his own boundaries Knowing where he’d come from and where he wanted to go wasn’t enough He needed to decide whether to devote himself to this place and these people or to keep searching for a way home Again he looked at Frida His mind and heart ached to remain with her his urge to leave this world was fad ing like an old pair of jeans Did it really matter where they were if they couldn’t be together in the moment If the captain had learned anything from recent events it was that time might be more important than space in this game Maybe the future depended on how he came to terms with his past
CHAPTER 1 Roberto scribbled a line crossed out a few words and sat back with a sigh This writing stuff was harder than roping riding and herd ing cattle put together One thing that writing and riding herd had in common though he noticed was the need for stick-to-it-iveness Slacking off wouldn’t get cattle to market or this advertisement written and posted for all to see And nobody’s gonna spur me on to finish the job the cowboy-turned-cavalry-commander muttered He returned his attention to the marked-up page Just then a hairy black spider crawled into view It scuttled toward him Trying to concentrate Rob drew his iron sword and let the arachnid impale itself on the blade Instinctively he reached for the string that 1
2 Nancy Osa dropped and the creature’s eye which bounced on the ground a few times before it could roll away Distrac tions distractions he thought idly wrapping one end of the string around the eye and the other around his hand and batting the eyeball with his palm He realized what he was doing and threw the toy away Think he commanded himself After a bit more work he’d completed a satisfac tory draft It read PIONEARS WANTED New United Biomes of the Overworld cap itle city under construction seeks villagers and players looking to relocate No invest ment nessissary City of Beta offers start-up economy protection from mobs and greifers family-friendly atmisfere Approved immigrints recieve free shelter month’s supply of food and access to jobs Beautiful extreme hills location Apply Beta City Hall What’s that you’ve got there sir asked Stormie She’d left her TNT crafting to see what the captain was
Spawn Point Zero 3 doing The fit dark-skinned young woman appeared capable of providing strong offense or defense with or without explosives Rob frowned trying not to gawk at her black crop top and shorts A cavalry commander’s attitude toward his troops had to be strictly neutral It’s an ad for the new city Private But I’m not sure about my spelling She took the paper from him and read it to herself lips moving Just a few mistakes Captain Sounds good though I’d apply if I weren’t already here Her contagious grin spread to Rob Thanks He took in the camp the battalion was setting up and the larger construction project under way up the hill These settlements were dwarfed by a mountainous slope that rose in stair-steps to the sky behind them Just think of the possibilities Stormie said to the captain At this moment it’s the perfect city Rob wished he could share her enthusiasm There was no telling what type of element his advertisement would attract He ran a tan hand wearily through his shock of black hair City’s only as perfect as the peo ple in it Or the ones behind it Stormie insisted In that case Rob thought wryly we’d better add another coat of paint
