identify some of the SF narrative elements at work in the stories. Be sure to include concrete examples from the stories as support for your claims.

(1st Story)

Three brothers needed to build a fortification to protect themselves against the Wolmack. They couldn't agree on how it should be constructed. In fact, they argued so hard over it, they all decided to build each their own. Joun, the eldest, but not necessarily the brightest, found an empty container type home. It had thin walls of sheet metal with wood framing. He reinforced certain areas to add more protection. He cut several gun ports in each side to enable him to shoot his laser rifle at any foe that may attack. This didn't take him long to finish, and he was happy with his accomplishment. Soun, the next brother, constructed his fortification from an old farm silo he found on an abandoned farm. Using wood and some sheet metal, he reinforced the walls. He thought a round structure would be easier to defend from as there were no corners. He also cut laser ports in a few places around the building. He mounted a medium laser cannon on the roof, thinking he could stop any fray before it got to the structure. 50 yards from the structure he rolled out razor wire with only one opening around the fortification. He felt content with his fortification, and set about to relax. Toun, the youngest, and the wisest of the three began his fortification by first digging a foundation and pouring the foundation and walls with concrete. He then lined the inside with 1 inch thick steel plating he had found nearby. In the walls he had molded laser ports, and mounted two heavy laser cannon on the roof. In two of the wall ports, he mounted medium laser cannon. Starting at 100 yards, he laid razor wire, then again at 50 yards from the structure. In between the razor wire strings, he planted land mines in a zig zag pattern. This took him quite some time to complete. All the while his brothers laughed at him and told him was going way over board.

Sometime after all the construction was complete, Joun was sitting in his container when he heard the sound he feared would come. He could hear the sound of hover bikes coming through the woods nearby. He readied his laser rifle and peered out the port holes. The Wolmack, a fierce and nasty bunch, wished to take everything they could from others for use for themselves. When they appeared and were within range, Joun opened fire. The ensuing battle didn't last long. The Wolmack's laser cannon, and rifles tore through the thin walls of the container like a hot knife through butter. They were coming through faster than Joun thought they could. He fought bravely, but soon a laser round found his chest and the battle was over.

After dispatching Joun, a few days later the Wolmack found Soun. This battle lasted longer than the one with Joun, but the end result was the same. The razor wire slowed them down some, and the medium laser helped keep them at bay for a little while, but the thin walls of the silo couldn't hold up to the fierce cannon fire and plasma grenades. Soun, met his end when a Wolmack came through the wall and struck him squarely with his battle axe.

Now it was Toun's turn. He heard of the attacks on Joun, and Soun, and of their demise. He wept for his brother's but there was no time to grieve. He knew the Wolmack would soon be there, and had all his weapons charged and at the ready. The first wave hit the outer row of razor wire and the concussion of the landmines warned of their approach. Toun was on his large cannon and mowing down Wolmack after Wolmack. Their rifles had little effect on the walls of Toun's structure. When a few got close to the building, Toun, took them out with his medium cannon and rifle. After many Wolmack had been killed and no effect on the structure, they decided to head off for easier conquests leaving Toun unscathed. Toun cleaned up, repaired the damage and reset his defenses. He continued to fortify his building and area. He knows they'll be back eventually, and he will again be ready for them.

(2nd Story)The Immortal Reality of Pecos Bill

Well now Pecos Bill wasn't born in the usual way, you can say he just appeared. Bill knew right from the start that he was something else. He started talkin' and walkin' before he was a month old, did his teething on an energy bowie sword he found from the last Great War and rode his first XJ100 just as soon as he learned to sit up on his own. When he started to fight, Pecos Bill would wrestle with the liongators and other wild animals that roamed the solar system. Yep, Bill was expecting great things of himself; until he suffered a massive concussion. Seems he was learning the art of swordsmanship in the Pecos River when Pecos Bill got swept downstream afore anyone missed him. He hadn't taught himself to swim yet so when he hit his head he couldn't recover! Right about the time Pecos Bill was drying out and trying to get a fix on where he was, a tiger-ox came along and decided to adopt the poor boy and raise him with the rest of her pack. So Pecos Bill spent the first fifteen years of his life running around with the pack, chasing prey across the prairies, and having the time of his life.