From Heaven to Hell: Episode Five in the Star Song Series

By Bill Gregg

The ten human survivors of the terrible interstellar war have adapted to the beautiful planet given to them as a refuge by the victorious aliens. Temozar Alkabah, his skin color altered due to his symbiosis with an entity from the dark universe, falls in love with the heroic and beautiful doctor, Artemis Katsaros. But, the idyllic serenity of the refugee colony on the planet Eden is shattered by jealousy, violence, and madness. Looming in the background is the approach of an alien species capable of destroying entire star systems.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bill Gregg
• Release date: Jan 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215934821

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

From Heaven to Hell

(Episode Five in the Star Song series)

by Bill Gregg

From Heaven to Hell

(Episode Five in the Star Song series)

By Bill Gregg

Copyright © 2023 by William Richard Gregg

Published by Bill Gregg on Smashwords 2023

Edited by Bill Gregg

Cover Illustration by Storn Cook

Cover Design by yourebookcover.com

First Edition January 2023

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 couple strolled along the beach, their boots leaving a trail of footprints in the reddish sand. Artemis Katsaros, a radiantly beautiful woman named after an ancient Greek goddess, walked side by side with Temozar Alkabah. Alkabah’s heritage included, Arab, Kurdish, and Canarian ancestors from the ruined planet, Original Earth. Once a darkly handsome intelligence officer, his skin was now colored with brilliant stripes of red, blue, green, yellow, and magenta.

Artemis was a doctor, formerly a medical officer for the EEC, Earth Extraterrestrial Command. Temozar was an exolinguist, a scholar of alien languages, formerly an intelligence specialist in the EEC. Now the pair were exiles, captured by the victorious Shirrah after the conclusion of their successful war against Earth Extraterrestrial Command. The aliens showed great kindness and mercy to their defeated enemies. Temozar and Artemis, along with eight other survivors of the interstellar conflict, were taken by the Shirrah to a habitable planet where they could live out the rest of their days. The humans named their idyllic world, Eden, after the mythical birthplace of humanity on Original Earth.

Temozar’s female companion was a fair skinned beauty with hair the color of gold and extremely pale blue eyes. Of Greek ancestry, she had been named by her parents after the ancient goddess of nature, midwifery, wildlife, the Moon, and archery. Like the mythical goddess, she remained a virgin, but her resolve to remain chaste was tested by her growing attraction to Alkabah. In fact, she had fallen deeply in love with him despite his unusual appearance.

Temozar and Artemis had gravitated towards each other since their first meeting on Eden. They had quickly become close friends and confidants. They often spent mornings away from the village, walking together on the shore of Eden’s endless sea. On that beach, about a kilometer from the village, was a distinctive, large pink stone that they used as a natural bench. They would frequently stop there to sit and talk or just gaze at the beautiful seascape and enjoy each other’s company.

The pair were not yet lovers. Alkabah’s natural reserve and Katsaros’ dignity and the great value she placed on her virginity kept them from plunging into a sexual relationship. The physical attraction was certainly there. So far, they were taking things slowly, cautiously. Their emotional attachment was growing, and their embraces and kisses became more passionate,