Aeon Rises Now an audiobook!
Aeon Rises, my young adult science fiction novel is now available in audiobook format! Find it on Amazon.com at: getbook.at/AeonRises
Aeon Rises is the story of a teen from Aurora, Colorado who discovers that the fate of the world is in his hands. Evil Alien Librarians are invading Earth and only he can stop their scheme to enslave the minds of the human race.
Aeon Rises is the story of a teen from Aurora, Colorado who discovers that the fate of the world is in his hands. Evil Alien Librarians are invading Earth and only he can stop their scheme to enslave the minds of the human race.
The King opf Gems is now available!
Check out this quick sample and order your copy now!
New Updates!
There are two new updates to let y'all know about. First of all, The King of Gems has been accepted by my publisher, Solstice Publishing, and is in the initial stages of their editing process. AND we now have an official cover image for the book! Since this is a blending of science fiction and fantasy, sort of a Star Trek Meets Dungeons and Dragons, I thought the image of a knight walking toward a celestial/galactic sky in the distance would be fitting.
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Also, I have begun the process of creating the audiobook version of Aeon Rises. I have a narrator and we are currently collaborating on choices for the voices of the main characters. The final product should be completed by December, and, hopefully, available for retail by January 2022.
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Book Excellence Award for Aeon Rises!
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I am incredibly excited to announce that I have been recognized as a Book Excellence Award Finalist for my book, Aeon Rises in the Science Fiction Category.
Out of hundreds of books that were entered into the Book Excellence Awards competition, my book was selected for its high quality writing, design and overall market appeal.
To see my complete award listing you can visit: https://honorees.bookexcellenceawards.com/#!/Aeon-Rises-Young-Adult-Fiction/p/311309055/category=88055011
The book was released in 2018 and is about Justin Madrid, a teen in Aurora, Colorado whose life takes a sudden turn. After all, what would you do if you were the only one who could stop an invasion of evil alien librarians?.
The book is perfect for Middle and High School or SciFi lovers of any age.
You can get a copy for yourself at getbook.at/AeonRises.
Out of hundreds of books that were entered into the Book Excellence Awards competition, my book was selected for its high quality writing, design and overall market appeal.
To see my complete award listing you can visit: https://honorees.bookexcellenceawards.com/#!/Aeon-Rises-Young-Adult-Fiction/p/311309055/category=88055011
The book was released in 2018 and is about Justin Madrid, a teen in Aurora, Colorado whose life takes a sudden turn. After all, what would you do if you were the only one who could stop an invasion of evil alien librarians?.
The book is perfect for Middle and High School or SciFi lovers of any age.
You can get a copy for yourself at getbook.at/AeonRises.
The Brin Archives is now an Audiobook!
I am pleased to announce the final book of The Brin Archives, Empyrean, is now also available in audiobook format. Now you can listen to the entire trilogy. This has been a labor of love and frustration as well as incredible discoveries, as well as a new learning experience. My narrator, Nicholas Frey, is wonderful and truly helps bring the characters to life. All three audiobooks are available on Amazon.com. Click on the link below to get your copies today.
Empyrean soon to become an ebook!
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Today, I am submitting the final version of Empyrean, book 3 of The Brin Archives trilogy, to my audiobook company. If everything goes as planned, in just another 30 days or so it should be available on Amazon for release. Fingers crossed all goes well.
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A great sale for the holidays!
All my books are on sale now on Amazon.com. click on the button below to take advantage of the incredible savings.
A new Cover and Audiobooks are available
There have been a couple of new developments since I was last here. Sorry about the long hiatus, but there were a number matters that forced me to back off of my writing for a while.
Hegira and Recusant are now both available in Audiobook format! You can order them on the normal Amazon pages for each book by clicking on the buttons below. Empyrean is currently in the works and should be released sometime in early 2021 if everything goes well. Fingers crossed Aeon Rises will start production soon afterward.
Empyrean, Book three of The Brin Archives trilogy, has a new cover art design. I think it more clearly illustrates the essence of the story, the use of cosmic strings to bring the characters on a time-travelling search to save the galaxy, and is much more dramatic than the original cover art. Also, while working on the audiobook version I made a few edits to the book to help eliminate a couple of inconsistencies and clarify some issues in the original story. I hope these few alterations make the story more enjoyable for all.
Hegira and Recusant are now both available in Audiobook format! You can order them on the normal Amazon pages for each book by clicking on the buttons below. Empyrean is currently in the works and should be released sometime in early 2021 if everything goes well. Fingers crossed Aeon Rises will start production soon afterward.
Empyrean, Book three of The Brin Archives trilogy, has a new cover art design. I think it more clearly illustrates the essence of the story, the use of cosmic strings to bring the characters on a time-travelling search to save the galaxy, and is much more dramatic than the original cover art. Also, while working on the audiobook version I made a few edits to the book to help eliminate a couple of inconsistencies and clarify some issues in the original story. I hope these few alterations make the story more enjoyable for all.
How I see The Brin
Finally, thanks to a talented artist friend of mine, I can now reveal what I see in my head when I think about the Brin. These are a civilization of avian/humanoids I created for my Brin Archives trilogy: Hegira, Recusant, and Empyrean.
Jontar and Maripa are two of the main characters who must help Karm save the entire Brin civilization from extinction as their sun goes supernova.
You can get this trilogy, and my YA scifi novel: Aeon Rises, on Amazon by clicking on the link below. And now... Hegira, book one of The Brin Archives, is available as an audiobook!
Aeon Rises is Available on Amazon!
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Click on the link below to get your copy of my new Young Adult / Middle Grade science fiction adventure novel, Aeon Rises.
Justin Madrid always considered himself an average nerdy freshman in high school, and an outcast because intense migraines prevent him from playing video games or watching television. Even looking at a phone screen hurts. But when the aliens, disguised as local librarians, started trying to kill him, everything changed. And now it is up to Justin and his cool new power to save the earth from invasion. |
New title: Aeon Rises
The editing process is complete,l we have an amazing cover art design, and a new title for my new young adult science fiction novel. All we need now is to hear back from the publisher about when it can be released for sale on Amazon.
Justin always believed himself to be a typical nerdy kid, until the aliens tried to kill him. That was when everything changed.
This book was a ton of fun to write. Justin Madrid, the main character is, for all practical purposes, your average teenager, with one exception. every time he tries to watch a computer screen, television, video games, or other electronic video screen, he develops a terrible migraine. As a result, he cannot join his classmates in many of their favorite activities or participate in their everyday discussions about their favorite shows or games. He is an outcast. His only real friend, Kevin Samson, are both huge fans of movies from the 1980's and '90's. So much so, that they often communicate entire trains of thoughts and emotions to each other through quotes from those films. Together, they learn aliens are indeed here on the Earth, posing as librarians. They are intent on taking over the human race, hack their brains, and use them as a military force to overthrow the alien's home world.
Stopping these evil librarians is the job of another group of extraterrestrials, also here on Earth, and working secretly with our government. Justin and Kevin soon learn that they too are instrumental is ending the threat, and Justin himself is the key. His migraines are not what he always believed them to be. In fact, he is not what he always believed himself to be. And what is really going on at Area 51 and Denver International Airport?
If you enjoyed the iconic references to the video games in Ready Player One, then you will love the references to all the famous scifi movies in Aeon Rises. More to come when the release date is announced. Stay tuned. "I'll be back."
Justin always believed himself to be a typical nerdy kid, until the aliens tried to kill him. That was when everything changed.
This book was a ton of fun to write. Justin Madrid, the main character is, for all practical purposes, your average teenager, with one exception. every time he tries to watch a computer screen, television, video games, or other electronic video screen, he develops a terrible migraine. As a result, he cannot join his classmates in many of their favorite activities or participate in their everyday discussions about their favorite shows or games. He is an outcast. His only real friend, Kevin Samson, are both huge fans of movies from the 1980's and '90's. So much so, that they often communicate entire trains of thoughts and emotions to each other through quotes from those films. Together, they learn aliens are indeed here on the Earth, posing as librarians. They are intent on taking over the human race, hack their brains, and use them as a military force to overthrow the alien's home world.
Stopping these evil librarians is the job of another group of extraterrestrials, also here on Earth, and working secretly with our government. Justin and Kevin soon learn that they too are instrumental is ending the threat, and Justin himself is the key. His migraines are not what he always believed them to be. In fact, he is not what he always believed himself to be. And what is really going on at Area 51 and Denver International Airport?
If you enjoyed the iconic references to the video games in Ready Player One, then you will love the references to all the famous scifi movies in Aeon Rises. More to come when the release date is announced. Stay tuned. "I'll be back."
Justin vs the Alien librarians
My latest novel, tentatively titled "Justin vs the Alien Librarians" is about to begin the editing process! After a year of writing, and leaving The Brin Archives behind for now, I have made an attempt at my first Young Adult scifi novel.
In this new adventure, a teenager, an outcast at his school due to his inability to play video games, learns he has strange abilities which make him the only person in the universe who can stop an alien invasion of the earth. The invading aliens have taken over a local library in Aurora, Colorado and plan to transfer the brain wave engrams of their co-conspirators into the minds of earthlings, then return with this new army of enslaved humans to start an uprising on their home world.
More details to come as the release date approaches.
In this new adventure, a teenager, an outcast at his school due to his inability to play video games, learns he has strange abilities which make him the only person in the universe who can stop an alien invasion of the earth. The invading aliens have taken over a local library in Aurora, Colorado and plan to transfer the brain wave engrams of their co-conspirators into the minds of earthlings, then return with this new army of enslaved humans to start an uprising on their home world.
More details to come as the release date approaches.
The Brin Archives scifi trilogy is now complete!
"Cronin writes in a way that brings to mind some of the classics of the science fiction genre, but also with a slight flair all his own. His prose bespeaks of Bradbury and Heinlein, though there is enough of a bend that his prose can speak for itself. He has it all in this book and series, new worlds, space travel, and interesting futuristic technology!" 5-star review on Amazon
Two new 5-star reviews for empyrean
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Grant Leishman - 5 stars
In Empyrean, Jim Cronin brings down the curtain on the wonderful and fascinating Brin Chronicles. Having been privileged enough to have read all three books, I can honestly say the author has done a tremendous job of tying everything up nicely and leaving this reader, anyway, extremely satisfied. I couldn't help but give myself a wry smile as I realised Cronin had indeed left a tiny hole for the possibility of a fourth book, but that having been said, if the Brin Chronicles ended with Empyrean, that would be just fine. In this latest iteration, suspicion has been raised about the Skae's true motives toward the Brin. They had always been seen as the saviours of the Brin race and as such had been revered, with some factions of the population even embracing the Skae as Gods. When Maliche Rocker, head of the Brin Council, suspects there may be more to the story of their salvation than the Skae have told them, he embarks on a risky adventure to try to uncover the truth about what really happened all those years ago. Along with his son, Jontar Rocker and some other exceptionally gifted Kolbri (the result of mating between the Brin and the Kolandri), they risk everything in a search for the truth. The Kolibri have unique talents that allow them to interact with technology in ways never seen before and to utilise the space strings to travel through both time and space, returning thousands of years to the rebirth of the Brin race and to try to pinpoint the true causes of the long-lasting and violent war against the Gorvin, which seems to have been going on forever. What I particularly enjoyed about Empyrean is the totally new cast of characters, as time has moved on. Yes, they are still Rocker's, but they have their own unique perspectives on life and especially on the Skae. Maliche is married to a Kolandri, in Ryma and this alone gives rise to thought and discussion about things such as inter-marriage between races and/or species. Their goal is to live in peace, as one people, but there are many who see that as not only undesirable, but positively evil. Cronin brings us plenty of political corruption and lobbying, but all set in a fantastic world that he has created from his own imagination. This is a very easy book to read, despite the technological innovations and theories straight from the author's imagination. Science Fiction can so easy descend into mind-boggling technological descriptions that can distract the reader. Equally able to distract some readers is the concept of time travel and the paradoxes associated with it. We all love a good piece of time travel and Jim Cronin definitely has an understanding on writing in this genre, with some clever and at times witty comments and asides. I have compared Cronin, in the past, to my favourite Science Fiction author, Robert A Heinlein and nothing in Empyrean would change my opinion from that comparison. It is an incredibly readable, fast-paced and enjoyable adventure, that just happens to be set in space and in a world very different from our own. The entire Brin Archives series is a triumph for this author, in my opinion and I would recommend all three books; Hegira, Recusant and Empyrean not only to all Science Fiction aficianados, but also to just readers who love a rollicking adventure story. |
Readers Favorite - 5 stars
Empyrean is book three in The Brin Archives series by Jim Cronin, and is an action packed, delightful read. For fans of sci-fi, this will be a great treat. The reader is transported to an interstellar world with two powerful empires set against each other in the struggle to capture and control the power of a black hole in the galaxy. The Skae Empire believes that this could ensure a constant supply of energy to the planets, but the Gorvin Empire thinks the scheme could cause greater damage, destroying half of the planet. It is in this context that powerful heroes must dig for the truth to find a permanent solution to the interstellar wars that have gone on for centuries. Follow Maliche and Jontar Rocker and their companions as they embark on an epic journey in search of the truth. The outcome is far from anything the reader could imagine. This is an interesting story that is well-plotted and well-written, a story with an exciting setting. Jim Cronin has the gift of uprooting readers from their immediate reality and plunging them into worlds that are strange and yet make them feel as though they were a part of that world. The writing flows beautifully and it is enriched by vivid descriptions and exciting dialogues. Beginning a story in the midst of a crisis is an intelligent way to grab the attention of the reader and I couldn’t resist reading on. In fact, the conflict is one of the strongest elements of Empyrean and it is developed with great skill. I loved the strong characters, the quick pace, and the compelling plot points. It’s a great read. |
Hegira and Recusant are earning more awards!
Hegira = Readers Favorite Award, NABE Pinnacle Award, and Hungry Monster Silver Award
Recusant = Readers Favorite Award, and Hungry Monster Gold Award
Recusant = Readers Favorite Award, and Hungry Monster Gold Award
Recusant is now available on Amazon!
Available on Amazon!
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Here is a brief excerpt from the novel:
“Skae High Command, this is Kolandi Raj Ansus, please respond, Skae High Command.” Static echoed in the Raj’s ears as she gripped the com link in a white-knuckled desperation. Her royal robes and long brown hair showed the neglect of long hours in the war room. Ansus rose only recently to the position of High Raj. She fervently hoped it was not her destiny to be the last Raj. Her nose became insensitive to the stench of bodies during her confinement in the dim bunker long ago. The deep space images on the screen before her revealed the devastation of their fleet in their encounter with the Gorvin. Two hundred top-of-the-line war cruisers had been completely destroyed, another three hundred fighters were out of commission. She watched as the overwhelming forces of the Gorvin plowed through their defenses like an energy blade through a cloud, and were now aimed straight at Kodut, their home world. On the displays, a second line of vessels, the laser launch ships, took up their attack formation. A cloud began to grow ahead of the ships as they deployed their weapons. |
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Reviews for Recusant: |
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I knew I would love Recusant, book two of the Brin Archives series by Jim Cronin, as soon as I had finished the prologue. I had read a similar end of technological advancement scenario in a David Weber series and the aliens and themes are different in Recusant. In my very personal opinion, Jim Cronin writes as well as David Weber, which is just about the greatest compliment I can give Jim Cronin because David Weber is great! The set-up and execution of what is obviously going to be a satisfying long and well written series is perfect. This is the second book and I'm dying to read the first one and can't wait for the next one.
Recusant is very well written and very well thought out. The Brin are evolved from birds and I can't help but wonder if the name Brin is a tribute to David Brin who happens to have written the best description of an intelligent avian culture I have ever read...up until now. If you love good science-fiction, Jim Cronin is a name you want to remember.
- 5 Star Review KJ Simmill, Reader's Favorite:
- 5 Star Review Ray Simmons, Reader's Favorite:
I knew I would love Recusant, book two of the Brin Archives series by Jim Cronin, as soon as I had finished the prologue. I had read a similar end of technological advancement scenario in a David Weber series and the aliens and themes are different in Recusant. In my very personal opinion, Jim Cronin writes as well as David Weber, which is just about the greatest compliment I can give Jim Cronin because David Weber is great! The set-up and execution of what is obviously going to be a satisfying long and well written series is perfect. This is the second book and I'm dying to read the first one and can't wait for the next one.
Recusant is very well written and very well thought out. The Brin are evolved from birds and I can't help but wonder if the name Brin is a tribute to David Brin who happens to have written the best description of an intelligent avian culture I have ever read...up until now. If you love good science-fiction, Jim Cronin is a name you want to remember.
Hegira recieves NABE Pinnacle Award!
Click on Hegira's Cover to read a preview!
Another New Trailer Video for Hegira
New Reviews for Hegira:
"...Cronin uses plenty of intrigue and the ending has a interesting twist that fits well within the story." - Janelle Fila for Readers’ Favorite
"...Hegira is an incredible scientific world that Jim Cronin wrote eloquently. It is full of danger and adventure, as well as suspense and scientific discoveries that will blow your mind." - JJ Phillips for Readers’ Favorite
"...Hegira is a very well-written story that combines so many complex layers that I was thinking about it for days after I finished reading it." - Renee Taylor for Readers’ Favorite
"...Hegira is an incredible scientific world that Jim Cronin wrote eloquently. It is full of danger and adventure, as well as suspense and scientific discoveries that will blow your mind." - JJ Phillips for Readers’ Favorite
"...Hegira is a very well-written story that combines so many complex layers that I was thinking about it for days after I finished reading it." - Renee Taylor for Readers’ Favorite
My New Hegira Trailer:
Read Hegira's Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon!
Click on the link to purchase your copy today
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His species became extinct decades before the aliens rescued and cloned him, but he still must do everything he can to save them all. Karm must travel back in time, create the most powerful financial empire ever seen on the planet Dyan’ta and assemble a team of experts who must be kept in the dark about his plans for fear of upsetting the timeline.
Dr. Jontar Rocker is an up and coming geneticist whose untested and controversial theories on cloning become the lynch pin in Karm’s schemes. Maripa, Karm’s petite and beautiful surrogate niece, personal secretary, and deadly bodyguard must learn to trust Karm despite his deceptions and secrets. Can the emerging love between Dr. Rocker and Maripa survive the demons and surprises of their own past, as well as Karm’s impenetrable air of mystery? Karm and his companions must save the Brin. To do so, they must band together to overcome Brach, the ambitious and obsessed monarch. Determined to take control of Karm's vast industrial empire, Brach joins forces with his conniving brother Pareth, leader of The Faith an ultra-conservative religious order committed to stopping Dr. Rocker and his heretical efforts to develop cloning techniques. Nothing less than survival of their species is at stake. |
Sample Chapter: Hegira
“Come in, Latonia Base…come in Latonia Base. This is Starship Hegira, repeat, this is Hegira. Come in, Latonia.”
Static crackled from the speaker. The lieutenant, bleeding and dying from the injuries he received during the mutiny trembled feebly as he gripped the microphone. Blood soaked his crest feathers; his talons broken and jagged from the hand-to-hand combat in the spaceship’s passageways. He knew his wounds were fatal, but his duty was clear: to report back to base about the failure of the mission. His body tensed as the next wave of pain shot through him.
“Latonia Base, this is Hegira. Come in. Priority clearance Falcon, Delta. Come in Base. Damn you to hell!” the soldier shouted in desperation. “Somebody answer! Come in, Latonia!” The microphone dropped from his talons, clattering on the control panel before falling to the metal plated floor. The lieutenant slumped back into the chair, pressing a blood soaked rag to his shoulder. Staring out the view port he watched the star-filled blackness and wondered at the cruel turn fate had taken over the past few days.
A pounding on the hatch caused the lieutenant to reach for his sidearm. “Lieutenant Yardef! It’s Vedak. Let me in, sir!”
The lieutenant pulled himself up in the chair and reached out with a fractured, bloodstained talon to press the door release circuit. With a sharp hiss, the door slid open and in hobbled Sergeant Vedak, one of his few remaining platoon members.
“It worked, sir,” the soldier said, crashing into the second chair in the room.
Yardef surveyed his subordinate’s injuries, noting several which would prove to be fatal. “You okay, Sarge? You don’t look so good.”
“Look who’s talking,” said the young soldier. He tugged at his uniform, checking his wounds.
“We got most of them sealed in the lower decks and opened the cargo hatches to space. They didn’t stand a chance once we decompressed decks one through ten. They’re all dead now. Just a few survivors are holed up one deck above us.” Ripping a piece from his ruined shirt he wrapped the makeshift bandage around the laser shot in his arm.
“Good. Were you able to get the hatches closed again?”
The sergeant looked his superior in the eyes and shook his head. “Negative. All the controls are fried.”
“I need you to go find the engineer. See if he can do anything.”
“He’s dead, sir. He bought it down in cargo bay C during the first assault.”
The two sat in silence for several long minutes before either could speak. “That looks pretty bad, sir. Want me to look at it?” Vedak pointed at the lieutenant’s shoulder, still bleeding heavily despite the thick bandage he pressed against it.
“Don’t waste your time.” The officer coughed and winced as the pain gripped him again. “At least I won’t have to wait around to starve to death. Are those vials secured?”
“Yes, sir. We were able to pull them from cryogenics before those clerics overran us. I locked them up in the high security bay. No one can get to them now. What’s so important about those two samples, sir? Out of the thousands of samples, why just those two?”
Lieutenant Yardef shrugged his shoulders, his face contorting at the new stab of pain. “Don’t ask me, Sarge.
All I know is the orders specified keeping those two samples out of fundamentalist hands at all cost. When the mutiny began, the Captain ordered me to make them our top priority. Way above my pay grade to ask why.”
“I hope they’re worth the lives they cost us,” said the sergeant. “Any luck with communications?”
The older man shook his head in silence. “Nothing but static so far. I’ll …” He coughed again and dropped to the floor.
“Lieutenant!” Vedak jumped out of his chair and fell to his knees, lifting the lifeless body of the officer.
The sound of sporadic energy blasts tore his attention away from the dead lieutenant. He checked the monitor and stumbled to the intercom controls. “What’s going on out there, soldier?” he demanded of the man he saw on the camera. The bright orange flash of a laser blast missed the soldier’s head by inches.
“The fundie rebels, Sarge,” called out the soldier as he fired several rounds down the corridor behind him. “They broke out of their makeshift fortress on deck twelve and forced us to regroup here. We got most of them, but it cost us. Only a few of us left now.”
The sergeant quickly appraised the situation and made his decision. “Stand your ground, soldier. Nobody gets through you into this room. I’ve got to try to reach Latonia Base. Kill anything in a robe that’s still breathing.”
“Those fucking fundies are as good as dead, Sarge.”
Another flash lit up the monitor and blood splattered the camera lens before he could acknowledge. As the sergeant stepped back into the ether wave room he heard the speakers come to life. “Hegira, this is Latonia Base. Do you read us, Hegira? Come in.”
The sergeant lunged to the floor, grabbing the microphone in his shaking hand; the last remnants of his self-control dissolving rapidly. “Latonia Base, this is Hegira. I read you,” he responded. “Praise The Eternal!
You can hear me. Please help. They’re killing each other. Only a few of us are left and badly wounded. Help us!”
Static crackled from the speaker. The lieutenant, bleeding and dying from the injuries he received during the mutiny trembled feebly as he gripped the microphone. Blood soaked his crest feathers; his talons broken and jagged from the hand-to-hand combat in the spaceship’s passageways. He knew his wounds were fatal, but his duty was clear: to report back to base about the failure of the mission. His body tensed as the next wave of pain shot through him.
“Latonia Base, this is Hegira. Come in. Priority clearance Falcon, Delta. Come in Base. Damn you to hell!” the soldier shouted in desperation. “Somebody answer! Come in, Latonia!” The microphone dropped from his talons, clattering on the control panel before falling to the metal plated floor. The lieutenant slumped back into the chair, pressing a blood soaked rag to his shoulder. Staring out the view port he watched the star-filled blackness and wondered at the cruel turn fate had taken over the past few days.
A pounding on the hatch caused the lieutenant to reach for his sidearm. “Lieutenant Yardef! It’s Vedak. Let me in, sir!”
The lieutenant pulled himself up in the chair and reached out with a fractured, bloodstained talon to press the door release circuit. With a sharp hiss, the door slid open and in hobbled Sergeant Vedak, one of his few remaining platoon members.
“It worked, sir,” the soldier said, crashing into the second chair in the room.
Yardef surveyed his subordinate’s injuries, noting several which would prove to be fatal. “You okay, Sarge? You don’t look so good.”
“Look who’s talking,” said the young soldier. He tugged at his uniform, checking his wounds.
“We got most of them sealed in the lower decks and opened the cargo hatches to space. They didn’t stand a chance once we decompressed decks one through ten. They’re all dead now. Just a few survivors are holed up one deck above us.” Ripping a piece from his ruined shirt he wrapped the makeshift bandage around the laser shot in his arm.
“Good. Were you able to get the hatches closed again?”
The sergeant looked his superior in the eyes and shook his head. “Negative. All the controls are fried.”
“I need you to go find the engineer. See if he can do anything.”
“He’s dead, sir. He bought it down in cargo bay C during the first assault.”
The two sat in silence for several long minutes before either could speak. “That looks pretty bad, sir. Want me to look at it?” Vedak pointed at the lieutenant’s shoulder, still bleeding heavily despite the thick bandage he pressed against it.
“Don’t waste your time.” The officer coughed and winced as the pain gripped him again. “At least I won’t have to wait around to starve to death. Are those vials secured?”
“Yes, sir. We were able to pull them from cryogenics before those clerics overran us. I locked them up in the high security bay. No one can get to them now. What’s so important about those two samples, sir? Out of the thousands of samples, why just those two?”
Lieutenant Yardef shrugged his shoulders, his face contorting at the new stab of pain. “Don’t ask me, Sarge.
All I know is the orders specified keeping those two samples out of fundamentalist hands at all cost. When the mutiny began, the Captain ordered me to make them our top priority. Way above my pay grade to ask why.”
“I hope they’re worth the lives they cost us,” said the sergeant. “Any luck with communications?”
The older man shook his head in silence. “Nothing but static so far. I’ll …” He coughed again and dropped to the floor.
“Lieutenant!” Vedak jumped out of his chair and fell to his knees, lifting the lifeless body of the officer.
The sound of sporadic energy blasts tore his attention away from the dead lieutenant. He checked the monitor and stumbled to the intercom controls. “What’s going on out there, soldier?” he demanded of the man he saw on the camera. The bright orange flash of a laser blast missed the soldier’s head by inches.
“The fundie rebels, Sarge,” called out the soldier as he fired several rounds down the corridor behind him. “They broke out of their makeshift fortress on deck twelve and forced us to regroup here. We got most of them, but it cost us. Only a few of us left now.”
The sergeant quickly appraised the situation and made his decision. “Stand your ground, soldier. Nobody gets through you into this room. I’ve got to try to reach Latonia Base. Kill anything in a robe that’s still breathing.”
“Those fucking fundies are as good as dead, Sarge.”
Another flash lit up the monitor and blood splattered the camera lens before he could acknowledge. As the sergeant stepped back into the ether wave room he heard the speakers come to life. “Hegira, this is Latonia Base. Do you read us, Hegira? Come in.”
The sergeant lunged to the floor, grabbing the microphone in his shaking hand; the last remnants of his self-control dissolving rapidly. “Latonia Base, this is Hegira. I read you,” he responded. “Praise The Eternal!
You can hear me. Please help. They’re killing each other. Only a few of us are left and badly wounded. Help us!”