Buckle up for jungle warfare, deep space drama, and terraforming terrors all from the comfort of your favourite–and, hopefully, monster-proof–reading environment.
From space sickness to shootouts, these ten short space opera stories explore the galaxy, introducing you to a range of interesting and varied characters in challenging, often life-threatening situations.
The stories include:
Broker
Sometimes the best deals are not a question of what but when.
A broker from the slums must decide how to proceed when a mysterious captain suffering from the phase presents him with an offer he would like to refuse.
The North Coast of Tuktano
In the jungles of Tuktano, alliances are forged in the heat of battle.
But on the streets of Midcity, rebel leaders are paraded before execution. The only question is, whose orders are about to be executed?
Warbone
On a deep space scalping mission, it pays to keep a roster!
Security officer Jatashii is bored, but everything changes when a warbone strikes at her Meteor Inc. mining facility.
Spare Parts
There is treasure deep beneath the ruins of Vaiheriti, if you live long enough to find it.
Stragglers flee the war-torn city with personal security beacons. But while the refugees kill time between food trains, Ahnui takes her repurposed Bot back into the city, hiding from the Rinshanko drone dogs in her search for food, unaware of the discoveries that await her.
The Pound
A jailbreak at a maximum security prison in daylight? What can possibly go wrong?
A special unit tasked with freeing a captured intelligence officer comes under heavy fire during a bold rescue mission on an alien planet.
The Adjustment Protocol
When crops begin to fail on a company-governed planet, the community of farmers draw lots to see which family will wake the farm help from cryosleep in the basement.
But more help means less food and more problems.
Hart Attack
When time runs out for a diplomat’s son held hostage at a remote planetary outpost, the negotiators turn to retired deep space operator John B Hart.
But there’s a problem.
John’s heart stopped beating a long, long time ago.
Down Town
Collateral damage is just the beginning!
When an ex-husband is tasked to spring his ex-wife from a space station orbiting a feudal planet, a series of events are set in motion, the repercussions of which are of universal proportions.
Okorie Dreams
To sleep, perchance to dream… for the rest of your life.
Ayo Okorie has been space sick for seventeen years, but when her life takes an unexpected turn, she grasps at the only option remaining: cryosleep.
The Shunt
In a desperate war of attrition, souls are all the allies have left.
The approval of soul transfer from dead soldiers to reserves, is seen as revolutionary technology that can change the tide of war. To the grunts on the ground, it’s suicide.
Pick up First Verse and begin your deep space operatic adventures today!
Author’s note: