Now taking excerpts from LANDON: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL, which was just released on Jan 31st. If you want to find out what happened to Daegan and Flo, which is the book I was excerpting, you’ll have to buy the book LOL.
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 authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)
Punctuation may be wonky to comply with our guidelines here. May be edited a bit from published version.
If you haven’t read any of my Badari Warriors series: Genetically engineered soldiers of the far future, the Badari were created by alien enemies to fight humans. But then the scientists kidnapped an entire human colony from the Sectors to use as subjects in twisted experiments…the Badari and the humans made common cause, rebelled and escaped the labs. Now they live side by side in a sanctuary valley protected by a powerful Artificial Intelligence, and wage unceasing war on the aliens.
The excerpt – from the opening of the book:
No guards had come to check on the prisoners in three days.
Seven days ago, the situation had been normal, as far as anything was normal for a human captive inside a Khagrish lab.
Six days ago one guard had been coughing but the three daily meals of mush and moldy bread showed up on time and two humans were taken away in the mid-afternoon for an experiment. The prisoners never returned.
Five days ago only two guards made the rounds instead of three and one of those Khagrish had been pale and coughing. Three meals were delivered, one late.
Four days ago there was only the morning meal provided, brought by one guard and the robos. There was no bread.
And then…nothing.
Two days ago the water stopped running in the cell’s sinks and bathroom.
Today people were dehydrated, desperate and terrified of dying.
All the scraps of food were long gone.
Mandy Rennegar staggered to the front of the cell to take her shift as a watcher, ready to scream for help if anyone showed up. The humans had been yelling and pleading for help through the force barrier for days with no response.
Could all the Khagrish have died? Could the guards, technicians and scientists have just decided to walk away from the whole place, leaving their human captives?
(Sorry about the extra sentences this week!)
The blurb: When unexpected circumstances give her a chance to escape from an alien scientist’s lab after she’s been tortured, Mandy Rennegar knew she should run for the hills with the other prisoners. There’s one more special captive who hasn’t been freed, however, and she decides to risk everything to help him. Mandy’s not leaving anyone behind.
Captured by the enemy on a scouting trip, Landon of the Badari has been pushed beyond his limits of sanity and strength by the Khagrish experiments and waits to die…until the human woman sets him free and takes him into the wilderness with her on a desperate trek to freedom. If he could only regain his memory, he’s sure there’s a sanctuary on the planet where his people could help them both.
As Mandy and Landon flee the pursuing Khagrish new challenges arise, including secrets from the past which could destroy the growing attraction between them. Difficult choices have to be made, putting Mandy’s life at risk and Landon discovers the Khagrish have left a lasting mark on his mind.
Will they reach the Badari sanctuary in time? Can their love survive Mandy’s revelations? Will the Alpha of the Badari give them a chance to be together or will he allow her to die when Landon risks everything to save his fated mate?
There would certainly seem to be some sort of an epidemic. As former medical personnel myself, I have a fascination for storylines involving dreadful diseases. “The Stand” is among my favorite books.
~cie~
The disease element is really only in the beginning of this one…there was quite a bit about the Khagrish doing biowarfare research in DARIK.I’ve been referenciing this disease in the books since on occasion. And in another series, I wrote STAR CRUISE OUTBREAK about an epidemic on an interstellar cruise liner.
Oh man, that’s when you aren’t sure if you’re better starving to death or catching whatever got the guards. Great snippet, Veronica.
As always, here we go with another amazing snippet. You always get it so right and that’s why I must give you a hug!
Congratulations on your new release!
This sounds like a dire situation for everyone. A very intriguing beginning!
This is not a good situation — and it raise not one but two urgent questions. 1) What happened to the guards? Coronavirus? 2) And what can Mandy do to save the prisoners?
Well, this does not seem like a good situation at all.
I forgot to link up this week, but I did post a snippet yesterday. https://fallonbrown.com/2020/02/01/wewriwa-our-way-back/
Love this excerpt — talk about hopelessness and absolute terror! Can’t wait to see what happens next!! (I’m with Ed . . . Coronavirus for sure.)
Traumatic situation – it makes me think of coronavirus!
Great opening! And an intriguing premise! I wonder how many of the humans will die before they figure out a way to escape. 🙂 Best wishes on a successful launch!
That opening was truly horrifying (in a good way!)
Ooh, a new Badari story. Wonderful!!! This situation does not sound good. The Khagrish are sick/dying. An opportunity to escape. Yay!
Book Eleven? Cool, at least I won’t run out for a bit. Do I need to read them in order?
Here’s the series order. It does build over time although each story is standalone, with probably mild spoilers for the earlier books:
AYDARR
MATEER
TIMTUR (IN THE STARS ROMANCE label, would be 2.5 in Badari Series)
JADRIAN
DARIK
GABE
KIERCE
CAMRON
BADARI WARRIOR’S BABY: MEGAN AND MATEER
REEDE
DAEGAN
LANDON
Thank you!
Thanks for visiting and commenting! Always very much appreciated 🙂
This is so topical given the current outbreak of Coronavirus. What a scary situation though, I’d be wondering if the guards had died of some disease, would I be likely to catch it – or just starve to death. Can’t wait to see how she gets out of there.
Oh wow. That’s a terrible situation to be in. I can’t wait to see what happened to their captors.
What a frightening situation. I hope there is a way for the humans to escape. I’m alos wondering what happen to the guards.
Very interesting. Your descriptions helped paint the dread the characters were facing. Good job.
Keep smiling,
Yawatta
Sounds like a desperate situation.
Whilst I wouldn’t put it past the Khagrish to just leave the unwanted to rot, something has clearly gone very wrong here. The tension and dread in this piece is great.