The Race

The Race is a story written by Tsukizubon Saruko and illustrated by neomeruru. It ran in Special Issue 8 at http://s2b2.livejournal.com/244685.html, and is mirrored at http://www.shousetsubangbang.com/mirror/the-race/.

The Race is followed by (but was written after) The Crash, which is available in the anthology The Ships We Sail.

Summary

From isis.dreamwidth.org: "An older woman who has won the annual airship race for many years falls in with a disliked young and beautiful widow who will be competing against her."

From fail-fandomanon.dreamwidth.org: "Steampunk with airships. (I may have missed what this had to do with the beverage theme, but I liked it)"

Author's Notes

It's worth noting that this story is a prequel to The Crash, a novella which appeared in the independent anthology The Ships We Sail. Each story can, however, be read separately from the other.

It also takes place in the same world as Dead or Alive and Domashita Romero's Alive or Dead, both from the February issue of this year, although Dead or Alive takes place some twenty years later in a desert oasis far to the east of the City, and Alive or Dead returns to the same characters and setting about 40 years later. (For what it's worth, The Eye of Nechemyyeh also takes place in the same world, but about 2000 years earlier, and very far up to the northeast of even Dead or Alive.)

Anyway, all of these stories are intended to be read as standalone pieces, and there's no need to read any one to understand any other one. It's just a point of interest, or possibly lack thereof.

Thanks for reading!

Artist's Notes

• neomeruru.deviantart.com