I’m still doing excerpts from my SF novel WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM until April 14th, the 101st anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking but after that I’m switching off to something else. I appreciate all the comments and feedback! I solemnly promise only 8 sentences this week and thanks for letting me cheat by 2 sentences last week!
Last week our hero Nick woke up in the middle of the night to find the spaceliner’s engines off. After some conversation with the Ship’s AI and also an officer Nick had met previously, he goes back to sleep. Now it’s the next morning and the engines are running again when Nick awakens.
“There’s a message,” the ship announced, detecting his wakeful state. “It is a priority message on all my internal com queues,” the AI offered, raising the volume slightly.
Giving up, Nick threw the pillow aside, and said, “Play the damn thing.”
The smiling visage of the bearded and somewhat portly Captain Bonlors appeared in holographic form across the cabin. “To all my passengers,” he began, voice deep and warm, “let me extend my sincere apologies and those of SMT President Gordis Yankuri, on behalf of the SMT Line, for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the night while we performed routine engine maintenance procedures. I know there’s been concern expressed regarding our arrival time at Sector Hub, and I want to assure you we still anticipate an early docking.”
Running one hand over the stubble on his chin, Nick nodded. The man is smooth, not surprising SMT put him in charge of their newest, most luxurious ship.
Of course Nick doesn’t believe all these smooth assurances (and neither should we LOL).
I love and appreciate your comments and feedback! Go here to find all the other Weekend Writing Warriors and read an amazing variety of terrific excerpts…
WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM, a 2013 SFR Galaxy Award winner, is available for kindle, as an audio book or a paperback at Amazon. The audio sample is here.
Great snippet. Thanks for sharing.
Nick is a great hero. Loved this book!
I don’t believe the smooth talking voice but oh Nick! You’ve created an exceptional hero.
Thanks, Charmaine and A.S.F.! I’m pretty fond of Nick too LOL!
Yeah, I’m with Nick — all that smoothness is making me suspicious. LOL Great snippet.
This snippet reminds me of the time we sat on the tarmac in a jet while an electrician worked on the main electrical panel, right in front of us. The captain was so smooth when he came on the P.A. and said, “Minor problem, folks. Pretty sure we’ve got it corrected.” Really inspired a lot of confidence for the trip. LOL
Wow, I’d have been tempted to get off the plane LOL. You have good nerves!
I don’t believe it for a second! 😉 But man, he is pretty smooth. You’re taking us on such an exciting journey here, Veronica. Looking forward to seeing what happens next!
Curioser and curioser. This gets more intriguing by the minute. I look forward to seeing what happens!
I like how the Captain tries to reassure everyone about the early docking.
I doubt the Captain is telling the truth, which makes it all the more interesting! Looking forward to the next instalment.
Nice excerpt. I know the ship wrecks eventually but because this is a spaceship and you have different personalities from the Titanic passengers, this is definitely more interesting to me than a simple retelling using an ocean-going ship. I love most sci fi 😀
Thanks for the comment! Yes, I based the book very loosely on Titanic, hints here and there where I could but just the nature of the situation, being in space, made the story take other twists and turns. And Nick and Mara and the other characters put their own spin on the action.
So enjoyed this book, Veronica. Nick was such a great hero!
I’ll be doing two more excerpts from this novel, ending on Sunday April 14th, which is the 101st anniversary of the Titanic hitting the iceberg. I know many people have already read the novel, which I appreciate SO much! I don’t want to get *boring* here on Weekend Writing Warriors LOL. Maybe we’ll switch off to one of my Ancient Egyptian paranormals next for a complete change of pace.
Wonderful excerpt – very nice and definitely want to find out what is really happening.
They always say there’s nothing to worry about. I wonder how many lives could be saved in this world if those in charge would stop trying to hide the facts in situations like that.
Well I hope you’re not basing this on the real Titanic – a disaster that could have been prevented. And yes, way too smooth, trying to cover his ass.
It’s definitely not a one for one retelling of Titanic but my Nebula Dream comes to grief in a way that could have been prevented as well.
I wouldn’t believe the smooth-talking either, after what’s just happened!
The captain sure knows how to talk the talk, doesn’t he?! Sounds a bit too fishy to be truthful to me.
Hmmm, what is the smooth-talking captain hiding, I wonder? Intriguing!
I really want to know what’s really going on here! Great snippet.
I’ve read the book, so I’ll just say I wouldn’t trust that Captain either.
Oh now I want to know what Nick is going to do about the situation and the smooth-talking captain. Interesting…
Hmm, he’s much too smooth. Something’s definitely going on.
Yeah, this is the kind of message that makes me think, sure, they could dock right now, if they crashed into that small moon over there . . .
Nick’s right–never believe a smooth-talking captain! 😉 Great snippet!
I think my warning bells would be going off anyway, smooth message or not. Great snippet, Veronica. 🙂
Loved that the description of the captain of the Nebula is the same as the captain of the Titanic. Portly with a beard. Love little details like that. I need to get this book. I’m really hooked. 🙂
Thank you! Yes, I tried to layer in as many small things from the actual Titanic as I could…the two children characters on the Nebula Dream are my tribute to all the Third Class children who didn’t survive Titanic. Nick and Mara and the others make every effort to save these two…
I enjoyed the book tremendously.
Which always makes me so happy – thank you!
He’s got great instinct, lol. Thanks for sharing!
Nick so doesn’t buy that! lol Enjoyed your 8! 😀
Hmmm… methinks things are about to take a turn for the worse.
Smooth talkers always speak with fork tongue!
Yeah, right, routine maintenance. Nick’s correct, the captain’s smooth. Very nice snippet.
Intriguing! Looking forward to next week!
Yeah…”the man” always disavows danger right before the shit hitteth the fan.
Very well said LOL!
Oh you just know there is something afoot here with the old everything’s fine, no worries announcement. Nice snippet!
I enjoy reading these snippets–reliving the great story. Wonderful book, Veronica! 🙂
Thank you so much, I was really pleased you enjoyed it 🙂
Veronica, I have a feeling Nick knows a lot better. The scene builds the intrigue and mystery.
Smiles
Steph
I’m with Nick. II am always skeptical of smooth talk. Terrific snippet!