Gambit (US Blake's 7 anthology)/Issue 010

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Issue 10

Gambit 10 was published in June 1993 and contains 291 pages. It won a 1994 FanQ for best Blake's 7 zine.

front cover of issue #10, Lucia Casarella Moore -- "Frankly Blake, I Don't Give a Damn"

back cover of issue #10, Lucia Casarella Moore -- "Brat"

The art is by Lucia Casarella Moore, Cynthia Brink, Jean B. Hubb, Whitby27, Michael Williams, S.R. Mowatt, Shirley de Meyer, Suzie Molnar, Jacqui Topp, Cheufell Doshier, and Denise Loague.

From the editorial:

Gambit is now six years and ten issues old! Hard to believe (until we start counting the grey hairs, anyway). As always, we have you, the fans, to thank for our longevity. You've kept sending us all the wonderful stories and illustrations, you've kept reading us, and best of all, you've supported us with much-appreciated words of encouragement in your letters and phone calls. You've also nominated us again this year for best B7 zine and best editor on the ballots for MediaWest con's 1993 Fan Quality Awards. Thanks to all of you for your participation and support over the years. It means more than you can know.

Will there be a Gambit 11? (Do ducks quack?) We already have stories for it, so yes there will definitely be another one. Our particular brand of insanity is certifiably incurable, /see, so we just keep on putting out issues as long as people keep sending us material. So (hint, hint), please keep sending us material.

From the editorial:

We can now accept disk submissions on either 3V6" or SVi" floppies, in WordPerfect, WordStar, Microsoft Word or ASCII text, and we can convert Macintosh disks as well. Please include a hard copy of your story so that we can double check for errors (our computer's on a strict diet and has been known to gobble text on the sly). And if you don't meet the above specifications, no problem. Send us a dean print-out (letter-quality rather than draft/dot-matrix, please) or a clearly-typed copy of your story, single-spaced, and we'll scan it into the computer with our technical wizard's assistance. (He just bought a scanner of his very own, and it's even better than the one we were using at his place of employment, so as long as we're very very nice to Jim and keep him regularly plied with 6-packs of Pepsi..) As a last resort, of course, we'll simply fall back on the terribly primitive method of retyping your material. Fortunately for the inept-fanzine-typist's-error-count index, however, this is now a seldom-utilized contingency. (!)

Since her liberation from the necessity to retype 300+ pages of manuscript every issue, ye editor gets to spend most of her time editing. (What a concept.) She enjoys this much more than retyping, but admits to one small grumbling frustration: she seems to correct the same grammatical and punctuation errors over and over (and over) again, in manuscripts submitted by numerous contributors from many and varied comers of the world. (She refrains, therefore, from solely faulting the sad state of affairs in U.S. education^ systems.) Though we've addressed this in previous editor's columns, hope springs eternal that our contributors might (please?) take pity on us and save the editor a lot of time next issue by correcting some of the most common mistakes before dropping the story in the mail. For example:

[many examples snipped].

OK, OK. If you're intimidated, frightened or just plain utterly mystified by the above, ignore it and send us your story anyway. We don't expect everyone to aspire to a college degree in English, and we'd rather have stories that need editing than no stories at all. Honest. Keep on writing...

• A Word from the Editor by Jean Graham (5)
• Small World/Large Project, fiction by Helen Parkinson (Pre Series A) (6)
• Avon, filk by Sheila Paulson, Vincent, by Don McLean (15)
• Death Blow, poem by Teri Sarick (15)
• Memories, fiction by Jean B. Hubb (Pre Series A) (16)
• Lost Trust, poem by Melissa Mastoris (24)
• Alien Welcome, fiction by Ruth Berman (Series A) (25)
• Epitaphs, poem by Jacqui Topp (28)
• Detour, fiction by Nancy Dziergowski (Series A) (29)
• All for a Cup, poem by Michael Williams (38)
• Linked Lives, puzzle by ORmAC (39)
• Changing the Guard, fiction by Ruth Berman (Series A) (40)
• Tribute, fiction by Sheila Paulson (Series B) (43)
• The Rebel, poem by Jacqui Topp (47)
• A Healing Touch, fiction by Judith Seaman (Series B) (49)
• Blake, poem by Shirley de Meyer (66)
• B7 Crossword, puzzle by S.R. Mowatt (67)
• Aftermath: Blake's Story, fiction by Sondra Sweigman (Series C) (69)
• The Tale of the Black Knight, poem by Jacqui Topp (82)
• Fail Safe, fiction by Alan Moravian (Series C) (83)
• Kerr Avon's Lament, filk by Jacqui Topp, Achy Breaky Heart, by Billy Ray Cyrus (85)
• Rumours of Death (A What-If Version), fiction by Sharon Ann Campbell (Series C) (86)
• Only Human After All, fiction by Helen Parkinson (Series C) (89)
• Faithful Black, fiction by E (partially reprinted from Input #2) (Series C) (95)
• Powerplay Twice, fiction by Betsy R. Miller (Series C) (112)
• Desperation, poem by Teri Sarick (122)
• Lost Causes, poem by Teri Sarick (122)
• The Best Revenge, fiction by Alice Aldridge (Series C) (123)
• Misapprehension, poem by Patti E. McClellan (also in Rallying Call #11) (176)
• Opposing Sides, poem by ORmAC (177)
• The Stone's Throw, fiction by Lorna B. (Series D) (178)
• Vila's Tall Tale: Servalan Gets Hers, fiction by Cheufell Doshier (Series E: Post Gaude Prime) (182)
• Deliver Us From Heroes, fiction by Patti E. McClellan (Series E: Post Gaude Prime) (192)
• State of the Art, fiction by CarolMel Ambassador (from "The Trophy Series") (Series E: Post Gaude Prime) (197)
• Queenmaker, fiction by Rebecca Donahue (Series E: Post Gaude Prime) (208)
• A Day in the Life, fiction by Rebecca Donahue (Series E: Post Gaude Prime) (213)
• Truth and Consequences, fiction by Rebecca Donahue (Series E: Post Gaude Prime) (216)
• Day of the Bounty Hunter, fiction by S.R. Mowatt (Series E: Post Gaude Prime) (223)

• Playing the Game, poem by Melissa Mastoris (245)
• Serious Doubts, poem by Melissa Mastoris (245)
• Pretending, fiction by Catherine Kendall (Series E: Post Gaude Prime) (246)
• Kasabi, poem by Melissa Mastoris (269)
• Pretty Lady, poem by Melissa Mastoris (269)
• Only Mistaken, fiction by Melanie Chinen (won a 1994 FanQ) (Series E: Post Gaude Prime) (270)
• And There Was, poem by Shirley de Meyer (277)
• B7 Word Search, puzzle by S.R. Mowatt (278)
• Limits, fiction by Marian Mendez (real world crossover) (Other Dimenensions) (279)
• From the Log of the H@!!hound: The Final Entry, fiction by S.R. Mowatt (Hellhound parody) (Other Dimenensions( (282)
• Puzzle Answers (284)
• Letters of Comment (286)
• Zine Ads (292)

• 

  from issue #10, sample text

• 

  from issue #10, sample filk

• 

  from issue #10, Jean B. Hubb

• 

  from issue #10, Whitby27

• 

  from issue #10, Lucia Casarella Moore

• 

  from issue #10, Lucia Casarella Moore

• 

  from issue #10, Suzie Molnar

• 

  from issue #10, E

• 

  from issue #10, ORaAC

• 

  from issue #10, S.R. Mowatt

• 

  from issue #10, Whitby27

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 10

[Aftermath: Blake's Story]: ...I'll reference a couple of fan stories by members of this APA as examples of where Blake remains strong. [snipped] Sondra Sweigman's much welcomed Aftermath: Blake's story (in Gambit 10). This is one of the most explicit examples of a very strong Blake. Though he is the one grievously injured (the shooting on Star One), he is also the one who has to be strong when he and Jenna remain on Liberator in this alternate version of Aftermath. He provides comfort and assurance, and attempts to get her into a spacesuit when life support is waning.

[Aftermath: Blake's Story]: Sondra: I don't think I've told you that I very much liked Aftermath: Blake's Story. I was particularly delighted to learn that it was the beginning of a series that will explore Blake's activities between Star One and Blake. I've long wanted to read stories that filled in that gap. Also, a comment on one specific element in your story. I enjoyed that Tarrant made such a difference in Avon's chances for successfully retaking Liberator. Without Tarrant, Avon only had a 13.2% chance of success. With Tarrant's help, that increased to 86.3%. I always knew Tarrant was a clever, resourceful young fellow. I appreciate having you to confirm that.

[zine]: I can't say I've read any outstanding zines lately, though "Gambit 10" has a higher than average Blake quotient several above-average stories, including one novel-length one, a sequel to Alice Aldridge's Necessary Sacrifices, which appeared in Roads Not Taken.

[zine]:

Back again with another zine under my belt, so to speak. This time I will only mention my favorites as this zine always has way too many offerings to consider.

SMALL WORLD, LARGE PROJECT by Helen Parkinson. Blake meets Avon on the Aquitar project when Avon is injured. Interesting view of both men, especially a Blake that is compassionate yet not perfect.

CHANGING THE GUARD by Ruth Berman. Blake (with Jenna) goes back to Ensor's planet to help the injured Travis. Blake appears as realistic, displaying compassion and practicality while Servalan gets in her digs about his enjoyment of sex.

TRIBUTE by Sheila Paulson. Christmas on the Liberator after Gan's death with a guilty Blake. Avon gives Blake a special present (no Sue, not that present!).

AFTERMATH:BLAKE'S STORY by Sondra Sweigman. Blake and Jenna meet up with Deva and Klyn after Star One. Nice treatment of both their characters and the reasons behind Blake's decision not to return.

THE STONE'S THROW by [Lorna B.] I liked it but I'm not sure why. Usually I hate stories where Blake dies, and here it is at the hands of his "huddled masses". I guess the tragedy of it appeals to me as does Blake's innocence. Sometimes he really does seem too good to survive. It also reminded me of the Blake as messiah theme but I'm not sure why.

DAY OF THE BOUNTY HUNTER by S.R. Mowatt. Interesting, I want to read more. Who is calling himself Ensor? Could it be Blake? Where is ORAC? Fascinating! Who is Nikki?

FILKS - AVON by Sheila Paulson. Terrific, as usual.

POEMS - THE TALE OF THE BLACK KNIGHT by Jacqui Topp. Loved it, it gave me the shivers.

The cover was fab too. By Lucia Casarella Moore "Frankly Blake, I don't give a damn. The boys at their best."

[zine]:

Gambit #10 is, as always, a great value for your dollar. It's perfect bound, with a full-color cover and almost 300 pages of reduced but beautifully readable type. Out of that total, less than 70 pages are devoted to pre-"Star One" stories; as might be expected, the Tarrant quotient is pretty darned decent. He's even on the back cover!

A sampling... Alan Moravian's "Fail Safe" depicts Tarrant favorably, though Avon fens may not be pleased. In Helen Parkinson's "Only Human After All," Avon is bitten by a poisonous lizard while trying to protect Tarrant. Betsy Miller's "Powerplay Twice" is an interesting view ofthe early 3rd series, when Tarrant was not yet fully accepted by the others. Betsy avoids the common trap of making Tarrant the one always in the wrong; in this story, it's Avon who's wrong, and Cally's not shy about saying so. Yes!

Alice Aldridge's "The Best Revenge" is a tad disappointing; it's very, very long, but most of it is concerned with Jenna, Travis, and a bunch of original characters. The rest of the gang do show up at the very end, though, and Tarrant gets to be a hero (and gets brained for his trouble). Then there's an odd trilogy by Rebecca Donahue, about the next generation of rebels. Servalan has a son, not by Avon but by Tarrant! I wasn't too keen on these stories, since the crew all get killed off early on, but the kids are interesting in their own right.

The most frustrating story in the zine was "Day of the Bounty Hunter" by S.R. Mowatt. It ends right at the most interesting part, when a reprogrammed Tarrant boards our heroes' ship in order to take them prisoner. Arrgh! There better be a sequel! There's also "Pretending," a long Xiaodan story by Catherine Kendall, and "Never Mistaken," a PGP starring Tarrant by Melanie Chinen.

Jean always prints her LoCs; they are the part of the zine I read first. This time, fans are clamoring for more stories in Carol McCoy and Teresa Ward's "Revenge"/"Bitter Recoil" universe—even fens who don't usually like Tarrant stories! Joan Wakeman, a British fen, makes an observation that I've often made myself: that American zines "seem inclined toward the intense and soul-searching, far more that the UK zines which make more mileage out of the "gung-ho aspects of the programme." And Irene Stubbs" letter got me thinking; she commented that most of the stories were either Series B or PGPs. Series C came in third, with little interest evident in Series A or D. She implies that this is a persistent pattern, so I checked it out. Nope, it was just a fluke. It's true that there are always more PGPs than anything else, and that there are always relatively few pre-Series A or Series A stories. The rest varies considerably. In past issues. Series B. C. and D have all had their share of attention. Series C comes out well ahead of B overall, while D lags slightly. I hadn't realized that Series D was neglected: I wonder why more people don't write 4th series stories? Have to keep this in mind for future issues...

[zine]:

.. the quick-and-dirty LOC for Gambit 10. I'll just do a run through of the ones that kept my attention the most.

Jean Hubb's "Memories" was an interesting pre-Bank Fraud interlude, and I am envious of her clever use of Avon's and Anna's differing viewpoints. I also appreciated the care Jean used in building up some background for Anna, both the public facade and the private undercover persona.

"Alien Welcome" by Ruth Berman was very pleasant. Cally's first few hours aboard Liberator is not a subject many have people have tackled. The early first-season crew characterizations and interactions seemed spot on to me. And I quite enjoyed Vila's and Cally's attempts to figure one another out.

I also liked Berman's "Changing the Guard." One of the better attempts to explain the obviously different 2nd Series Travis that I have read. I can see the first Travis enjoying the irony of the situation.

"A Healing Touch" by Judith Seaman was a compelling read, and I enjoyed following the mystery to its completely reasonable end. The Outremer society was quite well thought out, but I do wonder whether such an anti- technology culture would allow outsiders to reside on the planet, even though they were within an enclave.

Betsy Miller's "Powerplay Twice" showed us good crew dynamics and characterization (loved Dayna's reaction to their helping Servalan, and Madam President herself was well done). But how is it going to end? Surely there will be a continuing story.

"The Best Revenge" by Alice Aldridge was a gripping continuation of her Jenna-Travis epic. The crew of the Nighthawk were very much after the style of C.J. Cherryh, and I liked them. Travis's trials and tests were also nicely done. I have to admit, though, that my favorite part of the story was the banquet near the end, when the crew of Liberator appeared right in the thick of things, as usual. I'll be looking forward to reading the conclusion.

S.R. Mowatt's "Day of the Bounty Hunter" could also have been called "Rebel Scavenger Hunt"! It held and piqued my interest (though I must admit that Vila's rescue was the part I liked best). This looks like another "to be continued" story, so I hope it is concluded in the next issue. (I also liked her artistic rendition of Blake on p. 271.)

"Limits" by Marian Mendez was delightful. It's not always easy to approach B7 from a different angle, but she seems to manage it -- and make it entertaining - almost every time. I sincerely hope Gan doesn't decide to pay me a visit, though...

Could I echo Ruth Berman's plea in the LOC column? I also would love to see a cover drawing or painting of Anna Grant. She is so lovely and so neglected I've had in mind for years a drawing of Anna and Avon together before the Bank Fraud fizzled: Avon looking confident and happy - well, as happy as Avon can look - whilst Anna has a rather sad but determined expression. If I could draw, I'd do it myself.

[zine]:

Compliments to Lucia Casarella Moore for another pair of magnificent covers. (Her artwork inside the zine is nothing to sneeze at either.) Delighted to see that Blake made it to the front this time. Is that scene, like those of her previous covers, from a specific moment in the series? It looks like it could be, but I can't place it.

And compliments to Jean for her skillful use of reduced type in three of the longer stories. Not only does that pack added value into a zine already worth its price, but it was amazingly easy to read. The very longest story was my favorite this time around: Alice Aldridge's "The Best Revenge," a complex, absorbing sequel to "Necessary Sacrifices" (which ~ for anyone who doesn't know- appeared in Roads Not Taken). Alice is the only writer I've come across who's managed to depict a convincingly sympathetic Travis. In the earlier story she came up with a truly ingenious - and exonerating - explanation for his "mad obsession" with destroying Blake. This story too is well-plotted, expertly-crafted, equally strong on adventure and characterization. Even the "negative" portrayal of Blake is handled with enough sophistication that I can live with it (and coming from me, that's conceding a lot!).

Also particularly enjoyed "State of the Art" by CarolMel Ambassador. Will the next installment be in Gambit 11? More importantly, will it be the next installment? I sure do hope the author read my request for a comprehensive list of "Trophy" stories and Jean's offer to publish that list.

I'm dying to get back to the plot line involving Servalan's programming her mutoid Blake to require Avon's blood type specifically... "Day of the Bounty Hunter" by S.R. Mowet. I think I like it. (I also think I know who "Ensor" is - and it isn't Blake!) But didn't it end rather abruptly? Surely that was only the first installment of a two-parter? Surely the remainder will appear in a future issue of Gambit? And surely it was an oversight (not deliberate sadism) that prevented the words "To Be Continued" from appearing at the end of said story?

I'm afraid that Ruth Berman pushed the boundaries of coincidence beyond my capacity to accept in "Changing the Guard." (Does anyone buy two identical Travises wounded by Blake in precisely the same manner in the same incident? Were we really supposed to?) On the other hand, in "Alien Welcome," she didn't push them far enough - she missed the perfect made-to-order sequitur for her little tete-a-tete between Vila and Cally, the ending should have been Cally and Avon in that scene from "The Web" with Cally saying to him "I'm interested in your work..."

Speaking of should-have-beens, I noticed two misclassifications of the stories in this zine, (Okay, so I'm nitpicking, but at least it proves I've read everything carefully!): "Detour" is not a 1st season story - it's an early 2nd season story-because it has Gan in it, but it also has Orac and an allusion to the events of the episode "Deliverance". And "A Stone's Throw" is 3rd season, not 4th-since it has to have taken place before the episode 'Terminal." In fact, there were no 4th season stories in Gambit 10.

And now since I was so negative in my last LOC about the filks and poems in issue #9, I feel it only fair to say that I thought that this issue contained an outstanding example of each: Sheila Paulson's filk to the tune of "Vincent" (the third such B7 filk I've encountered, including one I've written - the song seems to lend itself to the subject and from a variety of equally legitimate viewpoints) and Patti E. McClellan's "Misapprehension", a most penetrating glimpse into the darker side of Avon's soul-and the darker side of his feelings for Blake. (Many fan writers tackle that subject, but very few get it so chillingly correct.)

On the lighter side, "Limits" by Marian Mendez was cute and clever. I wonder if it was inspired by the previous issue's "Mary Sue"-and if we're now in for a spate of "author-meets-one of-the-characters" stories. Actually, I have met one of the characters—I've met Blake in my dreams. I've never met Avon, though. I am Avon in my dreams. (Uh oh, I think that's my cue to quit while I'm still one step ahead of the blokes with the butterfly nets.)

[zine]: I'm happy to see that Lucia Casarella Moore did your cover to GAMBIT again. Her pictures are beautiful. I always look forward to your issues. I believe GAMBIT is one of the best BLAKE'S 7 fanzines I have read.

[zine]:

I loved GAMBIT 10--here's more money! Send more!

Your Word From the Editor was wonderful--as someone who teaches Freshman Composition and also winces loudly and often at bad editing/typing in zines, I throw roses at your feet. Your zine has a great mix of stories, looks wonderful, and nary a wince the whole time I was reading! I loved the art by Lucia Casarella Moore on the covers (color suits her art better,, it seems, than black and white), and by S.R. Mowatt.

The very best story was The Best Revenge by Alice Aldridge. Once I started, I literally couldn't stop reading it. I've always felt Jenna's been shortchanged in a lot of B7 stories, so it was sheer pleasure to see her front and center. The story wasn't just a short "what if," but built a world that was entirely plausible and (and this is the important part) didn't leave me hanging~for instance, saying to myself, this is what's happening with Jenna, what happened with Blake and Avon and Vila and Cally, then? I found out. I also found out what happened when Jenna saw Blake again, what was happening not only with the Rebellion but the rest of the galaxy and what kind of trust Jenna and Travis had built for themselves and what it could withstand. And Travis--! I never thought I'd feel the way I do now about him. I really can't see him in the same way again. Kudos to Alice!

I also enjoyed Day of the Bounty Hunter by S.R. Mowatt. I liked the character Nikki Kohanek, and the rescue of Soolin was particularly well done. Fart 1, hm? I hope she'll continue it in another issue of GAMBIT? Rebecca Donahue's trilogy of Queenmaker, A Day in the Life and Truth and Consequences was an excellent look at post-GP where everyone indeed dies, yet the characters live on. Very clever idea, and well written. One thing that bothered me was the feeling I needed a secret decoder ring for some of the stories. While reading CarolMel Ambassador's State of the Art, my response was "interesting; I can follow it, but I wonder what went on before this"; my response to Catherine Kendall's Pretending was "I really wonder what went on before this because I don't know who some of these people are at all"; and S.R. Mowatt's jFrom the Log of the H@llhound: The Final Entry made me wonder what universe I'd stepped into~it made no sense to me at all. [H@llhound was a parody of 'Log of the Hellhound,' a series appearing in SOUTHERN SEVEN.-JG] It'd be nice if the author/editor supplied a short little "the story so far" summary when a story is part of a series, for us folks who aren't as widely read and/ or are just starting out (like me!).

Most of all, thanks for the great reading. I look forward eagerly to more!

[zine]:

Memories by Jean B. Hubb was one of the better stories I've read from Anna Grant's point of view. Often she appears only rapacious or conniving, but this story gives her some depth. The dialogue was excellent, and I adore the final, matter-of-fact line, "There was a reception afterwards."

Changing the Guard by Ruth Herman: different, definitely. Powerplay Twice by Betsy R. Miller: Draconians!?! What happens next? Will the Doctor show

up? The Best Revenge by Alice Aldridge pleased me no end, as its prequel was one of my favorite stories in ROADS NOT TAKEN. Nice to see Travis presented, for once, as a hot babe rather than a monster. Pretending by Catherine Kendall: I caught that! Bulsara, indeed.

[zine]:

On GAMBIT 10: Enjoyed as usual. Beautiful covers, but that's no surprise, considering the source. Also the dark Blake on p. 42-nice! Small World, Large Project- How very Blakean to concern himself with someone he's never even met. And I like stories where the characters have met or brushed by one another before the series. Other favorites: Tribute by the ever-popular (and talented) Paulson, Ruth Herman's Alien Welcome, Judith Seaman's A Healing Touch, and of course. The Stone's Throw. Lorna, your subconscious must be as murky as mine own. CarolMel Ambassador's Trophy series is fascinating, even though it makes me very uncomfortable for some reason. Is there anywhere a list of where all the stories to date are located?

Day of the Bounty Hunter — nice story-thanks, S.R. Mowatt. Catherine Kendall-I just love Jaroslav Travis! But then, I'm pretty sick, according to my co-workers. Thanks for another great story. Only Mistaken was very nice. I did not enjoy The Best Revenge, but I think it's because I just don't especially care for Jeima and Travis as main characters. Or maybe it was just the small type. Well written, but not my cup of tea.

Another magnificent effort, Jean, for which much thanks from we mere mortals. Up the rebellion!

[zine]:

Enjoyed GAMBIT 10. Lucia Casarella Moore's covers continue to be impressive for the way they catch the subtleties of expression-as-they-reflect-emotion. The b&w interior illos by here, though, look as if the repro is losing a good deal of the subtlety in shadings, and so don't work as well. Are the originals B&w, or is this a problem of using color originals for b&w repro? [The latter. Wish we could afford to do them all in color, but... *sigh. *-JG]

Sheila Paulson's Tribute is fun. Vila's manipulation of the others both for his own needs and for theirs is amusingly plausible, and the gifts they wind up giving each other are touchingly believable. While it's unfair to describe Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" as a "remarkably maudlin book" (taking the remark as the expression of the narrator - actually, of course, the phrase reflects Avon's feelings), it's true that it's difficult to write Christmas stories without being maudlin. But this one manages it.

I enjoyed Sondra Sweigman's Aftermath; Blake's Story, as an ingenious and plausible way of linking up several details (the conflicting reports of Jenna's whereabouts, the absence of information about how Blake hooked up with Deva and Klyn, possible repercussions of Anna Grant's double agentry, etc.), and also because of its sympathy for Blake's sympathy for others (obvious enough, but not always picked up) and for Jeima's (not obvious, but there).

S.R. Mowatt's Day of the Bounty Hunter starts out enjoyable. I assume that Ensor's identity will be revealed in he next installment, but I'm taking it for granted that it's Orac ~ and I like the idea that the Orac is making the one choice of persona that effectively disguises it (well, reasonably effectively) without requiring a change in its own speech patterns, since Orac's speech patterns are Ensor's in the first place. I'm also curious to see what's going to be done with the hints that Blake is alive and wasn't the one on Gauda Prime.

[zine]: I just finished GAMBIT 10. It was great! Beautiful cover and some wonderful writing. I particularly enjoyed Sondra's Aftermath: Blake's Story and Only Mistaken by Melaine Chinen. The poem The Tale of the Black Knight by Jacqui Topp was also outstanding. It just felt right.

[zine]:

I've read earlier issues of the zine, but because of my particular bias toward Travis, there weren't too many stories that caught my attention. GAMBIT 7 was one of the better ones for me, with Margaret Walsh's By Honour Bound and Jean Stroud's Interlude in a Bar. Both stories portrayed Travis as a human being with other motivations besides his obsession with Blake's destruction. Margaret's was particularly satisfying because of the honor and compassion he demonstrated without losing the ruthless edge that was his only means of survival in Space Command. Of course, the dialogue with Servalan characterized their relationship of mutual distrust. Jean's I liked because it seemed to imply Travis would take another path than the one he did in "Gambit," find a different, possibly even better, future for himself, without the mterference of Blake or the Federation.

But I want you to know that GAMBIT 10 definitely earns a perfect ten on my scorecard. I really appreciated the abundance of Travis stories in all his manifestations. Classic Travis - Ruth Berman's Changing of the Guard was interesting for its insight into the characters of Blake, Travis, and Servalan, while giving one explanation for the Travis I - Travis 2 discrepancy. Reformed Travis — In my own Best Revenge, I was thrilled with the illos, especially S.R. Mowatt's Jenna on p.l28, whose expression seems to reflect the doubt and indecision that Jenna was feeling there. Of course, [ Whitby27's] grim, menacing Avon on p.l58 would definitely give even Travis second thoughts about manhandling Vila. I'm also curious about which episode the picture of Travis on p.l32 is from? I don't recognize the scene or the pose....Then there is Ridiculous Travis m Cheufell Doshier's hysterical Vila's Tall Tale, which also had a wonderful portrayal of Tarrant as Servalan's much-harassed "boy toy." And let's not forget Rebecca Donahue's superb B7: The Next Generation trilogy of stories, Queenmaker, A Day in the Life and Truth and Consequences. A set of stories that cries out for continuation.

I even found many of the non-Travis stories intriguing, with some very interesting insights. [Lorna B.'s] The Stone's Throw was a chilling parable on the fate of "messiahs" who don't consider the consequences of their actions. Helen Parkinson's Small World/Large Project was an intriguing speculation about Blake and Avon encountering one another on the Aquitar Project and a very perceptive observation that all, the rebels under his command did not necessarily share in Blake's idealism. Last of all, Marian Mendez's Limits was a charming comment on characters that sometimes take on a life of their own. (Would someone kindly exorcise that bad-tempered, black-clad ex-Space Commander from my computer files, please!)

I'm not much of a poetry fan, so I can't really comment, except to say that I liked Jacqui Topp's Tale of the Black Knight and Teri Sarick's offerings for the vivid if somewhat grim images that they imparted.

I want to thank you again for including The Best Revenge in this issue of GAMBIT. Fm afraid that because of its length and focus on Travis, some people will comment very unfavorably on its inclusion. However, I'm hoping that my sympathetic and somewhat realistic portrayal might generate a little more interest in my favorite character. I would love to read other writers' stories about Travis that portray him in a somewhat better, or at least more human light.

Keep up the superlative work (if you can, without having a physical or mental breakdown.) I always look forward to receiving my copies of GAMBIT, because I know that I've got hours, if not days, of enjoyable reading ahead of me.

[zine]: I enjoyed GAMBIT 10 very much. Forgive me for not thanking you for my copy sooner but it arrived at a bad time and things seem to have only just settled down. I loved the cover and backpiece-I wish I could draw like that-and especially enjoyed A Healing Touch and Deliver Us from Heroes.

[zine]:

Cover style - I have to say that I've become used to a full page picture for GAMBIT's cover. Even if Mrs. Moore's painting ('Frankly Blake, I Don't Give a Damn') is reproduced actual size, it doesn't fit! (No pun intended.) But her model's faces certainly tell a story. Just look at Vila's eyes. And the set of Avon's mouth. Is Blake showing his true face here? Mrs. Moore's back cover painting would have made a better front cover. And just whom is the title "Brat" referring to? (Think about it!) I know I'm always mentioning Mrs. Moore's work because it never fails to strike a chord in me. But the other artists, such as Jean Hubb, [ Whitby27 ], Suzie Molnar, S.R. Mowatt and Jacqui Topp, help to tie this issue together.

Favorite stories: Tribute by Sheila Paulson - OK, so I'm a marshmallow! I revert to that same 6-year-old as Vila does at Christmas time. Even 'stubborn, foolhardy, bullheaded rebels' (not to mention 'sourpuss techs') need a break!

Small World/Large Project by Helen Parkinson. Very believable plot; almost mundane in its day-in-the-life style. I fell right into the mood of this one. Blake got what he needed in the end. A holiday, off Earth!

Memories by Jean Hubb. Enjoyed the He Said She Said approach to the story.

Aftermath: Blake's Story by Sondra Sweigman. I'm an AVON LADY and tend to enjoy stories where he is center stage. This was one of the few Avon-less stories I've enjoyed. And I always thought that Deva and Klyn were too good to be used as throwaway characters. Wouldn't it have been interesting if the TV series had followed both major characters on parallel courses that intersected at times and collided at the end!

Only Human After All by Helen Parkinson. I would have liked to see this one as a TV B7 episode.

Vila's Tall Tale or Servalan Gets Hers by Cheufell Doshier. Nice change of pace. Yes... I did laugh. Singing Mutoids indeed! Would like to hear more of Vila's Tales.

Epitaphs by Jacqui Topp. I don't usually comment on poems because I don't consider myself knowledgeable in that area. Jacqui's poem put a smile on my face. But all things considered, I think the Seven 'would rather be here than in Philadelphia!' (W.C. Fields).

Well Jean, thanks again for another good read! Looking forward to GAMBIT 11, 12, 13, 14, 15... How does the year 2626 sound to you?

[zine]:

As usual, Lucia C. Moore's artwork on the covers and inside was great. Though I must admit that I'm rather partial to "Brat," which was on the back cover. I also quite liked [ Whitby27's] loose, dark style. It fits the characters of the B7 universe very well. I especially like the illos of Avon on 283 and 287.1 was also intrigued by the computer illos on 177 by ORmAC. From experience I know that doing detailed computer illustration can be time-consuming and it takes a great deal of patience and skill. I'm impressed. They don't look like they were scanned in. (Actually, I may be wrong about that.)

As to stories, I was surprised and delighted by A Healing Touch by Judith Seaman. I was expecting it to be another story where someone in the crew (most often Avon) is endowed with magical or superhuman powers (or worse, turns into a maniac). Stories like those tend to ignore the more fascinating human qualities and relationships between the characters. I'm glad A Healing Touch was not one of those. I was also pleased that it was set against a rich cultural backdrop. Well done!

I also liked The Best Revenge by Alice Aldridge. Travis and Jenna make an interesting combination. If I hadn't read the first story. Necessary Sacrifices, in ROADS NOT TAKEN, I would have been lost in The Best Revenge. The overall quality of the GAMBIT zines is excellent and #10 is no exception. Many thanks to Jean and her crew for putting it all together so well! (Despite our scribbly drawings, poor grammar and bad spelling!)

[zine]:

Art quality ranges from very good to frankly scrappy, and on the whole is not one of this zine's significant strengths. There are also a few puzzles in the mould of the cheaper women's weeklies, the type that take up a fair bit of time without overtaxing the brain and delude you into thinking you've achieved something cl speak as one who won't touch a crossword below Dally Telegraph standard. One day I might even complete one.

As to the stories (I'm not going to comment on the poetry), you get a very mixed bag. They are arranged in chronological order in each zine... All are gen, and only one is given an 'R' rating. All the staple, withered cliches of fanfic are in here in some form or other. Nancy Dziergowski's Detour sees Avon and Gan marooned on an icy asteroid (complete with atmosphere), and guess which one needs careful nurturing to survive. Sharon Ann Campbell ploughs through the Rumours cellar scene in the same issue. [...] Faithful Slack by "E" doesn't quite make it - a somewhat sentimental 3rd Season AU

In which Avon, blinded in the Andromedan War, rediscovers a will to live thanks to a devoted Alsation dog. Mary Sue gets a waggly tail! I was variously struck by Ruth Berman's Alien Welcome, which covers Cally's first few hours on the Liberator; Judith Seaman's A Healing Touch, where - surprise! - Blake is both zealous and dim and Avon saves the day, but it's all done with Judith's usual narrative skill and well described - if rather routinely primitive - background; Sondra Sweigman's Aftermath: Blake's Story takes the well-worn theme of Blake and Jenna leaving Liberator in Aftermath, and is probably the best example I've read despite some rather trudging dialogue; The Stone's Throw by Lorna Breshears explores the pitfalls of being a notorious rebel leader (complete with moral at the end, just in case Lorna hadn't got her message through); and S R Mowatt's Day of the Bounty Hunter, the first part of a longer piece (not continued in #11) which starts off feeling very hardtech but veers more and more towards mainstream action fic as it goes on, If you're already familiar with #10, you might have noticed that amongst the stuff I haven't mentioned are Alice Aldridge's Jenna/Travis epic and Rebecca Donohue's PGP trilogy of short stories. This is because I haven't read them yet. I did start on Cheufell Dossier's Vila's Tall Tale until I realised just how silly it was going to be - President Vila relates some old adventures to his grandchildren, ana when I mention mutoids singing in chorus, lots of screaming, jumping up and down... And I thought I had a deranged mind.

[zine]:

I only liked three [stories in Gambit 10] myself (apart from my own, of course, and of those three, I'd only call one truly outstanding. It would be nice to know if our preferences overlapped.

My two favourites were A Healing Touch by Judith Seaman, and Aftermath: Blake's Story by some deranged Blake-junkie in New England. I would now add SR Mowatt's Day of the Bounty Hunter to the list, Others, by Helen Parkinson, Ruth Beman and Lorna Breshears, weren't bad either. Others still were excruciating, often inviting the kind of hack psychoanalysis I've just ploughed through. No verdict, obviously, on the stories I haven't read yet, I haven't yet read.