Asterius: Interstellar Cargo, #0

By Matt Verish

Captain Tessa Adrace of Starforce is about to be assigned a mission she will never forget. With strict orders given her directly from the colonel, she must lead her squadron up against an adversary feared throughout the galaxy: Black Dwarf. The odds impossibly stacked against her, but she will stop at nothing until her mission is complete. Even if it means her end.

Asterius is a short story, consisting of 6750 words, or roughly twenty-four pages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Night Apple, LLC
• Release date: Apr 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781386348788

Book preview

ASTERIUS

ASTERIUS

AN INTERSTELLAR CARGO TALE

MATT VERISH

Night Apple Creations

ASTERIUS

An Interstellar Cargo Tale

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This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.

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No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the authors.

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All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 by Night Apple Creations

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nightapplecreations.com

Edited by Stefanie Verish

Cover image by Tom Edwards Design

(e)Book layout by Night Apple Creations

Author photo by Stefanie Verish

First published: 05/01/2016

ALSO AVAILABLE

Interstellar Cargo Series

ICARUS

DAEDALUS

LAZARUS

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Interstellar Cargo Tales

ASTERIUS

CONTENTS

Asterius

Icv-71

Icarus

About the Author

ASTERIUS

THIS IS NOT A DRILL!

The urgent words flashed brilliant red on Tessa’s Ocunet display. They were almost as loud as the klaxons wailing around her. An executive order had been sent to the entire crew of the Asterius, and she knew that meant one thing: combat.

She bolted from her bunk, six years of training preparing her for such an event. Not since the end of the Carbon War had anyone throughout the System engaged in conflict, though that did not curb Military’s anticipation for another galactic collapse. Her body was on autopilot while she read the briefing. A flurry of activity raged outside of her cramped officer quarters, and she was suddenly grateful for her limited privacy. It seemed her recently acquired title of Commander, Air Group was already bearing fruit.

Scanning the information scrolling before her eyes, Tessa locked onto two words: Black Dwarf. She shivered. As she finished tying the laces of her boots, she continued reading and began to understand the severity of the situation.

Captain Adrace.

Tessa shot to her feet, her body erect. She gave a sharp salute. Colonel, sir!

As you were, Captain. Don’t let silly old me hold you up. Just pretend I’m your conscience while you frantically rush to the launch bay.

Tessa grinned ear-to-ear. Aye, Colonel. She tightened the last knot, grabbed her flight jacket, and exited her quarters. She immediately calmed as she viewed her friend through Ocunet. Her augmented reality lenses were the main way she kept in contact with him since his prestigious promotion. She snuck glances at the young executive officer as she worked her way through the writhing mass of the Asterius crew. He was simply staring at her. What’s he waiting for?

It’s been a while, Tessa.

Oh no… Is this really happening? Tessa thought, confounded by his bizarre conversational timing. How am I supposed to respond? He called me by my first name. Should I return the favor? Is this a secure line, sir?

"Captain, I didn’t become the youngest XO by screwing up something as simple as line securement.