Jaym Gates - War Stories

Sandeep! Sandeep Patel, the second–generation Indian from the East Midlands who liked to call Kevin a “bloody foreigner” and had made him more welcome at SphereIllogic than anyone else, back when he’d started there last year. His message earlier… Kevin flipped it back up: Hey Kev. Dig the profiles! They bucket–testing the shit outta this war.

Bucket–testing. A/B testing. Where a web feed showed some users a variant of a page so the owners could measure the outcomes, how many more clicked to buy; or where some passersby would get a spamyell from a shop or restaurant with a different wording, different tone. Real–time testing with subtle variations. Amazon and Google had done it all the time, way back in the when of things.

And now… Kevin looked around at all the confused, defeated faces.

How many different versions had people been fed so that the so–called Brethren of the Jihad could modify their campaign depending on user–segment responses? How many variants were there of that BBC feed, videoShopped in real–time by some semi–AI in order to model and shape and defeat a nation’s head–space? How much was even true, and how much just a piece of misinformation carefully engineered to steer the collective illogical logic of the population?

Kevin grabbed Ziggy by the arms and his dreadlocked friend fell quiet, mid–rant.

“It’s not over,” said Kevin. “Do you see? It’s not over at all. It’s still happening. All around us. Everything: one big bucket test. We haven’t lost, Ziggy. We only lose if we believe we’ve lost.”

Ziggy shook himself free. “Bro, you gone mad in the head. It’s all over the feeds.”

Kevin turned to Emily and Matt, but they just looked dazed, lost. In their heads they’d lost and there was no getting through.

Kevin started to run. Run until his breath came ragged and his lungs burned and his legs were like jelly.

He turned back down Queen Street, heading for the Union, the squaddies. He didn’t know what he was going to do, what he could find to say to them to convince them, but he had to get through. Had to try to persuade them that they were only beaten because they thought they were and that they might just still have a chance if they’d listen instead of just beating the crap out of the ranting gobshite of a Mick who was about to burst into their bar and start haranguing them.

JAYM:A few years ago, an i09.com article said I was working on military SF from the perspective of female and LGBTQ characters. At the time, it was just a half–joking idea, but a few years later, the stars aligned. There are too many people to thank, but a few in particular made this possible.

War Stories is dedicated to soldiers, and their families and loved ones. More specifically, to the wonderful community of veterans and soldiers—especially Neil, Greg, Ana, Aaron, DJ, Terry, and the guys at RangerUp—who answered all sorts of questions. Thanks for all your help, and your patience with my questions.

Thank you to the Kickstarter backers, the authors, my co–editor, our slush readers (including my wonderful mother), and everyone who spread the word and believed in us. To Jason, too, who took a chance on a potentially divisive book.

And, last but not least, to Greyson, who proved that the biggest soldier can sometimes have the greatest heart.

You all made this possible. Thank you.

ANDREW: War Stories began with a conversation between myself and Jaym at the 2012 ReaderCon in Burlington, MA. It’s a project that grew with each conversation, and there are an enormous number of people that need to be thanked with any sort of project such as this. I can’t list everyone who deserves thanks, but know that your help, support and contributions are most appreciated.

Thanks to go to John Joseph Adams, for his guidance and for passing along several stories that ended up in the book, to Jason Sizemore for giving this project a home and believing in the project over its entire lifecycle. To each of our authors, who provided us with their incredible stories, to our dedicated slush readers, Megan, Matt, Blackwell and Carey.

Thank you to everyone who pledged to the original project on Kickstarter, and for everyone who talked, tweeted and posted about this, providing encouragement and support along the way.

Thanks to Galen Dara, who makes awesome art. Thanks to Annalee Newitz, Charlie Jane Anders and the entire crew at io9, who got me thinking about the state of Military SF (and in a roundabout way, got me started with this) and to Myke Cole and Kevin Beal for the advice and support over the last couple of years.

Finally, thank you to my parents, Alan and Ellen Liptak and to my wife, Megan Liptak (and Bram), for their unwavering support and encouragement while I spent long nights and weekends on this. This never would have happened without you.

This project never would have happened without the financial support of 357 backers. Thank you for helping to make our book a reality.

@OlliCrusoe, A. T. Greenblatt, A.C. Wise, Aaron M. Wilson, Aidan Doyle, Aidan Moher, Aimee Picchi, AJ Sikes, Alan and Ellen Liptak, Alan Smale, Alec Austin, Alec Interrante, Alex Houghton, Alex Johnson, Alex Ristea, Allen J Medlen, Allison, Amanda K. Hess, Andrew Beirne, Andrew James Fish, Andrew Maiewski, Andrew Penn Romine, Andrija Popovic, Anthony Marissen, Anthony R. Cardno, Aric Jack, Arkady Martine, Aubrey Westbourne, Bear Weiter, Ben Ireland, Benjamin Bowers, Benjamin Newell, Benjamin Read, Beth Morris Tanner, Bill Kohn, Bim, Blair Nicholson, Bob Huss, Bob Jacobsen, Bobbomb, Brandon Kanechika, Brandon St. Cyr, Brendan Sherwin, Brian J. White, Brian Oma Thomas, Brian Staveley, Brian Young, BriAnne Searles, Brittany Karns, Bryan R Brown, Caitlyn Smith, Calvin K. Li, Cara Gorman, Carey Gates, Cariad Eccleston, Carissa, Carol J. Guess, Caroline Ratajski, Carolyn Kniga, Cathie V, CD Covington, Cédric Jeanneret, Charles Nicolosi, Christina Dessi, Clay Karwan, Cliff Winnig, Clinton Bodley, D.E.S., Richard, Dan Hills, Dan Pollack, Dan Rabarts, Daniel L Hughes, Dave Chua, Dave Gross, David Annandale, David Forbes, David Francis, David Lang, David Nicklin, David Stegora, David Wohlreich, Diana Williams, D–Rock, Dustin Hawk, Ed & Dallas Nagata White, Eric Kent Edstrom, Ericka B., Erin E. Moulton, Erik Bigglestone, Ernest Khoo, Fabio Fernandes, Fen Eatough, Francis Budden–Hinds, Frank J. Skornia, Galen Dara, Gavran, Gemma Noon, Gloria Liptak, Graeme Williams, Greg ‘fritopunk’ Adkins, Harry Knott, Heather Duke, Hillary Jacques, Ief Grootaers, ILICCO, Ira Lewy, Isabel Fine, Iwan Axt, J. Carl, Jakub Narębski, James Conason, James Knapp, James Turnbull, Janet L. Oblinger, Jared Shurin, Jason Andrew, Jason Daniel, Jason Sizemore, Jay Wolf, Jeff Xilon, Jen Howell, Jennifer Brozek, Jennifer Payne, Jennifer, Steinhurst, Jerry Gaiser, JHG Hendriks, Jim Reader, Jim Welch, Joe DiMaio, Johannes B, John Cosgrove, John Devenny, John Holden, Jon Lasser, Jonathan D. Beer, Jonathan Warner, Jonathan Woodward, Joseph R. Boeke, Josh Vogt, JP4, Kalli J. Ritter, Kate Baker, Kate Sullivan, Candlemark & Gleam, Keith Brinkley, Kelli Neier, Kelly Stiles, Kenneth Tagher, Kevin Baijens, Kevin Henderson, Kevin Sharp, Kevin Veldman, Kyle Brooks, Landon O., Lara Keenan & Andrew Rash, Larry Fleming, Lars Nygaard Witter, Lauren Davis, Lauren M. Roy, Lee Sims, Lisa Bucci, Logan Lamothe, Logan Z. Liskovec, Lori Ramey, Louis Luangkesorn, Lucas K. Law, Lyle Wood, Malcolm SW Wilson, Marc Jacobs, Marie–Claude Dion, Mark Jacobsen, Mark Pantoja, Mark T. Hrisho, Mark Teppo, Mark Thompson, Mark Woodson, Mary Beth Decker, Masato Naruniwa, Matt Gibbs, Matt Hurlburt, Matt Leitzen, Matt O’Connor, Matthew R. Gaglio, Matthew W. Quinn, Megan Charters, Michael A. Brunco, Michael Anton, Michael Feldhusen, Michael Hsieh, Michael Janairo, Michael Pusateri, Miha Jan, Mihir Wanchoo, Mike (Sven) Anderson, Mike Bavister, Mike Brendan, Mike E.G., Mike Hampton, Mike Seay, Mike Strider, Morgan Ellis, N. Aucoin, Nate Herzog and Kerry Swift, Nathan Hall, Nathan O’Keefe, Nathan S. McCollum, Neal Dalton, Neil Carr, Nicole Platania, Olna Jenn Smith, Olufemi, A. Oni, Parker B. Hoblin, Patti J. Exster, Paul Bulmer, Paul McMullen, Paul Weimer, Peter A Schaefer, Peter Biello, Peter Gray, Philip Harris, Polyfountain Media L.L.C., R.S. Hunter, Rafia Mirza, Ragi Gonçalves, ran, Randy “Sherpa” Brown, Rebekah Wheadon, Revek, Rick Ahern, Rob Hobart, Robert H. Bedford, Robert Davis, Robert Farmer, Robert Rath, Ronald T. Garner, Rose Vance, Ryan Weaver, Ryland J Kayin Lee, S. Hutson Blount, Sam Fleming (ravenbait), sam murphy, Samuel Erikson, Sandeep Sundher, Sandi Dreer, Sarah A., Sarah Howison, Sarah Kirkpatrick, Sarah Shoker, Sareh Heidari, Scott K. Monteiro, Scott Nellé, Scott Whitmore, Sean & Jen Whaley, Sean Harrop, Seth Elgart, SGT F.P. Kiesche III, Shad Bolling, Shane Celis, Shaun Duke, Sidsel Norgaard Pedersen, Simo Muinonen, Skunkboy, Stefan Raets, Stefan Slater, Stephen Cheng, Steve Burnett, Steve Drew, Steven Mentzel, Steven Moy, Steven Saus, Svend Andersen, Tad Ottman, Taylor “The Snarky Avenger” Kent, Ted Ellis, Tehani Wessely, Terence Chua, Terrence Dorsey, Terry McGarry, Terry Somerville, TheSFReader, Todd S Maeda, Travis Heermann, Trisha Commo, TwistedSciFi.com, Vivienne Pustell, Wayne L. Budgen, Wayne L. Miller, Whitney Nellé, Wick, William Baum, Y. K. Lee, Yuri Lowenthal, Zach Rivers, Zachary McCallum, Zan Gerhardt, Zoldar, Zorba The Geek