Star Cat: The First Trilogy (Infinity Claws, Pink Symphony, War Mage)

by Andrew Mackay

  "Get her out of here, numbnuts," Tripp barked.

  Tor offered Jelly his hand, more than happy to escape battle, "Come with me. Take my hand."

  "Hisssss," she scowled at him and swiped her infinity claws at his face.

  "Uh, Tripp?" Tor struggled, "I don’t think she likes me. She doesn’t want to go."

  "Jelly, bad girl," Bonnie shouted at her, "Go with Tor. He’ll take you to Wool. It’s for your own safety."

  Jelly bushed her tail out in a fit of rage, disobeying a direct order. She bolted out of Botanix, refusing Tor’s offer to escort her.

  "Damn it, Tor," Bonnie screamed at him, "Go and make sure she gets to Medix."

  "Okay."

  He ran through the door and into the corridor after Jelly, "Come back, girl."

  Bonnie held her fists up as the approaching Shanta. She roared at them to come closer, “Ever heard of Jitsaku, you ugly critters?”

  She punched the first one in the mouth with such force, its bone-like frame cracked in two and released a jellied substance - possibly its brain - to the ground, “That’s today’s training over with,” she said, butting her palms together.

  The tree spider-climbed out of the ocean. The sheer size and weight of the monstrosity created a mini tidal wave, clearing some of the Shanta away in seemingly extreme slow motion.

  "What did Wool say?" Bonnie asked Tripp.

  Jaycee’s turret cleared enough of the approaching creatures to enable everyone to reload.

  Tripp replaced his Rez-9 with a full magazine and aimed it at the hoard of approaching Shanta.

  "Answer me, Tripp," Bonnie took aim at the army of beasts with her K-12 Combat leg-firearm. The tree’s ungodly stomps cracked the ground. It creaked the top of its body and squealed into the sky.

  Certain death was on the way.

  "I only have one mag left," Tripp said, avoiding the question. "Jaycee, you got any fresh?"

  "Nah, I’m out. I got like two left, but they’re for the turret. It’s the only thing keeping these damn space invaders from smothering us."

  "Tripp," Bonnie stomped her smoking, mechanical leg to the ground, catching his attention, "Are you gonna answer me?"

  Space Opera Beta slammed to the ground. The thrusters died out. The vibrations in the ship came to a halt.

  The trio were twenty seconds away from a stampede of Shanta and the unfathomably large God-like antagonist that stormed behind them, wanting to finish off the job once and for all.

  "Tripp?"

  The Shanta pummeled through the wall and flooded into Botanix in great quantity.

  Tripp cocked his K-SPARK and aimed at the first of at least a thousand creatures.

  "Get ready guys," Jaycee punched the back of the floor-mounted K-SPARK turret, "It’s do or die time."

  BLAM-BLAM-BLAMM-MM!

  The turret swung left and right, unleashing its final magazine at the swathes of approaching Shanta.

  Tripp squeezed his trigger and blasted the first of the creatures to messy, pink pieces.

  "What did Wool say?" Bonnie asked. "What’s up with Jelly?"

  Tripp trained one eye on her and then immediately back to the approaching monsters. He hooked his finger around the trigger, prepared to take a shot at the next creature, "She’s pregnant.”

  From the author - Andrew Mackay

  Author notes from Star Cat 2: Pink Symphony (exclusive to the e-book version of this title)

  Hey, gang!

  If you’re reading this, you’ve probably read and enjoyed Pink Symphony. At least, I hope you enjoyed it. That difficult second album, as they say lol

  And, boy, were they ever right about sequels being difficult. Star Cat 2 isn’t my first sequel (those of you who’ve read the Chrome Junction Academy series, Pure Dark or In Their Shoes will know that.) It is, however, my first straight-up sequel in a series that are not stand-alone entries. One huge story connected by episodes, so to speak. I can’t imagine anyone jumping into this series at the sequel - I mean that’s just silly. It’d be the equivalent of starting Breaking Bad at series four and then complaining you don’t know who’s who. Although, if you’re particularly adept at filling in the blanks, I guess you could do that with some success. It’d make the whole thing a bit Tarantino-esque, wouldn’t it? Seeing the end first, then the whole mid section play out at the beginning like some crazy pinball navigating its way around the narrative and structure.

  Because Star Cat: Infinity Claws (Which I’ll just call IC, now, if that’s okay) was so unique and had the benefit of being the first in the series, what I’ve found as an author is that you need to up the stakes and really go to town in the sequel. I hope you agree that this book did just that. I’m new to sci-fi, as many of you know, but I’m not so wet behind the ears that I don’t know my way around the tropes.

  My main goal with Pink Symphony (Yup, you guessed it, PS) was to drive the story forwards and set up exactly what was at stake now that Jelly and the crew of Opera Beta had decoded Saturn Cry. Events on Earth are established, but deliberately not fully realized - a taste, if you will, of what’s coming next.

  I want to assure you all that Star Cat won’t go on and on and on (unless there’s a serious demand) and that things will all come to a resolution. I’m not sure if, as a reader, you agree with something I’ve always thought to be true - great sci-fi should ask more questions than it answers. I guess it was exactly that phrase that paved the way for Pink Symphony as a place - and a character, so to speak. In PS I tried my best not to explain what the gaseous substance was, but, rather, show what it does. I don’t want to patronize the audience by showing you the sequence where Jelly finds the beached fish, which turns into an Armadillo, then an ape, then a human, and then - finally - the Shanta. Showing it is way better. I know my readers are smart and can figure it out. If you bring your not-inconsiderable intelligence to the story, I like to think I will reward you. Meet me in the middle, as they say.

  I’m well aware that the content in these books is a bit daft. That said, us humans are when it comes to cats. Have you ever seen yourself when you’re talking to your pet? Yeeeees, you haaaave. Yes, you have, haven’t you? Who’s a cute little thing? Yes, you are. No, you are. (Sorry.) We fantasize all the time. In a perfect world your cat would be Jelly Anderson. In a perfect world, she could win a one hundred meter dash and join a spaceship. And decode a distress signal, and instigate zero gravity and save her crew. It’s utter nonsense, though, right? Lol - but what it iiiissssssss… is fun.

  As far as I’m concerned, as long as readers are having fun and connecting with the characters and frequently being thrilled and entertained - and, of course, it fits within the tone and context of the set-up - I’m more than happy. Star Cat isn’t for Stephen Hawking-level hard sci-fi fans, as you’ve no doubt seen from some of the reviews. But, heart-to-heart with you, here, that’s absolutely fair enough. I never claimed Star Cat to be exact and hard science. I dread to think what the naysayers would have made of PS - lol just thinking about, right? “Ugh, in this book Jelly turned into a girl - that would never happen.” Ahem. They’re quite right, it probably would never happen.

  I long for the day it does, though. Wouldn’t that be funny? “Breaking news: NASA spacecraft ZYX198 connects with Saturn, finds life and turns the crew into molecularly reformed wolves.” I love that idea. In fact, now that I think about it, there was a report a day or so ago saying NASA may have found life on Mars. Not the David Bowie track, obviously - although that would be cool if they found a copy of the 12” vinyl there, too. So, you know… weird things happen in real life when you’re making great art.

  As you’re reading this, I’m probably about half way through Star Cat 3: War Mage. I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. In fact, you won’t have time to be disappointed - haha - because it’s so manic. And if you thought the world of Star Cat so far has been vast and universe-like… you’ve seen nothing, yet. War Mage will take you to places I doubt you’ve ever seen before. I a
m trying my utmost to shock and thrill myself let alone you, the reader. It’s a rollicking, action-packed roller coaster and is a blast to write. And, get this, I’m writing it back to front. Yup, I’ve given up plotting meticulously. Don’t get me wrong, I know the narrative beats and plot points etc, but I have no choice but to write the end to see (for myself, no, really!) what happens.

  The closest comparison to a non-author in writing Star Cat 3: War Mage is that it’s a bit like watching a movie at home. But, as the movie progresses, you decide what happens next - and then it happens. I guess you could say it’s a bit like playing God. Daaayyumm, son. Haha… I like that idea. There’s so much awesome coming in the next book - new characters - some human, some not-so-human - and new technologies. The stakes are ten times higher than they were in PS - I continue to take even myself by surprise, sometimes. It’s been an utter blast to write and really let the reigns loose on my imagination.

  Speaking of which. Everything you’ve read so far is utter fiction, all from my head. I invent characters and situations, and then deal with them. Anyone with a smidgen of talent can do this, but only those with the nerve will see it through. One may hate or love Star Cat, but the simple truth is…. One may not forget it. As far as legacy goes in entertainment, count me in. I really, really hope you love the direction I’m taking the series in. If you did, please leave a review at Amazon. Go on… please. Reviews are so important. Last time I was looking for a vacuum cleaner, after price, the next thing I weighed up was the reviews and made my buying decision. Even one word like “awesome” and five stars. Also, I’ve made it easy for you to do it. Just click here ;)

  Rest assured, dear reader - I have the nerve. I’ll rock your world even harder with Star Cat 3: War Mage. If you’re feeling really inventive, why not write to me and make some suggestions? You’re the reason I write, after all!

  Make sure you stay updated on the releases. You can do this by following me on Amazon - and if you haven’t already - you can join my newsletter and get Star Cat: Origins for FREE for more awesomeness like this and get free stuff and goodies. In fact, why not do both? Actually, why not email me, too? I had a reader email me earlier this morning saying that she passed IF and PS onto her 13 year-old granddaughter, and they’re now hardcore fans of the series. A message like that means the world to an author, and I’m no exception. Contact/Update details on the next few pages.

  Hope to see you at the end of book three!

  Love you all,

  Andrew Mackay,

  Hampshire, UK

  (June 1st, 2018)

  ‘Star Cat: Pink Symphony (Book Two)’

  Copyright © 2018 Chrome Valley Books

  Written by Andrew Mackay

  Edited by Ashley Rose Miller

  Cover design by Kveather

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead (or somewhere in between), events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Acknowledgements:

  For K

  Also to:

  My immediate family.

  All the CVB Gang Members / ARC Street Team.

  Jolene Huber, Jennifer Long, Adele Embrey, and Barrie!

  The members and admins of 20BooksTo50K.

  Up next: Star Cat 3 - War Mage.

  Star Cat 3: War Mage

  The universe is one hell of a mother…

  Chapter 1

  “We discover, adapt and create.

  Acting on our discoveries is all we have.

  Let us not regret our indecisions.”

  Pascal D’Souza

  (2056 - 2111)

  ***

  Botanix

  Space Opera Beta - Level Three

  Dozens of Shanta creatures snaked through the broken Botanix wall. Tripp, Bonnie, and Jaycee lifted their firearms and prepared to blast the creatures to smithereens.

  "What did Wool say?" Bonnie turned to Tripp. "What’s up with Jelly?"

  He hooked his finger around the trigger and prepared to take a shot at an incoming creature, "She’s pregnant."

  BAM-SPLATCH!

  Tripp blasted the Shanta’s slit open. The beast exploded, tossing its twelve severed limbs in all directions.

  “What?” Bonnie tore her gaze away from the bullet-storm, “Say that again?”

  “I said Jelly’s pregnant,” Tripp shouted over the gunfire.

  “God damn it, there’s thousands of them,” Jaycee thumped the side of his floor-mounted K-SPARK turret. The meter on the side of the barrel displayed a rapidly reducing ammunition level, “Less than five hundred rounds. I figure we have two minutes before we’re outnumbered.”

  BAM-BAM-BAM!

  The turret swung back and forth, firing at the swathes of Shanta creatures scuttling along the ground, walls, and ceiling.

  Several of the disgusting beasts exploded. Their pink gore splattered the already-desecrated rows of plants.

  Jaycees finally processed the revelation, “Wait a minute? Pregnant?”

  “That’s what Wool said,” Tripp flung his empty Rez-9 magazine at the creatures, “That’s it, I’m out.”

  Thousands of Shanta scurried over the sandy horizon towards the ship. Tripp threw his gun at them. They tussled over each other in an attempt to grab it with their talons.

  The water dispenser that Tor and Jelly had taken cover behind earlier caught Tripp’s attention.

  “Jaycee, we need to get out of here but the door might not hold them back. Come and help me.”

  “You got it.”

  “I got you covered, go,” Bonnie slammed her Cortex K-12 leg into her palms. The end of her boot slid open and released five canon-barreled toes, “Come and get some, you ugly sonofabitches!”

  THRAA-TA-AAA-ATT-TT!

  The bullets shredded through the limbs of the dozen-strong Shanta. Most slumped to the floor and bled their internal fluids into the five-inch pool of fresh water on the ground.

  “I can’t hold them off much longer,” Bonnie palmed the lever on the side of her leg, “Reloading.”

  Tripp watched Jaycee grab the sides of the water dispenser, “Do it.”

  "I am, I am,” the great hunk of android wrestled with the unit, “It’s heavy.”

  “So are you.”

  “Yeah, but I’m not attached to the wall, am I?”

  BAM-BAM-BAM-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK…

  The mounted K-SPARK turret emptied its final magazine into the hordes of creatures and clicked into nothingness. The oscillator function whirred down to a close.

  "That’s it, we’re outnumbered and outgunned," Tripp shouted at Bonnie.

  CLUNK-SCHLAMM!

  Jaycee wrenched the water unit from the wall with an almighty crunch, “Got it. Stand back.”

  A hefty, continuous blast of pure water splashed over Jaycee as he turned around with the unit in his arms, “Go on, get out of here. Now.”

  Bonnie stomped her Cortex K-12 limb rifle to the floor and darted over to the door, “Let’s get outta here.”

  Tripp took one last look at the hungry creatures. They shrieked and jumped from the white sand and flooded Botanix, “Jaycee?”

  He slammed the unit to the ground beside the door and thumped the compartment on the side of his leg, “Yeah?”

  “You coming?”

  The Botanix door slid open. Bonnie hopped through it and beckoned Tripp to join her, “Come on, quick.”

  “You want them to spread through Opera Beta like a damn virus?” Jaycee took out a sliver of wire from the cavern in his leg. He wound it around the one hand he had left and attached it to the water unit.

  “I’ll take my chances on
sealing these bastards in here, thanks.”

  Tripp stepped back through the door, “No, but—”

  SCREEEEEEEEE!

  A Shanta extended each of its twelve limbs and used the back four to launch itself at Jaycee.

  “Christ, get out of there,” Bonnie said.

  Jaycee snapped the wire taut and kicked himself away from the unit.

  SCHWIPP!

  The wire lifted up and juddered to a halt in mid-air.

  SCHTING-SCHTING-SCHTANG!

  The creature spun its limbs around like a carnival ride and extended its talons. It smashed against the wall in two halves having been dissected by the goo-drenched wire.

  “Jeeez,” Tripp slammed the panel on the other end of the door, trying to close it, “C’mon, c’mon, close."

  “Wait up,” Jaycee bounded toward the door as it began to close.

  “Let’s go, come on,” Tripp held his hand through the closing door as Jaycee stomped towards it, “There’s another one behind you.”

  If Jaycee had stopped to look over his shoulder, he’d have seen a fifteen-foot Shanta fan all its limbs out like a giant, fleshy cobweb.

  Tripp saw the bicycle-like monstrosity as Jaycee bolted towards the door, “Oh, oh, damn.”

  Jaycee’s palm slammed into Tripp’s, “Gotcha.”

  “Get the hell of here, now.”

  Tripp yanked Jaycee through the door and slammed the panel on the wall.

  The Shanta fanned its limbs out like a cartwheel and rolled toward the door, “Screeeeeee—”

  SCHWIP-SCHA-JUNT!

  Jaycee fell to the floor and tugged on the wire. The gossamer-thin strip wound taut. The door slammed down on it, yanking the water unit across the floor. It crashed against the creature’s front two limbs, shattering the bones and flesh. The force knocked the cartwheeled vision of death onto its side. It squealed in pain as the rest of the Shanta stampeded over it.