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The New Series is Almost Here!

Tomorrow is the big release of the new series! It’s packed full of action, laughter and some of your favorite characters.

Here’s what it’s all about:

 

A new evil lurks in the darkness.

After an explosion, the crew of a battlecruiser mysteriously disappears.

Bailey and Lewis, complete strangers, find themselves suddenly onboard the damaged ship. Lewis hasn’t worked a case in years, not since the final one broke his spirit and his bank account. The last thing Bailey remembers is preparing to take down a fugitive on Onyx Station.

Mysteries are harder to solve when there’s no evidence left behind.

Bailey and Lewis don’t know how they got onboard Ricky Bobby or why. However, they quickly learn that whatever was responsible for the explosion and disappearance of the crew is still on the ship.

Monsters are real and what this one can do changes everything.

The new team bands together to discover what happened and how to fight the monster lurking in the bottom of the battlecruiser.

Will they find the missing crew? Or will the monster end them all?

Experience this exciting mystery sci-fi saga and the latest addition to the expanded Kurtherian Gambit Universe. If you’re a fan of Dark Matter, Alter Carbon, or Star Wars, you’ll love this riveting new space opera.

Corruption releases June 28!

Jun 27, 2018 | Posted by in Blog, Uncategorized | Comments Off on The New Series is Almost Here!

Snippet 1: Corruption, Precious Galaxy (Book 1)

Prologue

Bridge, Ricky Bobby, Tangki System

Lights flickered overhead as the howling siren blared louder. The battlecruiser had passed through a strange mist that had set off the alarms. The vapor hadn’t appeared to be anything out of the ordinary, or thrown up any cautions from the navigation crew.

“What the hell is going on?” Commander Julianna Fregin demanded, staring wide-eyed at the radar.

“It appears to be a storm of sorts,” Ricky Bobby, the ship’s AI, stated overhead. “I’ve encountered these before, and they usually pass without incident. I hypothesize that it’s blocking sensors, which is what triggered the alarms.”

“So we have no reason to distrust the individuals from Phoenix Tech?” Captain Eddie Teach asked, referring to the ship they were scheduled to meet.

“I think that your level of trust with these representatives should be a separate consideration from any weather patterns you experience before the meeting,” Ricky Bobby said, that familiar clinical tone to his voice.

Eddie shook his head at Julianna. “Has he always been so pedantic?”

“Always,” she yelled as the sirens shut off, her voice loud in the sudden quiet.

Everyone on the bridge looked up, briefly distracted, then the crew took a collective deep breath, as the rush triggered by the emergency sirens died away.

“Can I get a systems update?” Julianna asked, hands pressed behind her back, and gaze eagerly pinned on the radar.

“Everything appears to be normal,” Ricky Bobby stated. “I’m running a full system diagnostic now.”

The good news didn’t put Julianna at ease. Instead her eyes swiveled back and forth as she watched their battlecruiser near the Phoenix Tech ship.

“Relax, Jules,” Eddie encouraged. “Everything is going according to plan. This is a straightforward meeting. No funny business.”

She dropped her gaze, not looking convinced. “Ricky Bobby, does your scan include the defense network?”

“Currently, I’m halfway through checking the engines,” Ricky Bobby informed her. “A full scan of the defense network will take a little while, but I’ll prioritize it next.”

Eddie gave Julianna a skeptical look. “What’s up?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know, but something doesn’t feel right.”

“Aren’t you the one who says this isn’t a ‘feeling’ business?” Eddie teased, a sideways smile on his long face.

Julianna nodded absentmindedly. “It’s just that there’s something we’re missing, or so it seems.”

“The shields do appear to have intermittent failure,” Ricky Bobby informed them.

Julianna cut her eyes at Eddie, a heavy expression on her face.

“What’s going on with them?” Eddie asked.

“I’m not certain,” Ricky Bobby said. “I’ll have to have Liesel check them out manually.”

Liesel, the ship’s engineer, was currently off the ship, which meant that the shields would have to wait. Julianna shook her head again, trying to dispel the worry.

“We’re receiving a communication from the Phoenix Tech ship,” one of the comms officers stated, gaining the attention of the other crew members.

“Patch them through,” Eddie requested, mimicking Julianna’s stance and standing at attention.

“Ghost Squadron, this is Mariah Riley with Phoenix Tech,” a bodiless voice said overhead. “We’re requesting permission to dock and board.”

The shuttle was nearing Ricky Bobby’s port side at an even pace.

“Phoenix Tech, we’re experiencing some technical difficulties at the moment,” Julianna stated, staring straight at Eddie. He nodded, sensing what she was thinking.

A loud sigh fell over the speaker. “Good, I’m glad it wasn’t just our shuttle,” Mariah said. “Alarms went berserk when we flew through that mist, and now our shields are down, and all our weapons disabled.”

Julianna purposely walked over to the communications officer who’d patched through the call, and pressed a button on the workstation, pausing the line. “Ricky Bobby, how are our weapons?”

“They are all online. The shields are still down, but only sporadically,” Ricky Bobby answered.

Julianna gave Eddie a long look and then nodded, seeming to have read his mind. She switched back on the transmission. “Phoenix Tech, you’ve been granted permission to dock and board.”

“Great, thanks,” Mariah said, relief in her voice. “See you soon.”

Julianna didn’t reply, only ended the transmission.

Eddie smiled wide, trying to disarm her. He waved a large hand at her, dismissing the skeptical expression on her face. “It’s probably some dense fog that throws off the gyroscope sensors in charge of regulating the vapor pressure connected with the shields.”

She gave him a long, cold stare. “You made all that up.”

“I sure did,” he said proudly. “How did it sound?”

“When Liesel returns from checking the shields, I’m having her school you on ship technology,” Julianna said, seeming to let go of some of her tension. She watched as the Phoenix Tech ship neared their battlecruiser, the visitors dwarfed by the cruiser’s gigantic size.

“Do you think they’re going to talk?” Julianna asked.

“I think having allies in this big, lonesome galaxy is incredibly important, and I don’t know of any better friends than us,” Eddie stated proudly.

The ship lurched, knocking both the captain and commander forward.

Julianna stumbled, hitting her head on the edge of the strategy table in the center of the bridge. “What’s going on?” she asked.

“We’ve hit another pocket of the fog,” Ricky Bobby stated. “I’m working on classifying the weather pattern and taking a sample to scan for pollutants.”

The overhead lights flickered twice before shutting off completely, sending the bridge into complete darkness. The sirens blared once more, the red emergency lights strobing.

Eddie’s eyes darted up to the radar. The Phoenix Tech shuttle had docked with their ship. “Lockdown the corridor our visitors are in.”

Behind them, the crew worked in the darkened area, scrambling to get the systems back online.

“Ricky Bobby, did you hear me?” Eddie asked.

There was no answer.

“Ricky Bobby, we need a systems report,” Julianna stated, running her hand over her forehead. She pulled her hand away and realized it was streaked with blood. In the reddish glow of the bridge, she gave Eddie a look of alarm.

“Are you all right?” he asked, realizing she’d been hurt.

“I’m fine!” she yelled, her eyes going wide, as black smoke seeped up from the floor. “But what’s that?”

Eddie encouraged her back with one arm, shaking his head. “Ricky Bobby! Do you read me? What’s going on?”

The black vapor blanketed the entire bridge. No one coughed or tried to flee as the gaseous substance engulfed them; instead, they remained transfixed on the tendrils of smoke stretching through the air.

A moment later, the sirens stopped. The emergency lights faded, once again casting the bridge in total blackness. When the lights flickered back on, not a single crew member remained. The bridge was empty.

Overhead, the speaker crackled, static filling the empty space.

“Captain? Commander?” Ricky Bobby called overhead. “Something took me offline. The ship’s system has been compromised.”

Silence

“Captain? Commander?” Ricky Bobby asked again. “Is anyone there?”

Corruption releases June 28th.

 

Jun 19, 2018 | Posted by in Blog, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Snippet 1: Corruption, Precious Galaxy (Book 1)

Snippet 2: Preservation, Ghost Squadron, #7

Chapter Two

McCormick’s Pharmacy, Federation Border Station Seven

Lowering the Saverus goggles, Eddie confirmed what they’d suspected with a sharp nod.

Julianna held her gun close to her body, her back pressed to the wall beside the entrance. She cut her eyes at Eddie, who stood in the same position on the other side of the door. With a curt nod, she swung into the mostly empty shop.

“Hands up,” she commanded, pointing her weapon at an elderly woman who had been sweeping the floor of a wide aisle stocked with cold remedies.

Eddie directed his gun at a decrepit man sitting behind the counter, leaning over an adding machine.

“What?” the woman said, dropping the broom and hurrying closer to Julianna.

“Stay back,” Julianna ordered.

You’re holding a senior citizen at gunpoint, Pip scolded in her head. How low have you sunk?

She rolled her eyes. Penrae says that we can’t trust them, and fear and surprise, along with keeping them at a distance, could inhibit them from shifting.

Penrae, the same Saverus who tricked you into jumping into the middle of the enemy’s fleet?

I think we can trust that these two are up to something nefarious. The goggles confirmed that they are shapeshifters.

Or they are just two Saverus trying to make an honest living in a world that would distrust them if they showed their real faces.

Would you shush? I need to concentrate.

Yes, I think the evil villain you’re after just peed herself.

“What is this about?” the man behind the counter asked, looking between Eddie and Julianna.

“We need to see what’s in the back,” Julianna stated, her voice clear and deliberate.

“There are only supplies in the back. Nothing of much interest.” The old woman dared to take a step toward Julianna.

“Stay back!” Julianna commanded, her gun pointed at the woman’s head.

“We’re honest business owners,” the old man said, his body shaking as he attempted to push up from his stool.

Eddie kept his gun trained on the man. “We know what you are, so stop the bullshit, Saverus.”

The woman glanced back at the man. “You must be mistaken. We’re human.”

Eddie let out a breath, fully annoyed. “You have blue scales and creepy green eyes.” He tossed his head in the direction of the man. “And you are yellow with golden eyes.”

“Oh, well, since when is it a crime to be an alien?” the man asked, wheezing between each word as he clutched the countertop, inching forward.

“We simply asked to take a look in the back,” Julianna stated, pointing her gun at the woman before pivoting it in the man’s direction. “You two are going to stay frozen under my supervision while my partner checks it out.”

The old man hobbled forward, fumbling with the half-door dividing the counter from the rest of the shop. “That’s fine with me. You okay with that, Daisy?”

“I don’t see why not,” Daisy said as the man continued to attempt to pull open the door.

Why these two picked these feeble bodies, I don’t know. Jules lowered her weapon, focusing her gaze on the woman only a few feet away.

“I’ve got this,” Eddie stated, striding for the half-door where the old man seemed to be struggling with the lock.

“This darn thing needs to be greased,” the man said, taking a step back so Eddie could unlock it.

“Yeah, it’s pretty stubborn,” Eddie agreed, his voice returning to his more relaxed tone. These two didn’t at all appear to be the criminal Saverus that Penrae had described.

“Mind if I resume sweeping?” the woman asked Julianna, pointing to the broom she’d dropped.

With her curly blue hair and spectacles, she reminded Julianna of her own grandma. Julianna remembered that Granny used to whistle while folding laundry, and often called herself ‘an old fart’. The commander found herself smiling at the long-ago memory.

“The afternoon rush is coming, and I’d prefer to get my chores done before then,” Daisy said, inclining her head toward the clock on the wall.

Maybe these really are just two, hardworking Saverus, trying to make it in a world that won’t accept them for who they are. Shapeshifters aren’t considered the most trustworthy, but is it their fault they have such a powerful skill?

“Yeah, go ahead,” Julianna stated, stepping on the end of the broom so that its other end popped up.

She leaned forward to retrieve the broom for the old woman and only barely registered movement from the corner of her eyes.

The old woman had vanished, shapeshifting into the hulking figure of a man over seven feet tall. He reached forward, grabbing the broom, and swung it around at Julianna’s head. She ducked, then popped back up and brought her arm holding her gun around, slamming it into the massive man’s shoulder to no effect. He picked her up by her neck and threw her into a nearby shelf, knocking it over. Julianna’s head slammed against the sharp, metal shelf, and her gun flew from her grasp.

From the sound of it, the feeble old man had also shifted and was currently fighting Eddie. Julianna scrambled off the shelf and chanced a look in their direction. The old man had taken the form of a giant Kezzin, and he towered over the captain.  He’d apparently fixed his problem with the rusty lock, and threw open the half-door, making Eddie jump back to avoid being hit.

The Kezzin grunted before barreling in Julianna’s direction.  She kept her shoulders low, darting to the side to get him to chase her, his position matching hers. Tapping the side of his head with her hand, she taunted him in a circle, the two facing off, both looking for the perfect time to attack.

When the huge brute dove for her, Julianna pivoted, putting her back to him before springing backwards into the air. She performed a flip over the imposter, landing hard on his back as he continued forward. Before he knew what was happening, she wrapped her arms around his torso and used her momentum to tumble to the right, pulling the man over her body and down to the ground, pinning his hands. She grabbed his head with both her hands and slammed it into the ground. He fell still at once.

Yeah, so I guess they’re probably not as unsuspecting as I first thought, Pip said as Julianna peeled herself off the giant’s body.

You think?

A gunshot stole her attention.

Eddie stood, his feet a shoulder-width apart, with his gun pointed straight out in front of him. On the ground, lying lifeless, was the Kezzin. Its body flickered before shifting into the form of a giant snake with golden scales.

“I thought we agreed not to use deadly force if it could be avoided,” Julianna said, searching the floor for her gun.

“We did,” Eddie said, pointing at the ground behind her. “So what’s your excuse?”

She retrieved her pistol from underneath a package of gauze bandages and cast a look at her back. The man she’d fought had been replaced with a blue serpent. “Oops. I guess I don’t know my own strength.”

“Well, it could still be alive.  They do shift back when they’re unconscious,” Eddie reasoned.

“Good point.” Julianna aimed her gun and shot the Saverus in the head. Eddie gave her a questioning look. “What?” she asked, rolling her stiff shoulder. “We can’t risk these assholes waking up and starting another fight.”

“Good point. Shall we see what’s in the back of this seemingly innocent mom and pop shop?” Eddie asked, holding the half-door back for her. It was partially off the hinges, having been punished during the brawl.

Julianna strode behind the counter, gun at the ready, and eyes scanning the back area. She didn’t hear noises indicating that anyone else was back there, but she couldn’t afford to drop her guard again. Damn Saverus had hit a soft spot, reminding her of her grandmother. She understood exactly why they’d taken on such unsuspecting forms.

A curtain divided the pharmacy from the shop area. It was far less secure than most of the pharmacies on the station, but those tended to have lots of customers; the same didn’t seem to be the case for this store.

Julianna and Eddie stealthily moved into the back room, their guns leading their way as they searched the small space. It was no more than fifteen by fifteen feet, and the walls were lined with shelves all holding rows of an identical item.

“Holy fuck!” Eddie exclaimed, looking up to the ceiling.

“Looks like Penrae was telling the truth.” Julianna holstered her weapon and picked up one of the vials on the shelf.

There were thousands of small, labeled, stainless steel containers. The one in her hand read:

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Nationality: Asian

Age: 35

Build: Small

Strength: Average

Identity: Unknown

“So this is the Saverus’ one-stop shop for getting ahold of new identities,” Eddie deduced, picking up a vial and studying the label.

Julianna set down the vial she held. “Apparently, it’s one of many shops operating right under the Federation’s nose.”

“I don’t get why they don’t just absorb a person’s appearance, or whatever it is they do. Why have a shop for specific identities?” Eddie asked.

“I think it’s supposed to give them options,” Julianna reasoned, picking up another vial.

Eddie held up a bottle. “Hey, how much do you think they charge for these? Do we have a reason for Penrae to look like a Trid?”

Julianna stiffened after reading the label on the vial in her hand. “I’m guessing this one would cost a bit more than the rest.”

“Why is that?” Eddie asked, squinting in her direction.

She turned the label around as she extended her arm, showing him the bottle.

His eyes widened. “ ‘General Lance Reynolds’.”

Preservation releases May 16th.

May 9, 2018 | Posted by in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Snippet 2: Preservation, Ghost Squadron, #7

Snippet 1: Preservation, Ghost Squadron #7

Chapter One

Deck 12, Onyx Station, Paladin System

Verdok ran his tongue across the back of his teeth. Having a human mouth always took getting used to. Their teeth were so flat and seemingly useless. At least this body was strong and agile; he couldn’t stand impersonating weak humans.

He raised his hand and knocked at the door, listening intently to the shuffling that erupted from the other side. The person he was calling on probably wasn’t expecting any visitors.

Multiple locks clinked on the other side before the door slid back, though only as far as the chain would allow. A green eye partly framed by a bushy gray eyebrow blinked back at him. The person startled, jumping back and fumbling with the chain. The door finally flew open, and a woman stood staring, her mouth wide.

“General Reynolds!” she exclaimed, bowing low as she extended a hand, like she was so surprised she didn’t know how to greet the honored guest.

“Annaliese Vincent,” Verdok said in a warm voice. “I hope I’m not disturbing you too early.”

Annaliese threw her gaze down to the flowery dressing gown she was wearing. She clutched it self-consciously.  “Disturbing me? Not at all. But did I miss a note about a meeting?”

Verdok shook his head. “Something has come up, and I’m seeking your help with a project. Can I come in?”

“Of course, General.” Annaliese stood back, opening the door wide.

Verdok strode into the spacious apartment, his eyes intent.

“I’m happy to help on a consulting basis, as I’ve done in the past,” Annaliese began.

Verdok slid the briefcase he’d been carrying onto a side table, unbuckling the latches. “Actually, I was hoping you’d take a classified project.”

“But I’m retired, and my security access has expired,” the old scientist said, hurrying over and looking up at the General.

“I realize that, but…” He fixed a calculating expression on his face before saying, “I suspect that we might have a security breach in R&D. Until I’ve had time to investigate it further, I need someone I can trust.”

“Me?” Annaliese asked, pressing her hands to her chest. “I’m honored. I’ll take the project.”

Verdok nodded, lifting the case to reveal the two pieces of the Tangle Thief he’d stolen. “Are you familiar with this piece of technology?”

“That’s one of Dr. Hatcherik and Dr. Sung’s projects. I read about it,” Annaliese said.

“That’s correct,” Verdok affirmed. “And for obvious reasons, I can’t grant you access to the research data. However, I have every confidence that you can fix the device, based on your previous knowledge of the project and your skill set.”

“Fix it?” Annaliese asked.

Verdok picked up the two pieces of the Tangle Thief and handed them to the scientist. “Yes, unfortunately they were damaged in transport. I need you to not only repair the devices, but upgrade them.”

“Upgrade them?” Apprehension covered the old woman’s face. “The project was shut down because it was deemed too dangerous to pursue.”

“Correct,” Verdok stated. “But things have changed, and we need it operational. This is a matter of galactic security.”

Annaliese bristled with fear as she looked the pieces over. “I’m happy to help. This sounds serious.”

“It is. I can’t give you any more details, but it’s crucial that the device works to transport large objects.”

“That will take testing.”

Verdok nodded. “I assumed as much.”

“But what about the tears it leaves behind? The radiation leaks?”

“That’s not our concern presently.”

The scientist didn’t question this, she simply ran her eyes over the receiver, studying it. Maybe under other circumstance she would, but not when being told this by the General. He was considered the supreme source of truth and to be respected and followed. Verdok had learned this much studying the Federation.

“I also need you to unlink the device so that it can’t be connected to any other Tangle Thief clients. Otherwise, our enemies could track down this device with their own.”

Annaliese’s eyes widened. Verdok really had her attention. “I’ll make that my first priority,” she said.

“Splendid.” Verdok strode back for the door, giving the scientist one last look. “I’ll be in touch. For security purposes, you shouldn’t attempt to contact me.”

She nodded obediently. “Of course. I’ll get right to work and wait to hear from you, General Reynolds.”

“Very good,” Verdok said, a satisfied smile on his face.

Preservation coming May 16th!

May 5, 2018 | Posted by in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Snippet 1: Preservation, Ghost Squadron #7

Snippet 3: Recollection, Ghost Squadron #6

Chapter Two

 

Brig, Ricky Bobby, Tangki System

Eddie paced back and forth in front of the bars of the cell. They’d had this area of the brig cleared out of any other prisoners, knowing that was for the best. On the other side of the metal bars, his partner, Commander Julianna Fregin, stared back at him, a doleful expression in her eyes.

“Eddie, how much longer are you going to keep me in here?” Julianna said, her tone seeking to cut him. “I love you, and you’ve locked me away. What? Are you afraid of me? Are you afraid of my love?”

Unable to control himself, Eddie launched his fist into the wall as he strode the other way. The metal of the ship crunched, caving in from the assault.

“I realize you’re angry, but I’m not trying to hurt you,” Julianna pleaded.

“Dammit! Shut up!” Eddie yelled, heat rushing to his head.

Julianna covered her face, weeping from behind the cold, metal bars. “Why are you so hostile? All I seem to do is disappoint you. No matter what I do, it doesn’t matter.”

Eddie gritted his teeth together, pressed his fingers into his palms. I am stronger than this, he told himself.

“Tell me what I want to know!” Eddie yelled, his breath hot, spilling over his lips.

Julianna pulled her hands away from her eyes, tears streaming down her red cheeks. She grabbed the bars on either side of her face. “I love you, Eddie. I love you.”

Eddie let out a guttural scream, feeling the metal deck reverberate under his feet.

The door to the brig shot open, and Julianna, the real one, stepped through. She halted at the sight of her doppelganger behind the bars, her eyes narrowed. She halted beside Eddie, shaking her head.

“She’s fucking crying,” Julianna stated. “Please tell me you’re not falling for that bullshit.”

Eddie pressed his hand to his forehead, shaking his head back and forth. “It’s hard not to. It gets into your mind, and you forget what’s real and what isn’t. This isn’t something easy to compute.”

Julianna pulled her pistol from her holster and aimed it directly at the Saverus on the other side of the bars.

The monster held up its hands, real fear in its eyes. “You wouldn’t shoot yourself, would you?” the Saverus asked.

“Wouldn’t I?” Julianna asked matter-of-factly. “You may look like me, but you don’t know shit about what I’m capable of.”

The Saverus morphed again. It was like looking at a watercolor painting while on LSD. It took on the form of Eddie.

The imposter blinked back at them, hands up in surrender. “Hey, now. Julianna, you should shoot me. I’m not a bad guy, but I’m definitely not a good one.”

Julianna lowered her weapon, sighing.

“It’s a mindfuck game, Jules,” Eddie said, trying to console her. He’d been interrogating the Saverus for an hour and had gotten nowhere. The giant snake kept morphing into different humans it had encountered since being taken aboard Ricky Bobby. He and Julianna had really thought that, on the other side of the bars, they could resist the ploy, but it was incredibly tough to look at your partner crying and demand they answer your questions.

Looking as defeated as he felt, Julianna swiveled around to face him. “Maybe we have to give this up for a while.”

“Maybe we give it up entirely and throw this monster out the airlock,” Eddie said.

The Saverus morphed into the dog figure of Harley, looking up at them with large, brown, begging eyes.

“Fuck, when did it see Harley?” Eddie asked, throwing an arm at the thing.

Julianna let out a weighted sigh. “He was with me when I delivered its food.” She pointed to the uneaten tray of roasted chicken and boiled vegetables.

“That’s it,” Eddie declared. “Only you or I come in or out of here from now on. We don’t need it cataloguing others on the ship it can impersonate.”

The Saverus shifted into the form of Lars, the only other person it had met, when it woke up on the Q-Ship, before being sedated. “I’m not an ‘it’. I’m a ‘she’,” the Saverus said, using Lars’s voice, which made the whole thing even creepier.

“She. Oh, right,” Eddie said. “Because I want to ensure that I get your gender correct, you fucking snake.”

“As you should,” the Saverus said, an entitled tone in her voice that sounded all wrong in Lars’s usually humbled tongue. “And while you’re at it, you should know that I prefer my meat uncooked. And no vegetables.”

Now that did sound like Lars, Eddie thought.

“How about we feed you when you start talking? Tell us why the Saverus want the Tangle Thief,” Julianna said blankly.

The Saverus shifted into the form of Eddie again. The imposter gripped the bars, pressing Eddie’s face between the metal. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know, Jules. Anything. But I can’t tell you that. Don’t you get it? I can’t talk. I’m bound by an oath older than you or me.”

The real Eddie laughed. “Apparently you don’t know how old Jules really is.”

“Wait,” Julianna stated, staring at the replica of Eddie. “What did you say about an oath? What does that mean?”

Eddie shook his head. “Nothing that imposter says is real. What’s the point?”

Julianna didn’t look deterred, though. “She slipped up,” she said to Eddie before turning her attention back to the Saverus. “You’re bound by an oath, is that right? That’s why you can’t talk?”

“Well, and because she’s the fucking enemy,” Eddie stated at Julianna’s side.

Ignoring him, Julianna said to the Saverus, “Your kind, what they are trying to do, will have horribly devastating effects on our galaxy. If they get ahold of the Tangle Thief, then—”

When they get it,” the Saverus said, cutting her off.

“You’re not listening,” Julianna stated, shaking her head at the form of Eddie.

Julianna turned to the real Eddie. “We need to know more about the Saverus. This is getting us nowhere. There’s something preventing this one from telling us anything.”

Eddie agreed with a nod. There was something strange about this species, and more than the fact that it could become anything at will. “Maybe Marilla will know.”

Julianna turned for the exit, Eddie at her heels. At the door, he turned around and cast a last look at the species that had created more headaches for him than all the alcohol he’d drank in his lifetime. “Just so you know, we will let you rot here. You can’t manipulate us. We will figure out how to make you talk.”

The Saverus morphed into a version of Julianna and then collapsed. She extended her hands through the bars, sputtering out a cough. “I don’t have much longer, Edward,” the Saverus said using Julianna’s voice, her tone hoarse. “Save me. Please. Don’t allow me to die.”

Eddie shook his head at the attempt to manipulate his emotions. Although he felt cold wrap around his insides, he pursed his lips.

“Ricky Bobby, you might be the only one safe from this monster,” Eddie said to the AI.

“I’ll keep a watch on the prisoner, and I’m more than happy to interrogate her when you have new questions,” Ricky Bobby said overhead.

This produced a deep scowl on the Saverus’s face. An expression he’d never seen so prevalent on the actual Julianna’s face.

“That’s a good idea, RB,” Eddie said, firing his finger at the ceiling.  “Thanks.”

Recollection releases April 3rd.

Apr 2, 2018 | Posted by in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Snippet 3: Recollection, Ghost Squadron #6