was a skill she would never have expected to know, but Mickey Monroe had taught her many tricks in exchange for a few years trimmed off his sentence. The lock was a simple enough one, and soon she slipped the tools back in their place, and cracked open the door a sliver.

Bourque, the driver, and a third man, who had exited the rear seat on the building side of the car, had walked to the door, and after knocking, disappeared inside as the door opened.

The room beyond was cast in shadows, a single naked bulb hanging from the ceiling providing the only light.

In the shadows she waited. She would give them time to settle in, feeling safe in their lair.

Aurora slipped inside, closing the door behind her, standing a moment scanning the room. It

appeared empty. Her brow furrowed at that. She would have expected a guard at least. There was only one visible door, directly across from the one she entered, so she advanced towards it. She moved slowly, watching the shadows. Part way across she paused, studying a spot on the floor near a round support pole. She moved to it, and knelt. In a spot where dust had collected was a footprint, one heading in a direction to what appeared like just a wall.

"Ah there you are cherie. I was expecting you," said a voice with a thick French accent. "Good to see you again Bourque. You left too quickly the last time," said Aurora, her eyes taking in the room. The tall man was flanked by the two men from the car, both in well-made black suits, with red ties. They looked the part of businessmen, but she doubted that was the case by the evident bulges of hidden shoulder holsters.

But looks could be deceiving. Aurora knew that all too well. If someone had seen Cynthia North arrive in London days earlier they would not have known the tall, dark-haired Canadian tourist was really an agent of the Canadian government, more correctly a secret agent, since only St. Laurent himself knew that she existed. Aurora made her way toward the supposed wall. There had to be something. Her eyes focused on a shelf. She searched it with her gloved hand, feeling carefully for the mechanism she knew had to be there. She found that a single nail was extending from the left wall bracket. Aurora tried to twist it, but it would not turn then when she pushed it the nail moved about half an inch, movement followed by an audible click. The wall in front of her extended out just an inch or two, turning a section on a central pivot. A shaft of light knifed through from inside. Aurora grabbed the edge and swung the wall open. She moved through the opening.

Four other men, rougher in appearance, the kind that might have worked the factory if it was still operational, were also there. "It was ... unavoidable," he said, a smile turning on his face. "This time I do hope you stay. I have some questions for you regarding Larouche, and the plans he had stolen from Creston Aviation in Toronto." Bourque smiled again. "I think I will be too busy asking questions to answer those. I am most curious who you work for." "I'm just an exterminator, and today you're the rat," said Aurora. Bourque suddenly grew serious. "Get her." The two suits went for their guns. "Alive," he added. "She can't answer question full of lead."

This time Aurora smiled as she reached for the twin sword handles which extended up over her shoulders. The ornate handles carved with symbols of the cougar, felt natural in her hands. The slightly curved blades reflected the light. "This should be fun," she said. *** Aurora could see the men reluctantly drop their hands, not being able to go for the hidden pistols. One of men in suits sneered. "You heard him. Get the bitch." The four men moved forward, suddenly brandishing heavy wrenches and hammers pulled from loops on the overalls. Apparently being taken alive did not mean they could not bruise her. A knock on the head from a heavy spanner would definitely not be a good thing. Aurora took up a defensive stance the hunting swords in each hand. If possible she would not kill these men. That was something she preferred not to do, at least not the hired thugs. Yes they were on the wrong side of the law, but they were doing it for the money, often to feed families. She doubted the four men were evil, and she would hope, given the opportunity, they might be rehabilitated. "You know boys you don't have to do this," she said with a wry smile. The men did nothing to show they would stop, not that she had expected they would. Instead they moved to flank her. They knew their greatest advantage came in their numbers. "Ah,

well if you insist on dancing, I can only consent to oblige," she said. The men said nothing. It was like everything had suddenly slowed down. The men scared to make a mistake that might cost them the advantage they held, Aurora content to wait. The longer it took, the more unsure the men would become. They were not trained fighters, not like she was. Mr. Meunch lived next door to the Norths when she was growing up. Am immigrant from Austria he had taken a liking to the lithe, dark haired girl, and with no son of his own, had chosen to impart the skills of fighting with the hunting swords he himself had grown up with. The blades were common in Europe for centuries. The sword was originally used for finishing off game in lieu of using and wasting further shot, but the short-blade construction was quickly adapted as a weapon by peasants and the military alike. Aurora twisted the tips of the swords, inviting the men in closer. One finally took the bait and lunged at her from the left. It was a clumsy move, and Aurora sidestepped it with ease, planting her elbow squarely between his shoulders as he moved past. The attack was like a signal to the others, and they moved forward, hoping to catch the woman in the midst of her attack on the first. The three might have moved in seeming unison, but it was clear there was no plan to the attack. They were not working as a unit, merely as four men individually after a single prey.

Aurora let the man on her right move in close, and as he lifted a pipe wrench to strike, she ducked low, driving the hilt of one of her swords into his ribcage below the upraised arm. She heard him exhale, keeling forward just enough. She hooked his arm with her own and used his momentum to throw him in a hip toss into the other two men. One tripped over the flailing man, the other stumbled, but kept his feet, He was her next victim. She was on his back in a flash, then driving her elbow hard into the base of his neck. That she wore hard leather cups as elbow guards only made the attack more effective. The man collapsed unconscious. The first man had recovered and rushed to rejoin the fight. "Ah round two," she offered. He grunted and swung wildly, angered at being so easily bested by the woman. "You must learn patience," she said, as again she let him move past her. This time her fist, strengthened by gripping the sword hilt, swung into the man's jaw. It was not as hard as it might have been since he was moving away from her, but his muttering the word "bitch" indicated he had felt it. The man that tripped was back on his feet, and coming at her. She turned to fend off the attack, but failed to account for the other man still in the fray. He rushed at her, and while at the last moment she tried to move out of the way, she was toppled to the ground. The other man was quick to follow up, trying to pin her. It was his mistake. The sword in her right hand flashed, and as he landed it plunged into his gut.

Aurora preferred not to kill, but the game they played was for keeps, and if it came to a choice they would die, not her. She pushed the limp body off her arm, leaving the sword protruding form the man. She could see the color drain from the other two men, as she jumped to her feet, the remanning blade at the ready. "Get out before you're next," she threatened. "I don't want to kill you. I just want Bourque." One man turned his head to look at the other. "I didn't hire on for this Robbie," he said. "Me either," said the other. The first looked at the door, still open and took a single step toward it before the bark of a pistol. He pitched forward, a red circle of blood growing on his back before his body hit the floor. "I can't stand cowards," grinned Bourque, standing beside the man who had pulled his pistol and shot the man. "You son-of-bitch," snarled Aurora. "Why?" "No witnesses," said Bourque. "It looks like we have to kill you too. Such a shame." Aurora dropped the remaining sword and reached for the Nambus on her hips as she started to run straight at the men with guns. ***

To Be Continued‌

Contemplating Infinity – by Stephen Gibb

Cemetary – by Nik Poliwko

Part II Even hard men have their passions and for James Jeshop, they’d all seemed saved for Maggie. Their love ignited something in each other, like matches to sagebrush, from the first glance… Saloon girls don’t often find a husband. By the time they’ve accepted serving horse-piss hooch to degenerate cowboys, letting them play grab-ass for a few extra coin seems the most likely next step in their downward spiral. But none of that for Maggie, no sir, she had a plan. The coin she been squirreling away was to get her hands on some hard scrabble of her own, see if she could make something grow and maybe raise some livestock to boot.

One thing she didn’t need was some drunkard-wretch making that land his, by simple virtue of a lil’ band of gold. Jim did his share of drinking, but never to excess. He projected a calm reserve but kept his senses sharp, knowing all too well how fast a drunken fool could wind up with a knife or bullet in their back. That was probably the first thing Maggie noticed about him – a calm confidence she found intriguing despite the scar on his face. But JJ never took liberties. Then one night she asked James if he’d walk her back to her boarding house, at the end of her shift. “What makes you think you can trust me?” James asked, eyes narrowed, assessing if there was some sort of game she was playing. “Can I trust you, James?” she asked in return, calm and matter-of-fact. Held in her eyes, James let down the first of many walls. “Yes Maggie,” he swallowed, “always…” The hidden tenderness she found within his arms, that night and in the many that followed, was the thread that wove two hearts into one. From then on James’d move heaven and earth to be the sort of man Maggie wanted – to be worthy of this wild plains blossom.

To be continued…

wild plains blossom – by r. j. paré

by Corinne Vuillemin

This Idiot Box This Months Experiment

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic Season 2 Episodes 1 to 14 (first half of Season 2) Channel: The

Hub Produced by Hasbro Studios Run: 2011 to 2012

Sometimes Mr. Pare doesn't know what to do with me... that isn't considered illegal in both the United States and Canada. My suddenly becoming a Brony probably doesn't help. Bronies, if you haven't heard, are the very vocal teen to adult fandom of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic aka Generation 4 Pony. The show transcends its original target audience, thanks greatly to visionaries like Lauren Faust, Rob Renzetti (both of whom sadly left the team and won't be present for Season 3), Daniel Ingram, and many more from the production team to the talented team of voice actresses and actors and so on. All coming together to create a series the whole family can get together and watch, and more importantly enjoy... already a planet-wide phenomenon with fans in over 70 countries across the world, with many fan groups, a wide society of fan comic creators and fan musicians and custom toy makers, fan game makers and even its very own fan convention (BroNYCon). The Brony community is vast, and filled with many a talented individual of all walks and persuasion! Truly the greatest fandom ever created!

The first half of Season 2 (which just wrapped as we roll into the second half) has a great deal of Lesson Zero - Episode 3 highly memorable episodes as you'll see. In the aftermath of Discord its been quiet all The Return of Harmony - Episodes 1 to 2 around Ponyville... too quiet. So quiet in fact Twilight hasn't had anything to report to When strange circumstances like cotton candy Princess Celestia... and she only has hours to clouds raining chocolate milk, mutated rabbits, come up with something before the day is done and more plague the land the Mare Six is called and she misses a deadline, sending the to Canterlot by Princess Celestia, who breaks the determined filly out to find a pony with a bad news that the land is being plagued... by Q... problem needing solving. I mean John DeLancie... I mean Discord, the spirit of chaos. Half past noon Twilight is found curled in the fetal position, petting her own tail talking to Turning to the elements of harmony proves herself. Hours later she triggers a massive city easier said than done as Discord has stolen them. wide riot over her childhood toy Mrs Smarty Worst, by the time they're recovered Discord has Pants. corrupted most of the Mare Six except Twilight Sparkle, turning Ponyville into a mad house in After this episode any of the Mare Six, and the the meantime. Best two-parter yet, and with Cutie Mark Crusaders, can turn in friendship John DeLancie going to BroNYCon this June reports. maybe he's got some news about returning to the show voice acting wise.

Luna Eclipsed - Episode 4

This gets worst after Sweetie Belle spends the day at Sweet Apple Acres with Applejack and Apple Missed it lately? Its hot coincidence. The Hub Bloom, declaring to a partially changed Rarity hasn't aired this episode for weeks on end, that Applejack is her new sister, then Applejack skipping this episode in the last few airings of should be Rarity's sister. Season Two episodes for some reason... that trend hopefully being broken with the We It'll take a sisterly bonding festival at Sweet Hearts Ponies mareathon this February 11th. Apple Acres, the Sisterhooves Social, to get the two sisters back together. Its Nightmare Night, pony equivelant of Halloween, and everypony is out celebrating... Cutie Pox - Episode 6 good time as any for Princess Luna, still trying to get accustomed to life back in Equestria after Speaking of Apple Bloom after the latest failed being exiled as the evil Nightmare Moon for a attempt to gain a cutie mark by the Cutie Mark thousand years. Twilight helps Luna adjust, and Crusaders through bowling, a rather despondant enjoy her first Nightmare Night with a little help Apple Bloom drops in on Zecora (litterly) and from her friends... more or less. ends up learning about a flower called Heart's Desire... which sets Apple Bloom on a scheme Sisterhooves Social - Episode 5 that gains her a cutie mark... two cutie marks... three... four... oh, she also contracts a long lost When Rarity's parents leave on a week vacation pony plague called Cutie Poxs. they leave her younger sister Sweetie Belle in Rarity's care... which promptly falls apart hours Awkward. into day one with both sisters disowning the other.

May The Best Pet Win - Episode 7

Btw sorry young fillies and colts of Ponyville who invested all your hopes and dreams in Mare Did you know the fillies of the Mare Six gather Do Well... you're about to be hoofed hard once at the park every week for a pony pet play date? Rainbow Dash learns her lesson... sorry. Apparently that is a surprise to Rainbow Dash too as she discovers this out by accident. This Sweet and Elite - Episode 9 compels her to get her hooves wet in the whole pet raising thing... starting with a reality TV style While in Canterlot restocking on fabrics for her competition to find the best pet, only to end up boutique, a guest of Princess Celestia at picking the most obvious pet... also a pet that is Canterlot Castle thanks to Twilight Sparkle, part of one of her brush-able pony sets from the Rarity is planning to thank Twi for her toy line or so I hear... weird. generosity by creating an ensemble for her birthday... which is derailed when she falls in The Mysterious Mare Do Well - Episode 8 with the One Percent high end ponies of Canterlot, ultimately ditching on Twilight's Apparently Rainbow Dash is now all that and a birthday in order to attend an exclusive rich bag of Derpy Hooves approved muffins because, garden party. after saving a filly from a deep well, she has become the hero of Ponyville, complete with a However fate is not quite done with Rarity as Scootaloo led Rainbow Dash fan club. All this Twilight moves her party to Canterlot, forcing attention goes right to Rainbow's mane and Rarity to chose between her friends and the One makes her an insufferable ego monger. Suddenly Percent after literally dancing the line between a new heroine, the Mysterious Mare Do Well, the two trying to have it both ways attending shows up to steal Rainbow's spotlight and teach both the garden party and Twilight's party her a lesson in humility... literally held side by side.

Hearth's Warming Eve - Episode 11 The Secret of My Excess - Episode 10

2011 closing episode, the Mare Six participate in the yearly Hearth's Warming Eve stage production, We're celebrating Spike's birthday today (the telling the origin of Equestria and how the three circumstances of his birth seen in Season 1 Episode formerly separate races of Earth Pony, Pegasus and 24 Cutie Mark Chronicles)... but the story actually Unicorn came together to form a nation united. begins a week earlier during Twilight approved Reshelving Day, when Spike gives Rarity a rare fire Family Appreciation Day - Episode 12 gem he was saving to eat on his birthday as a gift to her. This sets the stage for his birthday as receiving Every Monday at the end of the day one student so much gifts on his birthday triggers his dragon invites a family member to speak before the class. hoarding instinct causing him to grow like crazy, This week Miss Cheerilee is proud to announce that hungry to hoard everything he can get his claws on. it is Apple Bloom's turn... however the ultra rare harvesting of the mystical Zap Apples is occurring At the end he tries to hoard Rarity in a King Kong that day and there seems to be no one capable of move, only to be reminded of his gift to her which coming... except Granny Smith. Diamond Tiara gives him the strength to turn away from being a thinks its a great idea that Granny Smith come, greedy monster and turn back to normal... foolishly believing that Granny Smith will embarrass thousands of feet off the ground causing both to Apple Bloom... This is an idea she brainwashes almost fall to their deaths. Spike tries to confess his Apple Bloom into believing, as she conspires with feelings for Rarity only for her to hush him, the Cutie Mark Crusaders to try and stop Granny seemingly admitting she always knew his feelings for Smith from coming on Family Appreciation Day. her... a situation sadly not followed up on this She does show up, and promptly blows Diamond Valentine's Day episode... oh well. Tiara out of the water as she retells the founding of Ponyville and the origins of Zap Apples as it pertains to the Apple family and Sweet Apple Acres.

Baby Cakes - Episode 12 Behold Pony Genetics! One month prior heralded the blessed event of the birth of twin foals Pound and Pumpkin Cake to the Cakes (Cup and Carrot Cake, the propriators of Sugarcube Corner). Almost immediately Pinkie Pie became a surrogate big sister to them, but trusting her to babysit? One month later, after trying to recruit every other member of the Mare Six to babysit, the Cakes entrust care of the twins to Pinkie Pie... let the chaos begin! Ultimately its a great episode, and while it has echoes of the lesson learned back in Stare Master (Season One) about getting in over one's mane in taking too much responsibility, it also teaches Pinkie Pie about caregiving for babies and how it is more than being a playmate and the responsibilities of caring for babies. The Last Roundup - Episode 13 AKA the Derpy Hooves episode... download my newest Equestria This Week episode (Episode 8) about that and the Derping of Derpy. A week ago Applejack went off to the Equestrian Rodeo over at Canterlot to compete, today a postcard returns to Ponyville claiming she isn't returning home. The rest of the Mare Six head out in search of her, tracking her down to western boomtown Dodge Springs where she is once again Stubborn Jack (as seen in Applebuck Season from Season One), refusing to return home let alone why she is so stubborn... the Mare Six has to find out why.

The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 - Episode 14 It's almost as if you can tell what the season is just by the nature of the line stretching across the Sweet Apple Acres. This time out it's Cider Season, and poor Rainbow Dash can't seem to catch a break. She gets stuck in Equestria's longest line, is denied cider at the last second, and becomes so desperate she is willing to eat dirt with cider spilled on it... wow, that's some addiction there Rainbow. The Apple Family is challenged to cider making this vaudevillian colt duo with the rather dubious name of the Flim Flam Brothers with Sweet Apple Acres as the prize... a contest doomed to failure once the rest of the Mare Six join in, the brothers panicking which all but ensures a hollow victory immediately turning into bitter defeat.

Best part of the episode? Applejack's letter to Princess Celestia where she learned... absolutely nothing! Which seems to be the letter Hasbro can now send to the princess as a minor voice derp has exploded into into an impossibly full scale inconceivable Derpocalypse. Ill have more coverage of the ever growing Derpocalypse in Equestria This Week Episode 9. Coming soon. Next Month Escaping the Derpocalypse, we check in on a new season of Transformers with Transformers Prime Season 2 premiere, and the premiere of Transformers Rescue Bots. Until next time everyone. Bye... now go buy some muffins and show support for Derpy Hooves! Yay for the Muffin Queen! Derpy! Derpy! Derpy!

[Latest oil painting] – by Roger Price

Poetry _____________________________________________________________________________ RKYV ONLINE Printed as PDF | Feb. 2012 | rkyv.online@rogers.com آ

Selected Poem

by David Stone manips by r. j. paré

Twilight, by Dr. Seuss Jake likes a girl. Her name is Bella. Bella likes a different fella. See this vamp? This is Ed. Ed is pale. Ed is dead. Ed saved Bella from a van. Ed must be a special man. Ed won't kill boys. He won't kill girls. Ed gets fed on deer and squirrels. This is James. He's a tracker. He's a sort of vamp attacker. James hunts Bella for a thrill. Will Ed kill him? Yes, he will. But James gave her a little bite. Will she be a vamp? She might! Edward fixes Bella's cut. She won't be a vampire. But... She becomes one. Read some more. She's a vampire in book 4.

Selected Poem by Dani Raschel Jimenez

After Sex Last night, blood banged against walls of veins, and Africa tucked back into South America, and India bumped against Antarctica once again. What’s left today—human oil scenting wrists and thighs, continents breaking up, Pangaea no more.

Jess B&W 11– by Josh Bowe

Selected Poem by Frances Nichols Vargas

Some Days

Some days I am swallowed up in your effects Other days I desire your kindness

Some days I sense you I remember that special touch Some days Your unforgettable signature I feel the happiness Filled with your remarkable nuances And other days I ache with pain It is always near and still far enough to enjoy and despise or even lust Some days I playfully run away looking for places of escape Some days Some simpler days I remember how you could make me smile Or even how hard I would cry Some days Wondering often why I ritually wander through the days That I know were created for me Some days As my destiny I fill with your excitement Others emotionally drained and ripped apart by Some days sadness I breathe in deeply anticipating the welcome of the sparkling annual atmospheric Some days ways of sweeping change Oh- there are just some days

Blinded by Rage, Paralysed by Fear

– by Stephen Gibb

Selected Poetry by Marie Lecrivain

virgin song (inspired by Amy Tan) the young girl strikes a chord to announce the arrival of spring dark eyes veiled as she sings the song of her death

she’s a rose to be plucked at the height of sweetness to vanish in a cascade of blood red petals scattered between two white columns

Bells in the Sky – by Marie Lecrivain

Poetic Perspectives by r. j. parĂŠ

7-Eleven {what time is it?} A young man walking, on his way home {just walking around looking about} Canned iced tea and a bag of skittles {this guy looks like he is up to no good} Nervous now, so the young man hurries {these assholes, they always get away} Gunman is following him {we don't need you to do that} Then one sad wannabe meets a harmless hoodie wearing teen and one life ends at 7:16... 7-Eleven {why?} {why?} {why?}

Raised on Saturday Morning Cartoons by Pauline ParĂŠ

NOT ENOUGH CROSSOVERS! When

researching occurrences of television crossovers, I found one very disturbing fact. There really are not very many. At least not as many as I would have liked. Of course having Lurch from the Addams family in a cameo on Batman the TV series was terribly amusing, but most crossovers are a result of spin-offs. No, I can’t count Samantha and Darren from Bewitched in a short stint as the neighbours on The Flintstones considering they had to be animated.

Saturday mornings used to be a wealth of crossovers. Animated crossovers continue to be very popular and are televised as events. Just look at the Laff-A-Lympics which combined all the Hanna Barbara characters in a pseudo game show.

There was also a famous Power Rangers / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover. The DC Cartoons feature crossovers of DC characters in each other’s cartoons. These are able to occur because the same studios own each of the characters. Television crossovers occur mainly because of spinoffs. Frasier was a character on Cheers before he had his own show. The gang from cheers would occasionally drop by Frasier’s condo and shake up his life. There was a shared character of Ursula Buffay on both Friends and Mad About You. There was even an event evening where the Mad About you cast dealt with a New York blackout. The same evening, the Friends cast dealt with presumably the same blackout.

Still, we are restricted to crossovers between shows in the same production companies and they are a rarity. The live action crossover award has to go to the character of Detective Munch. As a Baltimore Detective on Homicide: Life on the Streets, Munch helped Fox Mulder and Dana Scully on X-Files. When Homicide folded, the character moved to New York and over to the Law and Order franchise. This single character has appeared in seven television series including The Wire and 30 Rock. A good intersecting character can be so much enjoyable to watch. We see them interact with the same characters week after week and it is fun to shake things up with a change of setting.

Fiction writing is my first love and for the relatively quiet summer season, I plan to intersperse my writing with fictional crossovers of my favourite shows and characters. I hope you will enjoy these stories as much as I will enjoy writing them. Watch for next issue when Dr. Sheldon Cooper (Big Bang Theory) visits the Jeffersonian to assist Dr. Temperance Brennan in a case involving a murdered physicist. Before I go, I have to mention how much I am going to miss House on Fox. Hugh Laurie showed us just how much we could enjoy watching a narcissistic, brilliant curmudgeon for the last 8 years. The medical cases moved along too fast to be true but it was the character interactions that brought us back year after year. I am considering using House as an inspiration for a Crossover short story. The absence of this quirky, well written character piece in next season’s television line-up will be noticed. Farewell and good luck.

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