Every week we post six lines of a story of ours, a work-in-progress or from someone else’s work we recommend that has LGBT characters on Rainbow Snippets here https://www.facebook.com/groups/963484217054974

I’m going to add this introduction from when I posted my story “Stand Ready to Smite” https://authorjeffbaker.com/2023/06/23/stand-ready-to-smite-for-friday-flash-fics-by-jeff-baker-june-23-2023/ a few weeks ago. Then we’ll get to the snippets:

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I haven’t done one of these bar stories in about a year or so, possibly because the hostile and downright violent anti-LGBT mood in the country seemed to preclude a comedy set at a fictional venue similar to real-world ones that are getting attacked both metaphorically and physically. But I figured that enough was enough and so I wrote this; which is a bit of a nod to my favorite writers Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore.

Here’s snippet one where Demeter’s Bar bartender Zack is explaining about his bandaged hand.

“Some homophobic assholes jumped him in the parking lot the other night, that’s what happened.” That was from Paco, sitting at the end of the bar looking muscular and young in the tank top he wore after workouts.

“They just caught me off guard,” Zack said, pouring the refill with his unbandaged hand. “I got a couple of bruises and this hand got bashed up against a car. One of the thugs caught the worst of it.”

“Yeah, Zack got him in the knee!” Paco said, giving him a thumb’s up.

“I was aiming higher,” Zack said, wishing he’d kept up lessons at the Dojo when he was in high school.

Okay, more than six lines. But the professor they are talking to offers them a solution. A few days later, we meet the solution. Here’s snippet two:

Mrs. DeLeon stood open mouthed at the tall, grey metal figure that stood by the door of Demeter’s. It was about six-foot-four, built like a muscular Tin Woodsman and had a face of frozen grey features that she had seen on a statue somewhere. It was actually dressed in shorts and a tank top that would have made Paco look scrawny.

“What the hell is this?” Mrs. DeLeon asked, to no one in particular.

“Um, that’s mine,” Zack said rushing from behind the bar. “At least it’s a loaner. For now. I’m giving it back.”

Okay, one more snippet

“About two nights after he talked to us,” Zack said, “Professor Ginastera shows up right before closing. And this…guy walks in right behind him. Metal. Professor said he called him Vengador. that’s Spanish for Avenger.”

“Yes, I know,” Mrs. DeLeon said.

“Well, he tells me this is a defense robot he’s been working on and that he figured I could help him test it out. For a week or so. Kind of like a test-drive.”

Well, that’s it for this week. Next week something very good not from me. —-jeff