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Román Leão

Román Leão

Burn Your Starry Crown: A nascent cyclical triptych

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Category: 1889—First Pass

10:3 The Miracle

August 6, 2018August 11, 2018 ~ Román Leão ~ 2 Comments

MILAKALE, KAUA‘I, THE REPUBLIC OF HAWAI‘I  |  1889 As the Sun began to sink behind the ancient volcanic mountain to the west, a small crowd of concerned onlookers populated Milakale Beach. Flaming torches surrounding the stone heiau threw a dancing, satanic light over the scene. As Fox hurried past worried faces, he imagined they were … Continue reading 10:3 The Miracle

10:2 A Carpet of Flowers

August 6, 2018August 11, 2018 ~ Román Leão ~ Leave a comment

MILAKALE, KAUA‘I, THE REPUBLIC OF HAWAI‘I  |  1889 On the landing, the pair was welcomed by the Lanthier’s housekeeper, Noelani Mahoe, who proved to be a gracious hostess in her own right and placed opulent flower leis on the shoulders of both travelers as they disembarked the steamship. The humid air and heady mix of … Continue reading 10:2 A Carpet of Flowers

10:1 At the Landing

July 30, 2018August 11, 2018 ~ Román Leão ~ Leave a comment

MILAKALE, KAUA‘I, THE REPUBLIC OF HAWAI‘I  |  1889 The Pride of Jefferson steamed into the harbor at Lihue as a light morning rain watered the garden island of Kaua‘i. The crowded harbor was abuzz with activity; sugar plantations to the north and south of the boom town were drawing workers from all over the Pacific. … Continue reading 10:1 At the Landing

9:2 The Captain’s Folly

July 27, 2018August 11, 2018 ~ Román Leão ~ Leave a comment

THE PACIFIC OCEAN  |  1889 As the familiar sailor opened the hatch to the Pride of Jefferson’s enclosed bridge and motioned Philomena inside, Captain Monk turned from a table of charts and smiled. “Well, Miss Fox, it is a singular pleasure to have such a beautiful young woman on my bridge,” he rhapsodized. “I understand … Continue reading 9:2 The Captain’s Folly

9:1 Below Deck

July 20, 2018August 11, 2018 ~ Román Leão ~ Leave a comment

THE PACIFIC OCEAN  |  1889 Giving up the idea of ever closing her eyes again and having few earthly possessions to be concerned about, Philomena wandered the ship as other passengers readied themselves for arrival in Kaua‘i. A persistent thrumming behind a closed door labeled CREW ONLY finally piqued the interest of the precocious girl. … Continue reading 9:1 Below Deck

8:6 Unfinished Business

July 19, 2018August 11, 2018 ~ Román Leão ~ Leave a comment

THE AETHER  |  1889 The I that is I remembers. Fireworks. Not the brightly colored displays that print themselves upon the retinas, but the idea of fireworks. Something I am supposed to do. This feeling of forgetting to have done something has kept me from embracing the I that is All. How provincial to have bought … Continue reading 8:6 Unfinished Business

8:5 An Uncanny Stowaway

July 17, 2018August 11, 2018 ~ Román Leão ~ Leave a comment

THE PACIFIC OCEAN  |  1889 Philomena quickly realized there wasn’t much involved in watching over her drugged guardian sleep in the dark cabin. Fox was stretched flat out on the berth still dressed in his evening clothes with only his shoes missing. A barely perceptible snore was the only sign that he was still alive. … Continue reading 8:5 An Uncanny Stowaway

8:4 Unknown Tongue

July 12, 2018August 11, 2018 ~ Román Leão ~ Leave a comment

THE PACIFIC OCEAN  |  1889 It was Fox’s turn to awake disoriented in his cabin berth, a piercing pain in his head. As he tried to rise, he was gently admonished and held back by a firm hand. “You gave us quite a scare there, sir,” a voice Fox did not recognize came through the … Continue reading 8:4 Unknown Tongue

8:3 Just Like Icarus

July 7, 2018August 11, 2018 ~ Román Leão ~ Leave a comment

THE PACIFIC OCEAN  |  1889 Following the overly rich dinner at which Philomena wisely kept her otherworldly experience to herself, the table dispersed for each party to go best figure out how to digest the meal on their own. For their part, Fox and Philomena wandered the polished upper decks, finding a crowd of people … Continue reading 8:3 Just Like Icarus

8:2 The Captain’s Table

July 2, 2018August 11, 2018 ~ Román Leão ~ Leave a comment

THE PACIFIC OCEAN  |  1889 The unlikely pair found Fox holding court in a large salon illuminated by immense skylights made up of intricate patterns of cut glass. Several of Edison’s lamps hung in matching chandeliers adding to the disorienting kaleidoscopic effect. Upon noticing his charge enter the room, Fox suspended whatever web of nonsense … Continue reading 8:2 The Captain’s Table

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Eras (Three Different Ones)

  • 1889—First Pass (28)
  • 1972—Second Pass (28)
  • 2055—Contact (14)

The Story So Far

  • 24:3 Nature Always Wins
  • 24:2 General Shorty
  • 24:1 In Good Hands
  • 23:5 Beyond the Plastic Curtain
  • 23:4 A Blast of Static
  • 23:3 Light’s Out
  • 23:2 Mercy is Given
  • 23:1 When Mercy Is Shown
  • 22:3 My God, It’s Full of Stars
  • 22:2 The Body Wants What It Wants
  • 22:1 Inside the Snow Globe
  • 21:3 One Hell of a View
  • 21:2 Spacewalk
  • 21:1 Don’t the Sun Love Its Satellite?
  • 19:1 Out of the Blue
  • 18:5 Lost Footage: Chae Burton
  • 18:4 Lost Footage: Zongo Khumalo
  • 18:3 Lost Footage: Charlie Danger
  • 18:2 Lost Footage: Enrique Bravocado
  • 18:1 Lost Footage: Police Chief Warren Burton
  • 17:4 He’s Gone
  • 17:3 Nobody’s Priest
  • 17:2 Palace of Delights
  • 17:1 Hiding In Plain Sight
  • 16:5 Lost Footage: Enrique Bravocado
  • 16:4 Lost Footage: Chae Burton
  • 16:3 Lost Footage: Charlie Danger
  • 16:2 Lost Footage: Zongo Khumalo
  • 16:1 Lost Footage: Enrique Bravocado
  • 15:3 There Be Dragons
  • 15:2 My Sweet Angel
  • 15:1 A Man Who Can Get Things Done
  • 14:4 Lost Footage: Charlie Danger
  • 14:3 Lost Footage: Karoline Rosenda
  • 14:2 Lost Footage: Zongo Khumalo
  • 14:1 Lost Footage: Enrique Bravocado
  • 13:1 A-OK
  • 12:2 A Civilized Cup of Tea
  • 12:1 Charlie Does Surf
  • 11:3 Lost Footage: Celestial Records
  • 11:2 Lost Footage: Zongo Khumalo
  • 11:1 Lost Footage: Charlie Danger
  • 10:3 The Miracle
  • 10:2 A Carpet of Flowers
  • 10:1 At the Landing
  • 9:2 The Captain’s Folly
  • 9:1 Below Deck
  • 8:6 Unfinished Business
  • 8:5 An Uncanny Stowaway
  • 8:4 Unknown Tongue
  • 8:3 Just Like Icarus
  • 8:2 The Captain’s Table
  • 8:1 Sure Shot at Sea
  • 7:2 Two Soldiers
  • 7:1 A Proposal in Plaid
  • 6:2 Islands of the Dead
  • 6:1 Leaving California
  • 5:3 Becalmed
  • 5:2 A Place at the Table
  • 5:1 The Big House
  • 4:2 Is There No One?
  • 4:1 Smoke and Ash
  • 3:4 Tortured Shadows
  • 3:3 Almost Showtime
  • 3:2 Don’t Look Back
  • 3:1 Summer’s Over
  • 2:3 Fireworks
  • 2:2 School Holiday
  • 2:1 Three-Fingered Puppet Show
  • 1:1 The Letter

Characters—1889

Mordikai Fox
Itinerant tent preacher turned religious cult leader, voluptuary, impromptu father

Philomena Fox (née Gilliam)
Orphaned illegitimate daughter of the mercantilist, talks to ghosts

Emilia Gilliam
Philomena’s mother, Fox’s lover, Mortimer’s widow

Mortimer Gilliam
Owner of the Fiesta mercantile, deceased, ghost

Niall Hendry
San Francisco haberdasher and man who can get things done

Jin Jun
Cook at Milakale, the Lanthiers’ estate on Kaua‘i

Makana Kealoha
Kahuna kupua, traditional Hawai‘ian healer

Anias Lanthier
Sugar baroness, hostess, and true believer

Alexander Lanthier
Wealthy sugar baron and poor equestrian

Romo Laurant
Sailor aboard the steamship Pride of Jefferson

Maleko Mahoe
Nephew of Noelani, Philomena’s partner in crime

Noelani Mahoe
Works at Milakale, surrogate mother of Maleko

Capt. Kasper Munk
Captain of the steamship Pride of Jefferson

Lucette Narcisse
Childhood friend of Philomena

Aaron Urias
Fox’s aide-de-camp and partner since the War Between the States

Jeremiah Erasmus Washburn III
Confederate soldier, deceased, ghost

Dr. Coleman Whitaker
Doctor aboard the steamship Pride of Jefferson

Visitors

  • 2,445 hits

Characters—1972

Zev Avidan
Head of Celestial Records, a mensch

Devon Bentley
Supposedly deceased rock star turned cult leader

Enrique Bravocado
Humboldt County transplant, Milakale’s Minister of Agriculture

Chae Burton
Charlie Danger’s ex-old lady, Devon Bentley acolyte

Charlie Danger
Vietnam veteran, surfer / chopper pilot, Zongo Khumalo’s partner-in-crime

Ikaia “Sticky Icky” Keala
Native Hawai‘ian Milakale communard

Zongo Khumalo
The former Fred Williams, Milakale’s caretaker

Lucette Narcisse
Inheritor of the Milakale property, hip nonagenarian

Karoline Rosenda
Head of A&R for Celestial Records, Devon Bentley babysitter

Bearach “Bear” Shane
A man who can get things done. Zev Avidan’s fixer

Raenbeaux Starr
Trouble with a capital T

Characters—2055

Ancher Bjoern
Norwegian astrogeologist on the Jefferson One / reprogrammed sex robot

Gustavo “Gus” Clement
Guidance, Navigation and Controls System Engineer (GNC) at Mission Control

Nika Polina Konstantinov
Russian second-in-command of the international spacecraft Jefferson One

Luciana Laurant
Electrical, Environmental and Consumables Manager (EECOM) at Mission Control

Capt. Thomas Major
Captain of the international spacecraft Jefferson One

Soléne Pape
French exobiologist on the Jefferson One

Gen. David Wadis
Leader of the Glorified Liberation of the World (GLOW) terrorist group

Dr. Bide “Peter” Zhang
Chinese medical officer aboard the Jefferson One

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