Read an Extended Excerpt & enter to WIN INHERIT THE STARS by @SFRLaurie A. Green #scifirom #giveaway
INHERIT THE STARS
by Laurie A. Green
Extended Excerpt and Giveaway!
Inherit the Stars is a Science Fiction Romance novel that starts as a small story—a desperate fugitive strikes a deal with a female pilot to escape an evil superpower bent on recapturing him. It quickly evolves into an epic tale of a universal power struggle with complex stakes and surprising twists.
Like all stories of its genre, at its heart is a romantic alliance—a powerful bond that is tested by the choices that must be made between love and duty. This extended excerpt frames the first meeting of the two star-crossed protagonists.
Inherit the Stars is available on Amazon as a complete print or e-novel, and also as a serialized novel in three parts with Part I: Flight at only 99¢.
Inherit the Stars Scene Set-Up:
The hero, Sair, stowed away on a merchant vessel to escape Ithian slavery, and slipped off his ride on Dartis, a minor planet overrun by Ithian Alliance operatives who are soon snapping at his heels. He pays a “bookie” for information about a possible transport off Dartis and its location…but the information comes with a dire warning about the ship’s hostile first mate. Sair manages to locate the ship—Specter, a prototype built by a famous ship designer—as the Ithians are closing in.
Sair ducked into the hang and pressed against the inside wall, listening. Shouts in the distance confirmed the Ithians were moving away. For now. He released his breath and pushed off the wall, turning toward the ship.
Specter. She sat in the shade on stout struts, glowing milk-white. Sair stepped closer, eyes wide, correlating her lines to the model he’d spent a calendar building. Could this be fate?
Sair’s gaze settled on the registration numbers and bright red diamond insignia. Licensed out of the Azures, she proudly displayed the registry of preference for half the pirates in the galaxy. He blew out his breath. No kid of Mennelsohn’s would resort to piracy, would he? Zaviar Mennelsohn must have left a fortune to his heirs.
He recalled the bookie’s warning about the first mate. He’d take his chances. It would be better to risk a cutthroat than remain on Dartis and face capture by the Ithians. Anway, it was the look of the skipper that really mattered. What sort of man would captain a legend like Specter?
Ahead, Sair spied a young girl lying on the gangway ramp. A mirrored sunshield wrapped her face, ear-to-ear. She looked to be dozing—serenely oblivious to the drama that had just played out in the street—one knee bent and foot planted on the ground. Crewie’s daughter, maybe?
Sair dialed his sunshield darker. No sense letting this kid get too good a look at him. He needed to be careful, even with this youthful stranger.
She raised her head when he approached. Like a cat, she was on her feet in one fluid leap. Sair’s eyes moved from the rise of her breasts to the flare of her hips. The whole athletic package was neatly contained in a sleek, olive-drab flightsuit. His mistake. She was little…but no little girl.
He stopped at the foot of the gangway. “Cap here?”
“Why?”
“I’d like to talk to him.”
A twitch pulled at the edge of her mouth. “I’m the mate. Talk to me.”
He recalled the bookie’s warning and stifled a smile. Watch out for this little breeder? Had to be a joke. “I don’t do business with crew.”
“You Rathskian?”
“What of it?”
Her knife flashed as it caught the sun. “I’ll gut you, you bastard scum!”
Sair threw both hands up and jumped back as the woman took a swing at him. She was faster. The tip of her blade slashed the left breast of his jacket. “Sunnabitch!”
She lunged again, this time dropping the blade low, set on gelding him. Sair scrambled out of her reach, cold sweat breaking out on his neck. She was good with her knife. Damned good. Mate’ll slit your throat, the bookie had said, but it wasn’t his throat she was after.
“Put the knife down, you crazy marka. I’m a customer.”
“Not on this ship, heo.”
Angry at the insult, he made a grab for her knife hand. Foolish. She blocked with her free hand, seized his wrist, and wrenched it at an unnatural angle, immobilizing him. Her blade sliced across his palm in a slow, excruciating cut. A blatant sign of contempt. “Heo.”
“Zjel!” A woman’s voice rang out from the direction of the street.
The little slasher released him and backed off a few steps. Keeping one eye on his assailant, Sair cradled his wounded hand and stared at the blonde who strode toward him, a com set perched on her left ear. She wore the same olive-drab flightsuit, unfastened down the front with a sleek black t-skin underneath, and the tease of her curves made his breath catch.
The new arrival marched up, oblivious to the smaller woman’s incessant knife-weaving, and looked him in the eye before turning to his attacker. “What goes?”
“This Rathscum challenged me.”
“Challenged you?” Sair snapped. “I only asked to speak to the cap.”
“What do you want?” Gold stars glittered on her collar. This is the captain?
One look at her and he knew he had to leave on this ship. “Passage.”
“To where?”
“Anywhere better.” He eyed the mate, still brandishing her blade, and tried not to think about his stinging, bloodied hand.
The captain appraised him with keen brown eyes. Wispy blond locks framed her face. “How much do you have?”
“We’re not taking this heo—”
The captain’s gaze moved to her first mate’s face. No words were spoken, but her message was clear.
The smaller woman’s face screwed into a frown. “Peitchau!” She swiped her bloody knife on her thigh, sheathed it, and stalked up the gangway before disappearing into the ship. She’d sworn in Purmian, which should’ve come as no surprise. Her size made her subspecies obvious.
The captain turned to him, her eyes doing a slow sweep of his body, taking his measure. “How much?” she asked again.
Sair knew if he wanted to set foot on her ship, he had to show his hand. He reached for the front of his pants and tugged his coin pouch up past the waistband. He didn’t miss her cocked eyebrow before he took it in hand, offering it to her.
She shook her head. “Spill it.”
He poured the pouch’s contents into the cup of his good hand and held it out. It amounted to less than a hundred replas—what he’d stolen from the Ithian guard less what he’d paid the tender.
She perused the pile of gleaming gold markers and scattering of small gems then met his eyes. “It’s not enough.”
“I’ll pay the rest when you get me to my destination.”
“I’ve heard that before.”
He dumped the handful back into the pouch as she turned away. “Then what will it take, Captain?”
She turned back. Her eyes settled on his face before she spoke. “Who you running from?”
He straightened, debating his response. He didn’t think a lie would sit well with this woman. She had a look that could crack ice. “Ithian Alliance Intelligence.”
“Hm. You do have a problem, then.” Her gaze shifted to where her ship rested. “You have a headprice?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Fourteen thousand replas.”
“That’s all?” She snorted, meeting his eyes. “You aren’t wanted that bad, then.”
“Maybe not. But most of the headrunners in Eliptis would be happy to collect.” He gave her a soulful look. “I need transport.”
Her gaze left his face and slid over his broad shoulders, along his biceps, and down to his hands. She stepped forward and reached for his right; he gave it to her.
Holding it palm up, she brushed her fingertips along the bloody trail her first mate’s knife had left across his lifeline. “Sure you want to chance it?”
He straightened his fingers and steadied his knees, surprised at the response her touch aroused in him. No female had affected him like this since…
He curbed a tug of grief. “I’m sure.”
“And you’d pay anything I ask?” she whispered, her attention moving back to his face. “No questions?”
Sair withdrew his hand. He understood. He needed a way off this rock; she was offering it at a price he could afford. Service in lieu of cash.
His stared at the invisible line the captain had traced across his palm with her silken touch. His body’s response was clear, but his conscience was slower to weigh in. Saybin would’ve wanted him to live, wouldn’t she? It was either this or face recapture—and worse.
“Agreed.”
A loud commotion in the alley diverted her attention. More Ithian operatives flocked outside to grill a group of locals. Her eyes cut back to him.
“If they see me, I’m dead,” Sair said.
“Get onboard.”
Laurie A. Green is a three-time RWA® Golden Heart® finalist and science fiction romance enthusiast who founded the SFR Brigade community of writers, which now totals over 500 members.
Her extended family includes her husband, David, four dogs, three cats and several horses, all who reside on a ranch in beautiful New Mexico. When she’s not writing, networking, or searching out the perfect cup of Starbucks, she’s usually busy exercising her left brain as a military budget director.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog
Thanks for dropping by the Inherit the Stars universe.
If you’d like to read the rest of Sair and Drea’s story, comment below for a chance to win a copy of the complete novel gifted through Amazon USA.
