Jarad refused to accompany Alexand to their new quarters in Saskatoon military base, but Alex, fearing for the safety of her unborn son, retreated there alone.

The writer gives life to a story, the reader keeps it alive.
Alexand finds the Ocular Cyber-technology ward, where there are patients being assessed, and other patients recovering from operations. Sister Ancille sits reading to a man with bandages around his eyes but stops when she sees Alexand.

Alexand and Jarad returned home, back to Jarad’s house, which is in the middle of the woods. There are no other houses for miles, which was ideal for Alexand, as she sees it as a retreat from her stressful military life. She can be part of two worlds, whist remaining blissfully outside of both. She and Jarad have spent the night making love, as they have done every night, since they returned from Hong Kong. (Please be warned this issue contains some scenes, some readers may find offensive. If so then you may prefer to read issue # 344: Jay and Ali where Katherine gets her cloned cat back.)

The Guild Master’s General wants to show Katherine something important, as he knows she will try to contact Alexand now she has her writer back. He takes her to Saskatoon, just before dawn, to the military graveyard, where Katherine’s fake corpse is buried.

After three more weeks on Christmas Island, recovering, Alexand is now fit for duty, and has returned to her army base in Saskatoon, India.

Katherine returned to her apartment to attempt to digest all the events of the past few hours on board the Kyuunansen. She is alone, with her cat, getting acquainted with him, contemplating her future on the ship, and the prospect of a drug, which reverses the ageing process.

Heyem has been very depressed since she got back home to Hong Kong. She has received no news about Alex, and is deeply worried about her sister. She has not heard from Inajda, and Alex hasn’t returned to her military base. Heyem has continued with her life, but has grown more despondent. She has taken to drinking, to attempt to suppress her emotions. After her lecture is over, she heads out into the city, to a bar, to get drunk and perhaps pick up a woman.

Antun Rekaya has turned his youngest son’s bedroom into a hospital room for Alexand. Alex hasn’t woken, since she arrived, because Doctor Azizi has sedated her in an attempt to stabilise her. Jarad hasn’t left her bedside for two weeks.

Colonel Katherine De Somme has been honoured with a full military funeral. Her parents, although invited, are absent, but her wife, Alexand, stands next to Field Marshal Panak, dressed in her uniform, as Field Marshal Panak presents her with Katherine’s medals. It is an open casket.

Katherine sits by the window in her laboratory, synthesising more inhibitor for the patients in the sickbay. She is getting nervous, today is the day she was promised a visit from a future version of herself, and the cure to her illness.

It is finally the fourteenth of May, and The Guild Master’s General has been watching over Katherine as she sleeps. He fades between energy and matter, making himself invisible to Katherine’s nurse as she injects a dose of adrenaline into Katherine’s bloodstream, to wake her up.

Katherine has been in a self induced coma for five days, and in all that time, the Guild Master’s General has made sure he watches over her, guarding her from Amanojuko agents.

Katherine is suspicious of Kothari, and despite all the signs she has changed her allegiance, Katherine has been highly trained not to give away information concerning the resistance.

Alexand returns after having tried to reason with Georges De Somme but is still determined to find the identity of the woman who infected Katherine. It’s ten at night and she sits in the bar with Katherine. (Happy New Year everyone!) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.

Alexand and Katherine have travelled to Alexand’s home village to get married. (As Alexand has a very large family, who couldn’t afford to travel to India, and none of Katherine’s family replied to the invitations) Alexand’s younger brother, Farokh is one of the guests. Heyem is Alexand’s “best Woman,” much to her delight. Even Alexand’s mother Inajda has managed to find time from her very busy military schedule to be there. Unfortunately Farokh sees through what should be a happy occasion to things disintegrating beneath. (From left to right: Inajda Rekaya, Jarad Vijay, Farokh Merek, Katherine De Somme, Alexand Merek and Heyem Merek.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.

Katherine finally relented to Alexand’s charm. (See Love In A Box Part 1) The morning after, Alex is asleep, and Katherine lies, wondering about their future. Note: Katherine was injected with a virus, by Helga Ritter, to silence her (See Amanojuko Part 3) after discovering a government induced plague, was genetically engineered and that some members of the establishment are attempting to live forever. As a result of being injected with “plague” Katherine is dying. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.

Jarad Vijay has spent the past four years, bringing up his son alone, after his wife, Alexand, was taken and placed in an asylum for crimes against the military. Once released she woke from a catatonic state. Six months have passed since she woke. Jarad hoped her recovery would enable him to rebuild their lives as a family. Unfortunately, things aren’t that simple. (Jarad and Alexand grew up together as children. They were forced into the military at a young age. Jarad left, but Alexand remained a soldier. Their lives drifted apart until a series of events brought them back together. They were married after Alexand was widowed. Jarad believes she is still grieving for her dead wife, Katherine De Somme. He is very much in love with her, but this further separation in the form of Alexand’s imprisonment, has done little for their relationship. Alexand is very traumatised by her ordeal inside the asylum and Jarad doesn’t know if he can help her recover from it.) Trivia: Why has Alexand got metal fingers? Answer: Her fingers were severed by a samurai sword, during a mission as a young woman. (See issue 9:) The sword bearer was a man dressed in a black balaclava. He appears throughout time and place. People come to know him as The Guild Master’s General, but know little about him. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.

This story is set seven months before issue # 1: Alexand Merek, (a week after her release from an asylum). Samuel Merevija is only four years old. His mother was taken from him and his father when he was a baby, but now she has been brought back to their family home, after spending four years in a floating asylum ship. Samuel doesn’t understand why his mother won’t speak. He has made some special things for her to try and bring her back to his world. (Characters from left to right are: Samuel Merevija, Jarad Vijay and Alexand Merek). (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.

Images, story and characters, © Cheryl Moore
Alexand Merek has been released from a floating asylum. She has just woken from catatonia. This story is set fifty years before her first appearance in my series of novels. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.

Images, story and characters, © Cheryl Moore