Death Walker

By Linda Mooney

After traveling through space for eons, hopping from planet to planet mining for the ore needed to fuel their ships, the crew of the North America may have found a world they can finally colonize. A planet that could have everything they need to survive and put down roots. But is Ayn Corin ready to settle down?

 

After being trapped in an abusive marriage for years, she is freed by her husband's death in an accident, but Ayn is leery of trusting again. It has taken her months to be able to stand contact with another man, but Blynn Trainer is willing to give her the space and time she needs. He'll wait for her, however long that takes.

 

Ayn is chosen to be among the first crew of borers to initiate drilling on the new planet, as well as Blynn and his crew, and an honor it is. Couple that with the fact that she's finally realized that it's time to move on and trust again, to trust Blynn, she is finally getting her happy ever after. But when tragedy strikes, she will lose it forever…or will she?

 

It seems the new planet is not as void of life as they thought, but are the aliens inhabiting it friend or foe, and just waiting to take over the newcomers' bodies? Ayn discovers just how much her heart is willing to accept.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Linda Mooney
• Release date: Nov 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781953797148

Linda Mooney

Linda loves to write sensuously erotic romance with a fantasy, paranormal, or science fiction flair. Her technique is often described as being as visual as a motion picture or graphic novel. A wife, mother, grandmother, and retired Kindergarten and music teacher, she lives in a small south Texas town near the Gulf coast where she delves into other worlds filled with daring exploits, adventure, and intense love. She has numerous best sellers, including 10 consecutive #1s. In 2009, she was named Whiskey Creek Press Torrid's Author of the Year, and her book My Strength, My Power, My Love was named the 2009 WCPT Book of the Year. In 2011, her book Lord of Thunder was named the Epic Ebook "Eppie" Award Winner for Best Erotic Sci-Fi Romance. In addition, she write naughty erotic romances under the name of Carolyn Gregg, and horror under the pseudonym of Gail Smith. For more information about Linda Mooney books and titles, and to sign up for her newsletter, please visit her website. http://www.LindaMooney.com

Book preview

1

Segarius 7

She’d just dipped into her bowl of macaroni and cheese when Jonesy leaned over her shoulder.

Cap’s about to make a big announcement.

Ayn jerked, sending hot fake cheese-coated pasta flying into her lap and across the table. Jonesy! You scared the shit out of me! Couldn’t you hail me first instead of dropping over me like that? Jeez, that’s creepy!

Jonesy gave her one of those grins that showed he wasn’t the least bit sorry. I thought you’d want a heads up.

She wiped her hands on her napkin then dusted off the front of her pants as her eyes automatically went to the row of large windows lining the ship’s hull. In the distance, a brownish planet gradually grew in size as they approached it. The moment the orb appeared in sight, she’d known it would be their next destination.

What’s it about? Does it have anything to do with that rock out there? She cut a suspicious look at him. You’ve got that cat that ate the canary smile on your face.

Jonesy made no attempt to disguise it. Just you wait. This is big. He held out his arms. Huge-mongous! He pointed to the scene outside. And it has everything to do with that planet we’re coming up on.

She turned to gaze at the planet again. Obviously it had to be what the announcement was about, but what? Any idea where we are this time? As if it makes a difference. One planet’s the same as all the others, she mentally groused.

Jonesy opened his mouth to reply when the intercom made its usual honking noise to alert everyone to an important message.

"Good mid-morning, everyone! This is Captain Tivey. I’m pretty sure you’ve all noticed the planet we’re targeting. Now, normally I don’t inform you of such matters since all our short stops usually don’t take more than a few days tops, but this one is different.

Everyone, how would you like to cease roaming through space and settle down…permanently?

Ayn inhaled sharply. She turned to question Jonesy, but he’d made his way over to the next table and was in deep discussion with the people sitting there. To make things more intriguing, the intercom had been shut off. The captain was going to drop this bombshell on everyone and then vanish? Jumping up from her table, she rushed over to join them.

…listen. Jonesy held up his hands in a dramatic gesture. All I’ve heard is that this planet is possibly one huge-mongous lump of argasstium.

No! Fastmont countered. The whole planet?

Jonesy nodded. I overheard Krankow from engineering telling others that there’s enough argasstium on that orb to power us for millennia, if not longer!

So what are you saying? Ayn cut in. And then it hit her, and her eyes widened. Are you insinuating we’re going to… She couldn’t get the words out. Fortunately, Vumana voiced them for her and everyone else.

We’re going to settle here? Permanently? Like the captain said?

They all grew silent at the implication, until Gerish scoffed. Naw. No way. We’ve been traveling through the cosmos for eons ever since our great-great-great etcetera grandparents left Earth shortly before it was destroyed.

But our whole purpose has been to ultimately find a planet we could inhabit, Ayn reminded them.

So why haven’t we found one before now, huh? Why are we still drifting from one galaxy to the next? Vumana queried. Are you insinuating we haven’t found one inhabitable planet before now? Because if you are, that’s bullshit, and you know it!

I agree! Gerish joined her. There’s been many planets and systems we found that could sustain life, but for some reason the higher ups decided to keep going. So why now? What’s so damn special about this one?

Ayn started to reply, thought better of it, and kept silent. Fortunately, Jonesy had her back.

Because those other planets either had miniscule amounts of argasstium, or the deposits were located to where major geological damage would have to be done in order to extract it. In those cases, if we’d gone ahead and settled, the resulting destruction most likely would have been too great for the world to recover.

Then I repeat. Why this planet? Gerish gave a side eye to the windows. I don’t see any overt sign of water. The place looks like one giant ball of dirt. There’s no green anywhere that I can see.

If there is water underground, and the planet is uninhabited, it would be the perfect place to colonize, Ayn finally spoke out. We could give it a fresh start.

Like I said, Jonesy continued. Word is, there’s more argasstium under that surface than we’ve encountered in decades. I’m betting the Council determines we put down our roots here.

Where’s here? Kiola piped up. What is this place?

I was told this is the Segarius system. Fourteen planets ring a single middle-sized yellow star. This planet is the seventh one from that star. Hence, Segarius 7.

The intercom honked again. At the same time, the far wall lit up with the image of Captain Tivey. There was no mistaking the man’s joviality.

Take a couple of minutes to find a place to sit, the man ordered, and his attention focused on something off to the side, out of visual range. Everyone standing in the cafeteria hurried to a nearby seat so they could watch what was about to unfold. After another minute or two, Tivey looked back into the screen.

I’m sure you’re hearing all sorts of rumors. Well, I’m here to tell you what’s happening…or what’s about to happen. This is the planet Segarius 7. The man’s face was replaced with a significantly larger view of the world. Ayn stared at the obvious mountainous regions. What was very noticeable was the total lack of blue. The planet had no water. At least no above-ground water that was visible. Which could explain why there was no green anywhere, either. Like Gerish had said, the place resembled one giant ball of dirt.

The captain continued. We’ve discovered that seventy-two percent of Segarius 7 consists of raw argasstium ore. Seventy…two…percent, he emphasized more slowly. "According to our records, the most we’ve ever uncovered on any other planet is eighteen percent.

Since discovering this jewel, our scientists have met with the Council, and their vote is unanimous. Tivey lifted his chin. Our journey has come to an end. We’re going to make Segarius 7 our new home, given certain criteria are met. His smiled widened. And, currently, we don’t foresee any problems with that.

The man looked off-screen again. Ayn guessed it was to give those listening to the announcement the chance to cheer, or gripe, or do whatever they felt they needed to do when reacting to this development.

Tivey addressed the crew and passengers on the North America once more. "In the next couple of hours, all our ships will be entering into orbit around Segarius 7. Squads of the military will shuttle down to the planet’s surface to check for life forms. At this time none of the ships’ scanners have discovered any signs of life, but the military will take a closer look to confirm those findings. If the conclusion is such that there is no life on this planet, our scientists will make a determination as to whether or not we can exist on the surface. But as of this moment, we’ve already ascertained it has a breathable atmosphere, thus fulfilling one major criteria.

"Right now we’re looking at two options. To colonize the surface, or for the ships to form a ring that will permanently orbit above this world like a moon, an option that was given to us by the original designers and builders of these ships.

I know everyone is excited and or fearful. I assure you we are going to take each step slowly and carefully to make certain nothing is overlooked. At this point, after traveling billions of miles, after hundreds of generations living and dying as we searched for a new home, nothing can be left up to chance. No mistakes can be made in determining which of our two options we’ll take. We’re going to take our time because we only get one chance to get this right. Whatever we decide in the next few hours, we’ll have to live with it for the rest of time.

The man straightened his shoulders and took a deep breath. As soon as we know something, I will make another announcement. In the meantime, go about your daily routine as if it’s business as usual. Tivey out.

The screen went blank, leaving the cafeteria in semi-darkness and silence. Like everyone else, Ayn sat in stunned confusion and surprise. Life as they had always known it was over. It was the dawning of a new day and age.

Her gaze moved over to the wall where the planet now filled more than half the window’s view. Their new home. Their forever home. Oddly, instead of feeling apprehensive, a sense of excitement began to fill her. She was a borer. She’d be among those going down to drill out and remove the ore. And she couldn’t wait to get down on that planet to see what it had to offer.

2

Proposal

She was aware of someone coming to sit beside her. Seeing the clad knee nudge her, she immediately knew who it was, and she had a smile ready for him when she lifted her head.

Blynn smiled back. How do you feel about settling down?

Ayn caught the double entendre but chose to ignore the second one. It’s going to feel strange not flying through space anymore.

Ah, but think of all the dangers we’ve had to face when we did. The asteroid belts, the meteor showers, the radioactive nebulae, the—

All right! All right! You’ve made your point! She laughed.

But he continued. And that’s not mentioning those planets with their dangerous or poisonous atmospheres we had to work in, or their gravity that nearly crushed the blood out of your body. I could go on but I won’t.

Thank you.

Have you had dinner yet?

I started to when the captain came on to tell us the news. She checked over her shoulder at where she’d been sitting. It was occupied by others.

Come on. He took her hand and stood, giving her arm a tug. I’m starving. Let’s go get something.

As they made their way toward the front of the cafeteria where the food producers were located, she glanced up at him. Once again she was keenly aware of how small she appeared when she was next to him, and she wasn’t a tiny woman. Blynn Trainer was one of those tall, broad-chested men that most women adored being with. The kind of guy they swooned over and dreamt of. The kind of guy they’d readily jump into bed with, whether they were married or not, just to get a taste of what he had stuffed inside his jumpsuit.

Except Blynn wasn’t the kind of man who got involved in extramarital affairs. From what she’d personally witnessed, and what she’d overhead others say when they spoke of him, he was a loner but dependable and a damn hard worker. Many of the guys on the crew he led when they went down-planet to excavate liked him.

Why in the cosmos he happened to take a liking to her continued to baffle her.

They got their food and found a table where they could have a modicum of privacy while they ate. Ayn glanced at the pot roast he dug into and chuckled. Why you get the same thing almost every time you come to eat continues to astonish me. Or do you only get it when I’m eating with you? Please tell me you don’t have it for breakfast, too.

He lifted those green eyes at her, a deadpan expression on his face. Why don’t you stay over some time and find out?

She managed to answer him with a small smile and nothing else. It was an old… No, not old. More like…long-standing joke… She mentally shook her head. No, it wasn’t a joke either.

Blynn…

I know, I know, he whispered. No pressure. I told you I’m willing to wait.

She dropped her gaze to the bowl of soup she was stirring. I’m sorry.

Don’t be. He reached out to take her hand and gave it a squeeze. I understand. I know you will when you’re ready. I promise you I can wait, and I will wait for you. However long it takes, I’ll be here when you’re ready.

They’d had this discussion before. He wanted her. She wanted him. But her past with Doone, the way her husband had abused and mistreated her, made her freeze whenever Blynn tried to touch her intimately. It had taken months before he could hold her hand or kiss her without her becoming petrified with fear. She knew he’d never hurt her, but her body was too accustomed to going