Tracy St. John's Blog, page 14

Dark Empire Book One: Shadows Approach Chapter Four Scene 1

 

Today we'll wave a brief hello to our old friends Piper and Ulof (Alien Outcast). They'll have a bigger part to play in Dark Empire in a later book. Can you believe Shadows Approach is out the day after tomorrow?

"The characters in Shadows Approach are vividly portrayed and incredibly well-developed. Their complexities and inner struggles make them relatable and add a layer of depth to the narrative. I found myself emotionally invested in their lives, eagerly rooting for their successes and fearing their failures." -Amazon review

* * * *

Earth II

Piper Warren inhaled the air with pleasure as she trotted atthe side of her Imdiko clanmate, her blond ponytail bobbing. She’d walked theground of Earth II many times, but filling her lungs full of its oxygen nevergot old.

She was amused at herself. She’d visited several worlds,including Kalquor and its moon Lobam, which were as Earthlike as a human couldwish for. Nonetheless, the idea this planet was a reincarnation of the oneshe’d come from made its air sweeter and its breezes purer.

The man striding next to her, his wild and handsome facetense, had been a part of transforming…terraforming…a dead rock in theunclaimed border area between Joshadan space and the Kalquorian Empire. Thesmall planet orbiting a small star had been deemed worthy of the attempt tobuild displaced Earthers a new home planet.

They neared the outcropping of a mountain, where Piper haddiscovered her favorite view. It had no official name, but she referred to itas Ulof’s Valley. She grinned up at her Imdiko, bursting with pride.

“I wish we could stay, just so we could build a home hereand I could see your work beyond my door each day.”

Ulof shrugged, but a smile threatened to break over hisstormy features. “I had the least to do with it. It was the only section I wasable to contribute to.”

“You were an important part of the team. If you hadn’t been,they wouldn’t be keeping you on. Give yourself some credit before I kick you inthe pants.”

He broke into a real grin, appearing as the caring Imdiko ofhis official designation. Piper was glad to see it, though she intuited itwasn’t his Nobek half making Ulof stormy. It was the ever-present concern hewas incompetent robbing him of his deserved pride.

“I knew you could do it,” Piper enthused, her twangySouthern accent growing pronounced in her eagerness to prove to him what he’dproven to her. “Overcoming adversity is your calling card. You did good, Ulof.”

“I guess. It’s a start, anyway.” The fact he could work inany fashion in terraforming was a big deal to him. It spoke well of hisdetermination to overcome a learning disability. Taking part in Earth II’sdevelopment was a dream come true.

They reached the outcropping. Piper sighed in love andregret. She’d miss the place, but Ulof’s continued success meant moving on tothe next project. Their entire clan was bent on giving him every opportunity torealize his full potential. Fortunately, there were plenty of opportunities forthem all to enjoy success in their given fields.

Voices rose behind them. Piper and Ulof turned from thestunning view of the valley, teeming with yellow, blue, and purple flowers,which surrounded a picturesque lake.

Four Kalquorian men climbed the trail to join them on theoutcropping. Given the varied hues of blue shirts and commanding expressions,Piper guessed them to be Dramoks. The foursome paused and bowed respectfullywhen they sighted her and Ulof. Ulof returned the bow.

One beamed at them as if they were the best of friends, andPiper thought he looked vaguely familiar. He stepped ahead of the rest.

“Hello! I recognize this fellow. One of the terraformingteam, aren’t you? I’m Dramok Ospar.”

Ulof, whose first instinct was to regard strangerssuspiciously, managed a diplomatic smile. “Imdiko Ulof, Flora PlottingSpecialist Trainee. You toured the valley I worked on a few months ago, but wehaven’t spoken.”

“I knew I’d seen you before. This view is spectacular. Isn’tthis the valley you’re responsible for? It’s gorgeous. Congratulations on suchamazing work.”

His enthusiasm made Ulof flush. “I had little to do with it,but thank you.”

“The lake and its configuration were his suggestion.” Piperwasn’t about to let the chance to showcase Ulof’s abilities pass by.

“Indeed, Matara—? Oh, you look familiar too.”

“This is Piper,” Ulof supplied. “We belong to Clan Nako.”

“Clan…not that Clan Nako? From the Battle OverBi’is?”

“That Clan Nako, yes.” Ulof chuckled.

Ospar grinned at them. “Salvation of the empire and nowcreator of planets. If I’d known you were involved, I’d have doubled mycontribution to the Earth project.”

“You’re kind to say so.”

“My friends and fellow investors, Dramoks Rajhir, Diltan,and Falinset.”

More of the traditional bows of respect, then the groupturned their attention to the valley again.

“The lake is the jewel of the scenery. Can you tell me aboutthe flowers, Specialist Ulof? These are all seeded from the plants of theoriginal Earth, aren’t they?” This from the tallest of the group.

His goateed face was as familiar to Piper as Ospar’s and athird member of the party, and not merely because they’d invested so heavily inthe development of Earth II. Even the most casual observer of the KalquorianEmpire would recognize Dramoks Rajhir and Falinset. Like Ospar, their nameswere synonymous with past scandal and gradually growing redemption amongKalquorians…much like Piper’s clanmates, who’d had their own checkered pastsbefore playing a major role in fending off an invasion from Bi’is five yearsprior.

Piper wouldn’t have known Diltan on sight, the handsomest ofthe group. She’d heard of him, however. As an investor and Royal Councilman,his name came up on occasion in her hearing. He was also clanned to a cousin ofEmpress Jessica.

She listened proudly as Ulof answered the financiers’questions confidently. He’d come so far from the angry, insecure man she’d meton board a rogue Kalquorian raider. He was still often unsure of himself, butthere was no sign of it as he explained the challenges the team had faced interraforming the planet in general and the valley in particular.

It occurred to her that she was surrounded by secondchances. Ulof had embarked on a career he hadn’t dreamed possible, and itappeared he’d continue to succeed. The men who’d helped fund the planet’stransformation were restoring battered reputations. The planet itself had beenreborn, made viable and alive. Piper’s people were getting another opportunityto build a healthy society on Earth II, free of the corruption of their parentworld.

“All this in less than five years,” Falinset breathed afterUlof had answered their last question. “What a wondrous time to be alive.”

Piper agreed wholeheartedly.

“Here you are,” a female voice called. “I wondered when we’drun into you four. Have you been avoiding us on purpose? And by us, I mean me.”

Piper’s first thought was the outcropping was becomingridiculously popular as an additional six people emerged from the path. Thenshe realized whom she was looking at.

The Imperial Clan and the new governor of Earth II,accompanied by a stern-looking Nobek, had arrived. Piper and Ulof edged asideas the dignitaries approached.

It was the eternally beaming Ospar who laughed at theempress’ question as he bowed. “Avoid you, my empress? I count the secondsuntil I find myself in your presence once more.”

Emperor Egilka snorted. “You’ll never change, Dramok Ospar.”

“Incorrigible as ever,” the empress laughed. Jessica’s gazelit on Piper and Ulof, despite their attempts to remain invisible. She blinkedin surprise. “Piper Warren? What are you doing here?”

The emperors bowed deeply upon recognizing her. “So good tosee you again, Matara,” Clajak enthused. “How are you? And your clan?”

“We’re very well, thank you.” Her cheeks burned at theeffusive greeting. Her brief and unintended hero turn of five years priorwasn’t a comfortable fit, and she rushed to deflect the attention. “Youremember my Imdiko, Ulof? He’s part of the terraforming crew.”

“Trainee,” Ulof rushed to explain, looking flustered.

“Governor Nichols, this young woman escaped from Bi’is towarn us about their attack. She and her clan almost singlehandedly stopped themand brought our civil war to an end.”

“It’s a privilege to meet real heroes,” Nichols said,eagerly shaking Piper’s hand and returning Ulof’s bow.

“I was just the ship’s cook.” Ulof mumbled. He looked moreembarrassed than before.

“Now he’s concocting entire planets. Come and look at thevalley he’s responsible for,” Ospar urged the women. “Gorgeous, isn’t it?”

They commented enthusiastically on the view. “Orchids and marigolds.Look at the lake. I could spend a month just lying next to it!” GovernorNichols rhapsodized.

“You shouldn’t build here. It’s too beautiful to develop,”Jessica insisted.

Ulof whispered to Piper, “Can we sneak off?”

She was just as uncomfortable and nodded. Seeing the nearbyunidentified Nobek eyeing them with amusement, Piper put her finger to herlips. He nodded, his grin deepening.

“Thanks, Nobek Kuran,” Ulof whispered.

They slunk to the path. A few steps into their escape, Piperglanced back to note Kuran had planted his big frame at its head, hiding theirretreat.

“I guess Ulof’s Valley isn’t just ours any longer,” Pipersighed as they climbed down the mountain trail. “You’ll have to make meanother.”

The prospect of a new project brightened Ulof’suncomfortable expression. “I have a proposal for the moon we’ll terraform next.I’m hoping to present it to my supervisor this week.”

Piper lived to see him excited. “The moon near Bi’is space?Can you tell me about it?”

His features were bright, making her love him with afierceness that filled her heart fit to burst. “I’ll show you. I’ve beendrawing it up for the last two months. There’s an island in the middle of thesea I hope to fill with plant life both beautiful and medicinal…” 

 * * * * 

A new planet. A newenemy. Is the end coming for the Kalquorian Empire?

In the aftermath ofthe Kalquorian civil war and the defeat of the Bi’is invasion fleet, the empirehas enjoyed peace. A new Earth has been born. A Kalquorian leads the GalacticCouncil of Planets. An era of harmony seems assured.

However, new dangersarrive on the horizon. Governor Stacy Nichols finds herself at odds withpowerful opponents who want Earth II to return to the old ways that led to thedemise of their original planet. They’ll do anything to stop her, especiallywhen they discover her newfound romance with Clan Rihep of Kalquor.

After five years and aterrifying encounter with an unknown entity, Clan Piras is finally leavingtheir spy duties in Bi’is space. Now they must face enemies closer to home: thefamilies of those they sacrificed while on a secret mission during theKalquorian civil war.

A new threat to theexistence of Kalquor and the entire Galactic Council of Planets arrives in themidst of these challenges, a dark menace unlike anything faced before. Oneyoung, inexperienced spyship ensign is all that stands between the galaxy andutter destruction. Can he warn the empire in time…or is it already too late?

DarkEmpire 1: Shadows Approach releases Friday! Pre-order now at Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and print.

 

Dark Empire Book One: Shadows Approach Chapter Three

 

Clan Piras' delicious encounter continues. But who...or what...is watching them? Only three days until you can read the entire ebook!

"Each chapter is meticulously crafted, filled with breathtaking moments that kept me on the edge of my seat, yearning for more." -Amazon review

* * * *

“You’re very hard, Piras.”

A tremor passed through him. “Yes, my Matara.”

“And wet.” His lubricating juices ran over her fingers asshe worked him.

“Yes, my Matara.”

“I’m pleased. When I decide to use you for my enjoyment, Iwon’t want to be kept waiting.”

“Never, my Matara.”

“If I had to, Kila might strap you for insulting me.”

Piras’ gaze flickered to the grinning Nobek. Hope couldn’tsee a lot of his face, but after five years of clanship, she intuited hisanxious excitement in response to the threat.

“I wouldn’t do that, my Matara.”

“Hmm. It might be good for him to strap you anyway. Your asslooks best a certain shade of red, and there’s nothing wrong in giving you anoccasional reminder of what’s expected.”

His breath had quickened noticeably. “Whatever my Matarathinks best, I’m eager to obey.”

She released his cocks, and he voiced a barely perceptiblewhimper.

“What was that?”

“Nothing, my Matara. I…I mean, I enjoy your touch, and it’sdifficult to not miss it when it’s gone.”

She licked one finger clean of his spicy-sweet juices, theirflavor reminiscent of cinnamon. Kalquorians lubricated in readiness for sex.“Are you sure it isn’t a protest, Piras? An argument?”

He hunched, but he was watching avidly as she continued tolick and suck her fingers. “Never, my Matara. I swear it.”

“I believe you, Piras. Still, the fact I had to question youat all is troubling. Bring me your cock cage.”

He shuddered, but he immediately left the bed and went tothe drawer where their toys were kept. He returned carrying a metal ribbeddevice, which looked like something belonging in a torture chamber.

As terrible as it appeared, he’d assured Hope the onlydiscomfort when wearing it was being denied her touch. She hoped it was true.She enjoyed calling the shots with Piras, but causing him pain, despite hisenjoyment of erotic hurt, wasn’t an activity that did anything for her. Hope’sdislike for dealing such discipline was a funny reaction, considering she tookgreat pleasure from receiving punishment herself.

She could claw Piras, even bite him in the throes ofpassion, but giving spankings and the like were out of her wheelhouse.

Kila and Lokmi weren’t squeamish when it came to wieldingstraps, switches, paddles, or hard, unforgiving palms on shivering buttocks andthighs. What Piras and Hope were incapable of giving to each other, their Nobekand Imdiko more than made up for.

Hope encased Piras’ shafts in their metal traps, cinchingthe straps at the bases of his eager flesh so he couldn’t ejaculate no matterhow excited he became. Meanwhile, Lokmi tugged at her blouse, opening it at thefront and pushing it off her shoulders. Since her hands were engaged inrendering Piras temporarily celibate, the Imdiko left the shirt draped from herelbows and unsnapped her bra. It too fell away, and his hot, demanding handssqueezed her bared breasts. Her breath caught at the hint of pain, and herpanties were abruptly wet.

“Do you like what you see, Piras?” Lokmi teased before histongue traced the whorls of Hope’s ear.

“Our Matara is beautiful, my Imdiko.”

“She is.” He pinched, and Hope jerked at the sizzling hurtjabbing her nipples. She let go of Piras, having secured him in the cage. Hisflesh pressed the metal bars of his prison, and she wondered how it couldn’t bepainful.

“Kiss me,” Lokmi ordered.

As if a switch had been thrown, Hope went from being Piras’mistress to Lokmi’s servant. She turned her head to meet the Imdiko’s lips withher own, her fleeting glance noting Kila was comparing thicknesses of hisvarious straps, readying to punish Piras and perhaps discipline her too.

She moaned, her pussy flexing, as Lokmi’s tongue filled hermouth.

He pushed her blouse and bra off, his kiss demanding. Lokmiwas an Imdiko, a natural caregiver, but he possessed a great number of Dramokcontrol characteristics as well. He was as likely to punish misdeeds as Kila athis most demanding, a prospect both enthralling and daunting for Hope.

He broke the kiss and pushed her onto the bed, putting heron her back. He yanked her pants and panties off, exposing her to the men’savid gazes. He and Kila could be especially intent. So much so, Hope oftenfought the urge to cover herself, though she’d lost count of how many timesthey’d had sex.

She was small in stature, especially compared to herclanmates. Her slight frame, when she wore baggy clothing, had led her to bemisidentified as a boy on occasion. She’d been delighted to escape second looksfrom men when her life had hung on remaining invisible aboard an Eartherbattlecruiser. Safe with her clan, she’d found herself wishing for a curvierphysique.

It hadn’t been an issue in the past, however, and it wasapparently not so at the moment. Lokmi’s arousal jutted the crotch of his blackformsuit, which she glimpsed before he swooped down. His mouth latched on hershaved pussy. Hope’s brief regret fled at his eager attention.

“That looks good,” Kila growled, bending to watch moreclosely. He held an arm-length strap that made up for being short by itsthickness.

Lokmi generously pressed her legs wider to afford the Nobeka better view of his tongue swirling around her clit. Kila rubbed his ownswelling crotch as he indulged his greedy stare on the exciting scene.

He glanced at Piras, whose head still bowed submissively. “Isee tits that need sucking and an ass that needs a beating. Get to it.”

Piras was on his elbows and knees in an instant, putting hisvulnerable ass in the air. His mouth, no less hungry than Lokmi’s, settled onHope’s small but sensitive breast and pulled eagerly. She moaned at the feelingof her lovers feasting on her.

Piras didn’t let up when Kila’s leather slapped his barebottom. He whimpered against Hope’s flesh, but kept sucking and licking herstiff nipple with abandon. He switched between breasts, notes of pain on eachexhale as the strapping went on with no sign of letup. Kila’s smirk was dark ashe watched the Dramok’s ass redden, as Lokmi stabbed his tongue into her pussy,as Piras kissed and lapped in desperate concentration.

Lokmi returned his attention to her clit. He shoved twofingers in her cunt and pumped, finding her hotspot with practiced ease andapplying mind-blowing friction. She jerked in response, nearly knocking Pirasaside for an instant.

“Lie still, girl,” Kila warned, never missing a beat as hecontinued to roast Piras’ ass. “This strap is just as good at blistering yourprecious rump as his.”

Hope clenched handfuls of bed coverings in the effort toobey. However, Lokmi behaved in typical fashion. He goaded her by sucking herclit harder while whipping his tongue over it and rubbing where she was mostsensitive within. She was unable to keep from thrashing, and poor, moaningPiras was forced to pin her.

“Good boy,” Kila praised him, though the strap didn’t letup. Why should it, when it was a reward for their clan leader? “You keep her inplace for her fuck and suck. She’ll get her whipping later.”

Lokmi finally relented to stuff his dripping fingers in herass, stretching her tighter channel. He battened on her pussy, his tonguesweeping in to claim her passion as he finger-fucked her back hole. The slightache of being forced to yield added to her excitement, making his and Piras’seduction more arousing.

Kila had apparently achieved the level of redness he wantedfrom Piras’ ass, because the spanking ceased. The Nobek dangled the strap,leering at Hope. “Keep this in mind, because your pert little ass will matchhis when we’re done.”

Desire surged at the threat, and Hope quivered. Kilachuckled and set the strap on the small table next to the mat.

Lokmi sat up, his touch leaving Hope. She moaned at theemptiness, but quieted as he pulled his uniform open. He stripped with analacrity that had stunned Hope before she’d gotten used to how fast Kalquorianscould move. Now the second it took him between being clothed and naked was asecond too long.

He was the bulkiest of the three men, sheer masculinity inhis carved perfection. His cocks jutted thick and ready. Though Hope knew afterfive years of clanship she could handle what he possessed, he gave her pause ashe readied to fuck her.

She trembled as he gripped her thigh in one calloused hand,holding it up and out, positioning her. He readied his shafts in the otherhand, pressing each to its intended target.

He entered her, not brutally, but with a steadydetermination that reminded her of just how big he was. She uttered a small cryas a delicious ache bloomed in pussy and ass. Knowing how she enjoyed his masteryand the hurt accompanying it, he pressed in until he’d filled her.

He paused, his gaze centered where he’d claimed hersurrender. As he contemplated his strength embedded in her softness, Kila’sheavy palm slapped Piras’ ass.

“Suck her clit while I fuck her mouth. I want to hear herscreaming from orgasm, or the cock cage won’t come off for the rest of thenight.”

Piras scrambled to obey. An instant later, he was tonguingher while Lokmi slowly pumped in and out. She wailed as sensation bombardedher.

“I do love to hear you make noise. You’ll have to workharder at it with my primary shoved down your throat.” Kila crouched over her,his larger shaft tip brushing her lips. “Open up, my Matara.”

She already had, and the throbbing vein on the underside ofhis length was on her tongue as he finished speaking. She rubbed it as he sunkin, not stopping until she coughed against the tickle in her throat.

“Good girl. Suck my cock the way you’re meant to. Such awarm, sweet mouth for me to fuck.”

Kila was a talker during sex. He delivered a constant streamof encouragement, warnings, commentary on what they were doing, promises ofwhat he’d do to her later. It was a monologue of seduction, exciting on itsown.

Her groans and whimpers and coughs punctuated his increasinglybreathy dialogue. He fondled her breasts as he slid between her lips, in timewith Lokmi’s thrusts. Piras continued to suck and lick her engorged clit, andshe edged ever closer to orgasm.

“You want to come for us, don’t you? You’ll come so fuckinghard for your clan. I see you getting ready for it. You can’t hold out muchlonger. Come on, pretty girl, let me hear you scream.”

Seconds later, she did so. Her cunt pulled desperately onLokmi’s primary as it pounded into her. Her cries were garbled as Kila ruttedher mouth, spurting spicy-salty-sweet pre-cum on her tongue. Piras drewsteadily on her clit, feeding the frenzy of violent climax, which seemed tohave no end.

Her spasms heightened when she felt telltale pulses ofLokmi’s seed filling her. He grunted, holding her buttocks in a bruising gripas his cocks jolted inside her.

“Yeah, you love fucking and sucking our cocks, getting shotfull of our cum. If I shot down your throat, you’d swallow every drop and begfor more. Not this time, pretty girl. All my cum is for your ass tonight.”

She shuddered in reaction to his dark whispers, to Pirasextending the convulsions of her pleasure, to Lokmi’s slowing lunges. Imdiko andNobek pulled free at the same instant, leaving her gasping and writhing underPiras’ avid attention.

Kila slapped his rear hard. “Excellent job on her clit, boy.Get out of the way while I deal properly with her hot ass.”

Piras reluctantly rolled off the bed, then stood beside it,wetness shining on his chin. Kila shoved Hope onto her belly. She glanced tonote Lokmi had rolled to the far edge of the mat, his half-erect cocks stilltwitching as he panted.

“Put it in the air, girl. I promised you a spanking, didn’tI? After, you can fuck me in gratitude. Where’s my strap, Piras?” Kila’s roughhands were arranging her to his liking. Hope shuddered to hear she’d receivethe thick strap too, though she didn’t dare resist.

“Here, my Nobek.”

“You’re being a well-behaved boy tonight, Piras. I’ll allowyou play with her clit while I deal with her ass.”

“Thank you.” Eager fingers dove in her wetness and beganrubbing. Hope cried out as a fresh surge of heat walloped her sex.

“There we go. We’ll make her yell, won’t we?”

The strap cracked against Hope’s buttocks, sending a stripeof stinging heat across them. She’d been propped on her elbows, but shecollapsed as searing pain delivered a bolt of pure ecstasy to her sex. Shewailed into the covers.

“That’s my girl, my very good girl.”

Another splash of agony-ecstasy. Hope jerked under the fierytorment. The movement sent her rubbing harder against Piras’ fingers, and shejerked.

“Look at you dance. You’re beautiful, my Matara. Let’s keepit going.”

She poured gasps and moans as the spanking and Piras’caresses continued. Soon her ass was a fiery hell, but it was secondarycompared to the rapture filling her womanhood.

“Look at your pussy drip. You’re so wet for my strap. Mygirl likes it when she’s disciplined. Especially when it gets intense.”

The rhythmic slaps of leather on flesh ended. Was it over?Would he fuck her now? Hope was sure his first stroke would set off orgasm. Shewas so close.

There was a slap, but not on her smarting ass. Her sexblazed in an abrupt inferno, and she screamed as it flexed.

“Pussy’s turn for a spanking. Hold still, naughty pussy.”Kila gripped her hip to keep her in place and his palm swatted her cunt again.

She came, shrieking in equal parts pain and elation as Pirastugged on her clit and Kila slapped her most vulnerable flesh. After the fifthswat, he stopped.

“That’s my girl.” He knelt behind her, his thighs holdinghers open.

She sobbed, overcome, as his primary burrowed. It slid in, aslow invasion of her overwrought flesh. He pressed in until his smaller shaftentered her pussy. She quaked, on the verge once more.

“Fuck me now. Go on and get on those cocks.”

There was no use begging for a respite. Shuddering, Hopepushed back slowly, impaling herself on the thick lengths. Pressure built. Hergaze skittered to Piras’ face, visible where his hair parted. His gaze was avidon where he continued to massage her clit, lips wet and parted in excitement.

“Get on them, girl. All the way on.” Merciless Kila swattedher ass.

Hope shoved onto him. His cock rubbed her internal hotspot,and she detonated.

Through the roar in her ears, the maddening commands wererelentless. “Keep it going, girl. Fuck me. Fuck me hard, and don’t stop.”

She rocked despite her pussy’s constant seizures, knowing Kila’spenalties were to be avoided at all costs. The spanking had been his version ofgentle play. His actual punishments were a level of erotic suffering that gaveeven Piras pause.

She fucked as if her life depended on it, though she wantedto collapse and give her poor cunt and ass a rest. She didn’t let up even whena revived Lokmi ordered Piras to take off the cock cage and kneel in front ofher. Piras obeyed, offering no resistance when their Imdiko tied his wristsbehind his back.

“Stay absolutely still,” Lokmi growled at him. “If you somuch as twitch, Kila’s beating will feel like love taps and the cage goes backon.”

“Get your mouth on our good boy, girl,” Kila said. “Suck himoff while you’re fucking me. When he comes, swallow it. He’s been kind to bringyou to orgasm so often. It’s his turn.”

She supported her weight on shaking arms to reach Piras’primary. Forward, enclosing the livid length in her mouth, Piras’ delicioussweet-spiciness dancing over her tongue while her ass and pussy released mostof Kila’s cocks. Backward, sucking the twitching shaft clean of its slicknessand shuddering as she filled with the Nobek again, tormenting herself asincredible friction warned she’d come soon.

“Suck it down. Fuck me. Faster. Harder.” Kila was ruthless.“Do it. Make us come.”

Piras’ shaft jerked a warning, spurting pre-cum on hertongue. She swallowed it and as much of his cock as she could, trying to gethim off before she lost her senses. Kila too. She slammed against him despitethe anguish of her spanked ass. If she came first, she might be too exhaustedto finish them. Such a scenario was unthinkable.

Kila’s exhortations ended, replaced by rhythmic grunts. Hewas nearly there. Piras shuddered violently. When Hope looked up at his face,she saw how it tensed, how his jaw clenched. He was close, but she was too, andthe jolts of passion were growing stronger. She wouldn’t be able to hold outmuch longer.

Kila groaned, and his hands tightened painfully on Hope’ships. His cocks jerked inside her. He was coming at last. The evidence of hispassion lit hers, and as the first surge swept over her, she latched ontoPiras, taking him down so she gagged on his cock.

He shouted. A flood of ecstatic heat filled Hope’s mouth.She swallowed the copious spend and cried out at each surge of climax clenchingher pussy on Kila’s throbbing shaft. She heard Lokmi laugh and applaud as wavesof bliss broke over her.

 

An unseen, unblinking gaze watched the four aliens from thecorner of the room, shadowed by a shelf overhead. The entity, a minisculeportion of the All, regarded the scene with no emotion known to human orKalquorian. What it felt was unimportant anyway. It had its task. Separatedfrom the All, its judgments were meaningless.

The four drew apart, but only slightly and temporarily. Theytwined limbs as they curled together on the platform where they’d engaged infrantic activity. The smallest was kept in the center, and the other threefocused on her. They vocalized.

“Let’s celebrate our return to civilization every day.”

“I vote for every hour.”

Loud bursts of noise from their gaping, wet mouths. Thelittle one spoke next.

“I’m not sure my twat can take it every hour.”

“Every other hour?”

“Dream on.”

“Kila, is there any leshella left?”

The entity twitched, absorbing the language, comparing it towhat it had gathered from the creature it had rode to board the lifelessvessel. It hadn’t had long to extract knowledge from its mount’s brain, so muchof what was said was incomprehensible.

It needed a mount. It regarded the four. It was plain theywere too familiar to serve its purpose. Differences in behavior would be notedeasily. It would have to find a loner.

Wait and seek better prey. None of these are leaderparticles. Wait.

The voice had spoken. Distance could break the connection,but the All’s range was vast.

The entity mused the All’s order, seizing on the term“leader particles.” The enemy was of separation. True separation, nottemporary. If the small offshoot had been capable, it would have sneered indisgust. Independently formed beings were tolerated by the Other, and the Otherwas an abomination.

While the four entities were absorbed in each other, theoffshoot flitted to the door on its multiple legs. The door didn’t open, but itwas of no concern. The offshoot faded into its home dimension and passedthrough the door like air.

 * * * * 

A new planet. A newenemy. Is the end coming for the Kalquorian Empire?

In the aftermath ofthe Kalquorian civil war and the defeat of the Bi’is invasion fleet, the empirehas enjoyed peace. A new Earth has been born. A Kalquorian leads the GalacticCouncil of Planets. An era of harmony seems assured.

However, new dangersarrive on the horizon. Governor Stacy Nichols finds herself at odds withpowerful opponents who want Earth II to return to the old ways that led to thedemise of their original planet. They’ll do anything to stop her, especiallywhen they discover her newfound romance with Clan Rihep of Kalquor.

After five years and aterrifying encounter with an unknown entity, Clan Piras is finally leavingtheir spy duties in Bi’is space. Now they must face enemies closer to home: thefamilies of those they sacrificed while on a secret mission during theKalquorian civil war.

A new threat to theexistence of Kalquor and the entire Galactic Council of Planets arrives in themidst of these challenges, a dark menace unlike anything faced before. Oneyoung, inexperienced spyship ensign is all that stands between the galaxy andutter destruction. Can he warn the empire in time…or is it already too late?

DarkEmpire 1: Shadows Approach releases Friday! Pre-order now at Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and print.

Dark Empire Book One: Shadows Approach Chapter Two Scene Five

 

Piras is put in his proper place in today's excerpt. The ebook releases Friday!

"Tracy St. John's writing style is nothing short of exceptional. The way she effortlessly blends action, suspense, and romance is a testament to her talent as a storyteller." -Amazon review

* * * *

“Specialist Nath, report to your quarters.”

Hope smirked at Kila’s gruff tone on her com. She was awareher shift, as well as his, had ended nearly an hour ago, but she’d been busyassembling a nanospy program sure to knock her clanmates’ socks off. She wascertain it would come in useful on Earth II.

Was she okay when it came to spying on her own people on theKalquorian Empire’s behalf? Given her history of living in the presence ofreligious zealots who’d stopped at nothing to hold power, hell yes. She had noproblem where keeping tabs on potential dictators was concerned.

“On my way, Captain.” She sat back in her hover chair in hertiny cubicle in Engineering and stretched. Her spine crackled satisfyingly.

She rose and headed for the corridor, waving to theengineering crew as she passed them. Lokmi had already left, excited tocelebrate their leaving Bi’is for the last time. Hope was thrilled too, but herprogram was close to completion.

Another hour, and I bet I would have been done. Shesighed wistfully as she stepped into the elevator-like conveyance waiting tobring her mere steps from her clan’s quarters. Oh well, tomorrow was soonenough to finish her latest project, test it, and check it off her list.

Life was good.

Hope entered her clan’s quarters moments later. Three bronzefaces swung in her direction, and a thrill shot through her. Elegant Piras,feral Kila, and stunning Lokmi, so different in looks and personalities, butequally exciting. Her heart throbbed overflowing love for the trio who’d savedher father from execution, her sister from being the child bride of a monster,and herself from an uncertain future years before.

“Hi honeys, I’m home.” She beamed at them.

“You took long enough,” Kila groused, but as usual, a smileplayed at the corner of his lips. “It’s no fun coming in second to a bunch ofminiature robots.”

“You never come in second. You just get momentarily delayed.I seem to remember you being late on a few occasions after visiting Engineeringtoo.”

“And me being late because I had to undo what he’d done.”Lokmi joined in, wearing a pretended scowl at Kila. Or maybe it wasn’tpretended. Kila was a born tinkerer, son of a race shuttle team, unable toresist the urge to make his ship faster. Engineering was Lokmi’s domain,however, and the pair locked horns over Kila’s clandestine modifications whenthey were discovered.

“Okay, okay, we’re all a bunch of workaholics who love whatwe do. Let’s put duty aside for a few hours and toast to our change ofaddress.” In a dramatic flourish, Piras produced the biggest bottle of leshellaHope had ever seen. She clapped in approval.

“Party time!”

One of the men had picked up dinner from the mess hall andbrought it to their cramped quarters. They picnicked on their vast sleepingmat, which took up much of the floor space.

“Pilchok always tastes so decadent. I feel I’m eatingdessert ahead of the meal,” Hope said, licking the flaky pastry-like meat offher lips. She swallowed a healthy mouthful of leshella to wash it down. ThePlasian wine went down easily, and she was already feeling quite mellow.

Lokmi popped another morsel on her tongue. “I’m a firmbeliever in decadence. In fact, I request extra helpings. Less work, moreplay.”

“For you, work is play,” Kila chuckled. “If you don’t havean engine to fuss over, you hate life.”

“I’m sure that’s why you fuck with my ship on an ongoingbasis, out of concern for my joy.”

“Your ship?” Kila’s ever-present grin took on its dangerouscast, his teeth gleaming through his dark beard.

“Okay, your ship. But they’re my engines.”

“If they’re part of my ship, then it makes them—”

As they commenced their usual debate, which ignited at leastonce a week, Piras offered Hope a bite of wedi-sauced niria. “At least no onefights over your nanobots.”

“Good. I’d hate to put any of you in a medi-bed.”

He chuckled, and Hope looked at him in undisguisedadoration. The “Terror of the Fleet,” as Piras had been called before his spyactivity had made him a pariah among Kalquorians, wasn’t known outside of hisclan for smiles. Having given up his home, friends, and an open relationshipwith his family to save the Kalquorian Empire from the treasonous Dramok Maf,he’d had damned little to be happy about. Hope had made it her mission to givehim as much pleasure in life as was in her power.

Fortunately, their pleasures meshed quite satisfactorily.

When he offered her another bite…Kalquorian mentraditionally fed their Matara clanmates…Hope brushed his arm aside. She leanedforward to claim a kiss. Piras yielded to her command, his lips parting toinvite a deeper embrace. She accepted, kissing him until he was left gasping.She was gratified to spy how his crotch bulged in interest. The spicy scent ofhis arousal mixed enticingly with the food.

She tapped his wrist, as he still held the fork aloft. Heswallowed hard and fed her, hunger for something besides pilchok and niria inhis gaze. She patted his thigh and held out her glass to Lokmi, who smirked ashe refilled it.

She didn’t dare tease him as she did Piras. He and Kilaweren’t to be toyed with, unless she was in the mood to be taken underparticular circumstances.

She was, but only after dinner and leshella had beenconsumed. And maybe Piras, as well.

Life was great.

“Any word on what we’ll find when we reach Earth’s AlphaStation?”

Kila’s question snapped Piras into his in-charge persona.“Rear Admiral Hobato and Admiral Tranis are to meet us there. They’ll bespeaking to the station’s commander and the head of Earth’s on-planet securityprior to our arrival, to make sure they’re willing to work with me ascommanding officer of Earth Space Security.”

“Admiral Tranis, huh?” Kila’s dangerous grin had returned.“His Nobek won’t be there, will he?”

Piras regarded him levelly. “He isn’t part of Fleet Command,so I see no reason why he would be.”

Hope wondered why Kila was so jealous of Piras’ previousrelationship with Admiral Tranis’ Nobek. Piras never brought him up, butanytime Admiral Tranis’ name was spoken, Kila immediately mentioned NobekLidon.

She’d asked for clarification on their past. Kila wouldn’tanswer her questions. He acted as if he didn’t hear her ask them. Piras merelyshrugged and said it was ancient history. Lokmi had no idea what had happenedexcept Piras and Lidon had been in a long-term relationship, supposedly once destinedfor a clanship. Dramok Tranis had shown up, and Lidon had clanned with himinstead.

Lokmi opined Kila was territorial when it came to Piras, andsomehow saw the other Nobek as a continuing rival.

It was a mystery, and Kila and Piras were determined to keepit so. Hope wondered if she’d get the opportunity to ask Tranis for the story.She wondered if he’d answer her, a stranger and the Matara to his former rivalfor Nobek Lidon.

Probably not.

Piras’ expression was closed off as he offered Hope a forkfulof food. Kila appeared sullen, his smirk more of a snarl. The clan’scelebratory dinner was quickly fading into a pout party. Hope and Lokmiexchanged a glance. His eyes rolled.

“You know what we need?” she suggested brightly. “Or atleast, what I need? A naked man. Piras, make me happy.” She pushed his nearlyempty plate away.

He blinked at her. A flush crept up from his collar.

“You heard her.” Kila’s voice was a growl. “Strip or getstrapped.”

There was a hesitation as Piras weighed whether he wantedpunishment or not, then he pulled the resealable seam of his one-piece uniformapart. Hope ogled him as his defined chest came in view, then his shoulders andbiceps. He shrugged the top of his formsuit free.

Piras got off the mat to pull the uniform the rest of theway off. Then he stood before them, his twin cocks gleaming wetness and thickfrom arousal. His head was bowed, but Hope saw the gleam of his purple eyessneaking a peek at her through the fall of his long, black hair.

She pointed at the surface of bed beside her, aware Kila waschugging the last of the leshella directly from the bottle and Lokmi wasclearing the remains of their dinner away. “Kneel. Hands behind your back.”

The most demanding admiral of the fleet, the brute who’dcowed the nastiest Nobeks who’d dared to refute him, was nowhere in evidence.He was a Dramok, a breed that backed down in no way to no one…but Piras was ararity of his kind when it came to sex. He was as submissive in bed as he wasinsurmountable everywhere else.

Though he stood around six-and-a-half-feet tall, toweringover Hope, he was hers to dominate. She enjoyed doing so as much as she enjoyedsurrendering to their clanmates, who were as domineering as Piras was not.

Piras climbed onto the bed again, kneeling next to Hope, hisarms behind him. She grasped his secondary and pumped it, looking away as if hebarely rated her attention. “So, about my nanobots…”

She spent the next few minutes discussing her new programwith Kila and Lokmi, masturbating Piras’ cocks in turn with seeming casualnegligence. However, she was tuned to his reactions, subtle and otherwise. Hewas hot on her palm, his shafts jerking when she squeezed the base of either,where he liked it best. He trembled as the seconds ticked by, growing excitedby both his helplessness to evoke his will and her pretended indifference tohis increasing arousal. Being treated as a mere plaything was high on Piras’list of enthralling carnal activities.

After her discussion with Kila and Lokmi, Hope flicked a glanceat him. He kept his head down. His gaze through sleek black strands waspleading, as if he didn’t know the night’s trials were only beginning.

 * * * * 

A new planet. A newenemy. Is the end coming for the Kalquorian Empire?

In the aftermath ofthe Kalquorian civil war and the defeat of the Bi’is invasion fleet, the empirehas enjoyed peace. A new Earth has been born. A Kalquorian leads the GalacticCouncil of Planets. An era of harmony seems assured.

However, new dangersarrive on the horizon. Governor Stacy Nichols finds herself at odds withpowerful opponents who want Earth II to return to the old ways that led to thedemise of their original planet. They’ll do anything to stop her, especiallywhen they discover her newfound romance with Clan Rihep of Kalquor.

After five years and aterrifying encounter with an unknown entity, Clan Piras is finally leavingtheir spy duties in Bi’is space. Now they must face enemies closer to home: thefamilies of those they sacrificed while on a secret mission during theKalquorian civil war.

A new threat to theexistence of Kalquor and the entire Galactic Council of Planets arrives in themidst of these challenges, a dark menace unlike anything faced before. Oneyoung, inexperienced spyship ensign is all that stands between the galaxy andutter destruction. Can he warn the empire in time…or is it already too late?

DarkEmpire 1: Shadows Approach releases Friday! Pre-order now at Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and print.

 

Dark Empire Book One: Shadows Approach Chapter Two Scene Four

 

The release of Shadows Approach is nearly upon us. Today's excerpt is the changing of the guard. Clan Piras is finally leaving Bi'is, and Kila fears his troubles are only beginning:

Kila’s spyship

“S-S-nine-two-eight reporting in.”

Captain Kila nodded to Veko to open the com link.“S-S-one-zero-three-eight responding. Welcome to Bi’is.”

He gazed at the other phased spyship, his emotions a mixtureof gratification and remorse. Keeping tabs on the Bi’isils was often a boringjob, but he was convinced there was a secret lab operating on the planet, whichhad escaped the Galactic Council inspectors’ notice. It damned near physicallyhurt to let another ship’s crew find it instead of his.

Leaving it behind was his chance to begin the rehabilitationof his clan’s reputation. They weren’t returning to empire space, but they’d bein contact with plenty of Kalquorians as they took up secret guard duty ofEarth II.

During the Kalquorian civil war, Kila and Admiral Piras hadbeen tasked to accomplish the impossible: get close to the leader of thetraitors against the empire, Dramok Maf. Achieving the impossible had meantdoing the unthinkable. They’d had to hand over a key space station to Maf,which had meant sacrificing hundreds of loyal Kalquorian soldiers’ lives.

The war had ended five years prior, and the reason for theirsupposedly treasonous actions had been revealed to the public at large.Nonetheless, many of the dead had grieving families unwilling to forgive them.There were those who’d kill Piras and Kila if given the opportunity. Kilacouldn’t blame them. The majority of the dead had been Nobeks, who’d haveconsidered it an honor to perish so the empire would survive. Their familiesweren’t so forgiving.

Had it been his clanmate, brother, son, or father given tothe cause, Kila would want vengeance too. He admitted he had little forgivenessin his soul when it came to those who’d harm his clan and family.

He wanted his clan to lead a normal life, however. Identitychanges were a possibility, but not while they served the Kalquorian fleet.None of them, including Hope, who’d come along at the end of the war and servedin a contractor capacity so she could remain with her clan, could imagine doinganything else.

Piras and Kila were the two most hated men in the empire,Piras in particular. Lokmi had been part of the plan too, so he was also indanger if discovered.

There had been clandestine visits to family on Kalquor inthe intervening years. Piras had managed to be at his mother’s side when shepassed away, heartbroken her son was so hated and unable to remain close. Ithad been a particularly demoralizing trip, but all visits had been difficultdespite the joy of brief family reunions. Knowing discovery would possibly endin bloodshed, they’d had to be careful.

The crew of the ship off their bow had no idea whom theywere relieving of Bi’is surveillance. All communication was audio only, andvocal masking was used to render Kila’s voice unrecognizable.

“We’re ready for the changing of the guard.” The othercaptain had been told to avoid revealing his own identity for security’s sakeand to use masking as well…a ruse to guard Kila from having to identifyhimself. He sounded jovial. Kila wondered who he was and if they’d been friendsbefore the war.

“You have the information on the shadow entities weobserved?”

“Yes, Captain, and the likely location of the secret lab youbelieve is present on the planet. We’ll search for evidence of both.” Hesounded gleeful at the opportunity. He must have had some experience in howmonotonous it was to watch over an enemy. “Is the Galactic Council inspectioncontingent still enroute for their routine check?”

“Affirmative, Captain. I’ll send you our observations fromthe last week, then we’ll be off if there’s nothing else you require.”

“I believe we’re set to take over. Enjoy your return tocivilization.”

“Thank you. The detail is yours.”

“Accepted.”

The single word ended Kila’s five-year surveillance ofBi’is, broken only by the occasional shore leave. Their long exile was over.

“Helm, fly us to Earth. Let’s get a look at our new home.”

 * * * * 

A new planet. A newenemy. Is the end coming for the Kalquorian Empire?

In the aftermath ofthe Kalquorian civil war and the defeat of the Bi’is invasion fleet, the empirehas enjoyed peace. A new Earth has been born. A Kalquorian leads the GalacticCouncil of Planets. An era of harmony seems assured.

However, new dangersarrive on the horizon. Governor Stacy Nichols finds herself at odds withpowerful opponents who want Earth II to return to the old ways that led to thedemise of their original planet. They’ll do anything to stop her, especiallywhen they discover her newfound romance with Clan Rihep of Kalquor.

After five years and aterrifying encounter with an unknown entity, Clan Piras is finally leavingtheir spy duties in Bi’is space. Now they must face enemies closer to home: thefamilies of those they sacrificed while on a secret mission during theKalquorian civil war.

A new threat to theexistence of Kalquor and the entire Galactic Council of Planets arrives in themidst of these challenges, a dark menace unlike anything faced before. Oneyoung, inexperienced spyship ensign is all that stands between the galaxy andutter destruction. Can he warn the empire in time…or is it already too late?

DarkEmpire 1: Shadows Approach releases August 4! Pre-order now at Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and print.

 

Dark Empire Book One: Shadows Approach Chapter Two Scene Three

 

Counting down to next Friday! It's time to meet Nobek Kuran's clanmates, Dramok Rihep and Imdiko Etnil. Anyone for pizza?

Alpha Space Station, Clan Rihep’s quarters

Kuran entered his quarters aboard the “tin can,” as Stacycalled the space station orbiting Earth II. He inhaled deeply, appreciating thescent of dinner from the tiny greeting room, which boasted a total of threeseating cushions, a table, and what his Imdiko referred to as “a bar fit fordrinking alone.”

It hardly mattered. Theirs was a gregarious clan, more aptto meet friends for drinks than to entertain.

Kuran entered the slightly larger dining room, where Etnilwas just putting a pizza on the table. “Well, aren’t you your typical self?”the Imdiko groused. He didn’t lift his gaze to Kuran. “The shower head isleaking. No Kuran to fix it. I com to ask a clanmate, who happens to pass thegrocery supply department on his way home, to pick up some flour. Does Kurananswer? No. But dinner’s ready, and who bolts through the dining room door,drooling like a starved snarku? Kuran, of course.”

The Nobek chuckled as he pulled his com from its belt pouchand checked for messages. Sure enough, Etnil had called. “I’m sorry, my Imdiko.I forgot I had it on silent for the governor’s welcome. It looks as if youpulled off dinner without my assistance. Grul pizza?”

His clanmate’s handsome, slender face, framed by sleek blackhair that fell to his mid-back, finally rose to look up at him. A slight smirkhovered over his lips. “I added hot sauce and blue cheese. No one will darekiss you for the rest of your life after you eat this. Or follow you to thetoilet.” He made an explosive sound, his cheeks puffing and deflating.

“It has to be better than the bywes and pickled beet pizzahe inflicted on us last week.” Rihep came in carrying a bottle of bohut andglasses. Though he was nearly ten years Etnil’s senior, he looked younger. Etnilclaimed it was because Rihep, though a Dramok, had many Imdiko traits,meditated like a priest, and gave very few fucks about anything.

Etnil grabbed the bottle from him, opened it, and tried todrink straight from it. Kuran snatched it from him, which earned him a pout.The Imdiko recovered almost immediately to advise them, “You were my testsubjects for a post-traumatic stress disorder study I’m doing. Have yousuffered nightmares since the beet pizza? Urges to end your lives?Uncontrollable desires to pickle other Earth-based vegetables or certaingorgeous Imdiko clanmates?”

“Get the plates, Etnil.” Rihep grinned, but there was nodoubt he expected to be obeyed. He offered the glasses one at a time for Kuranto fill. “How was the party, my Nobek?”

“Boring. Stuffy. I think Stacy made an excellentimpression.”

“Oh, it’s just Stacy now, instead of Governor Stacy,who started as Governor Nichols.” Etnil was back, bearing plates and utensils.“Was the excellent impression just on a certain adoring Nobek, or did anyoneelse find her agreeable?”

“One tap,” Kuran said to Rihep, brandishing the half-emptybottle in Etnil’s direction.

“Don’t waste good bohut when your fist will do.”

Etnil laughed at the idea Kuran would punch him and slicedthe pizza. They sat down to sample his latest effort.

The Imdiko was forever trying food combinations on top ofpizza dough after having discovered the popular Earther food. He was alsoenamored with subs and sandwiches, and often stuffed a number of ingredientsbetween cuts of bread. He’d declared the height of civilization was thedevelopment of portable food.

Kuran had to admit grul pizza was among Etnil’s successes.The fiery hot chunks melded deliciously with blue cheese, and the addition of asmoky hot sauce was a painfully delightful enjoyment.

After a couple of slices and refilling his glass, Rihep toldEtnil to keep his mouth shut and invited Kuran to tell them about thegathering.

“The Imperial Clan was there, and so was the GC’s newsecretary-general. You would have enjoyed speaking to Dramok Mereta. He has asupremely calm presence.”

“I’ve read his take on the Temple of Life’s philosophy. Ifind it fascinating he arrived where he did after years as a priest.” Rihephimself had briefly studied for the Temple of Life’s priesthood before optingfor the route of a wholesale supplier to various businesses. When Kuran hadbeen tapped to head on-planet security for the new world, Rihep had been ashoe-in to take charge of Earth’s supply needs.

“I appreciate the fact he doesn’t feel the need to convertanyone. He kept his conversation with Governor Nichols brief and on thebusiness of the planet.” Kuran didn’t miss Etnil’s smirk when he used Stacy’stitle and last name.

“And the Imperial Clan?”

“They’re quite supportive, and she appreciates it, unlikeher lieutenant governor. If Bryant greeted a single Kalquorian at thegathering, I didn’t see it.” Kuran dared to tell Etnil, “The empress asked thegovernor not to plant bombs under the cities. I thought the emperors would fallthrough the floor in horror.”

Etnil laughed, covering his mouth to avoid spraying thetable with food. “What did Stacy say?”

“She voiced appreciation for the joke and empatheticdiplomacy for the emperors’ reactions. I can’t wait for you two to meet her.”He paused. “Let me rephrase. I can’t wait for Rihep to meet her. I might chainyou to the wall, Etnil.”

“Will you be using the fluffy cuffs, the leather cuffs, orthe scary metal ones?” The irrepressible Imdiko made kissing noises.

“The final push to be ready for the colonists is coming. Thegovernor is bound to be working nonstop to prepare for their arrival,” Riheppointed out.

“Which is why she plans to invite the supervisor of supplyand acquisitions down to the planet soon. Though I advised against it, shewishes to meet our station’s lead psychologist as well.”

Etnil beamed. “That’s me! Oh boy, that’s me!”

“Mother of All, help her,” Rihep chuckled.

 * * * * 

A new planet. A newenemy. Is the end coming for the Kalquorian Empire?

In the aftermath ofthe Kalquorian civil war and the defeat of the Bi’is invasion fleet, the empirehas enjoyed peace. A new Earth has been born. A Kalquorian leads the GalacticCouncil of Planets. An era of harmony seems assured.

However, new dangersarrive on the horizon. Governor Stacy Nichols finds herself at odds withpowerful opponents who want Earth II to return to the old ways that led to thedemise of their original planet. They’ll do anything to stop her, especiallywhen they discover her newfound romance with Clan Rihep of Kalquor.

After five years and aterrifying encounter with an unknown entity, Clan Piras is finally leavingtheir spy duties in Bi’is space. Now they must face enemies closer to home: thefamilies of those they sacrificed while on a secret mission during theKalquorian civil war.

A new threat to theexistence of Kalquor and the entire Galactic Council of Planets arrives in themidst of these challenges, a dark menace unlike anything faced before. Oneyoung, inexperienced spyship ensign is all that stands between the galaxy andutter destruction. Can he warn the empire in time…or is it already too late?

DarkEmpire 1: Shadows Approach releases August 4! Pre-order now at Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and print.

Dark Empire Book One: Shadows Approach Chapter Two Scene Two

 

We're one week away from release! Earth II's Governor Stacy is welcomed by the Galactic Council's leader, Kalquor's Imperial Clan (who might not enjoy their empress' attempt at a joke)...and maybe not so welcomed by her lieutenant governor:

Stacy flushed as her entrance to the reception was greetedby a crash of applause. Those aliens who didn’t possess hands to clap madetheir acclamations in other ways. Everyone was on their feet or hovering in theair to welcome Earth’s new leader.

When the hubbub died down, she accepted the speaker boxKuran handed to her. “Thank you so much, but the accolades rightly belong toyou. If not for the Galactic Council of Planets and its membership, therewouldn’t be an Earth for me to preside over. I’m especially grateful to thehuge contributions of the Kalquorian Empire, the planets Joshada and Plasius,and the Alneusian Confederation.”

After a few additional remarks about how she hoped herpeople’s new beginning pointed to success in the Galactic Council community,she wrapped up. Stacy wasn’t big on speeches, preferring action to words. Thereception was soon in full swing, and representatives of the many worldsconverged upon her.

“Congratulations again on a well-deserved election, DramokMereta,” Stacy said when the secretary-general of the Galactic Council greetedher. “I understand you’re the first Kalquorian to lead the Galactic Council infour hundred years.”

“Thank you, Governor.” The gentle face framed by grayinghair was serene. “The honor is in being chosen to serve the council’s members.I hope I am up to the task.”

From anyone else, his statement would have resounded infalse modesty. However, Mereta was the real deal. He’d been a priest ofKalquor’s Temple of Life, then founder of his own sect of the ancientphilosophy. He’d brought his serene clarity to the empire’s Royal Council, thento the Galactic Council. Though he had millions of devotees, he wasn’t known toimpose his spiritual beliefs. Indeed, he never spoke of them unless he wasasked.

The first time she’d met him as secretary-general-elect,when her name had been put forth as a potential interim governor for Earth, Stacyhad been ready to fend off the foolishness of a zealot. After all, she’d grownup under the governance of the original Earth’s Holy Leader. Browning Copelandhad been a man who spoke of God’s love but forced the majority of Earthers tolive in a cultish hell. Stacy was leery of those who fashioned themselves asarbiters of any holy path.

At their initial meeting and the subsequent half dozen thatfollowed, Mereta hadn’t mentioned salvation or sin. He’d kept theirconversations to what Stacy brought to the table when it came to the success ofrestarting Earther civilization, her objectives for her people’s new homeplanet, and the obstacles she saw ahead. He listened more than he spoke, andhis inquiries were never judgmental. Though she knew the barest details ofMereta’s faith, she found herself understanding why he was a sought-for leader.His nomination to the secretary-general post had met little resistance from themember planets.

“I believe we’ve put Earth’s future in capable hands,” hesaid now, his smile warm.

“Thank you. Like you, I’ll do all I can to serve my peopleand give us a good start.”

“I have no doubt of it. If you ever require aid, you haveonly to ask the Galactic Council.”

“Thank you, Secretary-General.”

He bowed and made room for the next well-wishers. As theemperors and empress of Kalquor bowed, Stacy returned the greeting.

“I can’t begin to tell you how thrilled I am to see this dayarrive. Only the landing of the first colonists will supersede such a momentousoccasion,” Dramok Emperor Clajak told her. His steel-colored hair, a mutationof the usual black most Kalquorians possessed, framed a handsome face.

“I bet I’m more excited.” Empress Jessica, an elfin womanwhose short stature belied her fiery temper, grinned at Stacy. “Our new homeworld has exceeded expectations, in my opinion.”

“Mine as well,” Stacy agreed. “Run by a differentgovernment, I hope our success will be far greater.”

Jessica crossed her fingers. “Don’t plant any bombs underthe cities, okay?”

Clajak and the other two emperors, Egilka and Bevau, reactedin shock. “Are you making light of that horror?” Imdiko Egilka muttered in anundertone.

“The truth is the truth,” Stacy interjected with smoothdiplomacy. “Our leaders were insane to have rigged the cities to blow up shoulda hostile entity breach Earth’s atmosphere. They knew they were dooming theentire planet and the majority of its people when they did so.”

“But to joke about it?” The lean-featured emperor blinked atthe two women.

“If you don’t laugh, you might scream,” Jessica explained.“Seeing a new Earth and a fresh start for humans brings me delight beyondmeasure, but…”

“But it reminds us of what we lost as well,” Stacy finishedfor her. “It’s dark humor masking a message, Emperor Egilka. It’s right to remindthe head of a planet of our past mistakes and what led to them.”

“I suppose,” he said after a moment’s pause. “The GalacticCouncil wouldn’t have chosen you if there were a possibility of you makingthose sorts of decisions, though.”

Nobek Emperor Bevau, too handsome to be believed in Stacy’sopinion, smirked and asked in a low voice, “I’m not so sure about their choiceof a lieutenant governor.”

Again, Stacy drew on diplomacy because she happened toagree. Kalquor had gone to great lengths to assist Earth’s existence, but oncethey and the Galactic Council agreed all criteria had been met by Earth’sappointed leaders, they’d have no role in its governance. “All viewpointsshould be considered and debated, no matter how distasteful various factions mightfind others. Fortunately, the traditionalists who lean toward absolutism are inthe minority. While Mr. Bryant supports certain values, he isn’t among theextreme element.”

Her assessment was true, but he was already proving to be athorn in Stacy’s side. He’d questioned nearly every proposal she’d advanced,whether it was her own or on behalf of those members of the legislature sheagreed with.

She glanced toward her fellow Earther, who’d finally put inan appearance and was speaking to the representatives from Joshada. Bryant wasslightly shorter than average but in good shape, his light brown hair justbeginning to gray. He was attractive, particularly when he smiled. Behindclosed doors, his tongue could turn sharp in rebuttal, but in public, his charmwon a multitude of supporters.

Jessica’s gaze followed Stacy’s. “He held offices on OldEarth. He strikes me as an Earthtique in his views.”

Earthtique was a combination of Earth and antique.It had become the common slang for those who preferred the lives they’d livedon the original Earth, where the state religion had often brutally ruled itspeople. Under the Holy Leader’s regime, women had possessed few rights, gaysand lesbians had been hunted and killed, and non-English-speaking minoritiesoften kept in poverty.

Men like Bryant, who’d been born to the right circumstances,had enjoyed many advantages on Old Earth. He’d made little secret he believedhe should have been appointed the governor of Earth II, and being second toStacy Nichols was a situation he found oppressive.

Stacy allowed herself the slightest of smirks. “Answering tome and a legislature only fifteen percent white and male will be an excellenteducation for him. With his gift as a public speaker, I can’t think of a bettermessenger to those who have yet to advance their thinking.”

The Imperial Clan grinned at her. Jessica and Clajak laughedout loud.

“You are the right woman for the job,” Egilka chuckled.

“I’m glad you think so. On that note, do you know whenexactly the Galactic Council will hand off full control to my administration? Ishould have asked the secretary-general, but in the excitement, I forgot.” Shelooked around for Mereta, but didn’t see him. “Mr. Bryant has been most eagerfor us to seize the reins. As am I,” she amended, because the agreementsbetween the Earther factions and those eager to see them living as anindependent society had been met. She was impatient for her people to charttheir own course into the future.

“I believe Secretary-General Mereta said all that was leftwas the signing of the declaration by the Galactic Council. The formalannouncement should happen before the week is out,” Clajak said.

“Ready or not, you’re in charge.” Jessica grinned. “Should Ioffer my sympathy as well as congratulations?”

“A bottle of leshella would accomplish both,” Stacy teased.

Jessica laughed. “You already know what’s required. You’re ready,Madam Governor.”

The Imperial Clan moved on, and Stacy spent the next hourgreeting the rest of the dignitaries and well-wishers. At her firstopportunity, she checked in with Kuran.

“Anything interesting happen while I was making friends andcharming my enemies?” she whispered, glancing at the many species of nearly twohundred worlds milling the room, enjoying the tables laden with food and drink.

“Other than Bryant making no attempt to say hello oracknowledge your existence?” Kuran’s squint was fiercer than usual as he eyedthe lieutenant governor, who was chatting up the Adraf and Alneusianambassadors.

“Play nice, Kuran. Don’t give him any grief. That’s my job.”

“I’m head of on-planet security. Since you’re Earth’sleader, you’re my main concern. I’m allowed to give everyone hell when it comesto you.”

Her heart fluttered at the hint of attraction she hoped hefelt for her. Since she wanted to keep him around to discover if there wasanything behind it, she cautioned, “Be as nice as he allows you to be, okay?There are already members of his contingent who want to jettison Kalquoriansupport sooner rather than later. As the most visible example of such support,I need you to tread lightly.”

“This won’t turn into early Haven Colony all over again, willit?” To his credit, Kuran eased off the squint threatening to become a scowl.

“No, because Kalquorians can’t live on Earth, at least underthe current laws.” Not even as spouses or immigrants. Visas of no more than ayear were available to alien species who wished to work as the new planet gotup and running. Even those humans who weren’t Earthtiques were eager to have ahome to call theirs and theirs alone. They’d been forced to live on Earth’sold, overpopulated colonies or on the charity of the Galactic Council and itsmember planets for ten years.

Kalquor was the dominant participant of the aliencivilizations providing support to Earth II as its displaced civilizationlearned to stand on its own. Kuran and his clan were among thousands living onthe massive orbiting space station, a deployment that could last several yearsdepending on how quickly Earthers progressed. Current projections claimed itwould be twenty-five years before Earth was completely self-sufficient.

Stacy didn’t tell Kuran she and the legislature had set theaggressive goal of ten years. Earthtiques were clamoring for five.

“Lacking a bunch of Kalquorians underfoot, there’ll be muchless hostility than what Haven suffered in its first years,” she told him.“Since we won’t have to run our decisions by a Kalquorian governor, there’ll befewer opportunities for resentment to build.”

“I guess so.” He drew a deep breath, his gaze still onBryant. His distraction suited Stacy fine. It allowed her to take a long, slowlook at him without being obvious.

Kuran was a delicious eyeful, and she didn’t feel a minute’sguilt for ogling him.

* * * *

A new planet. A newenemy. Is the end coming for the Kalquorian Empire?

In the aftermath ofthe Kalquorian civil war and the defeat of the Bi’is invasion fleet, the empirehas enjoyed peace. A new Earth has been born. A Kalquorian leads the GalacticCouncil of Planets. An era of harmony seems assured.

However, new dangersarrive on the horizon. Governor Stacy Nichols finds herself at odds withpowerful opponents who want Earth II to return to the old ways that led to thedemise of their original planet. They’ll do anything to stop her, especiallywhen they discover her newfound romance with Clan Rihep of Kalquor.

After five years and aterrifying encounter with an unknown entity, Clan Piras is finally leavingtheir spy duties in Bi’is space. Now they must face enemies closer to home: thefamilies of those they sacrificed while on a secret mission during theKalquorian civil war.

A new threat to theexistence of Kalquor and the entire Galactic Council of Planets arrives in themidst of these challenges, a dark menace unlike anything faced before. Oneyoung, inexperienced spyship ensign is all that stands between the galaxy andutter destruction. Can he warn the empire in time…or is it already too late?

DarkEmpire 1: Shadows Approach releases in one week! Pre-order now at Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and print.

 

Dark Empire Book One: Shadows Approach Chapter Two Scene One

 

Just a little over a week before the book is out! Meanwhile, a little hint of shared attraction between Stacy and Nobek Kuran as they head for the Government House and a first look at Earth II:

With every passing mile they flew, Stacy’s nervousness andexhilaration mounted. Outside the shuttle Kuran piloted, Earth II was asparkling jewel. From the metal-and-glass buildings of its first city, lyingoutside the spaceport, to the lush wooded areas beyond, to the seashore wherethe largest of the planet’s ocean lapped, it was as beautiful as Haven. Soon itwould be teeming with Earthers, whom had been displaced a decade prior fromtheir dying home planet.

“What do you think of it?” she asked her companion.

He shrugged. “Considering this was a lifeless rock less thanfive years ago, it’s impressive. Terraforming an entire planet is difficult,from what I’ve been told. The engineers outdid themselves when they cooked upyour second Earth.”

“They invented groundbreaking processes to make it happenquickly. Barely a century ago, it would have taken fifty years to do this, andthere was no guarantee it would take. This became reality in a mere five years,if you count surveying potential planets and narrowing the candidates down tothe right one. Once they started establishing the atmosphere, it became viablewithin two years. All that was left then was putting our native flora and faunain place.” She gazed in awe at the distant mountains, verdant with trees andfoliage. The seeds had come from the original Earth, as had the animals, birds,and fish, which now proliferated on its namesake.

“Too bad you’re spoiling it by erecting all those buildings.You couldn’t just use the natural landscape the way we do on Kalquor? Naturalis so much better.”

“Says the man living on a space station.”

“Says the man who gets to be planet-side for most of mywaking hours. If I were cooped up on that orbiting nightmare day in and dayout, I’d probably blow it up.” He assumed a fierce expression to back up hisclaim.

Stacy chuckled. Kuran had been in and out of the Kalquorianfleet, depending on the manpower needed, in recent wars. He might prefer tolive on a planet, but he coped fine shut up in a ship or space station.

It was the perfect opportunity to dig for a littleinformation. “How are your clanmates handling Station Alpha?”

“Rihep can handle anything. If you threw a wooden box at himand said, ‘live in there,’ he wouldn’t bat an eye.” Kuran’s smile deepened, hisaffection for his clan leader obvious.

“And your Imdiko?”

“Etnil’s complained nonstop.”

Stacy eyed him with confused concern. “Why are you laughingabout it?”

“You have to understand Etnil. If he’s bitching, theneverything is probably all right. I don’t worry until he goes quiet.” Kuranshook his head, snickering. “Our window vid stopped working last night. He saidthe view of Earth was the only reason he took the job. He got hold of sheetmetal cutters this morning before I left and pretended he was cutting a windowin the hull. He said, ‘The vacuum of space will kill us, but what a wonderfulview as we gasp for air.’”

Stacy’s laughter joined his. It wasn’t the only tale she’dheard of Etnil’s sense of humor. For a psychologist, he was quite the cutup.

She quieted as they approached the outskirts of anothercity. Kuran didn’t take them as far as where the tallest buildings stretchedskyward. It was on the outer border where Government Hall, also the governor’sresidence, sat in the middle of ten acres of manicured grounds. It would be herhome until voters tossed her out or she ran the length of allowed terms.

Kuran might have been dismissive of Earther building andlandscaping preferences, but Stacy thought the stretch of green grass and plotsof flowers and vegetable gardens were lovely. He banked around the whitebuilding itself, an impressive edifice with two wings and columns reaching itsfour-story height. It was elegant but not overly showy, in her opinion. TheSaucin’s residence on Plasius was far more ostentatious, and the Dantovonianprime minister had a compound that stretched a square mile.

“Home sweet home,” Kuran said. “We should have brought abooster pack, so you could jump from the shuttle and land on the lawn for adramatic entrance.”

“Don’t start on our first day, now.”

They grinned at each other.

* * * *

A new planet. A newenemy. Is the end coming for the Kalquorian Empire?

In the aftermath ofthe Kalquorian civil war and the defeat of the Bi’is invasion fleet, the empirehas enjoyed peace. A new Earth has been born. A Kalquorian leads the GalacticCouncil of Planets. An era of harmony seems assured.

However, new dangersarrive on the horizon. Governor Stacy Nichols finds herself at odds withpowerful opponents who want Earth II to return to the old ways that led to thedemise of their original planet. They’ll do anything to stop her, especiallywhen they discover her newfound romance with Clan Rihep of Kalquor.

After five years and aterrifying encounter with an unknown entity, Clan Piras is finally leavingtheir spy duties in Bi’is space. Now they must face enemies closer to home: thefamilies of those they sacrificed while on a secret mission during theKalquorian civil war.

A new threat to theexistence of Kalquor and the entire Galactic Council of Planets arrives in themidst of these challenges, a dark menace unlike anything faced before. Oneyoung, inexperienced spyship ensign is all that stands between the galaxy andutter destruction. Can he warn the empire in time…or is it already too late?

DarkEmpire 1: Shadows Approach releasesAugust 4. Pre-order now at Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and print.

 

Dark Empire Book One: Shadows Approach Chapter One Scene Three

 

This is the final section of Chapter One. It's time to meet Governor Stacy Nichols of Earth II, and her head of on-planet security, Nobek Kuran of Clan Rihep. You'll see a lot more of these two and Kuran's clanmates.

Earth II

Stacy Nichols did her best to disembark from her shuttle ina dignified fashion, fighting the urge to bounce down the stairs. Come on,woman, you’re a thirty-eight-year-old governor, tasked with the start of a newplanet. Decorum, please.

Between excitement and a rush of fear, she felt like a giddychild. She faced the unknown and the unbelievable. It took everything she hadto keep from leaping to the floor of the spaceport.

Security Head Kuran awaited her, his half-smile hintingperhaps he recognized her rush of adrenaline. Or maybe it was just the naturallift of his lips, which always made him appear amused. The majority ofKalquor’s warrior breed didn’t look so friendly, in Stacy’s experience. Kuranhad admitted would-be enemies found his pleasant features confusing, especiallywhen he decided the time had come to kick ass.

Stacy wasn’t confused when it came to Nobek Kuran, ahandsome man who sported a seemingly permanent five o’clock shadow on hisrugged features. She was all too aware of a spark of attraction when in hispresence.

He bowed at her approach. “Welcome to Earth Two, GovernorNichols.”

“Thanks, Kuran. I take it this the official welcome, sinceI’ve visited on nearly a dozen occasions already.”

His purple eyes, which seemed locked in a squint, twinkledat her. “This is your welcome home greeting. Arriving to take the reins for anindeterminable time period demands a special reception.”

“I suppose it does.” She let the grin wanting to burst forthdo so. Kuran answered in kind. “Speaking of receptions?”

“Dignitaries await you at Government Hall.” His real smileanswered her.

Her pulse sped up. His wavy hair, as black as hers, fellpast his shoulders in a flood. The gray uniform of a Kalquorian Fleet contractworker hugged his body in a positively sinful manner.

Chill out. This is Earth, not Haven. There are those whowouldn’t be enthralled by your infatuation for a Kalquorian.

To underscore the issue to herself, she lowered the voltageof her joy and asked, “Has Kenneth Bryant arrived?”

“An hour ago.” Kuran’s tone went from warm to careful in aninstant. “The lieutenant governor is waiting for you to arrive before he makeshis appearance before the guests.”

Stacy managed to avoid rolling her eyes. “Excellent. Shallwe join the party?”

He swept an arm to indicate the path through the space portto its exit. “Your shuttle awaits, Governor.”

They strode side by side, Kuran’s usual long steps slowed tokeep him from outdistancing her. He was more than a foot taller than herfive-foot-five height, tall even for a Kalquorian. The swelling muscles madehim a veritable giant.

Despite him accommodating her, she had to maintain a quickpace. Fortunately, Stacy preferred flats to heels, crisp blouses andcomfortable trousers to dresses. Haven, the Earther-Kalquorian colony she’dlived on for the past six years, was, for the most part, a farming community.As lieutenant governor there, she’d regularly visited constituents. One dressedfor plowed fields and cow patties if she were smart.

She beamed at the industry around her. Earth was still inpreparation, aiming to be up and running in a few weeks, but the spaceport hadbeen bustling for nearly two years. At the start, supplies and crews toestablish the infrastructure of shuttle traffic lanes, public transportation,hospitals, and society’s basic needs had been the majority of shipments. Nowbusinesses, services, entertainments, and schools were readying to open.Supplies for an inhabited planet were pouring in. Cargo ships from every knownworld jockeyed for space, their crews and dockmasters shouting directions toeach other.

Earth had been reborn and was on the brink of opening itsproverbial doors. The excitement was electric.

Especially when she looked at Kuran.

* * * *

A new planet. A newenemy. Is the end coming for the Kalquorian Empire?

In the aftermath ofthe Kalquorian civil war and the defeat of the Bi’is invasion fleet, the empirehas enjoyed peace. A new Earth has been born. A Kalquorian leads the GalacticCouncil of Planets. An era of harmony seems assured.

However, new dangersarrive on the horizon. Governor Stacy Nichols finds herself at odds withpowerful opponents who want Earth II to return to the old ways that led to thedemise of their original planet. They’ll do anything to stop her, especiallywhen they discover her newfound romance with Clan Rihep of Kalquor.

After five years and aterrifying encounter with an unknown entity, Clan Piras is finally leavingtheir spy duties in Bi’is space. Now they must face enemies closer to home: thefamilies of those they sacrificed while on a secret mission during theKalquorian civil war.

A new threat to theexistence of Kalquor and the entire Galactic Council of Planets arrives in themidst of these challenges, a dark menace unlike anything faced before. Oneyoung, inexperienced spyship ensign is all that stands between the galaxy andutter destruction. Can he warn the empire in time…or is it already too late?

DarkEmpire 1: Shadows Approach releasesAugust 4. Pre-order now at Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and print.

Dark Empire Book One: Shadows Approach Chapter One Scene Two

 

 

In this section, I'm pleased to introduce a couple of members of Clan Selt. They won't make much of an impact on Book One, but you'll see much more of them later in the series.

Nobek Selt stepped off his shuttle ahead of the rest of histeam to find his Imdiko clanmate waiting for him in the spyship’s bay. “Awelcoming party for me, Doc? You’re too kind.”

Hadlez chuckled, rendering a beautiful, boyish face more so.“Command staff has been called in for a meeting. The shuttle bay was on my way,so I thought I’d swing by. We can walk together.”

Selt felt a warmth he wouldn’t show in front of his fellowNobeks, just as Hadlez wouldn’t embarrass him by saying out loud he’d missedhim during his mission. So much so, he’d shown up to grab an extra minute ortwo of reunion. “It was only five days.”

“Was that all? I guess it’s as Nath says: time flies whenyou’re having fun.”

Hadlez’s joke brought an instant of tension. Ever alert, theship’s head doctor caught it. “Selt?”

“No, it’s nothing. I’m tired is all. Come on, Doc, put thescanner away.” He tried to fend off the instrument Hadlez waved in front ofhim.

“Talk, or I’ll send you to Medical for a full workup.”

“I just had a lightheaded moment shortly before we werecalled back to the ship.”

“Lightheaded?”

“Like walking in a dream?” A member of the team waiting tobe dismissed, Dramok Ridret, spoke up.

“Yeah. Kind of hazy and disconnected,” Selt agreed. “Sorry,team. I didn’t mean to keep you hanging around. Dismissed.”

“Not so fast.” Hadlez’s scanner inspected Ridret, then eachman in turn. He frowned, shaking back waist-length black hair. “Did everyonehave this issue?”

The five men glanced at each other, answering in theaffirmative.

“We were in Bi’isil labs. We might have been exposed tosomething odd. What’s your scanner say?” Selt asked.

“Little of note. You all have lower-than-usual blood sugar.You can go, but eat within the hour.” Hadlez put his scanner in its pouch onhis belt as the team bowed and hurried away. “You’ve been skipping meals?”

“Like you said, time flies when you’re having fun. Let’s getto the meeting before the captain comes looking for us.” Selt made it apriority to not piss Kila off. His infamous grin hid a brute of a Nobek. He wasalmost as terrifying as Piras.

“The order to eat applies to you too.”

“Got it covered.” Selt pulled a ration pouch from his beltand squeezed its bland contents into his mouth as they strode from the bay.

“Anything interesting to report?” His duty done as far astreating crewmen, Hadlez was eager for gossip. He loved hearing the latestintel ahead of anyone else. The serious doctor transformed to a mischievous boywhen good chatter was to be had.

“We saw some anomalous reports coming in from Sector Cagain. Unreadable to me, no doubt coded messages.”

“Ah, the mysterious Sector C lab. I take it the scientistserased these reports as soon as they read them?”

“Naturally. But we have copies of the notes and our targets’replies. Also coded.” Selt sighed as they traveled the beige-walled corridorand its banks of computers. “It was a given they’d restart covert experimentsand studies. Erasing the entirety their former research and them having toendure regular Galactic Council inspections was merely an obstacle. They’retaking up their evil ways again.”

“The sort of evil that puts the rest of the known universein danger.” Hadlez offered him a sympathetic wince. “It isn’t Bi’is attemptingto misbehave putting a frown on your face.”

Selt chuckled and combed his fingers through hisshoulder-length curls. He wished he’d had an opportunity to clean up beforereporting to Admiral Piras and Captain Kila. He was a rough, tough Nobek, buteven a warrior wanted a shower and clean uniform after five days. “I’ll be gladto hand over what’s usually a boring posting to another crew, but yeah, I’mkind of miffed we won’t be the ones to catch the little gray bastards up to nogood.”

“Think of the compensation, though. Our next deploymentpromises to be exciting, in another fashion.”

Selt’s good humor was restored in an instant. “The newEarth. Hopefully soon to be heavily populated by lonely Earther Mataras.”

“Worth giving up stringing up Bi’isils?”

“Most definitely.”

* * * *

A new planet. A newenemy. Is the end coming for the Kalquorian Empire?

In the aftermath ofthe Kalquorian civil war and the defeat of the Bi’is invasion fleet, the empirehas enjoyed peace. A new Earth has been born. A Kalquorian leads the GalacticCouncil of Planets. An era of harmony seems assured.

However, new dangersarrive on the horizon. Governor Stacy Nichols finds herself at odds withpowerful opponents who want Earth II to return to the old ways that led to thedemise of their original planet. They’ll do anything to stop her, especiallywhen they discover her newfound romance with Clan Rihep of Kalquor.

After five years and aterrifying encounter with an unknown entity, Clan Piras is finally leavingtheir spy duties in Bi’is space. Now they must face enemies closer to home: thefamilies of those they sacrificed while on a secret mission during theKalquorian civil war.

A new threat to theexistence of Kalquor and the entire Galactic Council of Planets arrives in themidst of these challenges, a dark menace unlike anything faced before. Oneyoung, inexperienced spyship ensign is all that stands between the galaxy andutter destruction. Can he warn the empire in time…or is it already too late?

DarkEmpire 1: Shadows Approach releasesAugust 4. Pre-order now at Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and print.

Dark Empire Book One: Shadows Approach Chapter One Scene One

 

Welcome to Dark Empire’s first book, Shadows Approach. Forthose who have wondered about Clan Piras’ fate following Alien Outcast, they’respying on the conquered Bi’is…and they’re no longer alone. Here is the firstscene of Chapter One:

 

Captain Kila’s spyship

Specialist Hope Nath hid a yawn behind her hand. She peekedat the spyship’s bridge crew to make sure no one noticed her boredom during anoperation classified as dangerous.

She smirked as she tucked a wayward brunette lock of hairbehind her ear. The planet Bi’is hadn’t been a threat since the KalquorianEmpire had devastated the hostile race’s invading space fleet five years prior.Its danger was long past. She couldn’t be the only one who found theirassignment tedious.

As if to reprimand her for her careless attitude, CaptainKila growled, “What the hell is that?”

Admiral Piras was at his shoulder in an instant. “Main vidscreen, enlarge.”

The hum of quiet conversation on the bridge snapped intosilence. Hope’s eyes widened in concert with her Kalquorian shipmates.

Barely aware she was doing so, she echoed her commandingofficer and Nobek clanmate’s question. “What is that?”

The semi-circle bridge’s entire forward section wasdominated by the vid screen. It depicted the upper curve of Bi’is, anorange-tinged blue planet the phased spyship orbited. Beyond it, stars gleamedin their multitudes, constellations of scattered bits of glitter Hope had grownfamiliar with after five years of sentry duty.

Several of the well-known star patterns had been eclipsed.Inky darkness spread before her gaze, blotting them from existence. Hope watchedas several more stars appeared to wink out.

She’d already noted what Kila had: the stars weren’t goingout. Something was approaching the ship, eclipsing their view of distant sunsand planets. Whatever it was, it was huge.

Admiral Piras, who was also Hope’s clanmate, frowned. Noalarm registered on his delicate features, offset by a surprisingly strong jaw.He hadn’t recognized it as an enemy. “Computer, scan the oncoming object andidentify.”

“Scans identify no object approaching the ship,” themasculine electronic voice answered.

“I’m looking directly at it. There’s an object in SectorBeta-Seven-Seven-Five.” Even his shoulder-length black hair bristled to becontradicted. Piras had little patience when it came to ignorance of theobvious.

“Visual evidence confirmed. However, scans do notrecognize the existence of any object in the indicated sector.”

“We’re fucked.” Com officer Veko’s whisper, probablyunintended for anyone’s hearing, reached Hope. She gazed at the long mop ofblack hair hovering over the com station. Kila’s longest-serving crewmember’sface was rarely seen, and his opinions typically assumed the worst.

Kila scowled at his own station’s computer readouts. Hisusual smirk was nowhere in evidence within his black beard. “No signal, no poweremissions, nothing. It’s as if it isn’t there.”

“Except I see it. Or at least, a hint of it.” Piras glancedat Hope, his brows drawn together.

“No details. Just…black.” She hurried to the engineeringstation, obeying his unspoken command. Her readings suggested less than whatphysical vision offered. She enabled tracking on the object and thumbed theautomatic communications frequency. “Chief Engineer Lokmi to the bridge.”

“On my way.” Her third clanmate’s tone was excited, so hewas already aware of the situation.

“Unknown object entering Sector Alpha. It has assumed orbit,fifty-four point sixty-eight kilometers off our bow, matching our speed,” shereported to Kila. She kept her tone clipped, not admitting her relief theshadow hadn’t attacked them.

“Computer, give me an outline of the unidentified object.”Piras had apparently tired of squinting at it.

A bright blue border traced the unfathomable black. Hopeblinked. “It looks like a squid.”

“A what?” Kila and Piras glanced at her.

“A sea creature on Earth. It had tentacles extending from anoblong body, sort of how that thing appears.” She warmed and shrugged. “Whichhas nothing to do with what we’re looking at. Apologies, Captain, Admiral.”

“Keep observations to what’s helpful, Specialist Nath.” Piraswinked at her before returning his attention to the ‘space squid.’

Hope suppressed a smile. Any other member of the crew wouldhave had his ears blistered to have offered such a useless statement. Being awoman and a clanmate to the commanding officers had its privileges.

Kila narrowed his gaze. “Helm, alter orbit so we can see thetarget against the planet.”

“Altering orbit, Captain, by forty-five degrees.”

The angle of Bi’is changed on the screen, bringing the oddobject into silhouette against the orb. Its edges were crisp against theshining planet. It definitely seemed to have tentacles, which waved and curledlazily for no discernable reason. It displayed no other details. The shapemight have been cut out from space, a bizarre hole in the fabric of reality.

“If we weren’t phased, I’d put a light on it. It can’t bejust a black blank,” Kila said. His muscled frame, obvious despite the armoredpadding of his black fleet uniform, thrummed with energy.

Despite his readiness to engage a potential enemy, he andPiras still displayed only concerned curiosity. No alarm. Because the ship wasphased, occupying a space between their dimension and a supposed seconddimension, it would be invisible to the visitor and in no danger from anyattack.

Small black dots issued from the object, falling from itsunderside between the wavering tentacles. They fell toward the planet.

“Interesting. Computer, give me a closeup of one ofthose…emissions,” Kila ordered.

Hope tapped on her computer, trying to get a reading onthem. Again, scans picked up no signs of entities of any sort. Their resultswere as empty as the large shadow.

“They’re miniatures of the parent vessel.” Piras’ mutterbrought her attention back to the main vid. It showed one of the descendingobjects. “How large are they?”

“I still can’t get readings on them. I’m calculating size bycomparing them to other measurable objects,” Hope answered as her fingers flewover the podium interface. “The smaller objects are about twelve meters inlength.” The size of a city bus on old Earth, she estimated. “You could fitaround fifty Kalquorians on board.”

“Hold on. It’s happening again.” Kila’s voice held a growlas he glared at the supposed vessel.

Hope gaped. Smaller versions were spewing from the bus-sizedobject the vid had zoomed in on and racing twice as fast to the planet. Awidened view showed the rest were also ejecting miniature versions ofthemselves, which collected together and descended as a group.

Suspicion bloomed, and she flew through additionalcalculations. Her stomach dropped as she confirmed her hunch.

“Captain, they’re zeroing in on the location where our awayteam is.”

The chief engineer and her Imdiko clanmate Lokmi wassuddenly at her side. “That can’t be good,” he muttered. His strong buthandsome features were set in piercing intentness, framed by wavy black hair.

“We’re fucked,” mop-haired Veko agreed in another whisper.

Hope moved over to give Lokmi room at the console. “You’vebeen following what’s going on?”

“Everything but the pictures.” He eyed the vid brieflybefore checking the readings.

“Open frequency to the away team, Veko.” Kila’s attentionwas riveted on his own console.

“Frequency open, Captain.”

“Subcommander Selt, respond.”

Silence answered. Kila shot a look at the waterfall of hairhovering over the com station.

“I can’t confirm they’re receiving us, Captain. There’s nosign of frequency disruption, but the weapons subcommander isn’t answering.”

“Use all frequencies. Away team, this is Captain Kila.Respond.”

Nothing.

Weapons Commander Jado’s lips had drawn into a snarl, buthis voice was calm. “They’re operating phased, Captain. They should remainundetected by whatever those are.”

“I know, but I don’t like the situation. What are the oddsthe alien objects would head straight to where they are? I want to talk tothem.”

“I’m giving you a power boost, Veko. If that thing isjamming us, maybe it’s as impossible to read as the scans.” Lokmi tossed aglance over his shoulder. “Any luck?”

The hair swayed a negative. “I’m issuing the alert signal,and there’s still no sign of interference, but they aren’t responding.”

Hope had continued her calculations. “Based on the rate ofdescent, the smallest objects should have reached the planet’s surface by now,Captain.”

Kila leveled what Hope thought of as his evil smile on her,Lokmi, and Veko, betraying his patience was fast failing. “Half a dozen of ourbest men are down there. Get me a com connection immediately.”

Hope checked the helm, where the first officer, DramokDeram, piloted the spyship. It was impossible to see his model-perfect face; hewas almost directly in front of her, facing the vid. She thought the set of hisshoulders appeared tense, but his fingers ran smoothly over his console. Henever uttered a word except to direct the navigator to his right.

Weapons Subcommander Nobek Selt was Deram’s clanmate, and adamned good officer. He was also a good man, unfailingly upbeat. Almostcivilized, for a Nobek.

It was her worry for Selt’s and the away team’s safety, morethan Kila’s growing frustration, that kept her trying every avenue to forge acom link. She tried them again when they failed.

As the minutes stretched and she continued to search for ananswer, she was aware Lokmi wasn’t merely trying to find a path to restore thecoms. He ran computations, which appeared to have nothing to do with thecommunications issue. No surprise; his engineering brilliance allowed him towork on multiple issues at once. Under normal circumstances, Hope would haveasked him what he was up to, but her energy was focused on confirming the awayteam’s safety.

Kila snarled, “I’ve waited long enough. Weapons CommanderJado, put together another away team to find our guys—”

“Captain.” Lokmi spoke at a normal level, but his tone goteveryone’s attention. “I believe the alien objects are phased.”

Piras took a step toward him, his elegant frame floating inunconscious grace. “How can you tell without any readings?”

“We’ve been tied into Bi’is’ alert system since we beganmonitoring the planet five years ago. Anything that doesn’t burn up in theatmosphere sets it off, unless it’s phased as we are.”

“The alarms aren’t going off?”

“No, Admiral. The objects are passing through the grid as ifthey’re not there.”

“Based on rate of descent, the larger twelve-meter objectsshould be reaching the ground now,” Hope grimly reported.

Kila rounded on Jado. “Get the second team to the planet.”

“Yes, Captain. Captain!” Jado pointed at the vid.

The massive inscrutable alien craft was moving out of orbit.It abruptly shrank and blinked out of sight.

The bridge crew chorused gasps. It took a couple of secondsfor Hope to realize the tentacled vessel hadn’t shrunk. It had raced away at avelocity impossible to fathom.

“It left its invasion team behind?” Piras gaped.

“It would appear so.” A member of the Nobek warrior breed,Kila appeared less shocked, but his gaze remained on the screen, as if hehadn’t quite grasped what had just happened.

“Do you think it was an invasion?” Hope broke protocol byquestioning the senior officers, but she was willing to take advantage of herprivilege.

“Most likely reconnaissance,” Kila muttered. “What I want toknow is who…what they were.”

“I have the away team on com, Captain,” Veko said.“Subcommander Selt confirms his group is fine and awaits your instructions.”

“They saw nothing? No little dark creatures with tentaclesdashing around?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Nath, you were certain they were homing on the away team’slocation.”

Hope squared her shoulders. “For as long as the ship wasable to keep a visual on them, it was their trajectory.”

“Confirmed.” Lokmi winked at her. “I’m certain they werephased.”

“As is the team, Chief.” Kila pointed out. “If they’d shownup, our guys would have seen them. The unidentified objects might have veeredoff course once they were beyond visual range.”

“I agree, Captain.”

Kila scowled, making his crooked nose seem more so. He andPiras exchanged a glance. “I trust Selt to handle any trouble coming his way.But leaving his team down there when we don’t understand what we’re dealingwith—”

“It doesn’t sit right with me either, Captain.”

“Veko, tell them to get their asses back to the ship now.Chief, Nath, go over what information we gathered. I know it’s only visual, butbefore we confront the minions of whatever that was, I want as much intel aspossible.”

“The Bi’isils don’t have phasing tech,” Hope pointed out.“They won’t realize there’s something alien on their planet.”

Kila’s devious smirk gleamed. “Yeah, well, since they’vetried to obliterate my people for the past few centuries, that’s their toughluck. Your space squids are welcome to them.”

* * * *

A new planet. A newenemy. Is the end coming for the Kalquorian Empire?

In the aftermath ofthe Kalquorian civil war and the defeat of the Bi’is invasion fleet, the empirehas enjoyed peace. A new Earth has been born. A Kalquorian leads the GalacticCouncil of Planets. An era of harmony seems assured.

However, new dangersarrive on the horizon. Governor Stacy Nichols finds herself at odds withpowerful opponents who want Earth II to return to the old ways that led to thedemise of their original planet. They’ll do anything to stop her, especiallywhen they discover her newfound romance with Clan Rihep of Kalquor.

After five years and aterrifying encounter with an unknown entity, Clan Piras is finally leavingtheir spy duties in Bi’is space. Now they must face enemies closer to home: thefamilies of those they sacrificed while on a secret mission during theKalquorian civil war.

A new threat to theexistence of Kalquor and the entire Galactic Council of Planets arrives in themidst of these challenges, a dark menace unlike anything faced before. Oneyoung, inexperienced spyship ensign is all that stands between the galaxy andutter destruction. Can he warn the empire in time…or is it already too late?

DarkEmpire 1: Shadows Approach releasesAugust 4. Pre-order now at Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and print.