Effing Feling wreaks revenge
Fart-Fueled Flying Feline, Effing for short, writes the Weekend Writing Warrior / Sunday Snippet posts on Mr. V’s behalf
I, Effing Feline, have wreaked my revenge on Chico, the evil chihuahua next door. If you remember, he terrified me as I washed myself atop the fence. Genius that I am, I eventually realized that Chico is too pitifully small to reach the top of the fence … so I have lain there for half an hour every day, calmly enjoying the sun while he yaps himself hoarse. Ah, sweet victory!
Still purring from my success, I selected another snippet from Escapee, the upcoming science fiction romance by my pet human, Ed Hoornaert, aka Mr Valentine. In last week’s snippet, civilian pilot Catt Sayer found a lone survivor in the wreckage of the Castle Mountain fortress — the base commander, Captain Dukelsky, who was on leave during the attack.
Although surrounded by death and destruction, he is calmly typing and refuses to leave until he’s done. Catt fears he’s gone insane … until Dukelsky finally explains himself.
“As for leaving here before the Proximanian army returns, I thought of that long before you did, which was why I hastened to finish my reports.”
The entire moon had fallen into enemy hands and this man wrote reports? Her opinion must’ve shown on her face, because his flinty expression slipped, revealing exhaustion, despair, and a plea for understanding.
“I know I’ll never be able to send them, but…” He ran a hand over his eyes, and the unfeeling martinet was back. “The reports are letters to my men’s families, explaining that they died bravely at their posts, defending New Ontario’s interests.”
Catt opened her mouth. Closed it. Felt her face flame. Facing Dukelsky was like staring into a furnace.
Effing Feline here again. He calmly types reports, just like I calmly sun myself. I like this Dukelsky dude!
Make sure you read the snippets by other great weekend writing warriors and Sunday Snippets folks.
The African Queen in Outer Space
A Disillusioned Soldier… Hector Dukelsky, an upper-class career officer, yearns to fight a righteous war instead of defending corporate interests on Banff, an isolated mining moon. That dream seems dead when his entire command is slaughtered while he’s away, leaving him alone in smoldering rubble with no chance to survive, let alone strike back at the enemy.
A Pilot with a Chip on Her Shoulder… Catt Sayer, a working-class fugitive from the law, earns a meager income carrying supplies on a decrepit airship, but her hard-won life vanishes when invaders capture Banff. While searching for survivors, she rescues Hector and flies him to safety. But he doesn’t want safety. He wants her to risk her life on a hopeless journey to attack the enemy headquarters.
A Dying Moon… Catt is sure Banff will kill them long before the enemy can … yet she agrees to Hector’s scheme, certain he’ll quit after experiencing one of the moon’s eruptions or ferocious storms. But he doesn’t quit, and slowly his noble dream—and his love—conquer her heart. She pits her life and love against Banff’s lethal environment, even though the only reward for success will be the opportunity to face ten thousand enemy warriors.
