“But I enlisted.”
“And haven’t been sworn in yet. I’ve tried reasoning with him and my colleagues.” Mrs. March set down her cup. “They feel you’re too young. And with no training and no time to receive any, they won’t allow you or your sister to stay here. Mazdaar will target us, and your best chance is to evacuate with the others to a location they won’t suspect.”
A dread filled Grey. “What about Mom and Dad?”
“I won’t separate your family again.”
Grey tried to come up with a reason why Yien should keep her around when a battle was expected, but she knew they were right. She might know how to sneak under a border fence and smuggle contraband to wealthy elites in the Alamo Republic, and she might be able to keep her sister alive in the wilderness of the Preserve, but she didn’t know the first thing about war.
“I don’t want to leave you, Mrs. March.”
“We’ll meet again when it’s all over.”
The words were easy to say, but Grey knew Mrs. March couldn’t be sure she would survive the coming conflict. Without taking time to question protocol Grey gave the slender commander an embrace she hoped wasn’t their last.
Mrs. March returned the hug harder than she expected, then pulled away. “I want your family to escort a cargo ship of civilians away from the battle zone. We’ve set a rendezvous point over seven hundred kilometers away. Our intelligence is fragmented, but we believe this is where your mother’s people have gone.”
Five years ago her parents had crash-landed on Jupiter’s surface during a rescue mission. Captain Sue Alexander had eventually become the leader of a small band of ex-Mazdaar prisoners who’d been abandoned on the planet.
“What makes you think they’ll want to help?” Grey had met some of the hardened men and women her mother had led, and they hadn’t exactly given an outsider a warm welcome.
“We can’t predict with certainty, but your mother believes they will.”
Commander March flipped off the hologram and stood facing Grey. For a moment it felt like they were back in the Preserve, and it was just Grey and her zany neighbor discussing a smuggling run. She hadn’t realized then how much Mrs. March had looked out for them while their parents were missing. And even now she was taking the time to speak with her privately when much more important problems no doubt demanded her attention.
“Dana is awake,” Grey said softly.
By the way Mrs. March’s eyes widened, Grey knew the information hadn’t yet reached the commander.
“I should’ve gotten permission to go see her,” Grey said.
“Is she all right?”
“She was asking about her mother.”
“Did you tell her?”
Grey shook her head.
“I wish I knew what made her change.”
“She betrayed us pure and simple,” Grey said.
“But you didn’t know her before. She had so much potential.” Mrs. March picked up the holographic projector and placed it in her pocket. “I didn’t see this coming, but I should have.”
“What’s going to happen to her?”
“It hasn’t been determined.” Mrs. March guided Grey to the door. “I apologize, but I must head down there.”
Grey sent the commander a salute. She needed to find her sister anyway.
A smile touched Mrs. March’s lips as they parted ways. “Be brave and courageous, dear. No matter what comes.”
You can grab your copy of Jupiter Storm today!
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Acknowledgments
If it weren’t for my family, there’s no way I could be doing what I’m doing. As always, a big thanks to:
Mom—who’s keen editorial insights always make my books stronger. Jupiter Winds wouldn’t be here without you. Thanks for catching all my mistakes!
Tracy—my biggest fan. Thank you for letting me drone on and on (pun intended!) about my characters and stories. You rock!
James Scott Bell—you’ve traveled the road before me, and by watching your journey I learn so much. I will always appreciate your advice and encouragement.
Kathy Tyers—for taking the time to offer me valuable feedback on the speculative fiction genre and all its nuances.
Deena Peterson, Beth McComber, and Lori Twichell—beta readers extraordinaire! Thank you, ladies.
Robert Keller—for always being eager to go to the movies. I think all those speculative tales we’ve watched rubbed off on me! I appreciate your friendship.
My Savior—you’ve stuck with me through it all.
About the Author
C. J. has been in love with reading since she was a kid dragging home bags of books from the library. When she was twelve she started dreaming about becoming a published author. That dream came true when her first novel Thicker than Blood won the 2008 Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest. It became the first book in the Thicker than Blood series, which also includes Bound by Guilt, Ties that Bind, and Running on Empty. She has also written Jupiter Winds, the first book in the Jupiter Winds space adventure series. C. J. lives in Pennsylvania with her family, their menagerie of dogs, and a Paint mare named Sky.
Visit her website at http://www.cjdarlington.com/
Discussion Questions
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
If your book club reads Jupiter Winds and is interested in talking with me via speakerphone or Skype, please feel free to contact me by email at [email protected], and I’ll do my best to arrange something with you. Thanks for reading, and you can always visit my website: www.cjdarlington.com for more info.
1. Why would someone not want to be “connected”?
2. What Biblical principle do you think is most prevalent in the story?
3. Do you think these same principles would apply on any planet?
4. What are your feelings about General Yurkutz? How do you think she became like she is?
5. Why do you think Grey has given up on prayer?
6. Do you agree with Tanner and Sue Alexander’s decision to hide what they were doing from their children or not?
7. Which character did you most relate to and why?
8. What seeds can you see that Sue Alexander had sown into her daughters before she left?
9. If you could talk to Dana, what would you say? How do you think she should be treated by the Yien Dynasty and the Alexander family?
10. How could forgiveness be important in this story?
11. Who do you think experiences the most personal growth?
12. Do you believe God has other planets in the universe with life as we know it? Is there any Biblical reference for this?
13. What technology in Jupiter Winds do you think really could be in our future?
14. If you could resurrect any extinct animal on Earth, which would you pick and why?
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Acknowledgments
Discussion Questions
Jupiter Storm excerpt
Jupiter Winds Page 22