Starship Guinevere: The Star Trader series, #1

By Gary W. Feather

Erica Williams needs a second chance in life, but she will have to fight for it.

 

Erica has failed at being a Zen Buddhist nun after over a decade of training. She returns home to her large family's starship and their trading business on the frontier of known space.

 

The first thing Erica learns is the Starship Guinevere and her all-female crew have a price on their heads. Someone wants them dead. Who? Why?

 

The strange lizard-like aliens called Lorkiiz kidnapped Erica's mother and other women. What do they want?

 

One thing Erica learned as nun was how to fight, but will that be enough to save her and her family from this new threat?

 

If you loved the tv show Firefly, Andre Norton's Solar Queen books and Poul Anderson's David Falkayn books, and C.J. Cherryh's Chanur books; then get ready for a more space trading adventures with a gender bending twist.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Interstellar Bushido Publishing
• Release date: Apr 15, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224233595

Book preview

STARSHIP GUINEVERE

Book one of the Star Traders series

Gary W. Feather

Starship Guinevere by Gary W. Feather

Copyright © 2016 Gary W. Feather. All rights reserved.

Second edition: Copyright © 2024. Gary W. Feather. All rights reserved.

Published by interstellar Bushido Publishing

Cover art by The Cover Collection

Author website: https://www.garywfeatherauthor.com/

All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in the fiction in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Contents

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1.ERICA

2.ERICA

3.ALBERTA

4.ERICA

5.ERICA

6.ALBERTA

7.ERICA

8.ERICA

9.ERICA

10.ERICA

11.ERICA

12.ERICA

13.ERICA

14.ALBERTA

15.ERICA

16.ERICA

17.ERICA

18.ALBERTA

19.ERICA

20.ALBERTA

21.ERICA

22.ALBERTA

23.ERICA

24.ALBERTA

25.ERICA

26.ALBERTA

27.ERICA

28.ALBERTA

29.ERICA

30.ALBERTA

31.ERICA

32.ALBERTA

33.ERICA

34.ALBERTA

35.ERICA

36.ALBERTA

37.ERICA

38.ALBERTA

39.ERICA

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Chapter one

ERICA

Erica Williams walked into a bar. The bar was on the planet Caroline near the main spaceport, thus it catered to spacers like her family.

One unclaimed table waited for her with its two chairs. It was too close to the dancers, in her opinion, but she took it.

Women and men at the surrounding tables cheered and whistled at the dancers, who were in various stages of undress. All the dancers were women or men. As far as Erica could see, none of the dancers were T-females of the Yin Confederation like herself.

A woman with a very short mini-skirt and matching white blouse that barely hid her nipples pranced over to her table.

Hello, darling. She placed an elegant, well-manicured hand on Erica's hand. Erica felt a shock at something she'd never felt before. I'm Martha. Your waitress. What kind of drink can I start you with?

Oolong tea, Erica replied and tried to stop her lower lip from trembling. H-hot.

Martha brushed a finger down Erica's nose. Hot. Sure, darling. Martha blew her kiss and turned away.

Erica tried to stop herself from watching Martha's wiggling rump as she went away.

What am I doing? Erica looked down at the tabletop. I'm here to get picked up by my family not fantasize about a beautiful woman just doing her job.

Erica's family—the Williams clan—were traders who hauled cargo from one star system to another for pay or sold their own cargo for profit. They were from a medium-sized interstellar nation called the Yin Confederation. The planet Caroline was a primitive planet that hosted businesses for space travelers rather than having their own space agency. The spaceports belonged to foreign investors not locally owned.

Here you go, darling. Martha said and shocked Erica out of her thoughts.

Th-thank you. Erica touched the handle of the teacup. She could feel the heat.

Anytime, darling. Martha stroked a finger along Erica's nose again, causing her to feel a blush. And what are you doing here? You don't seem to be watching the dancers like the other customers. Martha winked. Did you come to see me?

Oh, sorry. Erica continued to blush. I have family coming here to pick me up.

That cute accent sounds like you're from Yin.

Erica nodded. We're space traders.

Deep space traders?

Right. Erica turned away. Why am I talking so much?

So, darling. Where've you been? Martha sat in the other chair. Erica wondered if that wouldn't get the waitress in trouble with her boss.

Been?

I've heard deep space traders have large tight nit families. Martha smiled and her perfume teased Erica's nose. So, are you returning from college or prison?

Oh. Erica cleared her throat and looked away for a second before replying. I left my family to join a Buddhist monastery for over a decade.

So that's why you're nearly bald.

Erica nodded.

I don't think it suits you. Martha commented. You'd look sexier if your hair was long. Does your hair wave, or is it straight or kinky?

Waves. Erica said.

Martha stood. She pushed her chair in, then gazed into Erica's eyes. Erica couldn't look away from her blue eyes. Martha shivered all over. Erica could tell it was an exaggeration. I could just eat you up. Mmm.

Martha blew her a kiss and walked away. This time, Erica forgot to stop herself from watching Martha's swishing buns.

Once Martha had left her sight, Erica took her first sip of the tea. She licked her lips. It was actually good.

Erica!

A teenage girl was waving at her. Erica didn't recognize her. Then she saw Lynna and Téa behind the girl. The trio were dressed in blue and red civilian jumpsuits with the Guinevere ship patch over the left breast.

Erica stood to shake hands. She didn't recognize the girl, but she had the tiny, pointed nose of the Williams' women. The clan probably patented it. Another cousin?

The girl jumped on her with a hug. Remember me?

Huh?

That's my little sister, Gwen, Lynna Williams said. Hey, cuz.

Oh, hey kiddo, Erica said and Gwen stepped back.

Kid? Gwen said, with her arms crossed. I'm seventeen. I'll be legally a woman in eight months.

Sorry, Gwen.

Careful, Gwen, Téa said. You're probably legal on this planet five years ago. Téa chuckled when Gwen blushed, then pointed at the dancers. Have you been enjoying the dancers while we waited? Bet you haven't seen a naked cock since you've been stuck in that nunnery of yours.

Erica looked at Téa, whom she’d never liked. Tea's look told her that Téa felt the same way. Asshole! Buddhist monasteries are not male or female only. Unlike in the past or like the Druid Monasteries in Victorian space, stupid.

Whatever, nerd, Téa snapped.

Will you two stop it? Lynna said. We need to get back to the ship as soon as pos—

A blaster bolt burst through Lynna's left hip. Lynn screamed and knocked over the chair that Martha had used.

Lynna! Gwen screamed.

Fuck! Téa cursed.

Who? Erica said.

Grab her, Erica. Téa drew her blaster.

Gwen had a similar one in her hand.

Why is someone trying to kill us?

Most everyone in the bar had dropped behind tables and anything else. Erica pulled off her t-shirt and pressed it against Lynna's wound. Lynna screamed again. Erica picked up her wounded cousin and half-carried her towards the door. Téa and Gwen followed them and fired shots at someone as they left the bar.

Fuck! Fuck! Téa pulled out her tablet to shout into it. Lynna's been shot. We got Erica. Possibly just one attacker, but maybe more. She needs a doctor immediately. We could use some help, damn it!

We're on our way, a familiar voice announced from the tablet.

Did Téa call the Daughter? Were they at the spaceport?

Erica helped Lynna down the steps outside of the bar. Lynna was bleeding; Erica tried to keep her hand on the bloody shirt. There were over twenty hovercars and ground cars in the parking lot. A man jumped out of a nearby ground car and tackled Erica and Lynna. Lynna yelped in pain.

Erica got up with her cousin's blood on her hand. She squeezed them into fists and glared at him.

The man swung a right cross. Erica blocked it, but his left hook smashed into her ribs. Ow! That hurt!. She gritted her teeth and sent out a couple of straight jabs. He dodged her left straight jab and roundhouse kicked at her hurt ribs. She sidestepped away from the kick not to avoid it but slow the impact. Erica caught the leg and sweeped his standing leg.

The man fell. Then he rolled backwards and came up on his feet. Bitch! he snarled and yanked out an extendable baton.

Erica ducked the first swing and took a second one on her knee. She stumbled back from the pain but didn't fall.

He charged in with another baton swing. Erica moved in close to him and joined with his momentum. She grabbed his wrist with her left hand and cupped her right palm against the back of his head. Erica flung him and landed with her right knee on his chest. She brought his baton arm down on her knee to break it. The man surprised her with a kick to her head.

Ow! Erica shook her head and backed off. She saw a star, but only one. The ground kick had shocked her, but gravity had slowed it down for Caroline had near Earth gravity.

The baton man flipped his weapon around. He moved wearily towards her and tossed out a couple of feints. When he committed to his next swing Erica slipped to the outside this time. She pushed down on his baton hand to encourage to go down. This opened him up for a chop to the throat. He gaged and reached for his throat. She aimed a hammer fist strike to his temple. But he turned his head as he coughed for breath. The bottom of Erica's fist smashed into the back of his skull.

He dropped to the ground. Was he dead? No!

Oh gods! Erica screamed then she looked at the action around her. She felt her adrenalin slowing as she panted.

Téa and Gwen were in a firefight with the driver in the ground car until the driver slumped in the seat.

Who are these crazy people? Erica said.

Long... story...Erica, Lynna said.

Our car is over here! Gwen helped Erica get Lynna into the backseat of the hovercar.

Gwen sprayed medic goop all over her sister's wound to stop the bleeding. Lynna leaned her head on Erica's shoulder. She was shivering. Téa started the engine. Gwen hopped into the front passenger seat and Erica stayed with Lynna. The hovercar lifted and headed off through the streets.

Where's the ship? Erica said.

Caroline's main spaceport, off course, Téa said.

I don't see anyone following us, Gwen said. Maybe we lost them.

That'd be sweet, kiddo, Téa snorted. But just keep watching.

Fine, Gwen spat back.

The spaceport wasn't too far from the town where the bars and brothels were located, especially at Téa's speed. Various rocketships along with a tall control tower, could be seen. Another hovercar was headed towards them from the spaceport.

I hope that's our people, Erica said and looked behind her. There was no one coming from that way.

Ugh! Lynna mumbled and clutched her wound. Me too.

Gwen's tablet beeped at her.

Hello, this is Gwen.

Hello, Gwen. This is your Aunt Amy. You should see us coming. Is Lynna conscious?

Yes, she is, Gwen said.

Good. Slow down and we'll meet you. Aunt Amy said. "I'll change spots with whoever is in the backseat with Lynna.

Okay. Gwen turned her head. That'll be you, Erica.

Right. Erica nodded.

Téa stopped as the other hovercar arrived.

Dr. Amy Menendez jumped out with a med bag. Hello, Erica. No time to talk.

Okay. Erica nodded and dodged as the doctor took her spot in the back seat.

Erica moved to the other hover car. She found Amy's husband, Saul Menendez, in the driver's seat. Eric took the empty seat beside him. In the back were her cousins, Isabelle Menendez, and Cyma Williams. Erica gave them a nod, which they returned. The hover cars took off for the spaceport. Am I a murderer? Did I kill that man back there?

They showed their IDs to the security guards before entering the spaceport. The large free trader rocketship loomed in front of them. Her full name was Guinevere's Daughter. Erica had been born on her over three standard decades ago.

Did you miss her? Isabelle asked Erica.

Erica sighed, for she realized for the first time that she had missed the old ship.

Kind of, Erica shrugged.

Saul drove the hovercar up the ramp behind Téa's drive. The large ramp led them into Daughter's biggest cargo hold. Would he get medical care in time? I chopped his throat and hit the back of his head. Did I kill him?

Erica wiped her sweaty palms on her pant legs. She had never killed or seriously crippled anyone. Sure, she had bloodied a nose and cracked someone's ribs, but nothing serious.

Shit! Erica said.

What? Saul parked the hovercar.

Nothing, Erica said.

Some of Aunt Amy's medical team was waiting with an anti-grav gurney. Erica started to follow the others; somebody grabbed her arm. She turned to face her mom, Piper Williams, the security chief of Guinevere's second shift crew.

I'm glad you're back, Erica. Piper let go of Erica's arm, reached out to touch her head, and stopped. All Buddhist monks and nuns at the monastery were bald. Erica had stopped shaving it once she'd left. It was still pretty short.

Thanks, Mom. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. This is awkward. I feel like I'm nine years old again and hiding a cookie I'd stole.

Your other mother is glad you're back too,