All Comments on 'Strength of the Soul Pt. 02'

5***** again!!!!! You're the still the best writer in LW! Write On!!!!!

Would rather have Goldwater win, but at least that rat bastard LBJ wasn’t President in this timeline!

ZK

good story and welcome back hope things with you are good

Awesome 5!*s

One nit: 3500 KM not miles is geostationary orbit. (old rocket guy). I will take it as a typo :)

Sorry but Rhonda didn't really pay at all. Mike and Lisa paid. Not up to your usual BTB standard. 3/5, at best.

Thanks for an interesting story.

I sure hope Lisa gets her dream. Congratulation to Mike for making General. Great story, Thanks for your writing.

Fun story. The only thing that bothered me, and it's minor is that you said Lisa was 8 but wrote her character a if she was much younger - seemed about 5 to me. Or was she mentally challenged? That would be sad because it meant that she would never be an astronaut.

Thanks for continuing to write and for finishing this one. After I read Part 01, I "put you" in a spreadsheet and sorted by date then started re-reading you. Look forward to seeing more. I grew up in the Northwest so appreciate your references. I note that your earlier writings refer to time stating "hours". I spent ~about 29 years around that and very seldom heard that. We simply said (ie) zero four hundred or eighteen thirty. We all knew what it meant. Bravo Zulu!

Shouldn't they be trying to figure out if there are more space aliens out there?

Gotta admit that I was hoping the 'neighbors' were another race of aliens that wanted to help the Earth. Or would have taken Mike and Lisa away to live amongst them (because the bad aliens were going to blow up the Earth). Those are very different stories, though.

Enjoyable tale. Thanks for sharing it. 5*

One of the best written stories this year.

5 very well written

I feel like I've read this before. The spineless slut wife, the backstabbing superior officer, the sabotaged military aircraft; all of it. The aliens were new, but they literally had no impact on the story at all, so I'm not counting them. Still a solid offering, but it feels kinda pointless. Like a movie remake that recreates the original shot-for-shot and adds nothing new or interesting, but it's still an alright movie because the original was alright.

Beautiful story! 5*

Another masterpiece from the master! 10 stars isn't even close! Jim and Rhonda should be in space, never to return to Earth...

You would have had to use that song! Let Me explain I had been Married for 44 years My Wifes Hourglass of Life ran out on 10/27/2021 She is Buried in the National Cemetary above Bakersfield California (Army SP4) No one would dare to change Channels when the series Enterprise was starting and they Played that song One Night She was asleep when the song started and Even then She sang it in Her sleep lol

Good story. Only one thought remains: how come every military character assumes the aliens only had that one ship?

An enjoyable tale. The fight with the aliens was a bit anticlimactic, but it was nice to see Jim and Rhonda get justly punished.

They should make this into a short tel-movie. Loved it.

Awesome story. I'd would love to read more SiFi you wrote. I am not a fan of SiFi but i will read a story or two.

Sadly if only the part about JFK were true. I saw him up close twice while he talked to my father. I also remember his murder with great pain.

It's a nice fantasy. Thinking how the world would be if jfk survived. The rest was pretty good as well, with aliens, saving the world and spy VS spy stuff thrown in. Altogether a nice yarn.

You story was abso-fucking-lutely fantastic Mr. SaddleTramp. Quit a few thing in the story made me snicker. Spent my time in the Military, spent time serving under the State Dept., time worming my way as far away from the C.I.A. as I could. No matter what I did wasn't going to be dictated by the biggest Criminal Organization in the World other than the I.R.S. and FBI, lol. Was at Imaging at a Hospital one time and ran into an good friend I hadn't seen in awhile and he introduced me to someone that went through the same B.S. I did in the Military. He was a big guy and I chuckled and asked him how he survived. Told him he was a lot bigger than I so it was easier for me to hide. Can't even get my Vet Pension like him, our records are still sealed. Fuck the Army and fuck the C.I.A., I never signed their Non-Disclosure Agreement. Loved your story man, your the best! 5 BIG ASS FUCKING HUGE FUCKING FLAMING NOVA STARS!

I love your stories ST, appreciate the creative will of the wisps and what not, but this one left me a little flat. For example, who is Harold really and how did he know about what was going on? And why did Rhonda do what she did? Was she in love with Jim, why did she want Alice to be Jim's?

There was enough missing it was flat. Obviously this is an alt universe, stealth tech didn't exist in 1963, and DNA testing didn't exist at all, in 1963 they didn't know enough about the structure of human DNA to figure out paternity, the tests didn't exist.

And also of course we find out nothing about the aliens..

Great finish to another great story. I love alt. history and this was very well done.

Good plot, nice reimagining of history. One small nit: my understanding is that parabolic microphones are aimed at the objects from hundreds to thousands of feet away. These would not be attached to windows, rather would be aimed at them.

Good one.. like the rest of them..

“Aim High … Fly-Fight-Win”

Official US Air Force Motto(

.

“SEMPER SUPRA”...(ALWAYS ABOVE)...

Official US Space Force Motto

.

Irishgentleman

You continue to provide good stories!!! Thanks!!!

Well written story but felt like chapter 1 and 2 don't quite connect.

I'm just gonna say it - this is good writing! I was sorry to see it end in just two chapters. Thanks for your hard work.

I would give it a higher rating if I could. I thought it was an excellent story.

Sorry Saddle,

I usually really enjoy your stories but this one was flat. Characters uninteresting and solutions too easy

I enjoy most of your posts but enjoyed this one a little more because it wasn’t part of your other “worlds”. It stood on its own and it stood well.

Thanks, God bless you!

Truly enjoyed this side step into a different future while keeping it in the LW category. My only thought was if the X-67 was stealth capable and the invaders failed to detect it's approach how could it be tracked back down on Earth? And I must add; Ride Sally, Ride!

Rushed ending shite 1*

There were three X-15s built, and X-15-2, rebuilt after a crash as X-15a-2 had an ablative coating added to it, to protect from atmospheric friction. It was not anything like a re-entry heat shield, though. NASA considered a plan to launch the X-15 into space vertically, but that plan lost out in favor of the Mercury program.

.

The only really jarring thing I found was having President Kennedy survive the assassination. After two chapters of this story, I still never figured out why that part was included.

.

As is pretty typical, the two adulterers were, despite Jim being a full Colonel, just boneheadedly stupid.

It takes a tremendous imagination to be a great author

...and incredible skill too of course..lol

Great story 5 stars!

Damn good story! One of if not you best!

Revisionist history can be seriously entertaining and saddletramp1956 is a master of the art. A great story. Rhonda definitely got what she deserved -- she colluded with an attempt to murder her husband, FFS, while having been involved with Jim for the entire marriage.

A bit of revisionist history, But it's your world. I enjoy your work.

To go where no man has gone before!

"'Second star to the right... and straight on to morning," Perfect. Excellent blend of action, suspense, and BTB revenge.

There should've been a way for the mother to stay in her daughter's life. All in all though, good story.

one of the better Tramp sagas

Good stuff

Smokepole

Once more another gripping story from the master (jaybee186)

Good story

Another brilliant Tramp story.

Wow, Wow, Wow!

Good story as usual.

Always look forward to your stories.

Thank you.

@Whackdoodle....

Sorry man, this could have been good but shoulda, coulda, woulda.

Sounds to me like you are describing all of your stories.

@ReedRichards,

anything can happen...on paper, in an alternate historical timeline.

‘Apollo 13’ and ‘Independence Day’ and Saddletramp1956 all rolled up in one story. What a kick! That was really fun.

.

I was a kindergartener living in Fort Worth on 11/22/63. One of only a couple times I ever saw my father cry. Almost sixty years later I can fondly imagine the ‘what if…’ you propose in ‘Strength of a Soul’.

.

Thank you for a very enjoyable reading treat.

I have weak spot for alternative histories, and enjoyed this one immensely. For a long term affair and thinking she had another man's child, Rhonda got what she deserved. Another great story.

Well told tale. Loved the SciFy aspect with Kennedy’s re-election. 5 stars. Thanks

"'Second star to the right... and straight on to morning," I remember Anne McCaffrey using a that line or almost the same in the third book of her Crystal Singer trilogy. Great line. Killashandra spoke that line to the ship brain so it took her to a distance star. Loved your story, Lisa can be the next X67 test pilot to blow up the next batch of alien trash.

Good story and I especially love that you used the lyrics from the Star Trek series of Capt Archer , Tu'Pal and company

I loved it. Another great story, very well told. I was trying to figure out Harold and Rita's part though...where they part of the government (NSA, CIA, FBI, other?), or aliens working for the government? They seemed like a well informed couple though, just not sure how they got their information. Maybe they (Harold and Rita) were humans who got hit by lightning (a blue ray of light). I mean it IS ST 1956's universe where anything can and possibly does happen. Was kind of surprised Justice O Peace didn't come in and try to save Rhonda. But, it was probably too late, since she met Jim first before Mike.

I gave it 5 big stars, as it was a good fun to read story, and detailed enough to keep the reader involved and wanting more. Thank You ST 1956 for an well told excellent story. Yes, it might have been a little out there, but that was fine with me.

The best story I know of saddletramp. Solid plot, somewhat strange relations in military but that is "his world" so I guess it is acceptable.

Not too many people around here can even make any plot.

A fascinating story that is very well told. The wait was worth it. 5*!

Excellent. Appreciated the alternative history that hopefully will convince naysayers that fiction does not take place necessarily in their universe.

Well done. Original and well told. Lived it.

I would have liked to see Rhonda attempt to explain why she could say she fell in love with Mike, but never slowed down with Jim and wanted the baby to be Jim's . Guess that speaks to her delusion.

You always have great stories, but what puts you over the top is your ability as a Storyteller...

Having been an avid reader all of my life it has been my pleasure to read the works of many great storytellers and you are as good as they come!

5🌟s

Fred

Good yarn, liked that LBJ didn't become President. The only factual issue was dealing with the court martial. Servicemembers don't decide if they have a general court martial, the convening authority does that. Commisionned officers don't get dishonorable discharges, they are dismissed from the service. Enlisted are given A DD, which is a punitive discharge only awarded at a general court.

I was in 8th grade English class when our Principle announced that our President had been shot. We would watch the launches from our front porch just south of Orlando. Had reality followed your script, our world, today, might be a much better place than it currently is.

Your stories are always very enjoyable, but this one, for some reason, hit home,

thank you

@bhill8671 wrote: “There should've been a way for the mother to stay in her daughter's life.”

I suppose that you believe women can do no wrong, and that all mothers are next to angels. Let’s examine this woman, and if she should be a mother:

Rhonda entered into marriage while still fucking another man. She never had any intention of fidelity. The marriage was fraudulent, and should have been annulled, not divorced.

The adulterers conspired to have a child, and pass it off as Mike’s. Just because the girl turned out to be his doesn’t negate that Rhonda again intended to defraud him.

Her lover conspires with her to commit sabotage, murder, and treason. She goes along with it. Frankly both her and the LTC should have been hanged on gallows setup in the front of the pool in the National Mall.

A woman who committed adultery, and was going to allow her husband to be murdered is NOT a good example, and should not be allowed to influence her daughter. Since they didn’t charge her with treason, and they aren’t going to execute her, part of her punishment should be to NEVER see her child again!

ZK

ST, another great read! Relatable characters as well as cleverly designed plots keeps us coming back for more! Masterful!

Usually man makes plans and God laughs but in this case ithink God helped out a little. Great story. 5 stars

Excellent 5☆

Nice story. Simplistic.

Long, complex, complicated but excellent

Spellbinding story of love, betrayal and heroism by our insufficient honored military warriors. Thanks for the story.

And little Lisa did reach the stars. She became one of several Astronauts who went on Earths first interstellar journey.

You went easy on the cheating bitch but still a fun read.

5 stars for both chapters. I enjoyed this series.

Thanks

I didn’t not like it but somehow it just didn’t knit properly with me,

Excellent

At least Rhonda is showing actions of really being sorry and not being selfish. Good read

Goddammit that saddletramp is a great writer!!!

Another excellent saddletramp1956 story!!!!!

Excellent ! 5 *...

Tramp, BRAVO!

'Just finished. You're one of about 8 authors that posts a story & I just read it. 'Don't look at ratings or categories.

I'm not a fan of SFF genre in erotica or elsewhere, but your work overwhelmed my predjudice. This is a '5' for me.

My sincere best wishes to you & yours. I hope your writing continues for decades.

-Dreaded Anonymous

Excellent story...Loved it. Now, on to the next one after I get some shut eye.

Fantastic as always. In the process of reading all your stories,

A good old-fashioned Western-Style Sci-Fi Classic with echoes from Stargate, as well as Star Trek NG! All good gung-ho fun stuff from the Old Master of Lambaster, Saddletramp!

Just one down-to-Earth everyday detail I DID stumble over though, the Author's deliberate insistence of MISUSING the term "an accomplice after the fact", when she was, quite clearly "an accomplice BEFORE the fact", which is, perhaps, TEN-TIMES more serious quite rightly, as before the fact, one's speaking-out might well PREVENT or alter the action whereas after-the-event, it HAS ALREADY HAPPENED, and can NOT be changed!

R.S.

So lets get this straight.

1. A civilization that figured out faster than light travel didn’t have the competence to develop sensor systems or a perimeter defense system like a 20th century Earth naval battle group would’ve had?

2. Earth had to send an experimental rocket never checked out for space in order to maneuver around the non-excitant defense system?

2A. So a single ICBM would’ve done the job?

2B. Space ships don’t maneuver much in space. They move further from the body they orbit or closer. They don’t do LaMans type road racing maneuvers.

Kind of weak.

In an actual scenario the US, USSR, and China would’ve fired every ICBM they had in a concentrated salvo while the magic rocket ship maneuvered above the alien craft and came in from behind and still the aliens probably would have had a defense system up to the task but at least the rocket would’ve had a slight chance.

Good story. Awful science.

Great story! Love that it was more than about the cheating wife.

[08.07.23]

Excellent!

1) Classic TV Theme Tune Fun Fact I:

Gene Roddenberry added lyrics to Alexander Courage's Star Trek theme tune - so even if they were never heard, he got royalties.

2) Classic TV Theme Tune Fun Fact II:

The M*A*S*H theme tune is known as 'Suicide is Painless' and has lyrics as well...and like in the ST example the lyricist gets royalties. But this lyricist was asked by Robert Altman (the film's director) to pen "the stupidest song ever written" (Altman's own words!) and his FIFTEEN year old son Mike wrote it in FIVE minutes.

Mike made $1 million initially for co-writing (with Johnny Mandel) and his dad ONLY made $70,000!

11/10!!!!!

[08.07.23] Correction

Mike Altman was FOURTEEN not fifteen.

5***** for an outer space Top Gun. So does Colonel Mike and daughter Lisa go to the Moon someday? Mars?

So he saw an open bay door and eyeballed the missile in...

"Use the Force, Mike."

Another Great Great SaddleTramp Story! Thank You, Sir, it has been an Honor to read this wonderful tale. Thank You for the Great Story, The Great Writing, The Great Adventure, The Great Effort. What an amazing story. Thank You, your quality of writing is unmatched. I am just so amazed. Thank You Buster2U

Both you and Todd 172 provide awesome factual background material. That both of you do your homework and just a couple of the reasons why I believe, you guys are near the apex of the writers here. You give us stories that are grounded in realism and,,as needed, grant your readers ttthe ability to willingly suspend disbelief.

THANK YOU💫💥💥💥👊

My after she helped murder him and was caught she became quite noble.

Usual top story 5*****

Excellent story! Thank you ST! 5 BIG ASS FUCKING HUGE FLAMING NOVA STARS!

This was a fun story. The part about no more cards or photographs for Rhonda seemed weird. She probably didn't have to allow the adoption, and she did seem to love her daughter . . . so that part didn't make much sense, especially in light of the fact that Mike did not seem a vengeful character . . . it kind of weakened his overall character a bit. But still, kind of a fun read.

think RanDog025 hit "nail on the head". damn that was one fine tale

Another great story, ‘Tramp, thanks for sharing a little piece of your own private universe.

Five stars.

I loved it, and enjoyed it. I also gave it 5 stars, and agree with c24j on Mike's character, in that it seemed out of place for him to not keep sending pics of Lisa to Rhonda. It did fit him, as he wasn't the vengeful type. But other than that it was a damn good read. Thank You for sharing it with us.

;-) Another well-written and enjoyable tale from your amazing imagination!! Thanks for an entertaining read!