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Rule of Twelve, Double Take - Ch13 (Passage 4/5)

(… continuing)

Marr led the way back out of the hold airlock and up to the accommodation level. She opened the door to the gym and gestured Dukk to go first.
Dukk nearly tripped as he entered the room.
Joantyi was on the cross trainer doing a gentle pace. The barely ample sports bra and booty shorts were showcasing her muscular and perhaps too perfect figure. She was made up and her hair looked like it had been given much attention.
Larnoy was on the rowing machine, working hard. His attire gave no illusion as to the fitness and muscular nature of his body.
Joantyi looked over and smiled warmly. The smile changed slightly as Marr stepped around Dukk.
Marr gasp and stared for a moment before collecting herself.
“May we join you? Dukk asked as he regained his composure.
“Of course. Besides I am nearly done,” came a pleasant reply from Joantyi.
Marr and Dukk went about doing some stretches as Joantyi finished up and left.

A little later, with the warm down done, Dukk was the first to leave the gym. He made his way down the corridor towards the crew accommodation.
Joantyi was in the passageway that led to her cabin. She stood there in the same flimsy robe she wore the evening before. And once more, very little was left for the imagination.
“Is everything alright?”, Dukk asked as he reached her.
“Pretty much. Some company in the long quiet hours would make it better,” she replied as she allowed her robe to fall open.
“Very tempting,” Dukk said with a pleasant expression to acknowledge the offer. “But my own company is what I need most at this junction.”
Dukk held her stare as to convey confidence but also to make it clear where they stood.
She smiled back, but didn’t adjust her stance.
“What about you, co-pilot? Any gaps in your dance card?” Joantyi said breaking eye contact with Dukk and looking beyond him.
Dukk turned around and stepped aside. Marr was coming up the corridor. Her expression was jovial and pleasant.
Marr stopped just beside Dukk. She looked at Dukk for a moment. Holding his stare with the same jovial and pleasant expression. Then she turned to Joantyi. Dukk followed her gaze back to Joantyi. Marr looked her up and down and smiled.
“Interesting offer. However, I am with Dukk,” she said before pausing momentarily.
Dukk turned back towards Marr.
“In that, it is my own company that I need most at the moment.”
Marr then moved her gaze slowly from Joantyi and back to Dukk. The smile shifted into a more provocative expression.
“Suit yourselves. You know where I am,” Joantyi said to them both. She held her ground, with the flimsy robe still open.
“We do,” Dukk answered still looking at Marr.
“Time for a shower and then coffee,” said Marr, signalling to all that the conversation was done.

Dukk turned first. He smiled at Joantyi and then continued on down the hall. Marr followed suit.
“What did you make of that?” Dukk asked as they closed the crew mess door.
“A little forward, but I am guessing it’s not that unusual out here?” Marr replied.
“You are guessing right. Though, it did feel a little too contrived. Not sure what to make of it at this stage.”

Luna interrupted their chat. She was standing near the kitchenette with Bazzer. They were doing the g-suit cross-check.
“That was an awesome spectacle you two. I can’t wait to have a go. Here was me thinking it would be totally boring up here in space for days on end,” She called over.
“No Luna, it’s all go up here in space,” Dukk offered back as he made for his cabin.

(to be continued...)

[Rule of Twelve, Double Take, Chapter 13 - In Between (Passage 4 of 5)]

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2021 BJ Allen

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Rule of Twelve books to be narrated with the help of A.I.

I am investing in A.I. driven narration to bring the Rule of Twelve books to life.

It will be more than just narration in the traditional audio book sense. The A.I. will enable me to bring dialogue to life with character specific voices. This will create a rich and engaging narration.

Over the coming months I will be in catch-up mode, building the narration for already published material. Eventually, the aim will be to concurrently release chapters in both written and rich narrative form.

The narration will eventually make it to audiobook form for platforms like Audible and Spotify. However, to get it sooner, you will need a Locals subscription. The Locals App works just like your favourite audiobook app. So, you can listen on the go. Becoming a subscriber also helps keep this whole show on the road.

I look forward to sharing the journey with you.

Bradley.

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Psychological Safety is a trojan horse

Marr nodded with a wink as she put her hands on the back of Luna’s chair and started to speak.

   “Emeelie, what if I have a room with a single door and I put you in it. The door isn’t locked, and you can leave at any time. The room represents a life experience. Now what if I dropped a lion into the room. What would happen?”

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   “Dreadful. Limited. I wouldn’t be able to stay or even enter any room.”

   “Right. You’d spend your time running out of every room and miss every potential experience.”

   “Ok.”

   “What if I put a chain on the lion and anchor it to the wall?”

   “That would work. I would be able to enter the room again.”

   “Right. So, the lion would need to be chained down for every room you may enter.”

   “Great.”

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   “Oh.”

   “Yes, oh. Your safety becomes dependent on me or somebody else putting chains on every lion.”

   “Not good.”

   “No. What else could you do that leaves you empowered, but not eaten.”

   “I could learn to defend myself against the lion.”

   “Yes, or even tame it. Put chains on it yourself, so to speak. That way you could go into any room you like, regardless of whether there is a lion in there or not. You’d be safe without anyone else’s intervention. You’d stay empowered. You would experience life to its fullest.”

   “So psychological safety is a trojan horse. It puts my safety in the hands of a third party. It depowers. It turns people into victims.”

    Marr nodded and smiled.

 

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Excerpt from Rule of Twelve, Book 3 - Regeneration, Chapter 17

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Dukk opened his eyes. It was dark.

   “A dream. It must have been a dream,” he muttered as he tried to fathom where he was. He tried to digest the pre-dawn excursion with Craig.

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   He checked the time. Mid-afternoon.

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“What in the world is going on?” Craig demanded as the doors to the south banqueting hall, closed behind them.

   Dukk, Marr and Emeelie stood before him. Beyond was the atrium bathed in orange light from the setting sun.

   On the opposite side of the atrium the doors to the north banqueting hall were open. Music and chatter could be heard from within.

   The noise from the others disguised the deathly silence that engulfed the four.

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