by Dale Musser
I found it ironic, thinking back how Admiral Regeny had sent me this scrawny young man who couldn’t pass the physical standards for the Federation military; his bold decision to come forward as a volunteer for the undercover mission on Goo’Waddle; and his intellectual brilliance that saved us from certain execution at the hands of the Ruwallie Rasson pirates. Now he was one of the strongest, finest and best-trained warriors in the universe. Regeny would be immensely proud to see Padaran take this command.
“Dad….” Lunnie’s voice shook me from my thoughts. “You made me promise you the first dance,” she said as she tugged me toward the dance floor by my arm.
“Right you are,” I said. I looked behind me to see Kala smiling with love and pride as I gently held my daughter’s hand in a slow dance. Yes, things were changing – some for the worse and some for the better. However, right at that moment I was dancing with my lovely Luinella, who looked so much like her aunt; and as I glanced around the room, I could see young men staring at her in awe. I hadn’t thought of it until then, but was glad to have the first dance with her as a reminder to them who her father was before they made their advances.
Life would never be the same for me, but for tonight I would cling to old memories and dance with my wife and daughter, I would laugh with friends and enjoy the music of Kerabac and A’Lappe. I had assumed the meaning of the damaged panel in the monastery referred to the battle I had planned between Ming and me at Domagota, when in truth it portrayed the battle and devastation at Glomar Rosa. The next panel that showed me standing before the Senate was not depicting my disgrace and sentencing to life in prison, rather it represented my commendation and elevation to Rear Admiral. If the prophecies held true, there was only one more major event to come – and no one understood the meaning of that panel.
Tomorrow I would meet with Asalott and begin piecing together a new strategy for defending the Federation and for the restructuring and rebuilding of the decimated military forces. Out there somewhere Ming was surely rebuilding his own forces and one day soon he would return with his army. It was now my job to see to it that we were ready when he did.
END OF BOOK 8- THE SOLBIDYUM WARS SAGA – NO TIME FOR GLORY
COMING SOON
the final edition of
THE SOLBIDYUM WARS SAGA
Book 9
AT WHAT PRICE
In the two years since the battle at Glomar Rosa, the Federation has been struggling to rebuild its fleet of ships and enlist more troopers. A draft has been enacted to meet the military’s needs and Lunnie and her brother Reidecor are now in uniform as members of the Federation space force; Lunnie, who has been drafted as a trooper and Reidecor, who is about to enter full military service as a lieutenant after graduating from the Junior Auxiliary Corp cadet program.
Very little has been heard from Ming and the Brotherhood since the battle and it is believed that they have suffered as much damage to their fleet as the Federation. Word reaches Tibby that there is an individual on the planet Tombosem who has information that may lead to Ming’s whereabouts and the site where the Brotherhood has been transforming asteroids into asteroid-ships. The informant is a medical patient who will speak only to Tibby, but he refuses to leave Tombosem to do so. In spite of the fact that it may be a trap, Tibby makes arrangements to meet with him after he attends Reidecor’s graduation ceremony.
Events become complicated when Tibby is unable to undergo the weekly prophylactic therapy for his degenerative nerve condition. It becomes necessary for him to drop out of action for several days until he can undergo this treatment, which restores his ability to function normally.
The war again begins to escalate when Ming announces that Professor Fass Hakwin has figured out the secret of the Cantolla Gates, which the Brotherhood begins using to make hit-and-run assaults against the Federation. At the same time, the Brotherhood begins a new series of Body Bomber attacks on Federation worlds. For a time, the Federation is holding its own in the battle against the Brotherhood organization, but it’s clear to Tibby that it’s only a matter of time before the Brotherhood gains the upper hand. Tibby’s worst fear is realized when the enemy manages to gain control of the Cantolla Gate Station and several of the strongest Federation warships.
With his newly gained advantage Ming attacks the Capitol Station and Megelleon with devastating results. Megelleon’s military base, where Lunnie is stationed, is completely destroyed. The fate of the orphans is also unknown, when Tibby’s estate comes under fire and its destruction is imminent.
In the meantime, Tibby and Kala are trapped on the NEW ORLEANS and Tibby is unable to get back to the MAXETTE, his flagship, which is now under Ming’s control and is being used to destroy Federation worlds and ships that have not surrendered to his will.
Amid all this uncertainty, Lunnie and Reidecor are missing in action and Tibby is faced with toughest decision of his life – one that could possibly save the Federation, but at the greatest price of all.
Dale Musser was born in 1944 in a small rural community of Pennsylvania. From 1967 until 2012 he was employed as a structural and piping designer in the industries of marine and offshore resources, cogeneration power and hard rock mining. His work at three shipyards and assignments with several engineering and naval architectural firms during his careers in Virginia, Texas, and Maine, took him to such places as London, U.K., Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., Scotland and Mexico. During this time, he was responsible for the design of reactor compartments for nuclear aircraft carriers and submarines for the U.S. Navy and the structural designs of numerous offshore semi-submersible oil rigs, tanker ships, supply boats, and other vessels and equipment used in the offshore industry. After the death of his wife in 1999, Mr. Musser changed careers and went to work in Arizona and Utah in the hard rock mining industry. He retired in the Fall of 2012 and currently resides in Mesa, Arizona.
Dale enjoys rock hunting and lapidary work, gourmet cooking, writing, poetry, art, music, religions and philosophy in small doses, astronomy and the sciences in general, hiking, camping, the outdoors and the gifts that nature provides. Mr. Musser is a member of Mensa and the Arizona Authors Association. He remains an avid reader, having lost count of the number of books he has read after three thousand.
The greatest joy in his life is his daughter, Heather. Affectionately they call each other "BUBBY."
Contact Information:
Those wishing to write to Mr. Musser may do so at [email protected] or https://www.facebook.com/Solbidyumwars/
Although Mr. Musser attempts to answer all correspondence, the high number of emails may prevent him from responding to everyone.
