On the fringe of the Milky Way, a great sun anchors fifteen planets on varying orbits. All but the fifth planet are lifeless and have few distinguishable characteristics. The fifth planet, however, stands forth among all others as a sparkling jewel lying upon the black velvet inter-space of the universe. Hues of blues, shades of green and brown are painted across the equatorial belt, while wisps of white and gray clouds wind and feather over the orb. Three whitish-gray moons whirl about the planet on different orbits. Since the galaxy's birth, the fifth planet's proximity to its sun had created an environment unique in the universe. Life formed over billions of years, throughout the ocean and on the various volcanic islands, large and small, that formed around the equatorial belt. Ten degrees below the equatorial line sits the large oblong island nation of Balamar. At the center of the island stands the dead volcanic mountain, Bal, from which the island takes its name. Lush green foothills surround Bal's stone gray spire, which makes up one third of the land mass, the balance are gently sloping plains flowing outward to the cliffs surrounding the island. Strong currents and angry ocean have worn away at Bal's granite base, forming thirty-meter high cliffs ringing the entire island. The island's center line through the oblong length is parallel to the equator. The end that sees the rising sun is called the Front Side and the trailing end witnessing sunsets the Back Side. Sitting above the equator results in the top side of the island being perpetually in the shadows of Bal, resulting in a cooler climate. It is called the Cool Side. The side closer to the equator is the Warm Side. At the tip of the Front Side, built along the cliff, is the capital city of the island. The half-moon-shaped city has grown to nearly thirty percent of the island's population of shalomans over the past twenty-five circuits of the sun (Each circuit takes 425 planet revolutions to make the orbit and each revolution is thirty increments in time.) At the center of Front Side City on a low plateau are assorted buildings of the island's high government, which have preeminent authority over all governmental entities throughout the island. The authority of the government was established during the first circuit, when shalomans began officially recording time. Prior to the recording of time, there were three warring tribal factions who, until Circuit One, were in perpetual conquest for control of the island. In the circuits preceding One, there came to be very wise and forward thinking leaders of each tribe who formed a council to put an end to the never-ending hardship on the island's inhabitants caused by the ongoing conflict. Twelve members of the council presented the three leaders with laws and regulations for governing the island. Pleased with their work the leaders and council members signed them into law and named them The Codex Axiom. In the 789 circuits since the signing there have been only a few minor amendments to this governing document. Throughout the islands recorded history there were great advancements in the standard of living and well-being of the citizens. Crime was substantially quelled, especially violent crime. While there were incidences of crime primarily in the low zones inhabited by those of lessor capabilities, there were virtually none in the high zones of the cities and the centers of government power. Taking a life was rare even in the low zones and unheard of in the high zones, government centers, and the central government zone in Front Side City...until today.
James lives and writes on his hobby farm located in rural mid-Michigan. He published his first novel, "Redemption," in 2016 and has a new novel in development that he plans to publish in 2018. Samples of this work and many other short stories, memoir, and poetry are available on his website: james gregorymaynard.com, and on his Facebook page, James Gregory Maynard - Writer.
