Bright Shadows 2: A Hinterlands Anthology

Yellow Eye Skyward

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Respite

Mit'ka (meet-kah) navigates a brave new world while seriously doubting her sanity.

Has she made a friend, or is it a trap?

Note:

• The possibility of using tungsten as a nuclear fuel intrigues me. The energy yield would be far less than with traditional nuclear fuels (uranium and plutonium). However, one can speculate that it could power handheld devices — such as ray guns. And spent tungsten could be "reenergized." Just not in a battery because "reenergizing" would require a nuclear fusion process. Therefore, spent fuel would be a valuable commodity.

Mit'ka is a shapeshifting cyborg who's partially nuclear powered by tungsten.

(Technical note: As far as I understand, every naturally occurring isotope of tungsten is mildly radioactive — and undergoes radioactive decay via emitting 1 alpha ray [Helium-4 nucleus]. However, I didn't find record of any gamma ray emission.

(3 particular isotopes have my attention since their atomic nuclei, and their daughter products, have the same spin [a factor important in quantum mechanics].)

My conclusion:

• If isotopically purified, then accelerating tungsten's radioactive decay (in small batches) might be a viable, "safe?", nuclear power source — although I don't expect top energy efficiencies much more than 60% — if even that high. (20% to 40% energy efficiencies would be potentially viable for man-portable devices.)

For multiple reasons, incorporating both tungsten oxide and hafnium oxide in the reactor core seems reasonable. I haven't yet ruled out tungsten sulfide and hafnium sulfide. However, the sulfides would weigh more per unit of energy yield than the oxides — a factor to consider in mobile devices, including man-portable ones.

Even so, if the sulfides could be induced to fluoresce at predictable frequencies of light, then that might be allow reasonably high energy efficiency. Just design a solar cell to efficiently operate at acceptably precise frequencies. (I believe that appropriate solar cell technologies are presently in research and development. [As of 2022.])

Regardless, the maximum energy yield per gram for each isotope of tungsten could be precisely calculated — even for isotopes other than my top 3 favorites. The rarest, naturally occurring isotope may give the highest energy yield per gram. Additionally, that isotope is one of my top 3 picks.

It's been a while since I've done my calculations. Which I did while doing research for a space-opera project that I had abandoned for numerous reasons. Therefore, this idea may be expounded upon further in future, sci-fi projects. Also, I need to double check my facts and figures to date — in case I've made any technical errors.

Hence, there's a chance that I've made a few miscalculations. Still, the idea that tungsten could be a viable, sci-fi grade, nuclear fuel has my attention. So does the idea that the spent fuel could be both recycled and recharged. (Accelerating the radioactive decay of either radon or radium as part of the spent fuel's nuclear recharging process presents intriguing possibilities.)

**

By the way, this story being about a cybernetic super-heroine, I'm assuming 60% energy efficiency. Just because she's really high-tech.

Ok?

**

My name is Mit'ka Ivanova Yeltsin, and I'm lost.

I've spent the last 18 days assimilating the local, Germanic + Vulgar Latin dialect. It's been solidly overcast the whole time. This nixes stellar navigation. The region is mountainous, and the trees are as big as redwoods. This is clearly not Europe!

The architecture is almost "Bavarian." For one, many buildings are octagonal, cylindrical, or domed. Makes sense: lower surface area to volume ratio. Easier to heat, and more aerodynamic in high winds.

Also clear is that my memory core is damaged. This conclusion creates a pall over my ordeal. I require a trustworthy, and objective, external frame of reference. Additionally, blue and green have visually swapped places. So, why are my eyes still blue? Unless they're now actually green!

And...

And why, oh why does the sunlight look burnt?

Maybe I'm hallucinating. Best hunker down and avoid the local constabulary.

This café is curious. No cash registers. Dark Earth tones color scheme. Tables made of bright metal plus red glass. Plenty of clear, colorless sneeze shields: maybe polycarbonate? The staff wears gloves and cloth face masks.

Practical. Communal. Sanitary.

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"More brew?" the suspiciously perky waitress repeats for, what? The third time?

"Uh. Sure." Don't ask. It's not coffee. And, with the right ID, it's free. Then, with that ID, it's all free. Must be a company town. "I, I was just watching, the, um? Um?" Now, what's a word for Freakishly Huge Dragonflies??

"Birds. They flock this time of the lunar cycle. Beautiful, aren't they? Hey! Where are you from? I love your accent! We get few foreigners," the pretty waitress adds conspiratorially.

"Stalingrad via Gdańsk. It's a city in Poland."

"A colony?"

"That word works. But you've never heard of either, have you?"

"No," the mousy waitress admits sheepishly. "Uh. Are you going to eat anything today?" Sniff, sniff! "You smell hungry."

O... K... Maybe mousy ain't the right word! Mousy in color and demeanor, perhaps, but in heart & soul she's a looker! Hmm. Her hair...? Must be the indoor lighting.

"Submerged heme honey," she explains.

Huh?

"Submerged heme honey? You slushy, dear heart?"

Oh. Low blood sugar. Smile at her! Yeah. Like I'd be convinced... "I'm Ok. Um... You recommend...?"

"Roast dragon steak, cow eggs yellow eye skyward, and blue fruit custard."

What?! "Cow eggs?"

The waitress laughs. "Roosters don't plop eggs, I surely sure hope not!"

Interesting dialect. "Sounds good, but, um, yellow eye — groundward? Two. Good. Modest steak: not raw inside. Did, do? Do you need to see my papers again?"

"No. I'll revisit soonest." The waitress winks before departing.

Stay calm! Not my papers, and she knows it! Ok. If she was going to scorch me, she'd have done it already! Steady... I've made a friend.

I hope.

That sound?! Oh! It's a downpour! Time to leave!

But... I Am Hungry

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It's dark and cold. I'm drenched. I'm homeless in this bizarre place! I can't go back to the morgue! I also need to refuel. Getting low on tungsten.

"Salute? Oh! I startled you! Sorry! My apologies!"

Scanning... Her. "It's OK. My sensors are uncalibrated. And that's nonsense to you. Is it time for me to vacate the property?"

"Wait! Please? My iron carriage is over there! Stay at my hive tonight. Warm cell. Soft nest. Your Poland colony is a hike. And it's vampire weather."

Hive? Vampire? Please be slang! "Sure!"

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