Nexus Bar, Filip Dudek, Artist
Nexus Tales
If you’ve landed here, you’re most like interested in the Nexus Tales anthology that will be published by Fickle Dragon Publishing. This page is primarily aimed at prospective writers who would like to learn more about the characters pictured in the anthology’s cover.
I’ve broken out each of the characters in the scene and provided their names and a small amount of background. It is not a strict requirement that you use their names, or their background. You should strongly consider keeping the name of the bar as ‘The Nexus’ as it will tie the stories together.
Zeke Steele
The bartender of The Nexus is Zeke Steele, a fully sentient mechanical life form. Zeke is primarily interested in learning about the travels of others and brokering information for the right price.
Zeke does not abide with anyone messing up his bar and deals with disruptive events quickly and quietly. Zeke has a strong respect for all life forms, but does a particularly good job of not over-valuing human life.
Pog and Petri Kuusla
The robot on the left is named Pog, although is often unkindly referred to as Bug-Eyes by its current companion. Pog has a neutral stance toward the universe and has a moderately low drive to accumulate wealth.
Pog does, however, enjoy games of chance when allowed to play and is mostly an explorer.
To the right of Pog is a particularly despicable man called Petri Kuusela. Petri is a low level ruffian, crude, with an eye for the weak. Petri owns a small freighter, which he uses to smuggle whatever will bring him the highest return. He has no respect for human life and is suspected to engage in human trafficking.
Riika Varis and Flueger
Lady Rikka Varis and her companion Fleuger. Lady Rikka is the fourth daughter in line for the Varis throne on the forested moon of Wallon.
Flueger is a highly intelligent Xanispod that has pledged his life to her defense. Flueger and Rikka communicate telepathically.
Miko
Miko is a Kasumi (feline humanoids). She’s been stranded through a series of unfortunate events and found work at The Nexus. The Kasumi people have many feline characteristics, including incredible grace, agility and a devil-may-care attitude. Miko demonstrates these characteristics fabulously.
Rhoan and Duers
To the left is Rhoan, a local space marine taking some down time after a long shift patrolling the skies above the world around The Nexus. Rhoan has excellent skills as a pilot, but hasn’t decided what he really wants to do with his life.
On the right, is the alien who generally goes by the name of Duers. Duers is actually only 5 centimeters tall and lives inside the green android shell for his own protection. Most people who encounter Duers believes he’s simply a sentient android, a notion he’s not quick to dispel.
Sandra Ellis
Sandra Ellis has discovered that dancing in the Nexus bar is both safe and profitable. She’s had trouble holding down normal jobs due to her inability to repeat mundane tasks. Sandra is a hard-luck case, who generally stumbles through life, that is until an aspiring writer gives her much needed focus.