Relaunch Mission

by Robyn Bachar

  Relaunch Mission

  By Robyn Bachar

  Firefly meets James Bond in this action-adventure romance set in an alternate future where the Cold War never ended...

  Living mission to mission on the fringes of civilized space, Captain Lindana Nyota has managed to keep her crew paid and her ship in one piece. Barely. The privateer’s life of stealing Soviet supplies for the Alliance is taking its toll on everyone. Down a crewmember, she now has to take on a new intel officer and hope it’s someone she can trust.

  Lieutenant Gabriel Steele knew Lindy wasn’t expecting him to walk out of the air lock and back into her life, but he didn’t think he’d get his nose broken. As an intelligence agent for the Alliance, Gabriel has spent his career in deep cover, his sense of self crushed under layers of deceit—starting with the lies he had to tell Lindy years ago when he left her. A fresh start is all he wants, but the Alliance and his secret orders have already jeopardized that.

  When an infamous pirate and friend of Lindy and her crew is reported alive and in possession of knowledge of a powerful Soviet weapon, finding her before the enemy does is paramount. But Gabriel can’t do it without regaining Lindy’s trust—and hopefully rekindling what he once sacrificed in the name of duty.

  This book is approximately 50,000 words

  One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise! Find out more at CarinaPress.com/RomancePromise

  Carina Press acknowledges the editorial services of Deborah Nemeth

  Dear Reader,

  It’s hard to write about April when it’s the day before New Year’s Eve as I’m writing this. I’m still full of good intentions and big plans for 2017, with my head full of ideas and goals. One thing I’m excited about is my new 2017 reading journal that I’ve created in a 4x6 planner I was gifted. I decided to try tracking my reading a little differently this year and go old-school tracking it on paper versus electronically. I’ve completely decorated it and tricked it out with a reading challenge, TBR lists and so much more. I wonder if I’ll still be using it when you’re reading this! Hit me up on Twitter or Instagram (links at the bottom of this letter) and ask me how that’s going—I’ll show you pictures, too, if you want!

  This April, there are plenty of good reads to go in your own reading journal, starting with bestselling author duo Alexa Riley’s next full-length novel, His Alone, which features secondary characters from reader-favorite Everything for Her. A seemingly perfect hero has secrets only Paige can uncover, and his obsession with her becomes her greatest weakness. This sexy, romantic read is available in ebook, audio and print!

  Rhenna Morgan’s first book in the Haven Brotherhood series, Rough & Tumble, received many reviews like this one: “Holy Hell what a great book this is! My first read from Rhenna Morgan and won’t be the last.” And now it’s time for Zeke’s story in Wild & Sweet. He doesn’t always play by the rules, and he’ll do anything for the woman he loves. Available in digital, audio and print at online retailers.

  We have four fantastic male/male contemporary romance titles this month. Author K.A. Mitchell concludes the sweet but sexy story of Ethan & Wyatt in Relationship Status. As a couple, Ethan and Wyatt have faced jealous exes and disapproving parents, but now they face one of the scariest relationship tests ever: living together. Unfortunately, there’s no syllabus for real life. The first two novellas in this trilogy, Getting Him Back and Boyfriend Material, are now available. You can also buy the trilogy as one bundle in audio and print formats in June 2017.

  Sidney Bell, author of Bad Judgment, begins a new series, The Woodbury Boys. In Loose Cannon, Edgar-Allen Church’s violent past is about to catch up with him, and it’s going to put his best friend—aka the man he’s secretly in love with—squarely in the crosshairs.

  When a hard-nosed SEAL lieutenant and widower relies on his best friend’s little brother for child-care help, unexpected sparks fly—but will passion be enough to keep them together after the summer? Pick up At Attention by Annabeth Albert, the follow-up to the book readers raved about, Off Base. Both are available in digital and print at online retailers.

  For fans of romance author Mariana Zapata comes a long-lasting male/male tale of slow-burn romance from debut author M.K. York. In the high-intensity hospital world, there’s no room for romance between surgical resident Neil and his gorgeous superior, cardiologist Eli, but when a near-tragedy strikes, a new question arises: Is a life without love a greater risk than laying their hearts on the line? Necessary Medicine will captivate you from first word to last.

  Science fiction romance fans will be glad to see the start of a new series from Robyn Bachar. In Relaunch Mission, the first in The Galactic Cold War series, Privateer Captain Lindana Nyota faces her most dangerous mission yet, but to succeed she must rely on the one agent in the galaxy she trusts the least—Lieutenant Gabriel Steele, the man who betrayed her and broke her heart. This is a stand-alone romance, but look for the next book featuring secondary characters later in the year!

  Maybe you’re craving something a little more kinky and erotic. Debut author Brianna Hale’s Little Dancer can help with that. Abby thought attracting the ire of the theater owner was going to get her fired, but Mr. Kingsolver has other ideas—he wants to be her dom, wants her to call him daddy and will bring her face-to-face with her darkest fears.

  Last but not least is the rerelease of paranormal romance Bonded Pair from award-winning author Lauren Dane’s much beloved Cascadia Wolves series. Cade would do anything for his pack family, but his life isn’t complete without someone to share it with—only, he didn’t expect to find his reason for being in the heart and soul of the sister of his greatest enemy. Previously rereleased titles in this series include Wolves’ Triad, Wolf Unbound and Alpha’s Challenge, all now available in digital and print at online retailers.

  That’s all for this month, but we’ve given you quite the lineup of romance genres for your April reading! If you’re interested in hearing more about my 2017 reading journal (now I’ll feel like I have to keep it up so I don’t embarrass myself!) you can Tweet me @angelajames or find me on Instagram @angelajameseditor.

  Coming next month: two anthologies of paranormal romance, plus much, much more.

  Once again, until next month, my fellow book lovers, here’s wishing you a wonderful month of books you’ll love, remember and recommend.

  Happy reading!

  Angela James

  Editorial Director, Carina Press

  Dedication

  To Diana, Devin, Sasha and Karrin, who are all made of awesome. Thank you.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  Coming soon from Robyn Bachar

  Also available from Robyn Bachar

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  “Do you want the bad news or the worse news?”

  Lindana pinched the bridge of her nose, willing away a throbbing headache, and risked a wary glance at her chief engineer. “Why is there never good news?”

  “The good news is that
I haven’t killed your idiot brother. Yet.” Maria stabbed a slender, grease-smudged finger in Lindana’s direction. “Tell him the engine rats have voted, and it’s unanimous that one of us will shank him the next time he comes down here. We’re drawing lots to see who gets the honor.”

  “No one is shanking anyone.” With a grimace Lindana ran a hand over her hair—she was overdue for a trim and was getting positively woolly. She mentally marked a haircut down as item number one hundred and thirteen on her To Do list. “You can’t stab the chief medical officer.”

  “Of course we can. It was unanimous.”

  “As the captain, I’m overruling you. Now give me the news. All of it.”

  Maria snorted but gamely squared her shoulders. “We lost another power coupling to the starboard engine. The remaining ones are compensating, but the added strain is eating up fuel like a motherfucking feral hog. We’re going to need to do a full refuel at Tortue.”

  Damn it. A full refuel was bloody expensive, and their finances were stretched thinner than usual. Missions had been sparse, and their past few jobs had gone pear-shaped almost as soon as they started. “Let me guess. You’re going to need a new power coupling?”

  “No, we need a half dozen new power couplings. Mike and I were refurbishing some back on New Nairobi, but we ran out of time and—”

  “Is that what the kids call it these days?” Lindana asked, just to see the chief blush.

  Maria cleared her throat. “My point is, we absolutely need at least one now. Two would be better. Three would be fabulous.”

  “I’ll see what I can do. And I’ll talk to Tomas about staying out of the engine room.”

  “Do you know what he did?” Maria placed her hands on her hips and her scowl deepened. The expression would have been more effective if her face wasn’t smudged with engine grease, or her short brunette mane wasn’t as wild and tangled as though she’d just stepped out from behind a wind machine. Though perhaps she had—Lindana didn’t understand the workings behind most of the ship’s machinery. She didn’t have to, because that was Maria’s job. Maria and the engine rats crawled through cramped ductwork and access tubes to make repairs, squeezing into spots that would send Lindana into claustrophobic panic attacks.

  “No. What?”

  “Tomas tripped over a power conduit and pulled the cables loose from the junction, and the housing fried. It took us three hours to fix it. Three fucking hours, Captain. And he wasn’t even supposed to be in the engine room in the first place! He just smarmed down here to ogle Becky’s ass again. Why can’t he just watch porn in his quarters like a normal person?”

  Horrified by that mental image, Lindana held her hands up in defeat. “Okay. I’ll talk to him. Anything else?”

  Maria pushed her tortoiseshell glasses up on her nose. Her glasses always seemed to be attempting escape. Lindana had once asked why she didn’t have her vision surgically repaired, and Maria had looked aghast at the suggestion that she let some hack med tech operate on her eyes. “The engine rats also voted on who we want as a new intel officer. We decided that we need a hot guy.”

  Lindana laughed, but the sound was hollow. “You know the rules. We get whoever Command sends us.”

  Their previous intel officer, Erik, had guided Lindana through her first steps as a privateer. Erik had been only a few months away from a well-deserved, cushy retirement when their last mission had gone horribly wrong and he was killed in the line of duty. His loss left a hole in the heart of the Mombasa, and Erik had also left big shoes for the new intel officer to fill. She doubted that Command had anyone in their ranks up to the task. Life was rough at the ends of civilized space, where pirates and privateers walked on the knife’s edge between three angry superpowers, and Lindana needed someone she could trust at her back.

  “I know,” Maria said. “We also have votes for a tough-yet-vulnerable lesbian and for an adventurous bisexual of any gender identity.”

  “Noted. All you can do is keep your fingers crossed.” Lindana retreated before any of Maria’s minions appeared and voted on anything else. Maria was the undisputed queen of the Mombasa’s engine room, and some battles weren’t worth fighting. Maria was a technical genius—essential for keeping the ship running. A modified freighter like the Mombasa required constant upkeep because the ship’s additions were far from factory standard. Things overheated on a regular basis, and one fried life support wire and the crew could freeze to death, or asphyxiate. There were worse ways for a privateer to die, like what had happened to Raiya...

  Lindana’s gut twisted, and she paused in an empty corridor to take a steadying breath. Don’t think about Raiya. Don’t think about Erik. Old spacers warned that death came in threes, and Lindana was braced for the next disaster. She pressed her hand against the bulkhead and the familiar thrum of the engines vibrated beneath her palm, like a heartbeat beneath the ship’s metal skin. Hold together, Mama Mo. This run of bad luck couldn’t last. A few good missions and they’d be back on top again.

  The ship didn’t answer, and Lindana continued on to the familiar chaos of the cockpit. She scowled as she bumped into the sharp corner of a data terminal—that was going to bruise—and maneuvered into the captain’s chair. The cockpit was a claustrophobic cluster of acceleration chairs and monitoring stations, each available surface crowded with switches, buttons and readout screens displaying stats for the Mombasa’s systems. She made “remember to finally pad the damn corners” item number one hundred and fourteen on her To Do list.

  “Status?” she asked.

  “Two minutes to hyperdrive disengage,” Lieutenant Jiang Chen said. She insisted on keeping everything by the book, which cut the cockpit chatter and kept drama to a minimum.

  Lindana buckled in and tightened the straps to a snug fit. Rookie spacers often neglected to adjust their rigging and ended up with broken bones as a result. A snapped wrist had taught Lindana that lesson the hard way during her first year out. The injury still ached when the ship’s humidity controls were offline.

  “Thirty seconds,” Jiang said.

  “All hands prepare for real space entry,” Lindana announced over the ship’s comm. “Count it down, Lieutenant Chen.”

  Jiang nodded and switched to inter-ship communication. “Twenty-five, twenty-four...”

  Lindana closed her eyes and breathed slow, focused on the comforting drone of Jiang’s voice. Before they docked at the station Lindana needed to chastise Tomas. God knew why he kept straying into the engine room like a street dog sniffing after a meal. The engine rats had banned him from entry after he broke the heart of one of their brethren last year. Lindana suspected he bothered them out of a perverse desire to be contrary. Her brother needed a new hobby before he got stabbed, or worse.

  “Three, two, one. Hyperdrive disengaging.”

  A boom like cannon fire shook the Mombasa, the ship shuddering to its foundations, and rattled Lindana’s teeth. For a moment she was pressed back into her chair, and then flung forward like a stone from a slingshot. She fought the urge to tense—tensed muscles tore, and braced bones snapped. She let the rigging do its job as she rag-dolled, and then the moment was over.

  Lindana took a steadying breath. “Status report.”

  Jiang’s subordinates called out from their stations and reported that everything was green.

  “Retracting the visors now,” Jiang said. The protective screens covering the cockpit’s viewports smoothly slid from view, offering a glimpse of Tortue Station.

  Ugly bastard. Deep space stations bulged at the seams because they constantly added new docking levels and habitat modules to the original structure. Swiss space stations were particularly bizarre, built from scrapped technology that originated from multiple nations, creating a hodgepodge even more temperamental than the Mombasa’s custom modifications. Ships clustered around Tortue Station like bloated ticks clinging
to a stray dog. The corners of Lindana’s mouth twitched—that was the Mombasa, just another tick looking for a host to suck dry. Their Alliance marque granted them a pale veneer of legitimacy, but they still stole for a living, and the fact that they were arriving at a Swiss station only confirmed it. The Swiss were proud of their centuries-long neutrality, and did business with anyone who could pay.

  “See anyone we know?” Lindana asked.

  “Scanning now.” Jiang’s hands danced over her console. “Looks like the Sydney, the Cardiff, and the Quebec.”

  “Interesting. Give Ryder a heads-up that the Sydney is in port, and tell him and Tomas to meet me at the airlock.”

  Ryder Kalani, her chief of security, had an ongoing rugby dispute with the Sydney’s security chief, and it was best to nip any potential conflict in the bud before a bar fight broke out. Ryder was still paying off the damages from the last brawl he’d ended. It was like the man’s face was a magnet for fists and flying beer bottles.

  “Aye, Captain,” Jiang said. “We are cleared for Berth 11. Initiating docking sequence. Oh, and Captain—?”

  “Green tea and shortbread biscuits,” Lindana said. Jiang rarely left the ship—or even the cockpit for that matter—during stops like this. She preferred to be alert in case they needed to make a fast escape, and Lindana appreciated that. In return, she made sure to bring Jiang whatever she asked for from the station. Happy pilot, happy crew.

  “Thanks, Cap.” Jiang smiled—a semi-rare occurrence from the stoic woman. Lindana hoped it was a good sign that the rest of the day was going to go well.

  * * *

  Ryder Kalani was a mountain of a man, both taller and broader than Lindana’s older brother Tomas, who waited beside Ryder at the airlock. Ryder appeared to be once again attempting to convince Tomas to grow his hair out into dreadlocks. The look worked well on Ryder, but Lindana just couldn’t picture it on her brother. She was too used to his military buzz cut, much like her own efficient hairstyle. To Lindana long hair was a vanity, though she supposed Ryder had reason to be vain, considering how handsome the man was.