An Endless Sea of Stars

By Jamie Lynn Miller

The year is 2121. While Earth has conquered exploration of the Milky Way, we have yet to develop an interstellar engine to take us beyond our own galaxy. Thus the Intergalactic Exploration Alliance and the Gemini Project were formed.

Lieutenant Tobias Dekker is fresh out of the IEA academy and determined to be assigned to the Gemini engineering team. Putting career above all else. He knows from experience that relationships have no place in the Alliance. Commander Caden Flynn is equally determined to see the Gemini prototype take flight to uncharted space. The engine is his late father's design and he wants nothing more than to be the test pilot that breaks the next light speed barrier.

Two men dreaming of a sea of stars find that it's instead an ocean here on Earth that brings them together. Can Cade convince Toby to open up his heart and take a chance on love and explore the universe with him, side by side?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jamie Lynn Miller
• Release date: Sep 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9781393824541

Jamie Lynn Miller

Jamie Lynn Miller has been writing fiction since childhood and finally decided to take the plunge and go pro, finding to her amazement that people truly enjoyed her love stories. She’s a romantic at heart, and her tales reflect the desire we all have to find “the one,” persevering through trials and heartache for that happy ending. Jamie has a degree in fine arts and has spent the last twenty+ years working as a graphic designer, though she’d much rather be writing. She was born in Chicago and still lives there today with her husband and their furry, four-footed children, er… cats. If she’s not brainstorming story ideas, you can find Jamie at a sci-fi convention, in front of a furnace doing glass blowing, or on a mat twisted into a yoga pose.

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SUMMARY

The year is 2121. While Earth has conquered exploration of the Milky Way, we have yet to develop an interstellar engine to take us beyond our own galaxy. Thus the Intergalactic Exploration Alliance and the Gemini Project were formed.

Lieutenant Tobias Dekker is fresh out of the IEA academy and determined to be assigned to the Gemini engineering team. Putting career above all else. He knows from experience that relationships have no place in the Alliance. Commander Caden Flynn is equally determined to see the Gemini prototype take flight to uncharted space. The engine is his late father's design and he wants nothing more than to be the test pilot that breaks the next light speed barrier.

Two men dreaming of a sea of stars find that it's instead an ocean here on Earth that brings them together. Can Cade convince Toby to open up his heart and take a chance on love and explore the universe with him, side by side?

COPYRIGHT

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © September 2014 by Jamie Lynn Miller

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

In other words, I’d love you to post bits and quotes anywhere you like. (Just not the whole book.) For information, email me at [e-mail]

An Endless Sea of Stars—First Edition

Cover Design by Jamie Lynn Miller

Photograph by Dan Skinner

AN ENDLESS SEA OF STARS

CHAPTER ONE

The Florida sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky as twenty-three year-old Tobias Dekker made his way down the boardwalk, adjusting the collar of one of his many colorfully patterned shirts, his flip-flops smacking against the weather-beaten wood.

Another day in paradise, he thought, looking up as a shuttlecraft buzzed by overhead, coming from one of the resorts, heading to the landing pad here at the marina.

A few more steps and Toby pulled open the door to Captain Hook’s Fishing Charter and Dive Center, taking off his sunglasses and tucking them into his shirt pocket. He ran a hand through his short blond hair, his blue eyes scanning around the interior of the shop. He inhaled deeply, a smile crossing his face at the familiar smell of the ocean that permeated even inside. Hook’s had been his home away from home throughout most of his teenage and young adult years. It meant even more to him now that he was living on the other side of the country in San Francisco and didn’t make it down here as often as he wished.

He made his way toward the front counter, weaving through the many tourists, both human and alien, who were browsing the scuba and fishing equipment, eager to start their ocean adventure here in the Keys. Toby couldn’t help but do a double-take at a species he’d only seen on holo vids. He hadn’t realized that the small, orange-skinned Woldun had begun visiting Florida.

He smiled and shook his head. It shouldn’t surprise him. So many things had changed in the last fifteen years. He’d only been eight years-old in 2106 when the first alien species made contact with Earth. That was two years after manned space flight broke free of both the Earth’s and the moon’s orbit and struck out into the Milky Way. All thanks to the StarDrive engine and the Gemini prototype spacecraft. Eighteen months later astronauts had visited all nine planets and then explored nearly every corner of the Milky Way. Plans were made to begin construction of a NASA base on Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons.

Alien enthusiasts all over the planet were crushed to receive absolute proof that there was no other intelligent life in our solar system. But their disappointment soon turned to absolute joy when an alien spaceship appeared in the sky above California. The Malorians had arrived.

They truly came in peace, as cliché as it sounded. They felt that Earth was technologically advanced enough now to make first contact and wished to explore diplomatic relations.

Flash forward fifteen years to today, 2121. Thanks to a successful relationship with the large, brown-furred cat-like Malorians, Earth now had contact with over a dozen different alien species. Diplomatic and economic agreements were made and trade between worlds began to flourish.

The Malorians also became scientific advisors and helped form a new Earth agency, the Intergalactic Exploration Alliance. It was dedicated to the advancement of the Gemini project, to eventually break the fourth light speed barrier and get spacecraft beyond our own solar system. The second barrier had been broken. Once the StarDrive engine broke the final barrier Earth would be on its way to the far edges of the universe. It would be a momentous time in Earth’s history.

Well look what the cat dragged in!

A voice boomed from the back of the store, pulling Toby from his musings. He smiled broadly at the friendly greeting as he walked up to the counter, sticking out his hand to the man behind it. One look at Hank Hanley and you’d immediately know he was the owner. Tall and broad, with salt and pepper hair tied back in a pony-tail that tried to disguise his true age of fifty-six, with a skull and crossbones tattooed on the upper arm of his deeply tanned skin. Hanley was a sailor through and through.

Hey, Hank! The two men grasped hands warmly and Toby was pulled into a one arm hug over the top of the counter.

Great to see you, kid, Hank smiled. Been too long.

Toby came around behind the counter. Well you’ve got me for awhile this time.

I’ll have to send the Alliance a thank you note ‘cause business is booming and I could really use the help.

Well put me to work, then! Been too long since I’ve been out in the water.

Hank clapped Toby on the shoulder. Funny you should say that ‘cause I’ve got you down for an open water dive certification consultation this morning. Guy should be here shortly.

Toby nodded. He’s completed the academics and confined water work?

Says he has, but not from me. Need you to go over his paperwork, get him signed up for his first dive.

Can do, boss! Toby saluted jokingly.

I see the Alliance is finally making you treat your elders with respect, Hank winked, then hooked a thumb over his shoulder. Gotta get back to the tourists. Holler if you need anything.

Yes, boss! Toby replied with a smirk then turned and sat at the desk behind the counter, his back to the front of the store. He had no more than begun to shuffle through the mess of data pads on Hank’s desk, looking for at least the name of the guy he’d be teaching to scuba dive, when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. Toby stood and turned around, blinking and doing his second double-take of the day at the man that stood before him. He was in his mid-30’s, short brown hair, dressed in faded blue cargo pants and a gray Henley t-shirt, with aviator style sunglasses perched on the top of his head.

Excuse me, the man said. I’m –

Commander Flynn! Toby burst out. Eyes wide, he stepped forward and nearly tripped on the leg of the chair as he extended his hand.

Caden Flynn tipped his head to the side as he shook Toby’s hand. Have we met?

Yes! I mean, no! I mean… Toby fell over his words before taking a breath. Lieutenant Tobias Dekker, sir. You were a guest lecturer at my advanced engineering class last semester. Amazing speech, sir.

Flynn grinned. Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Alliance, eh? What are you doing down here, working at a dive shop?

Oh, I’m from Florida, sir, Toby answered. "I’ve finished all my courses and I’m awaiting my