Exile: Episode Two in the Star Song Series

By Bill Gregg

The “Star Song” series might just be space opera for people who don't normally read science fiction. Although there is drama and conflict, these tales are not just swashbuckling in outer space. Amid the fantastic and scientific elements, emotions, psychology, and spirituality of human and alien characters are major factors in the story. In this episode, “Exile”, former Commander Alkabah is rescued by enemy aliens from a lingering death in an execution pod. Because of his compassionate release of a Shirrah prisoner during the recent war, the Shirrah offer to honor Alkabah by “adopting” him into the Great Family of Shirr. The mysterious ceremony in the warship's chapel begins a strange transformation of the man who was of the last generation born on the ruined planet, Original Earth. The Shirrah warship picks up another survivor on their way to a planet where the rescued humans will live out their lives. The new arrival notices a subtle but shocking change in Temozar Alkabah's appearance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bill Gregg
• Release date: Oct 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005914288

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

EXILE

(Episode Two in the Star Song series)

by Bill Gregg

Exile

(Episode Two 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 October 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.

The deafening clang roused Temozar Alkabah from his torpor. The sudden jolting made him wonder if the drifting spacecraft had been struck by a rock. But as consciousness returned, he realized that anything that could have shaken the tiny vessel that hard should have destroyed it. Then he almost wished he had been destroyed. His thirst was so fierce that it was as if tiny demons with red hot knives were slicing his throat from the inside out. His parched throat almost made him forget the pangs of hunger that gnawed at his belly. He knew that another few days without water would lead to disorientation, coma, and death. This was the fate of convicted traitors, to be sent into empty space to die in a minimalist execution pod. Before he had been sealed in and launched into the void he talked with his friend Doctor Harrington. The biologist was frank and told him that dehydration would kill him before he could starve to death, and long before the air ran out.

Temozar Alkabah, formerly a full commander in Earth Extraterrestrial Command's intelligence division, now a condemned traitor awaiting death, knew he had options. He could wait until he perished in agony from dehydration. He also knew he had the option to open the air lock and release the outside hatch, which would lead to sudden, explosive decompression in the near total vacuum of interstellar space. Faced with this form of judicial execution, the second option was probably what most of the condemned prisoners would choose. But no one knew for sure. The will to live is so powerful that it sometimes prolongs life even when faced with the prospect of certain death. Temozar had to make a choice. Should he remain alive in the drifting spacecraft enduring the torments of hunger and thirst, or should he blow the hatch and end it instantly?

Then more loud bangs roused him from his morbid ruminations. What could be happening? He felt a slight, brief acceleration, then a sudden, complete stop. This was very mysterious. The suspicion grew that a larger spacecraft had latched onto the execution pod. He knew that none of Earth Extraterrestrial Command's vehicles would approach the death craft, even if in a trillion to one chance a human ship should encounter the red and black striped execution capsule. In any case, the recent defeat of Earth's Forces meant that no humans remained in this vast sector of the galaxy. He knew of no other intelligent, space faring beings in this sector except....

The Shirrah!

The execution pod was not equipped with any communications system. There would be no need for reception or transmission of information for a condemned prisoner. So, he couldn't