Space Trippers Book 5: Don't Even Ask

By A. Lightbourne

~Space Trippers Book 5: Don't Even Ask~

Valesque is on a roll, only one step away from meeting her mysterious contact!

All she has to do is follow a map to a certain planet and talk to a guy named Melwesúl. Sounds simple enough, right?

But how do you find someone on a planet where the answer to every question comes from the barrel of a gun? Our heroine's only chance is to butter up the planet's chauvinistic leader. But can no-nonsense Valesque, who couldn't even manage to flirt with peaceful Skmead, really fool the macho gunslinger?

Or will she end up just another notch on his well-worn hilt?

• Language: English
• Publisher: A. Lightbourne
• Release date: Mar 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311044655

A. Lightbourne

SciFi/Fantasy writer. My writing style is light and littered with humor.

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Space Trippers

Book Five

Don’t Even Ask

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By: A. Lightbourne

Space Tripper Reviews

Written with precision, detail, and an unyielding intensity, Aurora Lightbourne has created a unique story that drives the reader from page one. From the eyes of a young, but dynamic woman, named Valesque Rhaugh, you follow her tale as her ship is commandeered by the military. And she is swept along on a path that she has no choice but to follow. Intense dialog and visual descriptions put the reader into the world that Aurora has created. I found myself unable to put the book down... - Shawn Weaver

In book 2 of the Space Trippers series, the people on the ship are stuck in the galactic backbeyond, and just when it seems they are thoroughly and completely stuck, they somehow manage to get even more stuck--except for the mysterious alien who can’t quite stay in solid form. There’s plenty of both action and humor, and the view into Earth vampire history is delightful. Like a classical comedy, everyone seems to be in love with the wrong person; forget the love triangle, expand to at least a hexagon, if not a d20! The situation has everything but yellow cross-garters, and I look forward to seeing what hilarious conclusion the plot is building towards in a future book. I’m going to start reading the next one right now! - Erin Lale, Editor, Time Yarns

Just Passing Through 

I really enjoyed this installment and was completely entertained the entire time. When I wasn’t reading this book I was impatiently ticking off the time until I could pick it back up again. This series is truly addicting. At times this book was so funny I actually laughed-out-loud! I highly recommend this book to fellow dark urban fantasy readers looking for SF books with writing styles similar to urban fantasy. I also look forward to reading the next book in this series, A Frosty Farewell. - kitkat3ny

Space Trippers Book 3: A Frosty Farewell

I strongly recommend you read the previous books in this series ( Trippin and Just Passing Through) prior to reading this book. Another fantastic installment from Valesque and the lost in deep space tripper crew! Although this installment started off a bit slow, it quickly picked up and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This adventurous and intoxicating story is literally laugh-out-loud funny! Fellow Space Tripper fans, this book is a must read! Some secrets are revealed and big decisions made that may alter the route of this brilliant series. I highly recommend this book to fellow dark urban fantasy readers looking for SF books with writing styles similar to urban fantasy. I also impatiently await the next book Will Work for Parts. - Kathy E. Kathy (Bristol, CT)

Books By A. Lightbourne

Space Trippers Book 1: Trippin’- The Adventure begins when Exiled Virrillian Engineer Valesque’s newest project, is suddenly commandeered by an old enemy, with her on board! To make matters worse she is getting blamed when her long lost device is found on the ship and strands them all in uncharted space. Can she figure out what is happening in time? Or will they all be destroyed by her own hand?

Space Trippers Book 2: Just Passing Through - The adventure continues as Tim rescues an alien damsel in distress. With the ship in need of food stores, thanks to Lola and her fiasco in the hydroponics lab, the green girl leads them to a nearby trade planet. But the trade aliens seem a little too interested in Valesque for Tim and Sanic’s comfort. When she goes missing it is up to them to retrace her last few hours aboard ship, and they become quite disturbed when they find much more than they bargained for in the secret recesses of the ship’s twisting corridors.

Space Trippers Book 3: A Frosty Farewell - The ship is in need of water, so, using the map Valesque found on Capecea, the crew sets off to icy Glidz, the nearest water trade planet. Meanwhile, Valesque has unlocked some disturbing secret files on one of the upper crewmen. Long hidden secrets that could change the entire life of one person onboard. With their record in the area so far, will our heroes be able to get the water they need from the temperamental Water Princess? And if they do, will they be going home with one less crewmate?

Space Trippers Book 4: Will Work For Food Parts - As the ship makes its first jump home, the tracker Valesque found points her to a nearby planet. Making an excuse to stop for repair supplies, can she find her contact on the mysterious supply planet where all the technology keeps disappearing?

Brass Hearts- A Steampunk Fairytale - All Dulcy Spry wants in life is to inherit her father’s small, family business, and help run it while she waits. But after a fateful encounter with the snobbish Mr Pridget on the roadside Dulcy’s best friend, Alise, and younger sister, Rosa, drag the reluctant Miss Spry into high society, where lies, manipulations and family secrets threaten to ruin her peaceful life and cast her into the dismal prison of an unwanted marriage.

Copyright © 2015 A. Lightbourne.

All contents copyright © 2015 A. Lightbourne. All rights reserved. No part of this work or the related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author. This work whole or in part may not be copied or distributed without prior written permission.  No merchandising in any form of any character or text herein may be sold without the prior authorization of the author.

You may contact the author through her website: ALightbourne.com

Any trademarks, service marks, product names or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if one of these terms is used. This is a work of Fiction, any resemblance to any persons, places or things real or imagined are purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2015 A. Lightbourne. All rights reserved worldwide.

Released by FairSpot Publishing

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This Book is dedicated to 

all my readers, I hope you enjoy Valesque and the gang’s stories

as much as I enjoy writing them.

Special Acknowledgment to:

My sweet, supportive Hubby who is the best thing in life!

He is my sounding-board, my beta reader, the laugher at my jokes.

His love for my characters inspires me

Contents

1: Questionable Outcome

2: Delightful Interference

3: Foreboding Landscape

4: Town Gruels

5: Hidden Talents

6: Things Could Be Worse

7: Campfire Blames

8: Altered Egos

9: Bitter Deed

10: New Goals

Chapter One-

Questionable Outcome

"I don’t think this is a good idea", Sanic remarked as he stood in the doorway. His grey eyes scanned the dimly lit room they were about to enter, as a strong new-plastic-and-metal tang hit his nose, indicating the room had never been used.

Eh, relax, Lieutenant Baine brushed him off. Stepping past the reluctant Etherian he strode purposefully into the vacant Holo-room. I am sure Gorgeous fitted this place with all sorts of ultra-high-tech, super cutting-edge emitters.

Yeah, Sanic grimaced, not really agreeing as he slowly followed his superior into the room. But, we have no idea what we are going to be dealing with. . . if we damage her ship. . ., the Ensign paused, envisioning the Engineer’s violent reaction to more scars on her new vessel, before his mind switched out her short fluffy, black hair for a slick, red braid, subconsciously knowing that Captain Fairbanks would be sure to have even more to say, if there was anything left of them after Valesque was finished.

Come on, the Pilot laughed at the Etherian’s overcautious attitude. How bad can it be? he waved off the danger, glancing down at his bare right arm. I am sure this room is strong enough to contain and shield any damage. After all, Gorgeous set up a place for Beautiful in one of these rooms, and we all know how difficult it was to contain her, he stressed, determined to get his way.

Sanic gave an impatient frown, nothing Tim had said so far was working to calm his fears. The Pilot’s ever nonchalant attitude towards the foreign device that had been secretly implanted in his arm did not help to alleviate Sanic’s deepening concern.

She had to use special, higher end, emitters she took from Nahni’s holo-advanced world to accomplish that, he reminded the Pilot, looking around the pristine room apprehensively.

Besides, we are about to arrive at the next planet so maybe we should wait and do this there. . . somewhere open. . . and safe. . . where we won’t break anything. . . and aren’t you going to get in trouble for skipping out on your shift? I have other things to do too you know, he uncharacteristically asserted, struggling to dissuade Tim from his potentially disastrous personal ‘project’, at least while they were onboard.

The Pilot eyed his reluctant helper playfully. Got more important things to do, do you? he taunted.

He had sensed the younger man becoming much more assertive lately and he didn’t like it. Sanic had, before now, been so easy and accommodating, a push over in fact. Now he was impatient, reluctant and much harder to convince against his own ‘better judgment’.

Longing to get away and catch up with your slithery pal Cecil? Tim guessed. I know how he must have missed you these past few days, his one and only friend, he acknowledged with ‘understanding’.

No, Sanic scowled, suddenly reminded of how many times he had to dodge the serpentile navigator since coming back aboard.

He kind of felt sorry for him, since it was true that he was the pitiful alien’s only friend, but at the same time he loathed him as much as the rest of the crew, well, the rest of the crew that had caught on to his sardonic personality. Since Sanic was the only one who could understand his translation collar, or the only one who admitted they could, he was the only one who knew the slithering pest’s true nature.

However, his pity for Cecil had been quickly overruled by his animosity towards him for his groundless prejudice and contempt for his love interest, Valesque.

After hearing the snakeman’s views of the Virrilian, Sanic could no longer tolerate Cecil’s buddying up to him, especially when, whenever he did manage to catch him, all he did was infer to his ultimate, and unavoidable, rejection.

What’s more, Sanic could tell by the Pilot’s entertained smirk that he knew all of that.

I’m not looking to catch up with anyone. And unlike you, I am not scheduled for duty until we arrive planetside. I would think you would be eager to get back to your post and ‘catch up’ with your flight crew. Especially after the virtually female-less last two days on Desolas, Sanic insisted, knowing how the Pilot liked flirting his time away while on duty, as the majority of the support crew on the flight deck consisted of female officers.

Unlike his crew, who where never happier than when their ‘underage’ Commander was absent, Tim’s crew actually missed him.

Nah, plenty of time for that later, the Pilot dismissed trivially.

And don’t worry, little hall monitor, you aren’t going to get in trouble for helping out the errant Officer. Fairbanks already knows I am spending my shift down here in the Holo-room, he assured his nervous helper.

Granted, she thinks I am running simulations to practice how to fly this barge in a battle situation, he shrugged, only you and I know better, he winked conspiratorially.

Sanic grumbled, seeing himself stuck. Still, I don’t see where you need my help. We already figured out a possible trigger, he reminded his superior. I really should be doing something more useful right now, like helping Valesque with the new installations, he finally voiced his true desire for averting this assignment.

Helping Gorgeous? Tim laughed. What makes you think she wants our help? he continued to chuckle at the Etherian’s innocent naivety.

Sanic’s brow furrowed. Maybe not your help, he clarified defensively, but she has commented several times on how helpful I have been, he recalled with pride.

Tim winced at the unintentional blow, sure Sanic had not meant for the words to come across as a blunt, frontal assault.

Since reading about his origins, and realizing why Valesque had been so upset earlier, Sanic had been increasingly determined to ‘protect’ her from his presence and stingy with the time he spent away from her.

Did she ask for your help? the Pilot finally responded after regaining his aloof composure.

Well, no. . , Sanic fidgeted, but I haven’t really seen her since we got back, he excused.

Tim shook his head with a slight, under-breath, snort. Yeah, well, believe me kid, she doesn’t want our help. . . or your help, he stressed quickly.

Sanic did not accept this. What are you talking about? he snipped. Did she tell you she didn’t want any help?

Nope, the Pilot returned cheerily, she didn’t have to. Think about it for a minute. . .

Why wouldn’t she want help? Sanic broke in, suspicious that the Pilot was trying to manipulate him like usual. There are some big projects that still need finished, he reminded his irresponsible superior. Just because you aren’t interested in that kind of work doesn’t mean she doesn’t need help, he insisted.

I didn’t say I wouldn’t help, Tim calmly replied, I was saying she doesn’t trust us to help.

That is ridiculous, the Etherian immediately rejected with an annoyed sniff still on the defensive. We helped her with the sensor installments and the shield emitters and. . .

Yes, Tim interrupted patiently, but this is a weapons system, he tried to stress the difference. Think about it for a minute. If it were you, and a war-minded military took over your ship. . .would you trust them to help with a weapons installation? he prompted.

We aren’t all military. . . at least I’m not, Sanic frowned as he excused himself from the equation.

She still won’t let you near her baby right now, Lieutenant Baine maintained, giving the increasingly sulky younger man an understanding shrug.

She is being all secretive and guarded. She probably doesn’t want any ‘outsiders’ knowing how her weapons system works. . . and knowing her. . . she doesn’t want any of us knowing exactly how she is going to hamstring it, he grinned to himself as he pictured the sly minx at work, altering the schematics.

Sanic was appalled. W. . . why would you think such a thing? That Valesque, of all people, would try to sabotage her own ship? She would never do that, he defended hotly.

Tim just smiled at his companion’s reddening hue, which was barely discernible on his tan skin. Of course she would, he returned with flat assurance.

Sanic’s eyes flashed.

She wouldn’t do that, he restated firmly, his jaw set. None of these IPA people trusted her, always trying to blame her for every little thing that went wrong, and now it seemed even the IPF pilot was joining in.

Are you kidding? Tim gaped at Sanic’s seemingly deliberate misunderstanding. You know how much damage those things can do? he questioned incredulously.

Do you really think she would give Fairbanks a fully functional sonic drill? I wouldn’t, he added with a wry half-smile.

Sanic was silent a moment. You. . . really think she is going to hamstring it? he probed with a slight hint of uncertainty.

Wouldn’t you? Tim replied with a wicked grin.

Sanic gave a noncommittal shrug. He could see where he might do such a thing if he was in that position, but he could not bring himself to accuse Valesque of such underhanded tactics.

If he did, he might start to wonder