Endurance: The Complete Series Page 42
The biggest surprise to him had been when Viktor Ivanokoff and Areva Praphasat announced their resignation. Areva was quitting entirely; Viktor was returning to Median City criminal investigations. Matthias wondered if Areva was going to become a PI or a consultant or maybe a hitman. Or perhaps the two of them would become philosophers. He didn’t know.
By the time Matthias was ready for space again, the Alegría had been outfitted with a D Drive, a talky box, and even experimental weapons developed from the Haxozin bazooka rifle technology over the past months. He couldn’t wait to take one apart.
He stood on the bridge and looked around at the improved technology, new carpet, and non-shaky command chair. Captain Withers swiveled to greet him. “Lieutenant, welcome aboard.”
“Thanks, Cap. How was your vacation?”
“More a working vacation than a restful one, but Loretta and I still had a few nice dinners out.” The captain smiled. “Ready to go?”
“Yup yup!” said Matthias.
“Then helm, take us up.”
The ship barely rattled as it revved to life. The liftoff was smooth, the glide up into the atmosphere smoother. The only turbulence came as they punched through the clouds and rocketed into the welcoming volume of space. Then all went still again.
Matthias studied the stars and found himself grinning. “Where we going first, Cap?”
“Well, Captain Nandoro’s taking her ship along one edge of the galactic arm. We’re covering the opposite side. Shouldn’t be too eventful.”
“Perfect.” Matthias’s smile grew. “It’ll be a great time to work out my new project.”
The captain swiveled the chair to face him again. “What project?”
“Nothing too big, sir. Just an idea I’ve been bouncing around for a while. I have a research proposal here for you to approve.” Matthias held out his pocket comp. “It’s for a way to use D Drive to visit alternate universes. Wouldn’t that be cool?”
Captain Withers groaned and pushed the pocket comp away. “Not right now, Habassa. We just solved this universe’s problems. We don’t need more.”
Matthias folded his pocket comp and tucked it away, but didn’t lose his smile.
He’d try again later.
After all, they had plenty of time.
Until then, refusals were just so much water off his back.
* * *
Ivanokoff’s Quotes
From Enduring Endurance
“What a terrible thing, war is.”
- Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace
From Mightier than the Sword
“Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look. Such men are dangerous.”
- William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar (1.2.204-205)
From Preferred Dead
“I have never died in all my life.”
- Cervantes, Don Quixote
“Before the government threw me over, I preferred to throw the government over.”
- Cervantes, Don Quixote
“Once more unto the breach ...”
- William Shakespeare, King Henry V (3.1.1)
“Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head.”
- Euripides
From Wet Ducks
“He gave his honours to the world again,
His blessed part to heaven, and slept in peace.”
- William Shakespeare, Henry VIII (4.2.29)
“Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depths of love.”
- George Eliot
“Either victory, or else a grave.”
- William Shakespeare, Henry VI Part III (2.2.173)
Author’s Note
I hope you enjoyed the Endurance series. If so, I would appreciate a review left on Amazon, Goodreads, your blog, and/or any other site where you choose to post. Reviews are an author’s lifeblood, affecting everything from retail promotion of a book to whether readers decide to try a new series. Your review makes a huge difference, even if it’s only a few words long.
Throughout this series I have tried to be as scientifically realistic as possible while dealing with decidedly unrealistic storylines. A few people are to thank for that: Jeff Adkins, for correcting my astrophysics, Chris Adkins (no relation) for critiquing my medical science, and Justin Spahn, for fixing my aerospace engineering and flight mechanics. Any remaining scientific errors are entirely my own fault.
Thank you to Robert for providing insight into the workings of the police force, to Jenny Zemanek for the beautiful cover design, and to Shauna, Mitch, Hercules, the members of the East County Writers Group, and my parents, Marjorie and Walt, for beta reading, editing, and providing feedback. I couldn’t do this without all of you.
Thanks be to God, for creating this awesome universe in which we live. May we one day explore beyond the boundaries of our little corner of it.
Finally, thanks to you, Reader, for deciding to pick up this book by an unknown indie author. I hope the story took you for a great ride.
Blessings to you!
About the Author
Amy C. Spahn is the author of the Endurance novellas of comedic science fiction. Her work has appeared in Outposts of Beyond Magazine and various anthologies and small publications. She enjoys solving riddles and practicing martial arts, though not at the same time.
She, her husband, and their cat spend their time staring at little markings on paper and pretending it takes them to another world. Sometimes they do the same with pixels on a screen. It’s either magic, or insanity. Probably both.
Visit her website at www.acspahn.com, where she blogs about intellectualism, fight scenes, cats, and writing, or follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/acspahn where she does the same, but in 140 characters.