A Mind Divided

Callinda

I don’t remember writing this story.  At all.

My memory for this period of time is like Swiss cheese—whether from the after effects of electro-convulsive therapy, or trying different medications, or being on a mood roller coaster.  I do remember creating a meticulous genealogy for the population of Callinda that took weeks to map (fruit of a long spell of hypomania).  And I remember editing a scene where the Queen and her Prime Minister are in bed together and thinking, “Huh.  This is pretty good.”

What started out as a pure Harlequin Romance in Space morphed into something else.  Being so sick at the time, it surprised me that I still had the chops to carry a plot-line and create a new character (Marapura) who was more than a lusty wench for the heroic captain to boink.

I like this story a lot on its own merits, but also because it proved I was still alive under the layers of illness and drugs.

Having said all that, there was a lot of work to be done on this piece.  I was, after all, seriously ill when I wrote it.  Cognitive function was iffy at best.  So, there were lots of holes in logic, lots of wandering around, lots of melodrama.  But, after a year of rewrites, I posted the final chapters on March 30, 2012.  There’s still more work I’d like to do on the front half, but at some point a writer just has to let it go.

I hope you enjoy reading Callinda as much as I loved the process.

Click here for Chapter One.

Or to find other chapters, roll your curser again over “Heaving Bosoms” and down through the nested files to “Callinda.”

  

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Map of Callinda

At the Palace

Marapura Taylor—Queen of South Callinda

Robinson Dinh—Staff Father

Adrianna Reneau—First Aide to the Queen

Marissa Singh—Aide to the Queen, criminologist

Mendelsohn Mbutu—Archivist

Tamarla Yee—Aide to the Queen

Briank Juarez—Aide to the Queen, political strategist

Ra Mbutu—First of Palace Security

Francisco Mendoza—Second of Palace Security

Jasper Singh—First of Communications

Gravis Mbutu—Grounds Father

Dr. Deborah Jones—Queen’s personal physician

The Government of South Callinda

Collier Cabot—Prime Minister

Horatio Jones—General of the Southern Home Guard

Delilah Mbutu—Congress Mother

Yvette Jones—Governor of New Hope, Head of the Gibson Line (cousin to the Queen)

Benjamin Gibson—Governor of Azland, Head of the Taylor Line (Friend to the Queen)

Mbana Mbutu—Governor of New Kenya, Head of the Mbutu Line (sister to Gov. Emmond Mbutu of Notre Dam)

Javier Juarez—Governor of Azteca, Head of the Juarez Line

Armand Mendoza—Governor of New Madrid, Head of the Mendoza Line

The Enterprise

Jonathan Archer—Captain

T’Pol—First Officer, Vulcan

Trip Tucker—Chief Engineer

Malcolm Reed—Armory Officer

Hoshi Sato—Communications Officer

Travis Mayweather—Ship’s Pilot

The Government of North Callinda

Kerner Kelly—President

Moira Kelly—his wife

Gerhard, Jackson and Dulcinea Kelly—their children

Covenant Reneau—Vice President

Philippe Reneau—her husband

Jakaya Brown—Staff Father

Clara Brown—his wife

Ang Chan—General of the Northern Home Guard

Gregor Petrovich—First of Security

William—Second of Security

Idayama—Aide

Dharma Singh—Governor of Tao Ling, Head of the Chan Line (sister to Gov. Lillette Singh of Tao)

Lillette Singh—Governor of Tao, Head of the Yee Line (sister to Gov. Dharma Singh of Tao Ling)

Emmond Mbutu—Governor of Notre Dam, Head of the Reneau Line (brother to Gov. Mbana Mbutu of New Kenya)

Visitors from Earth

Jason Running Bear—Ambassador to Callinda

Lydia Gibson Abercrombe—Relative of The Fifteen

Washington Brown—Relative of The Fifteen, Special Forces (Retired)

Alonzo Juarez—Relative of The Fifteen, computer specialist

Tsu Yee Chow—Relative of The Fifteen

Madeline Cabot Tate—Relative of The Fifteen

Isabella Mendoza—Relative of The Fifteen

Donovan Kelly—Relative of The Fifteen, physician

Mary Archer—Captain Archer’s mother

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Credits

All That You Ask Me by Kieran Goss.  Used with permission.  All rights reserved.

Coming Home and  O, Sun by Peter Mayer.  Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Cool, Clear Water by Bonnie Raitt. Permission requested.  All rights reserved.

Dante’s Prayer by Loreena McKennitt.  Permission requested.  All rights reserved.

Dimming of the Day by Richard Thompson.  Used with permission.  All rights reserved.

Love Sneakin’ Up on You written by Jimmy Scott and Tom Snow.  Used with permission.  All rights reserved.

One More Circle by Peter Mayer.  Permission requested.  All rights reserved.

When You Come Back Down by Danny O’Keefe.  Used with permission.  All rights reserved.

You by Bob Thiele.  Used with permission. All rights reserved.