The zine that now leans toward the "Dark Side" with the inclusion of stories from Star Wars.
Due South:
"Penance" by Paloma Manchada-- "You said you wanted a penance. You remember that?" Another nod from the increasingly worried cop. "Did you mean it, Ray? Are you ready to do penance?"
"This is too weird, Fraser. Tell me what you're doing."
Fraser just repeated his last question. "Are you ready to do penance, Ray?"
"Good Enough" by Mireille--That long moment right before the fist hit his stomach, the backhand slammed into his mouth and sent him reeling, choking on blood and tears and helplessness...no point in begging, he won't stop...no point in praying, Ma prays all the time and God doesn't ever help her, why would He help you?...just take it like a man, sure it hurts, but the hurt will go away after a while...
Professionals:
"Did Someone Say Bondage?" By Gingersnapp--"Starvin', yeah!" Bodie laughed and grabbed at him again. He caught only air as Doyle raced back through the room towards the kitchen. "Make me supper and I'll be your slave." Bodie vowed.
"Bedside Manner" by Natasha Barry--It was too close to the vitals.
I knew it, and I hated it. Worse of all, I knew it would spread even further.
It was all Bodie's fault, anyway. Him and his lock-jawed sense of adventure. Sometimes he deserved to be flogged, did Bodie. Especially by his loving partner. And I take great joy in fantasizing this. A pressie, if you like. One without accompanying card.
And more Pros stories by Gingersnapp and Natasha Barry.
Star Wars:
"Vader's Child" by Elizabeth Stuart--He was more at home among the stars than among the living. There were moments, too many of them, when he felt as though he'd died in Cloud City. Or at the very least, lost his soul.
He should have died. Death would have been preferable to living with the burden that his father was supposed to be his enemy--an enemy he was expected to kill.
"Waiting for the Clouds" by Cara J. Loup--Well fucked and far from home, was his first thought.The Falcon's subliminal music had stopped. Silence wrapped around him like something dank and sticky creeping up his arms.
The Hat Squad--Professionals:
"Innocence Lost, and, In a Sense, Gained" by Cat--Andrew breathed in the atmosphere. It was crowded and hot, leather and macho, except for a kid looking lost and panicky at the bar. Not a kid. Older. But he looked nice, clean and innocent. The young man was holding his glass of beer nervously, sipped repeatedly from it, darting looks left and right, looking so tense that, although he was not without appeal, the other patrons of the bar had been cautious about approaching him. "First time chicken," Andrew thought to himself with smug anticipation.
Highlander:
"Apologize" by Delaine--"Sorry...I must have dozed off," Methos stammered, starting to lever himself up.
"Don't bother getting up on my account," a martial arts callused hand clamped around Methos throat forcing him back down, as Duncan nudged his hip to move over. He sat down on the edge of the sofa, leaning across the supine man to rest his arm along the back of the sofa, effectively trapping Methos.
Other stories come from Blake's 7, Law and Order, The Krays, and Deceptions. Stories by Pat Jacquerie, Irish, and Richel Darrah. Art by Cat and Val Westall.--Don't buy the zine for these fandoms only.
165,000 words and about 225 pages of reduced type.