SFR Brigade Presents - a new snippet from Operation Earth!

The SFR Brigade Presents is a blog hop where sci-fi romance authors present snippets of their work. This week, I would like to share an excerpt from my book Operation Earth.

Check out the other participating authors as well! =)

~~~~~~

June stood in the middle of Information Central with her arms crossed, drumming her fingers. Showing impatience might be unbecoming of a commanding officer, but this operation moved like a snail.
How humiliating to be so delayed before we even begin.
Glancing around the oval hall soothed her. The walls were so red they appeared organic, and biopods lined the room. There were alcoves with chairs made from the same fleshy material as the walls, part of the living soul of the ship. Each alcove held a woman, connected to the whole through a tentacle slithering down from the ceiling, embracing their shaved heads.
Many junior officers fled the first time they entered and saw nothing of the crew except parts of their faces.
The first time June stepped in, she knew she was home.
If she closed her eyes she could almost hear the ship's heartbeat. One alcove opened up, and the woman inhabiting it struggled to her feet. At first, her eyes couldn't focus, but then she fixed them on June.
I wonder what it's like to be connected, to be a part of the ship and really know the world.
Only those with special talents could connect. June wanted nothing more as a child, but she wasn't suitable for the hive mind. Her talents lay elsewhere.
"Commander, I think we have what we need. These people have a useful source of information. It's called Wikipedia."
"Common names? Languages?"
"Yes, Ma'am. They have a number of languages and cultures. It's all transferring to the brain-tips now."
"No sign of discovery?"
"No, Ma'am."
The large ship lurked at the very edge of the solar system, outside the magnetic fields that presented a last layer between planets and interstellar space. Risks of discovery were infinitesimal, but they had to plan even for the impossible.
"Good. Assemble the troops for upgrade, and ask the pilot to take us in. Prepare global EMP."

The woman nodded and sank back into her alcove. All mouths around the room spoke as one, "Entering solar system. All personnel prepare for memory upgrade."
~~~~~~


Operation Earth
Seven billion people on Earth go about their daily lives, and no one is prepared when a global EMP slows the world to a crawl. With all our technology incapacitated, everything changes. Within days alien soldiers line the streets, and life will never be the same. In the midst of chaos, Rachael Hill struggles to adapt to the new order, doing her best to keep herself and her cat alive.
On a ship far above the planet surface, Peter just got his new Earth name, and can't even remember his identity from the last world he visited. It's another day on the job, one more planet on a never ending list. That is, until Rachael bumps into him, dropping exotic objects all around his feet. His culture taught him females should be obeyed and protected, but he never had an urge to leave himself at a woman's mercy until now.