1 Tremendous Tunes By Accordion Tremendous Tunes By Accordion • 1 2 Tremendous Tunes By Accordion Chainwriting The Tomorrow Gods 4 City Sense 9 Stowaway 14 Memories of Sand 18 Cooking by the Book 22 The Strange Case of the Astrogator’s Eye 26 Spell Trek 30 The Mummy from Differing Viewpoints 36 Samuel Cook Aldi Gothic 38 Danielle Saunders Xenomusicology: the use of fictional ethnomusicology in the multi-media world of James Cameron’s Avatar 39 Cici Carey-Stewart A Beginner’s Guide to Prog Rock Concept Albums Which Tell Science Fiction and/or Fantasy Stories 46 Sarah Binney TTBA Titles Being Appraised 48 Anonymous The Remaining Pieces of Part I of Die Zauberkarotte 50 Anonymous Tremendous Tunes By Accordion • 2 3 The Chairbeing’s Address A Note from the Editor Greetings CUSFS. CUSFS, your creativity will never cease to Another year, another sun, has been and amaze me. Our chainwriting efforts from gone. I have managed the benevolent task of back in Michaelmas took readers across the holding onto my chairbeing power (you fools) universe, from cities to deserts to approxi- and it is always amazing to see the society mately 50 different types of spaceship, throw- 1 evolve and witness what makes it into tradi- ing in the collective talent of more than 80 ex- tion this year. tremely bright and extremely genre-savvy people. I’m looking forward to the Chainwrit- It's been a fun Michaelmas, and promises to ing Extended Universe crossover event2 be a great Lent, having found the kettle in the (though bagsy I’m not on plot hole sealing Pembroke NCR and with fond memories of duty). the biscuits we ate. Tea, for I now make it tra- 3 dition, should hopefully continue in our dis- But that’s not all! This music-themed issue cussions. Always a pleasure to run films. For also boasts an entire fantasy opera, a serious those new to the society, be excited for the joy academic discussion of alien music, several that is Lent term films. album reviews, and something I can only de- scribe as Lidl Shop of Horrors (see what I I have no doubt you will find this TTBA ex- did there?). There’s everything from poetry to hilarating, wondrous, creative and chaotic, as the Mummy. I suppose variety is supposed to is the CUSFS way. However maybe slightly be the Spice of Life (though I was never one more organised with thanks to the editor and for nights out myself). her google forms. Keep doing you, CUSFS. It’s what you do Olivia Morley best. CUSFS Chairbeing 2017—19 Yours scribblingly, Sarah Binney4 TTBA Editor 1 I’m shocked too! I didn’t even know there were 80 peo- ple on the CUSFS mailing list! 2 I promise I will ensure the combination of fantasy and sci-fi is perfectly balanced, as all things should be. 3 Completely by accident, of course. Great minds think alike, and all that. 4 You’re not rid of me just yet. Tremendous Tunes By Accordion • 3 4 The Tomorrow Gods Bobby Vos, light_harted, A. A. Rispo Constantinou, Rory Hennell James, Ed H, Human, anon, Chua Jefferson Edralin, Shilin Chen, Tom Musgrove, Cayson, James Baillie Kayla never cared much wards her people’s newly discov- his crew, nothing more techno- ered pantheon vanished for the logically complex than you for the old gods of myth. briefest of moments. For she would expect to find in a medie- But then again, she did now saw clearly before her eyes val village. The Lieutenant was the unfolding of magics she had poking at her wrist strap, desper- not remember ever seeing never dreamt possible. Amidst ately trying to make contact with them outside the temple this cacophony of colour and one of the fleet in the nearby energy, she noticed one of the space quadrant to tell them that hall. News of their arrival had beings conversing with what they’d crash landed on wherever spread across the village like seemed to be the leader of the they were after being ambushed wildfire and, notwithstanding the group. She vainly attempted to by the Swaleen. early hour of the day, had man- catch a fragment of their conver- aged to attract a sizeable crowd Crawley noticed one of the na- sation, but quickly returned her to the central square. Old Yeran tives manoeuvring its way to the attention to the spectacle before swore he had seen the heavens front of the crowd, eyeing him, her. burst open in flame, after which Pierce and the rest of the crew he had noticed the group of “Lieutenant, prognosis?” with what could only be called a strangers emerge on the horizon. “Bad, sir… We’re not getting out suspicious gaze no matter what Other villagers keenly supported of here. Not on time, anyway. species you were from. Their the octogenarian’s account in all And certainly not by ourselves.” eyes lit up briefly though as but the most extravagant of de- Pierce projected a hologram of tails. Most striking, however— * their ships diagnostics into the and it was in this that the Captain Crawley ran one hand air and examined it critically. strangers resembled most power- through his hair and looked out There was an uncomfortable fully those divine heroes of over the crowd of natives sur- amount of red in the hologram yore—was their seemingly ef- rounding him and Lieutenant and, working on the universal fortless mastery over the world Pierce. They looked most similar assumption that red in diagnos- around them. to small kangaroos except with tics was a bad thing, he felt duty bound to ask, Determined not to let supersti- opposable thumbs and a slightly tion and rumour deter her from flatter snout than the earthen “Lieutenant, prognosis?” variety. The had endearingly her naturalistic world views, “Bad, sir… We’re not getting out Kayla manoeuvred herself large eyes though and a colourful dress sense which immediately of here. Not on time, anyway. though the impromptu congre- And certainly not by ourselves. gation in an effort to subject the made Crawley take a liking to visitors to closer inspection. But them. “The ship couldn’t guarantee a as she emerged at the front of Beyond the crowd was a square gentle landing so beamed us the growing crowd of spectators, containing an impressive temple down before crashing. We still have contact with it but location the doubts she harboured to- but, unfortunately for him and Tremendous Tunes By Accordion • 4 5 systems are down. That bit of they looked far too skinny to slightly irritably. He felt he was red means we don’t have work- provide much speed. It seemed missing something important. ing orbital thrusters, this bit of to be mostly hairless, with fur Luckily for him, Pierce had had red means the hull is too bat- only on the top of its head and a the same thought, and filled in tered for repressurisation, and curious curving line below its the gap. that bit of red means we don’t nose. The creature stopped in “Did you notice what word the even have basic life support – front of her as her fellow villag- translators chose?” she asked. waste filtering and water purifi- ers backed away behind her. It “'Heaven'.” cation are out. Orange says we extended its forelegs with their still have power, for now, and slender toes splayed wide and “Most pre-technical species don't somehow the entertainment sys- opened its mouth. have a concept of 'space' as we understand it.” tems have held, if that’s any con- “Greetings! We come in peace. solation. We need to make a full Can you understand me?” Pierce was not dissuaded by inventory to work out what we Crawley's dissembling. “You have left and— say, sir, do you It seemed an odd question for a know exactly why we have to be think that kangaroo thing is get- god to ask. Surely they could al- careful here.” ting awfully close?” ways be understood by their cre- ations, at least when they chose Crawley did indeed know why * to be. they had to be careful. He wasn't too worried, though – the classic Kayla started as the sudden “Yes, I can.” movement of one of the gods Chariots of the Gods scenario tore her from the lights. What “Good,” replied the leader. It was all about displays of supreme she presumed to be the group’s then turned back to its fellow. “I power, and didn't tend to involve leader had begun gesturing, mov- suppose the ship must have admissions of impotence. ing its appendages towards itself, beamed some translation mi- Both he and Pierce paused. and had dropped into a crouch. crobes over as well.” Hopefully the creature would try Curious, she approached. She “Have you come down from to communicate again; that noticed the other conversant be- heaven?” asked Kayla. would help them determine how ing watching her intently. Un- “Well, we have come from much of their hand to play. daunted, she stared back, with across the stars. We sought to * matched intensity. As their eyes watch over your world for a met, a cacophonous orgy of Kayla was thinking hard; she was time, but our craft was damaged, sound erupted from the lights. perfectly capable of a process of and we are now no longer able Kayla made out a string of elimination. Could they be of the to depart.” strangely coherent noises… material world? Clearly not – “you’re beautiful, you’re beautiful, This reignited Kayla’s suspicion.