Sea of Stars (The Kricket Series Book 2)

by Amy A. Bartol

  God, all things are possible through You. Thank you for Your infinite blessings and for allowing me to do what I love: write.

  To my readers and bloggers: Thank you! The outpouring of love that I receive from all of you is mind-blowing. Your generosity toward me is humbling. You make me want to write a thousand books.

  Tom Bartol, you’re my best friend. I cannot imagine my world without you in it. I love you.

  Max and Jack Bartol, I count myself as the most fortunate person in the world to have you both in my life. Thank you for knowing when to let me write and when to rescue me from my computer.

  Jason Kirk, your thoughtful and intuitive questions and suggestions have made Sea of Stars a better story. Thank you for challenging me and inspiring me to grow as a writer. I’m grateful. I can’t wait to dive into the next project with you!

  To the team of experts at 47North, you guys are superstars! Thank you for your time and for your hard work on this project. It means the world to me.

  Shelly Crane, thank you for beta reading Sea of Stars and for your insights on writing and on life. You are precious to me. I’m so fortunate to have you as my friend.

  Gloria Lutz, your unwavering support and unconditional love are a guiding light in my life. Thank you for using your wicked editing skills to help me through the initial draft of Sea of Stars.

  Tamar Rydzinski, one of the best days of my life was when you agreed to be my agent. Thank you for always having my back.

  Regina Wamba, you’re an artist. Thank you for sharing your marketing genius with me.

  Trish Brinkley, I love The Occasionalist! Thank you for always including me in your circle!

  Amber McLelland, you’re insane and that’s why we get along so well. Thank you for your friendship.

  Janet Wallace, you’re inspirational. I love seeing what you create. It’s magical.

  To my lovely Hellcats: Georgia Cates, Shelly Crane, Samantha Young, Rachel Higginson, Angeline Kace, Lila Felix, and Quinn Loftis. What can I say? You complete me. Thank you all for your unwavering support.

  Michelle Leighton. I love you, man. I will cherish my pocket Jamie forever.

  Glossary

  Abersuctonal: an antidote for znou axicote poisoning.

  AFA: Armored Fugitive Apprehender—a robot programmed to apprehend fugitives.

  Alameeda: one of the five clan-houses of Ethar. An ally of Wurthem. Ruling body is the Alameeda Brotherhood. A member of the Alameeda House.

  Alameeda Striker: a member of an elite body of troops trained to serve the Alameeda Brotherhood.

  ALV: Air Lift Vehicle—troop transport.

  Amster Rushes: an ancient city where skeletal remains of skyscrapers are located near the border of Comantre in the no-man’s-land restricted/protected area of Ethar.

  arrowing: a part on a troupedo hovercar that resembles a gill of a fish. Used to hold the snuffout. Located where an auxiliary mirror would be on a human car.

  Ateur: a Rafian senator in the House of Lords.

  basiness: an automated hand washer that uses steam to kill germs.

  baw-da-baw: a war cry used by Cavars in the Rafian military—means “hoorah.”

  beam spotters: laser-beam security alarm lights.

  Beezway: a hovercar track like an expressway for the bullet-shaped hover vehicles called skiffs on the Ship of Skye.

  bender: a part on a troupedo hovercar that resembles the gill of a fish. Used to hold the snuffout. Located where an auxiliary mirror would be on an Earth car.

  Biequine: a competition wherein a rider takes a spix through a course of obstacles and shoots targets for both points and the best time.

  Black Math: a virus that decimated the population of Ethar approximately a thousand years ago.

  blipisode: an episode of precognition that lasts only a few seconds and happens without the clairvoyant losing total consciousness. A glimpse of a future event.

  blushers: young Etharian women.

  Boosha: Etharian slang for slut.

  Brigadet: a member of the Rafian military police on the Ship of Skye.

  bubble-shields: round, bubblelike barriers that act as protection from weapons fire; force fields. Blue in color.

  Cargo Goer: a monstrous, ellipse-shaped ship that resembles the Bean sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park. Each Cargo Goer is a massive, chromelike ellipse weighing several tons. Its skin can be altered to blend in with the environment, but it is usually mirrored, reflecting everything around it.

  Cavar: a member of an elite body of troops trained to serve on land and sea; a member of the Rafian military of Ethar, similar to Earth’s Marine.

  chester: a male sex offender.

  chrome: a swordlike stick with a silver tip that shocks like a cattle prod.

  circa: a unit of measure equivalent to a mil.

  click: approximately one mile.

  Comantre: one of the five clan-houses of Ethar. An ally of Rafe. A member of the Comantre House.

  Comantre Crosses: a district within the Comantre territory where the Comantre Syndic military base of the same name is located.

  com-link: a device used as an intercom system.

  Commodus: a bathroom.

  cookery: the place where food is prepared and then distributed by conveyor to commissary units.

  copperclaw: the exotic flower symbolically used in the weddinglike commitment ceremony in which a Brother of the Brotherhood weds his consort priestess.

  Coriness: an honorific of royalty used in Rafian society. Kricket is a coriness because she is the daughter of Pan Hollowell, a corinet.

  Corinet: an honorific of royalty used in Rafian society. Pan Hollowell’s royal title.

  crike: fifty years.

  Crue: the Etharian form of pneumonia.

  crystal: awesome.

  Crystal Clear Moments: small, crystal-like figurines that animate when put into a star chamber gravity field.

  death drones: automated drones that terminate civilians with blue lasers and/or flamethrowers.

  deet: a unit of time equivalent to about six months.

  dicron: a unit of measure equivalent to one meter.

  dishery: the place where dirty dishes are transported to be cleaned and stored by an automated process of conveyors and robots.

  doorcam: a camera mounted outside a door.

  drak: a unit of heat measure similar to a degree.

  Dreykar: an honorific of minor royalty used in Rafian society. Trey Allairis’s royal title.

  Dreykaress: an honorific of minor royalty used in Rafian society. Kricket would assume this title if she becomes Trey’s consort.

  Dunder Sorrows: a type of virus.

  Elle: an honorific denoting a priestess in Alameedan society.

  Em: an honorific denoting an ambassador.

  E-One: a rotorless, helicopterlike vehicle used by military personnel, usually the Alameeda, to attack enemies. A military aircraft that resembles a wasp.

  Ethar: a planet in a dimension similar to Earth’s.

  Etharian: a native of Ethar.

  fardroom: Etharian currency. One fardroom is approximate to one American dollar.

  Fay: an honorific equivalent to Lady in Rafian society.

  fazaria: an amber-colored liquor similar to champagne.

  fritzer: a type of card game.

  Fitzforest: Thursday.

  Fitzlutzer: Monday.

  Fitzmartin: Wednesday.

  Fitzover: Sunday.

  Fitzsetter: Tuesday.

  Fitzsumptner: Saturday.

  Fitzwinter: Friday.

  fleat: one minute.

  flesh-layering-bot: a medical robot that reapplies skin.

  flester: one week.

  flipcart: a hovercraft skateboard.

 
floan: a unit of time similar to one year.

  Forest of Omnicron: also known as the Forest of O; a wilderness in the restricted/ annexed area of Ethar.

  freston: the tricked-out, riflelike black gun.

  gennet: Cavar military rank equivalent to general in Rafian society. Trey Allairis’s military rank.

  git: a grunt; a new soldier.

  Grumrell tree: a kind of tree. Its bark contains enzymes that ward off parasites and insects, but it tastes like cat poop.

  guide-bot: a holographic image of a person that is programmed as a guide assisting patrons to various places.

  guideways: freeways that glow lavender and are edged in silver. The guideways are stacked as they flow around, over, and into tunnels through buildings. Shifting traffic moves from one glowing level to the next seemingly at a whim.

  harassenger: a passenger who harasses; specifically, an Alameeda drone turned into a bomb.

  harbinger: a matte-black, gunlike weapon.

  Haut: an honorific that means Sir. Denotes a high royal rank.

  Hautess: an honorific that means Lady. Denotes a high royal rank.

  Hesterfastok: an antidote for znou axicote poisoning.

  hordabus plant: an aloe-like plant that almost instantly heals skin tissue damaged by burns, rashes, open wounds, and the like.

  hovercar: also known as a skiff; a car capable of flying. It is propelled by forced air and does not have wheels.

  hover crim: a limousinelike hovercar that is both expensive and private.

  hohoban: Etharian chocolate.

  holovision: a holographic television.

  hominie: Etharian honey.

  inamorata: a female lover.

  inamorato: a male lover.

  Inium: the smallest of Ethar’s moons. It is blue in color.

  ipsacore: the name of a level in the detention area of the Ship of Skye.

  Isle of Skye: the city where the Regent’s palace and the corrective court are located. It’s the legal center of the House of Rafe.

  jackwagon: an Etharian curse word.

  jade: one hundred years.

  jamarch: one thousand years.

  kafcan: a beverage that is similar in every way to dark-roast coffee.

  kesek: Cavar military rank, equivalent to major.

  keuken: the kitchen.

  kiaser gat: a type of gun.

  knob knocker: an Etharian curse word.

  Lamb’s Bottom: an antidote for znou axicote poisoning.

  lavare: a shower room.

  link: a measure of length equal to six feet.

  Loch of Cerulean: the tropical island where Kyon’s estate is located in Alameeda territory. A body of water on Ethar. The political seat of the Alameeda Brotherhood, reminiscent of a fiefdom.

  lurker: a stalker, crazy ex-girlfriend type.

  mamon: Rafian word for mom.

  mastoff: Etharian word for mastodon; a large elephantine mammal.

  Minness: an honorific title equivalent to Miss or Ms. in Rafian society.

  nim: idiot.

  ostioscope: a medical device, also known as grandma goggles or visor, that fits over the eyes like glasses and is used to perform a full-body scan. It checks vitals: synapse firing, dendrite chemical composition, reuptake rates.

  overup: an elevator that moves up, down, sideways, and slantways.

  part: an Etharian hour.

  pasdon: Rafian word for dad.

  Peney: one of the five clan-houses of Ethar. This House has always remained neutral in wartime. A member of the Peney House.

  pinpointer: a homing beacon.

  polar: sexy.

  Rafe: one of the five clan-houses of Ethar. An ally of Comantre. A member of the Rafe House.

  Rafian: a citizen of Rafe.

  rapid ascenders: Rafian drone aircraft.

  ratwacker: an Etharian curse word.

  razorite: a black bulletlike hovercar—military model.

  recurve: a crossbow.

  regeneration: a medical procedure to regrow limbs and organs.

  Regent: the acting king of Rafe. The current Regent is Manus Grayson.

  Riker Pak: an Alameeda jet pack.

  rotation: an Etharian day consisting of about sixteen hours.

  sactum amps: percussion grenades.

  saer: a saber-tooth tiger used as a symbol of the House of Rafe and the Regent.

  scanner jammers: devices that jam scanners.

  sensor jammers: technology that jams scanners capable of finding the heat signatures of living beings. It also jams sounds, light, etc.

  Shefty: Etharian equivalent to English slang “shifty.”

  shickles: an Etharian curse word.

  Ship of Skye: a floating military fortress owned and operated by the House of Rafe and their Skye Council.

  signal seeker: an alarm.

  skiff: also known as a hovercar; a hovering car capable of flying. It is propelled by forced air and does not have wheels.

  skoolie: a lamb with googly eyes and a face that resembles a pug dog (plural is skoolies).

  Skye Council: also known as Skye; the military branch of Rafian government, similar to the Pentagon, which is self-governing. Works in cooperation with the Regent.

  skyscape: a skyscraper located on the Ship of Skye.

  slipshield: a clear sticker resembling the symbol on a USB port that contains a code to unlock cell doors in the detention area.

  sloat: an Etharian goat.

  snuffout: a fire-extinguisher-like canister filled with flammable gas used as ammunition for flamethrowers.

  someone-elsie: a virus uploaded into an Alameeda drone that allows it to be navigated and controlled by a hacker.

  sonic sayzer: a weapon that shoots sounds at an amplified frequency. It is a metal sleeve worn on the wrist that shoots sound waves Spider-Man style when certain words are spoken into a mouthpiece connected to the earpiece. The sound waves it shoots are capable of rupturing cells.

  soothsayer: a priestess who has the ability to know through intuition if someone is lying.

  speck: an Etharian month.

  spix: a horse with wicked-sharp horns behind its ears (plural is spixes).

  squelch tracker: a heat-seeking automated bomb that can be programmed to assassinate a target.

  star chamber: a gravity chamber that animates figurines know as Crystal Clear Moments.

  starcross: a sharp, star-shaped weapon that resides in a bracelet housing. The star can be removed from the bracelet to throw at an enemy. It acts like a boomerang, returning to the bracelet after it’s thrown.

  Striker: a member of an elite body of troops trained to serve the Alameeda Brotherhood.

  suckerfish-bot: an automated medical robot.

  swank: an elegant party.

  sweet furroo: an Etharian saying similar to “good Lord.”

  swimmi-bot: an automated medical robot.

  Syndic: a member of the Comantre military.

  Techtonic Peninsula: land owned by the House of Peney; it is land that both Alameeda and Rafe are interested in obtaining for its strategic location as a staging area in wartime.

  toad thumper: idiot.

  trift: a smaller jet that looks like a Stealth Fighter.

  triple nitronium fritzwinter sonicdrites: Alameeda bombs.

  troupedo: a type of military grade hovercar/vehicle.

  truluv: Raspin’s Comantre slang for soulmate.

  turk: approximately one pound in weight.

  underbits: lingerie.

  Valley of Thistle: a district within the border of Rafe where spix races are held annually. Trey Allairis’s family estate is there, and it borders Charisma Sandersault’s estate.

  venish: venisonlike meat pie.

&nbs
p; venteur: Cavar military rank equivalent to captain.

  Verdi Freckles: a type of virus.

  Violet Hill: a district of Rafe.

  visor: a medical device, also known as grandma goggles or ostioscope, that fits over the eyes like glasses and is used to perform a full-body scan. It checks vitals: synapse firing, dendrite chemical composition, reuptake rates.

  vista: chloroform.

  wacker: an Etharian curse word.

  wester: a female sex offender.

  Westway: a city in Comantre.

  whahappened: a virus uploaded into Alameeda drones that causes them to explode when they dock onboard their mother ships.

  wrap: a medical procedure that removes scars from skin.

  Wurthem: one of the five clan-houses of Ethar. An ally of Alameeda. A member of the Wurthem House.

  xerts: a measure of sound equal to a decibel.

  znou: a dangerous flower known to be teeming with turbine worms. It grows in the restricted area of Ethar. The petals are poisonous if ingested, causing the erosion of organs. The plural is znous.

  znou axicote: poison from the znou flower.

  About the Author

  Photo © 2013 Georgia Cates

  Amy A. Bartol is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Kricket Series (Under Different Stars) and the Premonition Series: Inescapable, Intuition, Indebted, Incendiary and Iniquity. She lives in Michigan with her husband and their two sons. Visit her at her website: www.amyabartol.com