Science Fiction
Date Published: 10-08-2022
Publisher: The Chapel Perilous
Bevil Cyrex, adrift in space on a ship determined to kill him, stumbles
across an ancient and abandoned space station called The Starlite.
Once on board the station he sets about repairing it, with the goal of
opening up for business.
Along the way he befriends a possibly sociopathic, all powerful nanite
swarm, who has decided to take on the appearance and mannerisms of his
grandmother.
He must also contend with being hunted by an ex-mob enforcer looking for
revenge, a handful of pirates and various threats of invasion, marriage and
death.
All in all, Bevil would have to admit, things were really looking up.
Excerpt
Chapter 1
The phone was ringing. It would not stop ringing. Bevil knew that if he did not pick up the phone it would continue to ring. Then it would stop. Then it would ring again. The flashing name on the screen to his left sent dread throughout his entire body; it was one word, one name, MOM.
Bevil answered, “Hi, mom!” he said with as much gaiety as he could muster.
“Bevil, dear, it’s mom.”
“Yes mom I know.” Bevil’s mom had been calling everyday for the last two weeks. Usually he would speak to his parents once a week, maybe once every other week, but with the big Jamboree coming up things were getting a little intense.
“I wanted to talk to you about the Jamboree if you have time, dear,” said his mother in that lilting yet authoritative tone that made it very clear that she didn’t care if he had the time, they were definitely going to talk about it.
“What’s up?”
“Well, we just got word that both the Majere and the Fireforge will be able to attend.”
“Uh huh.” Bevil braced himself for what was coming next.
“I have spoken to the captains of both ships and they are very interested in having you meet a couple of very eli- gible young ladies,” said his mother.
“Okay, mom.” Bevil needed to phrase this next bit care- fully. “But are you sure we want to ally ourselves with the Majere or Fireforge?”
“Bevil Cyrex! You know good and well that we have been allied with those ships for generations. Now you listen to me, young man. I am very happy you’ve been having fun out there, but you are going to come home and we are going to find you a wife!”
Bevil knew his mom wasn’t really angry, she simply missed him and was worried about him. As the ship’s Exec- utive Matron she was also obsessed with keeping the genetic makeup of the Cyrex as diverse as possible, which meant pairing people up at functions such as the one upcoming.
Bevil was not close to being ready to get married. He also wasn’t brave enough to tell his mother that, so he most likely was going to get married. The brave live beautifully but cowards live long, as the old saying goes.
He’d been on his own now for going on five years, just him and Bethany. There were times he was lonely and lots of times he missed his family, but at twenty two, Bevil just did not want to go home yet, if ever. The idea of taking a respectable position on the Cyrex and starting a family filled him with absolute dread.
From a lifetime of experience Bevil knew he could never win an argument with his mother. There was only one thing he could do, lie and fake it. “Okay, mom,” he said. “But, I’m not just going to settle down with someone because she’s from a ship you think is good for us. If I don’t like her I’m not doing it.”
“Of course, dear, I would never want you to marry someone you didn’t want to marry, just to make me happy,” lied Bevil’s mother.
“Thanks, mom. Can I talk to dad?”
A second later he heard the familiar words in that booming happy voice “Hey boy!”
“Hey pop.”
His father’s voice turned to a conspiratorial whisper, “How’s Bethany?”
“She’s good,” replied Bevil. “I’m taking good care of her.”
“You know the saying, you keep her happy and she’ll keep you safe.”
“Yup. So dad…”
“Yes son what is it? Whatever, is on your mind?” asked Bevil’s father sounding incredibly amused.
“I’m not ready, pop.” Bevil waited for a response, there was none. “I’m gonna need you to cover me at the Jamboree.”
“I’ll make you a deal, son. If you sincerely do not meet a young girl that you like, I’ll make sure you escape the Jam- boree unencumbered.”
Bevil let out a relaxed breath. “Thanks, dad, I—” “But,” his dad interrupted. “If you meet a girl and you like her, you have to promise me you’ll be honest about it.” “Yeah of course, pop. I promise.”
“Swear on the hull, boy,” said his dad with utmost seriousness.
Shit, thought Bevil.
“Swear to me, son.”
Bevil had walked into a trap. To swear on the hull was no joke. He was basically taking an oath to avert a curse. To swear on the hull meant he was swearing on the integrity of the Cyrex itself. To swear on the hull of a ship and then back out could bring about all manner of karmic disaster. “I swear on the hull,” said Bevil reluctantly, but sincerely.
“Good.” His father changed tone back to his usual jovial self. “Now, you take care of yourself and Bethany and we’ll see you here for the festivities. I’ll send you the coordinates when I have them.”
“Okay, pop. I love you. Tell mom I love her too.” “Will do, son.” His dad hung up the phone.
Well, that didn’t go anywhere near as smoothly as I expected, thought Bevil.
Bevil’s navigational computer started beeping slowly. He was approaching the solar system designated EA-90048. The system’s sun grew brighter, its light beginning to block out the distant stars around him. Bevil cut his engines, extended the solar sails and began sailing Bethany toward the asteroid belt he planned to spend the next month mining.
He had recently been on Gardena station, looking for work, when he ran into a friend of sorts named Corbin. Corbin told Bevil about the mining opportunity in exchange for some fresh greens, coffee and eggs.
Bevil knew a few men and women during his time roaming, and traded information back and forth with the ones he trusted. Corbin wasn’t a friend as much as a friendly associate, but he’d proven his trustworthiness over the years.
He sealed the deal by offering to buy Corbin dinner if the mining panned out. The two men spent the rest of
the night gaming before each retired to his own ship. Bevil woke up the next morning and departed Gardena for this uninhabited solar system.
Mining was mind numbingly dull, exhausting and even in zero gravity could be back breaking. A week of mining could feel like a month. Bevil smiled slightly. If he was really lucky, the next month would feel like a year.
About the Author
I truly enjoy writing and it really never feels like work. Okay, mostly
never feels like work.
Folks who have read my books have said they are definitely filled with
words. These words are used in a very clever way to form sentences, which
then form paragraphs until a page is just jammed packed with them. I do this
repeatedly throughout my novels.
I am a lifelong lover of comic books, video games, science fiction and
fantasy. My favorite authors include Robert Heinlein, William Gibson and
Mark Twain.
Once the technology is perfected, I hope to own a robotic chimpanzee that
will accompany me on many adventures. We will travel the globe solving
crime, eating pie and saving the day.
I think it’s safe to assume that we’re gonna look pretty cool doing
that.
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