A Tale of Two Colonies - Free on 16th

Free eBook on Saturday, August 16th. A Tale of Two Colonies.

Sultry Tiger Lily escapes subterranean hovels of Terra, meets scarred warrior Conley, while searching for the lost colony in the treacherous mountains and arthropod-infected jungles of planet Delta. 

Snipet for SFFS WIP

From work in progress

The main characters, interstellar spy Kat and the pirate Captain Hawk, are attempting to steal a spaceship.

Kat glided over to the central com and lowered herself into the seat. The Hawk trod quietly behind and leaned his hand on the back of her seat. “Shall I open the panel?” he whispered.

“No! I’ll try breaking into the com first,” Kat activated the screen and hit keys. The screen lit up, but nothing else happened. She input the first sequence of the secret code and waited a few seconds for a response, leaning back and supporting her head in her intertwined hands. If nothing happened, she would try another tactic to break in. She bent forward to begin a new sequence, when, abruptly, a loud hiss emerged from below the panel. She felt a strong gush of air. No, it wasn’t air; it smelled wrong. 

 Immediately, she sprung out of the seat, yelling, “Gas!” and dashed for the door. She heard the crunch of metal, as if the Hawk were trying to seal off the spouting gas. Then, he was at her back and shouted, “Get out! It’s a trap!” 

Comments are welcome

My published SF novels are: The Lady is Blue, Dragons of Vkani, and A Tale of Two Colonies. As you see, I enjoy puns and allusions. 

Click SFFS button to read other snippets.
 

SFR Brigade Presents - a snippet from The Lady is Blue

Continuing insight into characters: Excerpt from The Lady is Blue

The character of Sa Kamizan (big Atrapako male with blue scales and sharp claws) evolves during the story. At the beginning, he is a typical arrogant Blue and expects unquestioning obedience from the lower classes (Green, Yellow & Red), although humans are confusing since they don't have colors. He learns to respect Lucy Stannis as an equal. By the end of the book, he is ready to renounce his Atrapako traditions.
In this snippet, he is miserable. He was forced to assume the role of the General in their rebellion, and Lucy believes he has deceived her. Here is a chance to redeem himself. Dr. Lucy Stannis has found a notice ordering her to vacate her research laboratory. She is devastated and assumes the order came from Sa Kamizan.

She was so lost in miserable thoughts that she failed to notice the scratch of claws until the General appeared by her table. He pulled out a chair and sat down opposite her. She glared at him. His blue, unreadable eyes searched her face.

“What has happened to upset you, Dr. Stannis?” he asked gently.

Lucy bit her lip and frowned in vexation. She had resolved to stay silent, however, under his penetrating eyes she burst out, “You, of all people, should know! Have you come to gloat? You leave me nothing!” Unconsciously, her fingers crumpled the message sheet lying on the table.

“I have done nothing that might distress you since our last meeting.” A pained expression passed over his blue face. He reached out a hand, “Let me see that sheet.”

Lucy looked down at the table. Her fingers lay on top of the wrinkled message. The Atrapako Blue insignia was partially visible under one fold. Shiny blue claws crept towards her hand. Her eyes filled with tears as the blue claws gripped the sheet and drew it inexorably from under her hand. A teardrop fell from her bowed head to land on the sheet. 


This scene is one of several set in my fictitious version of the cafe on top of the Kline Biology Tower, Yale University. Imagine the humans sitting on one side of the room, and Blue and Green scaled Atrapako on the other side, with some mingling of Green scientists with their human counterparts.

 Comments are welcome! 

Please read the snippets from other authors at  SFR Brigade Presents.

New release: A Tale of Two Colonies

A Tale of Two Colonies is available from Amazon

A Science Fiction Romance: Planet Delta is a jungle ruled by arthropods. The heroine, Lily White, is a highly skilled member of the team selected to search for the lost colony on planet Delta. She is called Tiger Lily, and has never found her match in a man.

The hero, Conley, is a grim warrior with a tortured past, who longs to escape the confines of the isolated valley on Delta. Why is he reluctant to speak of the people living in the valley?

Their lives will intersect, as Lily finds romance while searching for the lost colony amid the dangers posed by the native life. Who are the real rulers of the lost colony: the hostile princesses or the unknown native inhabitants? Will the team succeed in their mission to locate the original colonizers and establish a new colony, or will they depart ingloriously for Terra?

Excerpt from Work in Progress - a Space Opera

A Comic Space Opera with Romance

Later in the day, she was escorted again to the Captain’s cabin. The Black Hawk was seated as usual at his table, looking at star charts. He glanced up when she was ushered into the room. His eyes lingered, registering astonishment at her red hair and fair, freckled skin.

He stood and paced around her with the supple and deadly grace of a prowling tiger. He spoke in a deep resonant voice, “A dramatic change! Grey Kat is entirely washed away.”

Trina was attracted strongly by the feline grace of his body in motion. When he stood still, the image of raw, feral power was replaced by the enigma of the Black Hawk, clothed entirely in black.

She raised her chin provocatively, and spoke in the haughty accent of the Solarian upper class. “I am grateful for your kindness in providing me with clean clothes and a luxuriously comfortable room.”

Black Hawk circled her again, insisting, “I know your face! Where have I seen it?” He halted in front of her, staring at her face with narrowed eyes. She remained motionless and silent, only her eyes revealing her insolence. 

“Wait,” he cried, with a confident smile curving his lips. “I have it! You are Mistress Trina Sligo, daughter of the Solarian diplomat.”

She made a slight bow and said, tilting up her chin with a mocking, regal air, “You are correct, Captain Hawk! In this guise, I am Mistress Trina Sligo.”

“Amazing!” he said appreciatively, shaking his head. “No one would guess you were Grey Kat, the dock thief.”

SFR Brigade Presents - More from The Lady is Blue

Character development from The Lady is Blue, which is Free on Saturday 2nd

[Abridged to <200 words]

Lucy claims she is not defenseless, despite being a puny human. He didn't believe her. Note: Atrapako have scales and sharp claws. Their colors represent a class system: Blues command and Reds are warriors. Here, Lucy has been dragged to watch Sa Kamizan fight a duel of honor with the Red who had knocked her unconscious when she was snooping in the forbidden sections of the Atrapako residence. She was supposed to be under Sa Kamizan's protection and he should never have let her out of his sight. No weapons were allowed in the duel. Sa Kamizan has trounced the Red, after suffering a black eye and is bleeding from numerous claw slashes.

She leaped over the line with a warning yell. Just as the Red hit the floor, two Atrapako raced across the line behind Sa Kamizan. Both wielded long knives. Sa Kamizan was alerted to the new threat and tackled the bulky Red close to him. He was still unaware of Lucy and the second assailant.

Lucy jumped into the center, drawing the attention of the second attacker. The Blue rushed towards her, brandishing a wide blade like a meat cleaver. Just as she had anticipated, the young Blue swept his blade down with his whole strength. The cleaver slashed toward her head. With an agile sidestep, she avoided the blow and grabbed his arm, jerking down strongly. The thin Blue slammed to the ground and slid across the floor. The knife whirled from his grasp.

Lucy straightened and looked up. Sa Kamizan was staring at her in amazement. He was wild-eyed and panting from exertion. Two Reds lay on the floor, and he held another sword. The crowd was deathly silent.

He stepped over the red bodies to Lucy. “Do you have a weapon?”

She drew out her laser. “I’ll demonstrate,” she said fiercely. 

She has saved him from an assassination attempt. How can he resist a woman who can fight! Alas, they will be flung onto opposing sides of the conflict between their races. He is forced to question his allegiances, while she calls him a deceitful reptile and refuses even to look at him! She will need to uncover the Atrapako secrets in order to engineer a peaceful solution.

Comments are welcomed.

Check out the snippets from other authors at:
Sci-Fi Romance Brigade Presents.