Thanks for having me today, Michelle! I’m here today to talk
about my new release, The Cassini Mission.
This is the second book in the Galactic Conspiracies series, following The Degan Incident. Not strictly a sequel, the book builds upon the
plot of the first book. Featuring a new set of characters, it dives deeper into
what those nasty researchers were trying to do in the first book.
Readers of The Degan
Incident may remember Dr. Aron Adler, the biologist that clinic doctor
Flynn calls for his expert opinion on Devin’s little “problem.” This book is
told from Aron’s perspective, just as he is ordered to take part in a rescue
mission on a distant research outpost.
To celebrate the release, I am giving away a copy of The Cassini Mission to one of the commenters.
Just leave a comment on this post with your email address. The contest ends on
Tuesday at 11:59 midnight EST. The winner will be notified by email address.
In the meantime, please enjoy this excerpt from the first
chapter of The Cassini Mission.
Blurb:
The adventure continues in this action-packed follow up
to The Degan Incident!
Dr. Aron Adler is ordered to take part in a rescue mission
to a research colony located on an uninhabited planet in the outer rim. He is
to immediately report to the U.S.C. Cassini, which will take Aron, two
other scientists, and a unit of Union Marines to the colony. Once there, they
are to assess the situation and retrieve any data or specimens.
Formerly a scientist in the Union Navy, Aron was
dishonorably discharged following a court-martial for failing to obey orders.
Stepping foot on the Cassini brings up old feelings he would
rather forget. Shunned by the crew of the Cassini, Aron finds
comfort in the arms—and bed—of Marine corporal Kane Robertson.
Upon reaching the colony, it becomes apparent that not
everything is as it seems. Once again, Aron is faced with a difficult decision:
follow orders or follow his heart.
Purchase Links:
Available
in eBook from:
Amazon.com and Kindle store
BarnesAndNoble.com
and Nook store
Available
in Paperback from:
Amazon.com (includes the ebook free through
Kindle MatchBook)
My Links:
Excerpt:
Doctor Aron Adler; access granted.
At the computer’s pleasant announcement, the security lock
disengaged and the door opened with a swoosh.
Not looking up from my comPad, I made my way to my lab’s
main workstation. Once seated, I transferred control from the pad to my
workstation and activated the scanner. I had just gotten the electron scanner
calibrated and it was now streaming bio-chemical data to the large computer
screens mounted on my lab wall.
“Yes,” I said in triumph as I skimmed over the new data.
Everything looked to be in order.
With my eyes locked onto my screens, I called out to our
lab’s resident research assistant. “Thomas, please start a DNA profile analysis
on the specimen that’s being scanned.”
When I didn’t get a response, I lifted my head up and
swiveled my stool around, annoyed that he wasn’t answering me. “Thomas—”
Thomas wasn’t sitting at his station. I scratched my head,
thinking back to when I walked into the room. Was Thomas even in his seat when
I arrived? He must have gone to the break room. He was never without a doughnut
it seemed. I shrugged and turned back to my work. I was better off without him
anyway.
A flashing icon on my screen caught my eye. I tapped the
icon to bring up my comm panel. Apparently, I had missed a call from Devin
Drago. Not expecting to hear from the young man, I was pleasantly surprised.
I had come across his case when an old friend contacted me
with bioscans of a pregnant human male. I had heard of spontaneous womb
generation in other species, but had never come across a human male with the condition,
so of course I was fascinated. When Devin said the Degan male who impregnated
him claimed to be his true bondmate and had gone missing, I had used my
connections with a colleague who worked for the Degan Science Institute to
inquire about the missing bondmate.
It was through my colleague that they tracked down the
Degan’s father. Imagine my horror when I found out that Devin had been taken
prisoner by a rogue group of scientists. Thankfully he was rescued by the
Degans and the couple was reunited. Last I heard, he was living happily on Dega
with his bondmate.
Pressing play on the message, I was greeted
by a smiling Devin. He held a squirming toddler on his lap. The boy’s
half-Human/half-Degan heritage was apparent in his ears and eyes, not to mention
the horn nubs on the top of his head.
“Hi, Doctor Adler. It’s me, Devin Drago. I bet you didn’t
expect to hear from me, but I wanted to again thank you for your help. This our
son, Callan. We wouldn’t be here without you. And well…” With a grunt,
Devin pushed up from his chair and stood slightly, revealing the swell of his
belly. A very pregnant belly. “Surprise. Well, I’d better go before Bastian
drags me back to bed. I’m supposed to be resting. Say ‘bye’ to the doc,
sweetie.”
Devin and his son waved to the screen as the message ended.
I returned to my work with a smile on my face.
I wasn’t sure how long I had been caught up in my work when
the door opened unexpectedly.
“Doctor Adler,” Thomas panted.
I looked up from my computer screen and frowned at the
research assistant for interrupting me. The portly man leaned against the door
frame, his hand clutching his chest as he tried to pull in lungfuls of air.
I reached over and tapped the computer controls to begin the
chemical analysis process. “Thomas. You really are in bad shape. All that crap
you eat. You should come running with me sometime. Now, if you’ll excuse me,
I’m in the middle of something.” I tapped again to queue up the DNA profile
process.
He shook his head forcefully while waving his hand back and
forth in front of him. He managed to sputter between breaths, “No. Navy. Here.”
Well, that certainly got my attention. The Navy was here?
Was that what he was trying to tell me?
A barrage of unpleasant memories flooded my mind. Feeling
sick to my stomach, I felt an overwhelming need to get the hell out of here. As
I stood up from my stool, two men dressed in standard Union Navy security
uniforms pushed into my lab, practically knocking Thomas down in the process.
My eyes darted around the room, looking for a quick exit.
“Doctor Aron Adler?” the officer intoned. “Your presence is
required at Union Military Headquarters.” His hand not-so-subtly moved on top
of the phase pistol holstered to his belt. “Immediately.”
Crap.
