Love and War: Episode Nine in the Star Song Series

By Bill Gregg

The battle for control of the planet Eden and its intelligent inhabitants heats up. Great numbers of new refugees have been swayed by Khaozian propaganda. Temozar Alkabah continues his undercover work, gaining the trust of the invaders and infiltrating the humans renegades who are collaborating with the Khaozians. In the midst of all this turmoil, Artemis tells Temozar she wants to bear his child. Temozar, like all male members of the Earth Extraterrestrial Command, was sterilized to prevent mutations from interstellar radiation during their long sojourns in space.
The Khaozian invaders give Temozar an assignment to use his exolinguistic skills to communicate with the land sharks. He begins to decipher the language and opens a dialog with a representative from the fierce creatures. He discovers that the land sharks, despite their monstrous appearance, are intelligent beings with a surprisingly sophisticated view of life. Jack Bristow, leader of the criminal element among the refugees from Earth Three, becomes a threat to the stability of the human colony even as it finds itself in a mortal struggle with the Khaozians.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bill Gregg
• Release date: Jul 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215556023

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

Love and War

(Episode Nine in the Star Song series)

by Bill Gregg

Love and War

(Episode Nine of 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 July 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.

Temozar Alkabah looked with wonder at his lover’s naked body. Alkabah frequently referred to her as a goddess. Artemis had a perfectly shaped body that had grown somewhat muscular in the heavy gravity of the planet Eden. Her blond hair had once cascaded to her shoulders in light golden ringlets. Her complexion had been pale, flawless skin slightly tanned by Eden’s sun, Helios. Artemis’ posture gave her a regal, almost haughty appearance. Her face was that of a Greek statue, but there was an indefinable gentleness in her pale blue eyes.

But now! Now, Temozar saw a woman transformed. She still carried herself with that natural majesty. Her hair still fell to her shoulders in ringlets, but her locks were streaked with five colors; bright red, blue, green, yellow and magenta. Her skin, from the top of her skull to the tips of her toes was striped with the same bold hues. The irises of her eyes remained a pale blue in color, but there were barely discernable fuchsia membranes showing beneath her upper eyelids.

You are, Temozar said with a hint of awe in his voice, one of us now.

Artemis stretched out her arms and raised her palms to the sky where Eden’s silvery rings glittered in the light of Helios. The ecstasy, she replied softly. Now I know what you meant when you spoke about euphoria when you entered the trance. It’s indescribable. She lowered her hands and sighed deeply. And the sensory enhancement, and the insights.... Temozar, you were right. The Shirrah have given us a great gift. Along with the change of skin color, they’ve amplified our lives.

Temozar frowned a little. It’s not completely the Shirrah’s doing. These changes are the result of making contact with Me le fa sol te - the Luminous Darkness. The Shirrah enable this. They introduce us to Luminous Darkness and guide us along the way.

It’s too bad we have to deal with so many problems here on Eden instead of being able to enjoy our new lives.

Temozar began to shuffle back and forth across the room.

Look, Artemis