Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…A 
fun way to sample new books and find new writers!
We’re onto a new story of mine, a WIP that still needs a lot of work. Mark, an ex-Special Forces soldier in the Sectors, has been hired by the Outlier Empress to rescue a kidnap victim who’s been taken to the border planet Freemarket, where anything goes and the authorities are usually hands off. Kind of like Las Vegas…he’s broken into the house of Barent Kliin, the kidnapper, persuaded Alessandra to go with him and fled in a stolen car, pursued by the bad guys and the planetary police. They collided with a cargo hauler…Mark knocked the driver out and assisted Alessandra from their wrecked vehicle, after which the couple flee into the crowded marketplace but are now trapped…until a strange little being showed up, offering to help…having no choice, Mark and Sandy flee with the creature and fall into a tent. The owner of the tent offered them the opportunity to Travel…not in a groundcar or a or a spaceship…three weeks ago she showed them the Globes of Amarkana. Now Mark has picked one and shattered it and they Traveled.
The first time Mark opened his eyes, the world was still swirling around him, so he blinked hard, hoping to quell the vertigo. His head ached like he’d been on a three day bender with cheap rotgut, his left shoulder felt like someone had stuck a jagged knife into it and his stomach was on fire with cramping pain. Murmuring reassurance in a soft voice, the medic who was treating him tugged at his right shoulder.
Mark half opened his eyes to see her, preparing to tell her with a blistering string of profanity to just let him die in peace of whatever this was. But even through the dizziness and nausea, he was startled to see Sandy, not a Sectors medic. Pressing an inject to his bicep, she said, “I hope when you wake up next time, these symptoms have worn off – I don’t think you were as good a candidate for Traveling as Lajollae thought.”
Vague memories returning, he said, “What happened? All I remember is breaking the globe and then a whole lot of hot wind – like being in a sandstorm.”
So, the story goes on from there….they’ve ended up in a very strange place and a lot of adventure, romance and some second chances lie ahead. You’ve all been so kind about enjoying the snippets, I’ve moved this up in my schedule and will work on revisions for this next, after Star Cruise: Marooned, which I’m trying to get to my developmental editor by next Saturday. Ghost of the Nile went to the copy editor on Wednesday, so I’m making progress!
Not sure what I’ll excerpt next week – we’ll all have to be surprised together, I guess. Best wishes!
I love the description of his ailments. Although I still don’t know where they went by breaking the globe, I’m glad they got there more or less safe and sound.
Very interesting that Sandy made the trip with fewer complications. The description of his symptoms was brutally real. I started to feel woozy! Great snippet. Sorry to see this one go, but looking forward to the next adventure. 🙂
Mark really came to pieces here. An excellent twist in the tale. Thank you for sharing.
Hmm, so Mark is not a good time traveler, though it looks like Sandy is, fortunately. Verry interrrresting!
I realize the snippet doesn’t make it totally clear where they ended up but their immediate surroundings (which come after this snippet) and the further adventures in the book do show they’re on another planet! But I don’t want to keep excerpting this one, now that I’ve decided to go ahead and do the major revisions and publish it. I’ve really appreciated the feedback, very helpful as always.
Yes, I thought it would be a good twist if Mark – the big, tough, in charge exSpecial Forces guy – turned out to be not so good at Traveling, whereas Sandy handles it fine. He has to learn to stop underestimating her, and making assumptions based on their past history, and this is a good start.
I’m sold! Please let us know when we can grab a copy. 🙂
Nice descriptions of Mark’s symptoms. Not everyone’s a good traveler. Very interested to see where this story goes from here, Veronica.
Wow, sounds like he had a rough time. Good descriptions!
I’d love to know where they are!
Ooo, this sounds great! The little alien and the globe are really intriguing..
This is a great unexpected twist. Here I was thinking Mark was sheltering Sandy from the “storm”. Glad this will be published soon!
His disorientation is a nice break between traveling and…wherever it is they’ve ended up. You’re really good at pacing your stories!
Thanks, Eleri!
She’s clearly a better traveler than he is! 🙂
I like the reversal–she’s helping him, now. That bodes well for an equal partnership.
She has medical skills, interesting.
Ah yes, the things Mark doesn’t know about Sandy yet…
Always a pleasure to read your snippets you have so much going on in so little and I love every second of it.
Good scene. Nice set up. Can’t wait to see what’s next.
Really enjoying this. Terrific descriptions, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next. Great suspense in this.
YAY, Mark’s alive. Last time I wasn’t sure he would make it. Great snippet.
Always a new twist and written so well. You’ve tempted me, you rascal and I’ve read several of your books already.
Awesome 8! And so very true to how guys react when they’re not in control! Love it 🙂
Great snippet, Veronica! Nice surprise finding him a wreck and her in control. Can’t wait for the next snippet!
This is intriguing. I can’t wait for you to finish it.
Yikes! He definitely doesn’t sound like a good Traveller–that’s a pretty nasty case of motion-sickness or whatever.
I could feel his symptoms myself, it was so descriptive! Loved the snippet 🙂
Great scene. 🙂
Great description, Veronica. Like being in a sandstorm. No wonder he was disoriented and in pain. Yikes!
Looking forward to next week’s adventure. You are a busy girl. Retirement looks good on you!
Thanks, Teresa! I LOVE being able to write fulltime now…
Ooh, his memories gone! Nice touch, so intriguing!
Wonderful descriptions of how awful he’s feeling. And you have me even more curious. Where are they? And now I’ll have to wait since you’ll be moving on with a different story for Snippet Sunday. lol So cruel. 🙂
I do love this premise! And that nebula at the bottom of the page.
And I’m wondering why This was so much harder for Mark than for Sandy. DId Lajollae have something to do with that? Hmmm…..
Ohh, intriguing! Why is Sandy not suffering the same consequences? Fabulous description!
I love how many senses you engage in this scene. I can only imagine what it feels like to go through those feelings after such an intense escape.
Rough “landing!” I wonder why Sandie had an easier trip. It’s nice that she gets to be the protective one in this scene. It gives depth to their relationship.