Treason: Episode One in the Star Song Series

By Bill Gregg

Commander Temozar Alkabah is an intelligence officer in the Earth Extraterrestrial Command. As the EEC's top expert in alien languages, he has been studying the musical speech of the frond shaped animals on the planet Shirr Null. When war breaks out between humans and the Shirrah, he is assigned the task of interrogating a captured alien warrior. During the interrogations, the alien often turns the tables by asking cynical and incisive questions about human aggression and violence.

But in the back and forth of their musical conversations, a rapport develops between the two representatives of different species. The harsh realities of war force Alkabah to make a difficult choice between military duty and his human compassion. The choice he makes will determine the course of the rest of his life.

“Treason” is the first installment of 20 self standing stories, each about 10,000 words, that make up the “Star Song” saga, a complete science fiction novel. Although “Star Song” was inspired by the cliffhanging serials of science fiction's golden age, these stories are aimed at the more sophisticated reader of the 21st century. The series follows Temozar Alkabah, born in a subterranean refuge on the ruined planet Earth, as he goes from adventure to adventure in the far reaches of the galaxy. But the adventures of the characters in “Star Song” turn out to be more psychological and emotional than swashbuckling. Alkabah discovers the universe is a far stranger place than he could ever imagine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bill Gregg
• Release date: Aug 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005226282

Bill Gregg

I write fiction from some subconscious compulsion rather than a desire for financial gain or adulation. Even though my bookish inclinations led me to a position as the editor of my college literary journal, then to five years work for a small avante-garde publishing house, I didn't pursue my desire to write fiction until later in life. I had poetry published but no stories or novels. Now, after a lifetime filled with amazing experiences, I sit down to write every day. I decided to issue the resulting science fiction and fantasy short stories on Smashwords in case there are readers for my somewhat antiquated and literary style. In addition to shorter fiction, I'm currently publishing a serialized science fiction novel, “Star Song” on Smashwords , with a new 10,000 word installment posted every month.Much of my science fiction shows the influence of my experience in military intelligence with the US Navy's Naval Security Group (NAVSECGRU, now NETWARCOM). During my tour, I flew on numerous reconnaissance missions with VQ-1 (Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One) in the Far East. After that I worked for a few years in publishing, then as a traveling folk musician. Finally, I settled into a career in biotechnology. I retired from scientific work to teach music at a fine arts academy in Upstate New York. All my life I've been an outdoorsman, and my love of nature shows through in all of my fiction. I live in the scenic Finger Lakes area of New York State where I enjoy hiking, gardening, archery, and the company of my beautiful wife and our wonderful dog, Dash.

Book preview

Treason

(Episode One in the Star Song series)

by Bill Gregg

Treason

(Episode One of the Star Song series)

By Bill Gregg

Copyright © 2022 by William Richard Gregg

Published by Bill Gregg on Smashwords 2022

Edited by Bill Gregg

Cover Illustration by Storn Cook

Cover Design by yourebookcover.com

First Edition August 2022

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the author, except for the purpose of reviews.

This book is a work of fiction and all names, characters, places, and incidents are fictional. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is coincidental.

This is your subject, Commander. Captain Bowden stretched out his hand to indicate the enemy alien imprisoned in the chamber. We’ve recreated its atmosphere in this enclosure. It’s mostly nitrogen and methane with several toxic trace gases like cyanoacetylene, acetonitrile, and hydrogen cyanide. The creature doesn’t need what we would call food. All we need to do is put powdered hematite and gypsum in there.

The civilian biologist, Drew Harrington, interjected. It’s a chemoautotroph. It uses inorganic chemicals to create the energy it needs to live. It’s really fascinating to study these beings. I’ve never encountered anything like this - chemoautotrophs with higher intelligence.

Commander Alkabah examined the creature in the transparent chamber. It was about two meters tall, shaped like a leaf or the point of a spear with its tip extended towards the overhead. The narrow throat, or socket end of the spearhead terminated in a disk shaped base. The base was covered with innumerable appendages, small legs which propelled it back and forth with a smooth, gliding motion. The broad surfaces of the blade had a multicolored quilted pattern, a symmetrical design on either side of a vertical center line. Unlike an actual spearhead, the creature’s body was very flexible. It waved to and fro like kelp moving in the current of an earthly ocean.

You see, Doctor Harrington continued, Those darker patches on the front and rear of the blade are light sensors - eyes, if you will. The slits, again on both faces of the blade, we believe are ears. The holes that open and close in the socket of the spear - breathing tubes I think. The tubes are also used for the vocalizations that the Commander has discovered are an actual language. The alien doesn’t need a mouth. The cilia on its base bring in the chemicals it needs to survive. As you can see, it moves purposefully. Those appendages that cover the base can elongate and manipulate things, like hundreds of little fingers. Down there on the planet they make crude dwellings and mine minerals in underground tunnels. Until the attacks we never thought of them as anything but primitive animals. We never dreamed they were capable of such advanced technology.

Captain Bowden exclaimed, "And deadly! They have been tearing our transports and our battle fleet to pieces. Now that we’ve captured one alive, it’s up to you, Commander, to interrogate this creature and find out everything you can that will help