Book Excerpt
A
sharp crack sounded followed by a thin vertical beam of light that materialized
in the center of the bridge. The beam of light widened and a human figure
stepped through. Sparks exploded from the thin beam in a chorus of electric
crackles before it disappeared. Wisps of smoke ascended around a skinny,
teenage boy in a silver jump suit. Mousy blonde hair draped over his face like
an animal emerging from a pool. The boy stood there shivering for a moment,
hugging at his chest for warmth and looking wide-eyed at the ship. His nervous
eyes darted about and then froze on me. I drew my trusty Demolecularizing
Termination Energy Ray (DEMOTER for short) and leveled it at his head.
“Don’t
shoot! I mean no harm!” The young boy threw up his arms.
“Who
are you?” I made sure my voice was extra gravelly. I had to make up for the
pants.
“N-Nelvan
Flink. I’m an apprentice time traveler.”
I
lowered the DEMOTER and my shoulders slouched. I might as well have found a
lost puppy.
I
looked over at Blix, who seemed amused.
“Still
convinced I don’t have bad luck?” I said.
“You
may indeed have a point.”
“This
isn’t Stonehenge. Where am I?” Involuntary twitching seemed to emanate from all
areas of his thin frame. It wasn’t pleasant to watch. I hoped for his sake it
was the after effects of time travel and not a normal condition.
“You’re
on my ship and I ain’t happy about it,” I said.
His
eyes settled on Blix and he let out a small gasp. “Whoa. Is that …
A lizard-man?”
“I
am a Vythian.” Blix
assumed a regal stance as if offended. “Reptilian traits certainly, but far
different from either lizard or human.”
Nelvan
gave an uncertain nod. “Oh … Okay.”
Suddenly
a loud siren filled the air, and a thin band of red light pulsated from a
shallow cavity that ran along the circular walls of the bridge.
“It’s
a little late, computer,” I said. “Our time traveling stowaway got here about
thirty freems ago. How ’bout a little advance warning
next time?”
Most
of the console lights in the bridge turned red. “First off, I’m not equipped to
detect space-time rift displacements. Though, I might be able to if you’d buy
me some nice technology enhancements once in awhile—”
“Okay,
never mind, I—”
“—I’ve
been graciously flying you around with the same outdated electronics,
while my contemporaries are always bragging about their flashy upgrades—”
“Computer,
I got it, listen—”
“—And
talking about how their captains take them to nice spaceports and—”
“Iris!”
I barked. I had a good bark. It generally made people stop and listen.
The
computer sniffed. “That tone is uncalled for.”
“Turn
off that blasted alarm.”
“Fine,
but I should inform you that the alarm is sounding for a second intruder that
transported aboard the maintenance deck eight point three freems ago.”
“What? Details, now!”
About The Book
Title: Space Drifters
Author: Paul Regnier
Genre: Science Fiction
Captain Starcrost is not having the
carefree, adventurous life of a star pilot promised in all the space
academy brochures. He’s broke, his star freighter is in dire need of
repair, and there’s a bounty on his head. His desperation has led to a
foolhardy quest to find a fabled treasure that brings good fortune to
the wearer, the Emerald Enigma.
Every captain needs a trusty starship
and a crack team of crew members by their side. Unfortunately, the
bitter pill of reality has brought him Iris, a ship computer with
passive aggressive resistance to his commands; Blix, a hulking,
copper-scaled, lizard man with an aversion to battle; Nelvan, a
time-traveling teen from the past, oblivious to this new future; and
Jasette, a beautiful but deadly bounty hunter looking to take over the
ship.
Enter a charismatic and clever nemesis
named Hamilton Von Drone, whose dark past has already intertwined with
our misfortunate captain and left a painful scar. To complicate matters,
as every good nemesis must by their evil nature do, Hamilton is
employing his vast wealth on the very same quest for the Emerald Enigma.
Author Bio
Paul
Regnier is a technology junkie and web designer with a fascination for
all things futuristic. He has turned his childhood love of storytelling
into a professional pursuit.
Paul lives in Orange County, CA with his wife and two children.
Links
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