AYDARR (A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL): SECTORS NEW ALLIES SERIES BOOK 1
By Veronica Scott
Thanks for having me as a guest and giving me a chance to talk about the first book in my new series, Aydarr.
I’m enjoying the challenge of writing an actual series, with a big plot arc hanging over the entire set of books like an umbrella. I don’t normally do much advance plotting at all so this is new for me. Typically when I start writing a book I know the hero and heroine, the opening scene and the closing scene and a few key scenes in between. The rest just flows as I write. Gotta love my mysterious Muse! That works nicely for a connected series like the Sectors, where the standalone books all occur within the same interstellar civilization and maybe a few characters reappear occasionally…but I think it’d be disaster for a ‘classic’ sequential series.
My challenge with Aydarr and the other four books to come is that issues have to solved, hints have to be placed in early books that pay off toward the end of the series, events in each succeeding novel have to move us toward the ultimate ending – all without doing that dreaded activity that kills my creativity – outlining! So far I have book one Aydarr released, book two Mateer at the editor and have just started book three, Darik. I think it’s all working. Readers seem pleased but the proof of the pudding will be when Mateer comes out, probably at the end of January. And I’m having fun, which is always essential for me to tell a story well.
The blurb for Aydarr:
Jill Garrison, a maintenance tech at the Sectors Amarcae 7 colony, goes to sleep one night as usual only to wake up in her nightgown stranded in the middle of a forest on an unknown world. There’s no time to think as she’s stalked by carnivorous predators and rescued by genetically engineered warriors calling themselves the Badari. Turns out they and she, along with her whole colony, are now prisoners of the Khagrish, a ruthless race of alien scientists. Working for enemies of the Sectors, the Khagrish have created the Badari to be super soldiers.
Aydarr, the Badari alpha, isn’t sure he can trust Jill but his attraction to her is undeniable. He impulsively claims her as his mate to prevent her death at the hands of the Khagrish.
Can he continue to protect her from the experiments already underway? Will his claiming her put his pack in jeopardy from their alien masters?
As Jill searches for a way to rescue her fellow humans and get them all to safety, she finds herself falling for Aydarr, despite the secrets he’s keeping. She has a few of her own.
The situation becomes dire when Aydarr and his pack are sent offplanet on a mission, leaving Jill unprotected, prey for the senior scientist. Can she escape the experiments he has in mind for her? Will she be able to thwart the Khagrish plans and liberate humans and Badari alike? How will she and Aydarr reunite?
Excerpt
Jill meets the ruthless alien scientists in charge of this planet. Sheyall, a newly arrived researcher, is being instructed by Dr. Cwamla on how to handle the test subjects.
“ I’ll show you the best way to control the subjects for future reference.” Cwamla must have pushed a button or taken an action Jill missed because the next moment all the Badari crumpled to the pavement.
Belatedly,Jill realized it probably had to do with the mysterious bracelets they all wore, including herself, and she let herself fall next to Aydarr. That bitch enjoyed demonstrating her power over us.
His eyes were open and angry, glowing golden.
Dr. Sheyall walked hesitantly closer to the fallen pack members. “I can’t assess their physical condition properly, lying on the ground.”
“Right, right.” Dr. Cwamla toed Aydarr in the ribs. “You’ll have other opportunities, of course. But this shows them who’s in charge. 801 may call himself their alpha all he wants, but the reality is I hold his life in my hands. His defiance today was completely out of line—don’t tolerate it, is my advice. He must really be lusting over this human to risk punishment for her.” Dr. Cwamla leaned close to Jill, who forced herself to remain motionless. “I don’t understand the attraction myself.”
“This one’s injured,” Sheyall said, bending over Pratym and pointing at the crude leaf bandage.
“Well, he’ll have to be culled from the pack then.” Dr. Cwamla joined her newly arrived colleague. “Use a higher intensity setting. You want to be careful not to activate the wide band or you’ll kill them all and then the boss and the client will be upset. This pack isn’t scheduled for termination yet. They have at least one more deployment test to run.” She fiddled with her controller. “Key it to focus on the individual you need to put down.”
Pratym moaned and his body contorted as if he was having a seizure.
Chilled by their discussion, infuriated at the casual approach to ending a man’s life, Jill rolled over and leaped to his side, knocking the small device from the scientist’s hand. “Stop it, turn it off, you can’t kill him for a scratch on his leg.”
Mouth open, Cwamla retreated. “You should be paralyzed like all the others.”
Confused by Jill’s outburst and her mobility, the guards aimed their weapons her but refrained from firing.
Sheyall retrieved the controller and thumbed the button in the opposite direction. Pratym relaxed. “I’m curious, human,” she said in Basic, “Why do you care what we do with this subject? Are you bonded to him as well?”
Jill heard a throaty growl from Aydarr’s direction, perhaps at the question implying she had a relationship with Pratym as well as with him? “My name is Jill, and he’s just a kid, he didn’t make any move to threaten you people. He did nothing out of line or wrong, he’s got a wound that’s healing right on schedule—he doesn’t deserve to die.”
Sheyall tugged on her colleague’s sleeve. “I think it best to maintain the pack as it was when the human was introduced, at least for now. If the experiment results are to have any validity, we can’t alter too many parameters too rapidly.”
Cwamla dusted her hands off. “Not my problem. You’ll be responsible for this pack from now on. Any problems resulting from lack of proper discipline will go onto your record, not mine.” She stalked toward the building, gathering her two minions as she went.
A team of techs emerged as Cwamla left, bundling the dead guard onto a stretcher and carrying him away.
The surviving guards stayed, weapons at the ready.
“Thank you,” Jill said to the remaining scientist, hoping to form a connection with potential to benefit herself and the pack.
Blinking, making fidgety gestures, a flustered Sheyall retreated a step. “My decision was based purely on proper scientific standards.” She sought help from the nearest guard. “What’s the next step?”
“Normally the animals are escorted inside, shower and change before reporting to their holding cell,” he said. “You’ll have to turn off the paralysis effect, doctor.”
“Oh, of course.” Sheyall fumbled with the controller, glancing at the paralyzed men.
“I’d step away first, doctor.” The guard’s voice was patient as if he’d had to coach many a rookie scientist through their first encounter with the “test subjects”.
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Author Bio and Links:
Seven time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances! She was honored to read the part of Star Trek Crew Member in the audiobook production of Harlan Ellison’s “The City On the Edge of Forever.”
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vscotttheauthor
Always so much fun to visit with you! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou are always welcomed in the Multiverses.
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