Jonathan Rush and the Red World

By Gregory Blackman

The Star Master Trilogy:

The Dark Prince has emerged from the shadows, ready to wage war on the Star Academy. Portals in space have opened, spreading chaos throughout the galaxy. The monsters from beyond call themselves the Void Empire, and they will not stop until they’ve destroyed everything in their path. War is about to begin and the galaxy’s only hope for salvation rests with an anxious fourteen year old named Johnny; whom unknowingly is both the reason and the solution to the galaxy’s problem.

Jonathan Rush and the Red World:

In the second installment of the Star Master Trilogy, we find our friends at the Star Academy savoring in a victory that they hadn’t actually won. They uncovered a plot by the Void Empire to gain a foothold in the galaxy, all that changes when a chilling discovery is made and the Star Academy finds themselves once more against the odds.

Johnny barely escaped the Void Empire last time they met. Now, he finds himself leading the charge against them. The Star Academy enjoys a victory, but the war is far from over. If they wish to hold their ground, Johnny needs to stand strong against the coming storm and shield his people from certain danger.

They head to a world called Ragnor, where they believe the Void Empire to be devising a means to amass their entire army. If that happens, all hope for the galaxy will be lost. A remote world in the outer cluster is their destination, a little planet nicknamed, the Red World; it’s a place so barren and inhospitable that it was off the Star Academy’s radar. That’s why it was the perfect place for the Void Empire to launch an invasion.

This book is intended for all ages and has a word count of 18, 000.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gregory Blackman
• Release date: Jul 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9780987732835

Gregory Blackman

Born in Burlington, Ontario, Gregory Blackman is a business marketing graduate that discovered early on that he wasn’t interested in advertising the works of others and instead sought out to create his own products that spoke on his values, beliefs, and in many cases, his own fears and anxieties. His first novel, Johnathan Rush, released in 2011, was a children’s novel while all proceeding works have been intended for a mature audience. This can be seen in his following Reaper and Kingdoms of Ash series that deal with issues of gender inequality, racial tensions, and mankind’s fear of the unknown. Gregory prides himself on responding to each and every letter sent to him, and incourages all readers to send him their thoughts and questions to [e-mail]

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Jonathan Rush and the Red World

The Star Master Trilogy: Book Two

By Gregory Blackman

Published by Gregory Blackman at Smashwords

Copyright 2011 Gregory Blackman

All right reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission from the author.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Written in Canada.

All right reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form without the written prior permission of the author.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Written in Burlington, Ontario

Chapter One

Following the events onboard the Void Empire battleship, Johnny was left battered and broken. Having barely escaped with their lives, Johnny and his friends rushed home, hoping to find some answers.

Selene and Kenzel left the Aidos in full stride, making their way quickly out of the docking bay. They were in a hurry to get somewhere, but Johnny had more important things on his mind.

He walked down the platform with Amy, Davan and Robby. Davan and he were carrying Robby out on a stretcher. Still de-activated, they simply did not have the tools on board to repair Johnny’s small robotic champion. Johnny had not left his side the whole trip home, and was not going to start now.

Two mechanics came by, having been made aware of the situation from Kenzel over the communications channel from the Aidos before they landed.

Let these capable men take him from here, Davan told Johnny sympathetically. You and Amy can accompany them to the service depot, if you like.

Davan didn’t have to tell Johnny twice, and he rushed out of the docking bay, after the mechanics.

What about you, Davan? Amy asked, inquiring about his injuries. His arm was still badly injured, and put in a sling aboard the starship on the way home.

I too, will be fine, Davan assured. The Star Academy has the best doctors in the galaxy, a few operations and my arm will be as good as new. However, first I have some important matters to discuss with the Star Master.

Where mentor Selene and Kenzel went, I imagine, Amy stated. She too, had noticed that something had gone very wrong with the mission. Be well, sir.

Amy ran out of the docking bay to chase after Johnny; and Davan went up to see the Star Master and have a very serious discussion. He had warned them of the danger of bringing children along, and he was going to get some answers.

Slow down! Amy shouted, trying to catch up with Johnny. She caught up with him as they arrived at the service depot.

They walked in to what looked like a sick bay for machines. Droids big and small were arranged in lines around the depot. They walked behind the mechanics as they carried Robby’s stretcher to the nearest available repair station.

They placed Robby on the ground, and the young students rushed to his side.

It will be at least a day before we’re able to fix him, one of the mechanics said. Johnny nodded and they left the two children, to be near their friend.

He will be okay, Amy reassured. She placed her hand on Johnny’s shoulders and they waited together.

Many hours later, in the middle of the night, after Amy had retired to her own room, Johnny was fast asleep in a make-shift bunk beside Robby’s repair station. Only Robby was no longer located in his repair station. In fact, he was just returning, far ahead of his repair schedule.

An old repair man with long white hair, and an unkempt beard, was pushing Robby on a service cart back to his repair station.

Not only had Robby been completely repaired, he had been given a shiny new paint job as well. Painted a burnt orange with a dark grey head, he also now had his name etched along his side. The old man reached over Robby’s glossy new shoulder, and turned him on.

Robby came alive with the hum of twirling motors, and turned his head towards the old man.

All systems reporting one hundred percent efficiency, Robby stated as he turned to life. Robby’s gaze turned towards the child sleeping beside them. How long—

Shh, the mysterious repair man said to Robby, pressing his finger against his mouth. We must not wake the young lad. He should be very tired.

How long has he been by my side? Robby asked with a muted voice. This behavior seems strange to me. I have been active twenty two years, and have yet to know anyone to care about the safety of a droid, like he has cared for me. I believe this is called compassion?

Yes, the mysterious repair man said. That is exactly what it is called.

This is the first time I have been off the moon, Nox, Robby revealed.