The Badari Warriors series is about a race of genetically engineered supersoldiers of the far future, whose DNA is humanoid mixed with alien predator DNA by a group of unscrupulous alien scientists. The Badari escaped the labs with the help of a human woman in book one AYDARR. There are fated mates, forced proximity and all kinds of other tropes and adventures in each book. The Badari took refuge in Sanctuary Valley, which is protected by a powerful ancient alien Artificial Intelligence and they wage guerilla warfare on the scientists. They also rescue abducted humans when they can.
Each book features a different couple, although I have written a few novellas which provide a short second adventure with an earlier couple. Each book also has a Happy For Now ending. There’s always been an overall series arc, however, and each book has advanced this arc to some extent. The Badari and their human mates and allies have always known they needed outside help to truly have a chance of winning their war and as the series progressed, events happened to finally make it possible to send an envoy to the Sectors (my interstellar civilization) to ask for this help.
In book nine, REEDE, I focused on the pack enforcer Reede and (spoiler) he became the Badari envoy to make the desperate trip to the Sectors.
Then I continued on with the basic series writing five more books while Reede and his mate and other companions were offscreen.
This year I figured it was probably time to go back to Reede and see how his quest was coming!
Actually the most challenging thing about writing REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS was not having him ‘know’ things about what was going on at home that he couldn’t possibly be aware of. I caught myself on that point a number of times.
I always have the general idea for a book when I sit down to write and I’m not a plotter BUT this one required a lot of thought for how to make it interesting and for what complications Reede might encounter. Also, since there wouldn’t be a new romance, and I’m a romance person, I had to figure out how to keep the emotions high and engaging between Reede and his fated mate Fallyn. Personally I loathe sequels that undo all the good things which happened in the first book, so there was no way I was going to break up this couple’s relationship just so I could have romantic tension. I did find a way to increase the stakes and the angst which made sense to me. It also gave me a great chance to show Fallyn as her own person, operating solo in the Sectors.
I do have a romantic subplot between Walt, the human solder, and another secondary character and originally I’d toyed with doing their POV in the book as well but ultimately I chose not to do that because I felt it would detract too much from the main emphasis being on Reede and how he was going to accomplish his mission. So Walt and Naiyeema are in the background. Maybe they’ll get their own novella at some point – no promises.
A good chunk of the book involves an ancient alien and occurs on the world she rules. When I was pondering the book, I thought about the Greek myth of Odysseus and how all he wanted after the Trojan War ended was to get home to Penelope. That reminded me of Reede and all he wants is to ultimately get home (with a Sectors armada at his back) and to be reunited with Fallyn. One of Odysseus’s side trips is to the island ruled by Circe, a powerful sorceress…and I went AH HA! After refreshing my memory on the myth, I had my plot ideas and was able to go forward full tilt on writing the book.
Of course I got interrupted by a mild heart attack over the Memorial Day weekend, and an unrelated frozen shoulder which has slowly improved (couldn’t use my left arm at all for weeks and I’m left handed) but I wrote every…single…day, even if it was only 100 words because I’m stubborn. And REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS got finished.
I hope readers will find it satisfying and a fitting installment in the series arc, and that new-to-me readers can enjoy it as a standalone (and be tempted to read the other 14 books!). Right now I foresee another 4-5 books before the series is done but there’s no way I can walk away from my Badari Warriors, so there will be spinoffs. I love Aydarr and Jill and the others too much to stop writing about them! I’ve already started one series, Badari Gladiators, which is an offshoot but not relating to the events in the series. and with different Badari of earlier generations.
REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL (SECTORS NEW ALLIES SERIES BOOK 15) by Veronica Scott
Reede’s people sent him to the Sectors on a desperate mission to beg for help against overwhelming odds in their battle to destroy the alien scientists who created them centuries ago. He knew the task wasn’t going to be easy but as a Badari Warrior, he vowed to do his best. When he’s arrested by the border patrol and thrown in the brig, things go from bad to worse. He faces difficult choices ahead and unimaginable obstacles to making his case to the authorities for help.
Fallyn is Reede’s human fated mate but also the active duty military scout who guided him to the Sectors from his own planet. Reede’s choices after his arrest put her in a difficult spot and his actions threaten their mate bond. Will she give up her career to help him and the Badari succeed in making a treaty with the Sectors?
The desperate attempt to find new allies takes Reede and Fallyn on a wild set of adventures across the sprawling interstellar Sectors civilization and places them, their friends and their love in harm’s way.
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