“We expanded their abilities—at least, I showed them how they could do more,” added Steg. “They flourished. One day, I hope, we’ll meet up with them again.”
“So,” said Rakyd, bringing the conversation back to Steg’s boredom. “What are you going to do?”
“Follow Finch’s training regime for the next month or so. I’ll beg you for some crew for Dreamer. We’ll separate Aadan from her astronavigation training duties and head somewhere.”
“We haven’t worked out the somewhere, yet,” said Tessa. “Oh, we should get a hold of Howe and Beagle as well.”
“Tear them out of the grip of the Glass Complex, you mean,” corrected Finch. “Perhaps they should join in our training regime.”
Steg groaned, “She’ll have the whole planet training if we don’t get her away from Homeworld. Even your twins, Marie.”
“I think they’re in training already. They have hefty kicks, and they’re getting stronger.”
It was two months later when Steg and his companions boarded a shuttle to Homeworld’s new way station where Dreamer was docked. The yacht was crewed and provisioned and ready to go. Ebony Company was already settled in. Steg planned to depart in an hour.
Aadan questioned the apparent urgency.
Steg said, “We’re here, we’re ready. Dreamer is tuned and fueled. We don’t need clearance. First stop is Djii. Denke will welcome us, and we’ll check the status of the cleanup operation. It will take two jumps; we’ll transit through the Zeta Three nexus.”
Dreamer broke out of s-t on the edge of Zeta Three; the transit had been uneventful. Aadan added the small yacht to the waiting traffic queue; the nexus was a major transition point and ten starships were already in line for their transit.
Steg was on the bridge; he was on watch duty once they transited the nexus. Finch was taking Helm instruction under Aadan’s guidance—Dreamer’s AI was not yet as advanced as Nyx and needed direction on all watches.
“Boss?”
“Yes?”
“Check the sensors—there’s something strange happening.”
Steg entered the command at his workstation to display the sensor details. He laughed.
Finch said, “What’s so funny?”
A familiar voice replied. “Finch—we’ve been waiting for you. Only for a few days, though. Zhu said you’d be here. Aadan, you’d better take over the helm. Dock Dreamer in the aft bay—A5.”
“Alke, are you sure?” Steg asked.
“Oh, yes. We encountered a problem that needs your involvement. You’ll enjoy the challenge. Come on board, and we’ll brief you.”
Aadan looked at Steg for confirmation.
Finch was waiting, a shocked expression on her face.
Steg didn’t hesitate.
He said one word.
“Go!”
oOo
ABOUT JOHN
Newsletter
Learn more about me and my books—sign up for my newsletter.
You’ll receive: updates on my writing schedule, the occasional freebie (e.g., books, short stories, excerpts from my current work in progress), advance details of discounts, and be part of my street team for new releases.
Subscribe here: John Hindmarsh
You can unsubscribe anytime - NO SPAM guaranteed. [I should be far too busy writing to send out spam].
Reviews
Thank you for purchasing and reading this book. Reviews, whether positive or negative, are indispensable to an author, so please add your review on the book’s page on the reseller where you purchased the book.
Or send me an email.
Or indeed, do both!
My email address is: [email protected]
About John Hindmarsh
I write science fiction and thrillers, sometimes with crossover. Well, I claim you need a thrill in your science fiction and an occasional touch of science in your thrillers.
I’m Australian—I was actually the first Governor of South Australia (from December 1836 to October, 1838) so I’ve around for a century or two.
I’ve lived in England (plus a number of other countries—it’s a long list) and now live in the High Sierra region of California where I’m writing full time.
I could be hiking, kayaking, or skiing when I’m not writing.
My books generally are written with an American voice [well, I try], although I prefer to write British English. So I get mixed up.
Let me know about possible errors—send your email to: [email protected]
www.JohnHindmarsh.com
[email protected]
THRILLERS
Currently I write a thriller series with Mark Midway as the protagonist. I’ll add other thriller series in future.
Mark Midway is genetically engineered. He doesn't know by whom, where or why. He doesn't know his parents. All he wants is a quiet life and a family experience. The fates conspire against him.
Mark will kill to survive.
Mark One
All Mark wants is a peaceful life.
Mark Midway is adopted by two scientists and is reared in a genetic research laboratory. Nine men, ex-military, are on a mission to destroy the laboratory and capture Mark. They are supported by four rogue CIA agents, who have commandeered a test drone and a missile at a Marine base. The team attacks the genetics laboratory complex before dawn, during a raging blizzard. Within hours, seven of the men are dead, one is severely wounded, and one barely escapes. Mark also destroyed the drone with its missile. The next morning the four rogue agents are found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning, their killer unknown.
Mark flees the laboratory complex, seeking safety and somewhere he can call home. The FBI is on his case, and a mysterious organization called Cerberus offers him its assistance. Unknown killers are chasing him, and he needs to protect himself and his friends.
He will survive.
Mark Two
Mark is a fighter - when attacked, he fights back!
We continue the story commenced in Mark One, with a young genetically engineered Mark Midway, FBI Special Agent MayAnn Freewell, and the mysterious Archimedes Schmidt who reports directly to the President. Mark—whose only desire is to be normal––shoots and kills two would-be kidnappers and discovers his search for peace again will elude him. Mark needs to survive. All he wants is a normal life.
Schmidt works with FBI Special Agent Freewell to investigate a secret organization—Cerberus––which is infiltrating the FBI, the US Army, and other government departments with genetically engineered humans. Schmidt attempts to take control of Cerberus and discovers his personal relationships are not as reliable as he thought.
Mark Two continues the page-turning momentum of Mark One to a terrifying climax.
This is a fast-moving, finely plotted thriller that will keep you reading.
Mark Three
When in a killing zone - fight.
A young woman escapes from a luxury yacht under attack by Chinese pirates in the Mediterranean. American law enforcement agencies collude and conspire to bring about an end to Cerberus, uncaring who gets in their way. Mark Midway faces deadly assaults by unknown enemies. A military helicopter is brought down over Washington by a Russian missile, and General Archimedes Schmidt is in critical condition.
Mark meets his sister and travels to London to rescue three more genetically engineered children. He finds romance, but he and his companions are under attack in both the US and England.
Mark when threatened - attacks!
Mark Four
Mark is driven to survive.
Mark Midway returns to America to rebuild his home, which was destroyed by a gang of mercenaries. Police collude to effect his kidnap on his way back to Boston. His enemies include terrorists, a rogue NSA senior officer, a retired general, and a wealthy businessman; the latter wants control of all the Cerberus and LifeLong genetic engineering intellectual property. Cerberus teams in the US and UK rally to rescue Mark, but first, they need to discover h
is whereabouts. General Schmidt and the NSA senior officer are enemies. A Saudi intelligence team is operating in Washington, and they want more than the NSA’s latest plans to intercept foreign satellites and communications.
Mark suffers – he is tied to a zinc autopsy table and tortured.
He has been shot at, beaten, kidnapped, and tortured. All he wants is a normal life.
Mark will kill if necessary.
Mark Midway Box Set
The first four books in the series are available as a box set.
Go to: Mark Midway Box Set
Mark Five [check for release date in 2017]
Cerberus UK sends Scott Gilmore to recover a pirated tanker—it’s an unmanned, automated vessel. He encounters far more than expected, and Mark Midway mounts a rescue mission.
Explore further details of my writing—go here: http://johnhindmarsh.com/
SCIENCE FICTION
I enjoy writing Science Fiction - keep an eye out for future books.
The Glass Complex Trilogy
Book one - Broken Glass - Treason, Imperial Security, and House rivalries drive the first story in the trilogy.
Book two - Fracture Lines - continues the story.
Book three - Diamond Cut - brings the trilogy to an unexpected conclusion.
Will there be more stories about Steg and his Fain? Let me know if you would like more.
Email: John Hindmarsh
Broken Glass
Steg de Coeur, his family murdered to further an armed takeover of Homeworld by the House of Aluta, flees to space just ahead of corporate mercenaries and warrants issued for his arrest for treason against the Empire. Adventures follow as Steg's ability to link with computers develops, in emulation of the Acolytes who attend the mysterious Glass Complex of Homeworld. He purchases a commission in the Imperial Navy where he aids in the capture of an alien space ship preying on Imperial shipping lanes. He is court-martialed on false charges and marooned on Hellfire, a desert planet controlled by the House of Aluta. Steg takes over the computer-based mining equipment and creates havoc, eventually escaping with Milnaret of Fain, a pleasure companion. Duels, deaths, enlistment in Imperial Special Forces, and exploration of ancient portals drives the tension.
Space Opera at its best!
Fracture Lines
Fracture Lines is the second book in The Glass Complex trilogy.
Steg de Coeur, severely wounded, is transported back in time to an Imperial hospital starship. He recovers physically, thanks to the efforts of Dr. Yi and her nurses. However, he has lost his memory and is unable to account for his presence on board the starship. ImpSec charge him with spying and sentence him to death. Steg is off-loaded in chains and transported to a prison run by the House of Aluta where he will be scheduled for execution.
His sword, Ebony, has its own adventure.
Steg escapes the prison when a mercenary commander recruits prisoners who have been sentenced to death. He establishes himself as a potential mercenary officer while gradually recovering his memory. He discovers the mercenaries, lured into a trap by their alien strategist, are about to engage with Xesset starships. He has to contend with betrayal, a Charion priestess, and divided loyalties of the mercenaries. Fain help with his memory recovery and his computer-controlling ability returns.
Steg takes over leadership of the mercenary force and with his own Ebony Company is tasked with the capture of a freighter loaded with munitions. He must defeat its Xesset escort and also overcome their dreadnought sent to destroy the mercenaries and capture their client’s planet.
Steg is needed by the Glass Complex.
Fracture Lines is an excellent precursor to the third book in the trilogy, Diamond Cut.
Diamond Cut
Diamond Cut is the third book in The Glass Complex trilogy.
Steg de Coeur, his friends, and the mercenary Ebony Company are collected by a superdreadnought sent by the Glass Complex. Xesset are threatening a major attack on the Western Star Empire, the Alliance, and a number of free, unaligned systems, including Djii. Homeworld and Djii have formed a naval task force to defend their planets from this threatened alien attack, and the Glass Complex has created high-level AIs to manage the flagship of the new fleet.
Steg rescues his friend Denke from an ImpSec takeover and captures his old enemy, Marius of the House of Aluta. Denke joins Steg to make overtures to the Emperor where they are attacked by ImpSec. They succeed in escaping and make their way to the headquarters of the Alliance government where they also persuade the military to support their task force.
Battles with Xesset starships threaten their AIs. Steg has the fleet he needs to counter-attack the Xesset.
This battle and subsequent events bring the trilogy to a close.
The Glass Complex Box Set
The trilogy is available as a box.
Shen Ark: Departure
Dr. Joseph Krowe, a young scientist in London, develops a mind-bending drug, tests it on himself, and almost dies. He tries to market it to a nightclub and disasters follow. Dr. Krowe barely survives. Meantime, his drug has initiated an accelerated evolutionary change in rats—creating New Rats. Their natural enemies—New Cats—also evolve, and a state of war exists between the two. Rats support Dr. Krowe, and he guides and influences them, as they continue to evolve.
The drug also affects some humans.
Freddie and his family befriend Sam, a young Rat who is a member of the Rat royal family, thus commencing a strong relationship between humans and Rats. Freddie—called Engineer by his friends—takes on responsibilities to aid the Rats’ plan to purchase a starship from alien refugees—the Shen. His task is to build the bubble warp drive which he designed; the drive, if successful, will allow the starship to travel at faster than light speeds. Engineer experiences violent attacks, love, deaths of family and friends, looming deadlines, and other challenges as he attempts to meet his commitments to support the Rats’ dream to travel in space.
Rats are impatient to board their starship and depart Earth. Humans want the alien technology. Cats just want to kill Rats.
Shen Ark: Departure was written as the beginning of a voyage that will follow Rats and a small group of humans as they attempt to achieve their dreams.
Let me know if you’d like more in this series. Mail me at: [email protected]
Quantum Zoo [Anthology]
I contributed a short story to the anthology; published by Orion's Comet.
Table of Contents
Diamond Cut
Copyright
Disclaimer
Cover
Editing
Beta Readers
Dedication
Newsletter
Reviews
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
About John
Thrillers
Science Fiction
ook Three in The Glass Complex Trilogy
Diamond Cut: Book Three in The Glass Complex Trilogy Page 26
