by Josh Kilen
Tell Me A Story:
Amazing Tales to Captivate Your Kids
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Sean Ryanis & The Impossible Chase
Copyright 2011 Josh Kilen
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Some Storytelling Advice
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13
Episode 14
Episode 15
Episode 16
Episode 17
Episode 18
More Titles by Josh Kilen
Introduction
There are moments in life that we cherish, small seconds of bliss spent snuggling with our precious children. “Mommy, tell me a story.” “Daddy, can I have a bedtime story?” These requests offer time to pause from our hectic everyday routine, a chance to share an adventure together.
My wife and I have read to our son from the time he would listen and encouraged him to read from the moment he began recognizing letters. From “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to “The Chronicles of Narnia” we have read one book or gone through a series of chapters each night.
However, we have discovered that most books are not designed or written for bedtime. Sometimes a chapter takes half an hour to read through. Sometimes one of us would fall asleep part way through, and not necessarily our son! Sometimes, a chapter was too short, or too boring, or so full of detail that it was difficult to get through.
I created this story as a brand new adventure, told in a serial fashion, so that your child is captivated throughout the entire tale. Each episode ends in a cliffhanger to help build excitement for the next installment. Whether you are reading before bed, during the day, on a long car trip, or while standing in the grocery checkout line, these stories are quick and customizable for your storytelling needs.
You, of course, are the storyteller and you know best what your audience will most enjoy. If you want to read two or three episodes at a time, then feel free to do so.
If at any point you become tired of simply reading the text as written, feel the need to add lib and insert your own characters or ideas.
Just remember, story time with your children is about having fun and making memories. You are well on your way to making some memories they’ll never forget.
Josh Kilen
Some Storytelling Advice
What is the key ingredient of a good story? It is the conflict and cliffhanger, the elements that add tension and throw our characters into precarious situations. A good story is thrilling, exciting, unpredictable; an adventure. What if we could spark imagination, transporting our child with us to another world?
Imagine the joy on their faces as you tell incredible, reality defying tales, throwing your arms about to emphasize a point or pantomiming an action sequence. Hear their giggles as you craft a ridiculously silly voice for the villain of your story. Create priceless memories and bond with your little ones through the power of shared experience.
Here are some tips to make things easier:
Make noises, sounds, and different voices – Depending on your kid, you might find they remember the sounds more than the story itself.
Don’t feel stupid – All that matters is that your kid loves it. If they think you sound awesome, then have faith and overcome your fear.
Make gestures that extend beyond 1 foot from your body - Don’t constrain your movements; make the most of your arms and legs
Make faces - When you are in character, it is definitely okay to make your face reflect the emotions or the actions of the character.
Sean Ryanis & The Impossible Chase
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I really hope you enjoy the first Sean Ryanis adventure! If you would like more stories in our Tell Me A Story adventure series, please visit https://tellmeastory.joshkilen.com. There you will find free episodes and links to purchase other adventures.
Happy storytelling!
Josh Kilen
Episode 1
A lone spaceship blasted through hyperspace, intent on its destination. Its captain, Sean Ryanis, stared at the view screen, tapping the console impatiently. Worry lines creased his face and his mouth was turned down into a terse frown. His co-pilot Shaker glanced over at his partner and told him to chill out.
Ryanis grumbled, "If we miss this job, I don't know when another’s gonna come around. Can't we push engines any faster?"
Shaker looked doubtful, "They're already at maximum. If we push 'em harder and they break, we don't have the parts to fix them. Don't know 'bout you but I don't want to be stranded in dead space. Like I said, chill. We'll get there in plenty of time."
Ryanis fell silent, he knew Shaker was right. Their ship, the Tiberius, started out as an old junky transport until he and Shaker got their hands on it. Over the years they turned it into the best independent frigate in the galaxy. But it still wasn't a good idea to push it too far.
It had been 4 weeks since their last job and supplies were running low. They were heading to the Firnote Quadrant because they heard the local magistrate needed of a couple of ships to transport goods into dangerous territory. The Tiberius had just enough fuel to get there, so this trip was a big gamble.
Ryanis closed his eyes, leaned back, smiling to himself as he thought about the 'dangerous' situation that lay ahead of them. He didn't know what the magistrate's idea of dangerous was, but Ryanis and Shaker had probably seen worse.
The loud blaring of the Tiberius' alarm shook him out of his daydream. The particular noise let them know that it was a local planetary distress call.
Without opening his eyes, Ryanis said, "Shaker, turn on the coms, let's see what it is."
Shaker rolled his eyes, "Need I remind you that we only have enough fuel to get to Firnote and that's it. If we take a detour, there's no more payday. And remember what happened the last time we took a detour? I believe the Duke and Duchess on Kloxon 9 still have a warrant out for your arrest."
Ryanis smiled wider at that thought, "I know, I'll be good. Can't hurt to listen, right?"
Shaker muttered sarcastically, "Can't hurt to listen..." as he flipped on the comm switch.
The speaker crackled and a pretty voice filled the ship's cabin, "All available fighting ships, the planet Martosis is under attack by a Malogan strike force. We are taking heavy losses. More enemy ships are arriving by the second. Bounty will be paid to all independents able to destroy at least 5 enemy ships. Please, help us... All available fighting ships..." The message repeated.
"Hear that? Bounty!" Ryanis began to adjust the controls and set a course for Martosis. Shaker knew better than to get in his way, especially when it came to his instinct for money. Somehow Ryanis always knew the right angle to play and they usually ended up on top.
Despite his faith in his partner, Shaker was still a little nervous, "Fighting Malogans isn't my idea of an easy bounty. In fact, it's downright dangerous." But as he spoke, Ryanis' eyes sparkled.
Ryanis reached over and slapped Shaker on the shoulder, "Don't worry ol' buddy, I won't let anything happen to you," he said. He punched the hyperjump control and the Tiberius entered hyperspace on route to Martosis.
The ship jumped right in the middle of a full fledged war zone. Hundreds of s
hips shot across the sky, laser beams shooting everywhere. Explosions lit up space like a fireworks display. This wasn't exactly what they signed up for.
Just then, two Malogan fighters locked onto the Tiberius.
Episode 2
The black Malogan bubble fighters closed in on the Tiberius.
Ryanis told Shaker to buckle up as he swung the ship wildly to the left. The Malogan fighters tried to keep up, but their engines weren't nearly as powerful. Ryanis looped down and back around to come in behind the fighters and Shaker took them out with the quantum cannons.
With no more ships nearby, they were able to survey the battle. Shaker studied the monitors, "Looks like the Martosis forces know what they're doing. They're focusing all of their fire power on the main Malogan Command cruiser. If a Malogan flagship goes down, the rest of their forces usually retreat."
Ryanis smiled at Shaker, "See, isn't this more fun than hauling cargo?"
Shaker sighed as Ryanis pushed the engines to maximum, streaking into battle.
Malogans are the most feared species in the known galaxy but from everything that Ryanis had heard they weren’t this powerful. At least not powerful enough to assault such an advanced world. It seemed his information was incorrect.
As Ryanis sped through the battle zone, Shaker fended off the bubble fighters. The ship bolted toward the Malogan command cruiser, a huge black cylinder hanging in space. The skin of the enemy ship looked smooth, only interrupted by the intermittent launch of more fighters.
Ryanis positioned the Tiberius for firing and Shaker set the Quantum cannon for maximum power. The light blue blast pierced the command ship's hull and they saw a small explosion as they raced across the length of the cruiser.
Ryanis laughed, "That got their attention."
"Bubble fighters right behind us," Shaker growled, "And they're gaining."
Ryanis banked hard and skimmed the very surface of the command carrier, hovering inches above the smooth black surface. The bubble fighters struggled to keep up and several crashed into the cruiser's hull.
The Tiberius pulled away and prepared to make another attack run. Ryanis looked off to the side toward the planet, "Looks like more ships are landing, it's all out invasion. Never seen the Malogans quite this aggressive. Must be something down there they really want."
Shaker nodded but kept his eyes on the monitors, "Ryanis, there are too many fighters in the attack path. We'll have to circle around."
"Nonsense," Ryanis said with smirk, and gunned the engine while performing a high speed loop maneuver. The Tiberius went up and around, then swooped underneath the cruiser rocketing towards the unprotected belly. Shaker fired at maximum strength again.
The blast was blindingly bright as a fire ball erupted from the hull. The Tiberius headed strait for the cruiser, but Ryanis pulled away just in time, barely touching the hull. The loud scraping sound and Shaker's worried look reminded Ryanis to be more careful next time.
The alarms went off again, this time it was a constant ringing. Shaker quickly went to the scanners, "Two frigates on either side of us, they're locked on!" he said.
The scanners showed two red dots moving closer, then two yellow dots appeared moving even faster. The alarm turned into a screech.
"Two Ship-Ripper missiles coming right at us, from both sides." Shaker said as he stared in horror at the monitor.
Episode 3
Two Ship-Ripper missiles streaked right for the Tiberius. Ryanis banked hard left, pulled the nose up, climbing, and then looped back in a corkscrew.
Shaker looked nervously over at Ryanis, "You're not doing what I think you're doing, right?" Ryanis simply nodded.
"Nuts," Shaker said as he braced himself against the seat.
The Ship-Rippers were hot on their tail, tracking the Tiberius' heat signature. Ryanis increased his trajectory from a tight corkscrew to a larger spiral, twirling round and round. No matter what he did, the missiles kept gaining on them, getting closer every second. Both missiles, side by side, came within striking distance.
Ryanis closed the loop and tightened back to a corkscrew, the missiles following, right into each other. The explosion sent the Tiberius reeling forward, but Ryanis quickly got control and looped back into the battle.
His next targets: two naughty frigates.
The frigates were busy attacking three Martosian ships. Ryanis' brow furrowed, anger flashed in his eyes, "Those are fleeing refugees in unarmed ships. That's enough." and he swooped the Tiberius to the side so Shaker would have a good shot at both. "Get him" said Ryanis.
Shaker grinned, “With pleasure."
The frigates didn't know what hit them, except that it was blue and powerful, then they were gone.
The refugee captain radioed Ryanis, “Whoever’s flying that vessel, we owe you our lives, thank you!”
“All in a day's work, now get your people out of here,” said Ryanis. He turned to Shaker "Let's get back the command carrier, I want a little payback," Shaker agreed.
Suddenly, the Malogan ships began to turn away from the planet and back toward the stars. Large black cylinders rose from the surface of Martosis, joining with the rest of the fleet. The ships grouped together in a matter of minutes, and hyperjumped away.
Shaker and Ryanis cheered. "Did you see the command carrier? If they jumped it must have been destroyed."
Ryanis shook his head, "I don't think it was. The Malogans definitely wanted something on the planet. But why would they mobilize a massive fleet just for a raiding party? It doesn't make sense. Maybe we'll find some answers when we collect our bounties. How many confirmed kills?"
Shaker looked at his monitor, "27 fighters, 5 frigates, and 1 destroyer confirmed. That’ll be more than enough."
Ryanis piloted the Tiberius down to the planet's surface. As he approached the atmosphere, the thousands of pieces of debris made it difficult to find an unobstructed path, but it also alerted him to how powerful the Malogans were becoming.
In fact, Martosis was the head of the Galactic Alliance Council, both of them run by the beloved King Jupiter. The Alliance worlds banded together to fight against the Malogan threat, but if they could be beaten this badly, Ryanis thought, then everyone was in serious trouble.
The Tiberius landed on a platform just outside the royal palace. Ryanis and Shaker walked off the ship into the sunlight, the breeze blowing all around them, fresh air filling their lungs. The stale, recirculated air of the Tiberius just didn't compare.
But their happy breathing was interrupted by a soldier running frantically toward the palace. In fact, everyone was running toward the palace. Ryanis and Shaker followed to see what was going on and to find out about getting their bounty.
The Treasury is easy enough to find but the palace is in chaos. No one was in line to speak with the Treasurer so Ryanis walked right up and presented his data crystal confirming the ships they destroyed. Once the Treasurer authenticated it with his computer, he tiredly handed Ryanis the bounty money.
Ryanis noticed the Treasurer's mood was distraught. "Hey, what's going on around here? I know you were just attacked, but you made it through mostly unscathed. What's everyone so upset for?"
"You haven't heard?" the Treasurer asked, "The Malogans kidnapped our King Jupiter!"
Episode 4
Shaker 's mouth hung open, "Kidnapped!" he finally said.
Ryanis looked over with a smirk, "Interesting. That means they'll be looking for someone to go after him, and if that someone can bring him back…can you imagine that payday? It'll be huge."
Shaker's eyes widened, "Wait a minute. You want to go after that Malogan fleet? We've done some pretty crazy things, but that's top shelf crazy. King Jupiter's an important guy and they aren't just going to give him up. How in Space would we get him back?"
"I'll figure out something. Always do. First things first though, we need to find the Princess and get the job." Ryanis pocketed their bounty money and strode off in search of the throne room.
The Throne room doors stood 30 feet high and were guarded by 10 fully armed soldiers. Ryanis couldn't see any way to sneak in, so he tried walking confidently up to the guards, "I've come to see the Princess." The guards didn't move, they just stared at him. "I don't think you heard me friends, I need to get in there and see the Princess." With that, Ryanis tried to push his way passed the guards.
That was a mistake. Three guards pushed him down, and two more held Shaker as he tried to help Ryanis. The Chief of Staff heard the commotion outside and peeked his head out to see what was going on.
"What, preytell, is this racket? Do you not know the Princess is grieving and in a very delicate state? You must not disturb her." The Chief turned to leave but Ryanis called out to him.
"That's exactly what I was fixn' to remedy friend, that is before these goons of yours jumped all over me. We'll get your King back, and I'll even make sure he's unharmed." Ryanis said with more confidence than he felt.
The Chief looked at Ryanis with a sharp eye, "What is your name Sir, so that I may tell the Princess who makes these fantastic claims?"
"Sean Ryanis, I'm known here and there as the guy who gets things done. She'll know me."
The Chief snorted and turned back into the throne room. No sooner had Ryanis been picked up off the floor, then the Chief came back into the hallway.
Ryanis smiled, "Heard of me, didn't she?" His smile only grew wider as the Chief's frown turned into a scowl.
"Come in you Scoundrel, just know that you are watched. Do not think of playing any of your games."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Ryanis smirked as he and Shaker were led into the throne room.
The Princess sat on the second largest throne atop a raised platform at the end of the throne room. The biggest throne in the center was empty. The princess looked like she had been crying but her bearing said that she wouldn't let her emotions get in the way of doing her duty.
Ryanis and Shaker approached the throne and the Princess studied them. She did not look pleased. "So, you claim to be able to save my father. A bold claim, but I know your reputation Ryanis. Though one rarely hears any details about your exploits, the consensus is that you are a man who gets things done," Ryanis looked over at the Chief and winked, pointing at what the Princess said.
