Corruption_Age Of Expansion_A Kurtherian Gambit Series

by Sarah Noffke

  “But who knows what methods they are using,” Hatch argued.

  “You’re Dr. A’Din Hatcherik,” Liesel encouraged. “You have your own ways.”

  “We can’t wait a week to travel to this galaxy to investigate,” Jack stated. “Isn’t there another option?”

  Hatch peered down, his bottom lip folding into his mouth as he thought. “There is an anomaly that I could play off, but…” He shook his head. “No, it’s too dangerous.”

  “What is it?” Jack asked, his hands on his hips.

  Hatch closed his eyes, his gaze darting around under his lids as he muttered to himself. He opened his eyes with a bright expression. “I think I could slingshot us close enough to the galaxy using a nearby blackhole. Once there, Ricky Bobby can open a gate and get us into the galaxy.”

  Jack clapped his hands together. “Okay, let’s do it!”

  Hatch shook his head. “You don’t understand, this is a huge risk. I don’t know that it will work. And even if it does work, there are other repercussions that we could suffer.”

  “Like we could lose everyone in our current crew?” Jack asked, his forehead wrinkling.

  Hatch only looked at him. “I just need you to understand the risks,” he stated. “I’m fine with doing it.”

  Jack looked to Lewis and Bailey and finally to Liesel. They were all wearing the same brave expressions, one that communicated accurately their determination.

  He turned back to Hatch. “How long will it take to get us there?”

  Hatch slipped into a seat at the main control area. “We’ll be there before you know it. Which means you better hold on tight. This is going to be the ride of your life.”

  Bailey felt her body slam into the seat. Her skin felt as though it was about to melt off her bones from the velocity. The lights in the bridge blinked several times, and the howling made her think she’d never hear properly again. She tried her best to keep her head up, but the pressure was too much. The violent rocking. The force.

  She was trying to fight the trauma caused by the orbital change, but it was too much. Finally she did as everyone else had done, and closed her eyes as her head lulled forward. The howling continued as she was pushed into the land of unconsciousness.

  “Hello?” Lewis heard someone say. “Hello?”

  He tried to open his eyes but he was locked in a sleep so deep he didn’t know how to come out of it.

  “Is anyone there?” a voice asked.

  It was a familiar voice. Everything was familiar right then. The smell of grease and burning plastic. The rustling noises. The low hum of engines.

  “Hello?”

  Lewis pushed himself up, and the stark awareness that he was sitting brought a brand new realization to his mind. He remembered what they’d been doing last. He remembered the team. Ricky Bobby.

  Lewis opened his eyes to find his vision blurry.

  “Hello!” Ricky Bobby yelled, and this time there was hope in his voice. “You’re awake!”

  Lewis thought he was talking to him, but he turned to find Bailey pushing up out of her seat, and groggily marching forward, seeming almost drunk.

  “And there’s the detective too,” Ricky Bobby said. “Oh, and Hatch and the rest.”

  “Hi,” Lewis said, turning around to see Hatch looking like he was waking from a long slumber. Jack, Liesel, and Dejoure were unlocking themselves from their seats, bleary looks on their faces.

  “Report, Ricky Bobby,” Hatch ordered, waddling over to where Bailey stood only a few feet from the viewing window.

  “All engines are online,” Ricky Bobby began. “The cloaks are on, and the shields are at full capacity. We gated several hours ago and have been floating through the edge of the Precious Galaxy, waiting for you to wake up.”

  Hatch shook his head. “Well, the good news is that the slingshot worked and we made it.”

  “And the bad news?” Jack asked.

  “The journey nearly killed us all, if we passed out for most of the trip,” Hatch said with a morbid laugh in his voice.

  “And so this is…” Bailey pointed out at the inky blackness.

  Lewis stood, afraid his legs might give out on him. He tested his foot and took a steady step forward.

  “The Precious Galaxy,” Hatch stated, looking out the viewing window.

  The detective strode over, careful with his balance. He thought he was going to stumble as he looked up at the sight before him. A beautiful pinkish glow spiraled all around them, like pixie dust had been sprinkled throughout this area of space. In the distance, bright blue and green planets hung between stars and moons. It was like looking at a painting, although Lewis had never seen anything quite this breathtaking.

  He was about to remark on how extraordinary the sight was when a grayish haze passed in front of the viewing screen. It was far enough away that its lightning center could be seen making strange patterns, as the organic mass morphed and spiraled, moving fast in the opposite direction.

  “If we had any doubts that this was the right place to find the crew, they are settled now,” Bailey stated, her mouth hanging open.

  “Don’t worry,” Hatch stated as he moved in closer to her, almost protectively. “The monster can’t get to us with the cloak and shields up. We’re safe now.”

  “I’m interested to know how it got here so quickly,” Lewis mused.

  “Me too,” Hatch chirped. “That will definitely be on my priority list.”

  “Could it be a different monster?” Bailey asked.

  Hatch shrugged. “That’s to be determined, but it’s presence here confirms for me that we’re in the right place.”

  Jack, Liesel, and Dejoure joined them in front of the viewing window, the brightness of the galaxy’s lights cascading off everyone’s faces.

  “Yes, I think this confirms we’re in the right place,” Jack stated.

  Hatch, to Lewis’s astonishment, was still clutching the sketch Dejoure had made. He held it up, looking at the first large point she had drawn. “I’m guessing that this first system will offer us clues. This is uncharted territory for us, and I daresay we will be trespassing. Still, I think we have enough to start searching. Ricky Bobby, follow the monster.”

  Lewis turned to Bailey, a proud smile on his face. “I think we’d better get to work, Lieutenant.”

  Bailey returned the grin. Her eyes bright with determination. “I agree, detective. We have a crew to find.”

  FINIS

  Author Notes - Sarah Noffke

  Written June 18, 2018

  Thank you for reading this first installment! I really hope you enjoyed. Starting a new series is fun and nerve-wracking. It’s setting the foundation for a skyscraper that could be one to twenty-five stories tall. It all depends on how well that foundation is set.

  When I started this new series, I didn’t know Bailey or Lewis at all. You’re probably thinking that doesn’t matter because they are made up people, but that’s not true. I like to believe my characters live in a parallel universe and I’m telling their stories. At first the channel is blocked or small but overtime, it opens up and I hear the story more easily. I become more in tuned to these people in the story. I had to get to know these new characters and that takes time. It’s sort of like dating but I don’t have to do my hair or makeup.

  Fun fact: Bailey was named after my daughter. Her name is Lydia Baylee. Her’s isn’t the traditional spelling of the name and I really worried about using it. That’s why I polled the readers on Facebook and let them decide. It was interesting to see the suggestions reader gave, but in the end, Bailey won the vote. When I began book two, I misspelled Bailey approximately 56 times (as readers warned me would happen if I changed the spelling). However, I believe in a democracy and the readers voted.

  Probably my favorite moment of writing this first book was when I told Michael I planned to kill off the entire crew of Ricky Bobby. I was of course meaning “send them to a remote database” but that didn’t sound as cool. We
were on video conference and his face totally went slack. I think he said, “You’re joking, right?” To which I giggled with evil delight. “They aren’t dead…not really.”

  This is my third series with LMBPN and I hope to write many more. The collaborations are so much fun and I think the results are even better than if I was on my own. When I was writing the end of this book, I was on the phone with Michael and asked him how could I quickly and efficiently get the ship to another galaxy. He suggested gates that would take a few weeks. I was like, “Nope. I’m thinking like a few hours.” We do have three-hundred crew members hanging out in a database waiting to be rescued. That’s when he suggested the sling shot method. I was thrilled! Great idea and something I might not have come up with on my own.

  I get incredibly awesome suggestions from readers for story ideas. As I mention in the acknowledgements, Jurgen Moders was really great at helping me with this series. It was fun discussing different plots and working through ideas.

  Also Cynthia MacLeod made suggestions for missions when I was writing Ghost Squadron. I save all suggestions. She’s where I got the inspiration for the artificial sun. Thanks!

  And Ron Gailey also had suggested that the AI be paired with the crew through comms. That came in handy in this one since Julianna is dead…I mean in a database.

  Anyway, keep the suggestions coming. I always appreciate them and they are fresh and fun.

  I’m hard at work on book 2 right now. School is out for my daughter and I’m teaching a summer class at the college. That means I’m going to have to give my students all B’s and forgo sleep, but the book will be done on time.

  Thanks for reading and I can’t wait to share more stories with you.

  Sarah

  Check out Sarah Noffke’s Science Friction Werewolf Thriller:

  Alpha Wolf, Olento Research Series, Book 1

  Twelve Men Went Missing

  Six months later they awake from drug-induced stupors to find themselves locked in a lab. On the night of a new moon, eleven of those men - possessing new gifts of speed, strength and inhuman powers - break out of their prison and race through the streets of Los Angeles. They disappear one by one into the night.

  Werewolves Are On The Loose

  Mika Lenna - a powerful dream traveler and head of Olento Research - wants to control the world. To do that, he must create an army of assassins. Capturing the twelve men was easy, as was experimenting on them while keeping them in drug-induced stupors. But now all hell has broken loose - wolf-like men have been spotted across the nation, leaving fatal attacks in their midst. Mike must tear every city apart until his invaluable werewolves are back under his control.

  The Race Is On

  The Lucidite Institute's main mission is to save the world from injustices. Their best agent, Adelaide Lewis, needs to find these mutated men and protect them and society, and fast. Adelaide realizes that she has to find the Alpha Wolf. Only once she's located him can she stop whoever is behind this experiment to create wild beasts out of human beings.

  Alpha Wolf has a taut storyline combined with action-packed scenes. This spellbinding YA supernatural fantasy is a must read for the young and not so young alike.

  Get Alpha Wolf here.

  About Sarah Noffke

  Sarah Noffke, an Amazon Best Seller, writes YA and NA sci-fi fantasy, paranormal and urban fantasy. She is the author of the Lucidites, Reverians, Ren, Vagabond Circus, Olento Research and Soul Stone Mage series. Noffke holds a Masters of Management and teaches college business courses. Most of her students have no idea that she toils away her hours crafting fictional characters. Noffke's books are top rated and best-sellers on Kindle. Currently, she has eighteen novels published. Her books are available in paperback, audio and in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian. http://www.sarahnoffke.com

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you to the readers. Since I’ve entered the world of KGU readers, my life has seriously changed. You all are incredibly supportive, loyal, thoughtful and fun! I have the best times interacting with you and listening to your suggestions.

  Thank you to Michael Anderle for being a seriously awesome guy. People say that about other people, but I truly mean it. Michael really wants everyone to succeed and I love writing for LMBPN because of that! And many more reasons.

  Big thank you to Jurgen Moders for all the help with this series. He’s the guy responsible for the maps and also for helping me figure out ways around road blocks. Also Jurgen was the first reader and made my editor’s job a lot easier. Thanks for all the help!

  Thank you to Jen for doing the edits and keeping me sane. I know I’m supposed to know where commas go, but I seriously forget daily. Thank you to Andrew and Jeff for the cover work. You guys are awesome.

  Thank you to the JIT team for all the input. Your suggestions are really great. More than anything, you all help me to sleep at night knowing your keen eyes are catching errors. It’s wonderful having your help and expertise.

  Thanks to Craig, Steve, Jami and everyone at LMBPN who makes the books happen. It truly is a team effort.

  Thank you to my friends and family who put up with my odd hours. I can’t do this without your support and encouragement. My lovely daughter, Lydia, is my muse. I enjoy sharing with her ideas from the book and she always gives me new ideas for stories.

  Thank you to everyone for the inspiration, thoughtfulness and love. A book truly is the accumulation of experiences, poured on to the page and there’s been so many who have been a part of that.

  Author Notes - Michael Anderle

  June 27, 2018

  Thank you for reading these Author Notes WAY in the back of the book. I appreciate you staying with us!

  Right now, I’m flying back from Cabo San Lucas to Los Angeles and then a drive back to Las Vegas for a day before a flight to Dallas Fort Worth. While travel is fun, this much travel is a job.

  Cabo was fairly amusing, since it is the focus of a few scenes in the latest War of the Damned book (written by my alter ego, Michael Todd.)

  Like any stories that we make up, we always share what we know when we provide you with characters, settings, reactions, etc. For example, Sarah and I were talking about this and another series we are working on a few weeks ago, and the subject of people who seem to be crazy in Los Angeles came up. Now, I’ve lived in Orange County, CA, and I have family and friends in Los Angeles, and I can completely believe the stories that she was telling me about a few people she has run into. I have to say, I was DYING with laughter. She told a few of those stories in this book, but I mentioned I thought she should just write them in their own ‘real romance’ type of title.

  (By ‘real romance,’ I mean add enough fiction to hide the identities, and realize that romance can be SUCH a pain in the ass when you are old enough to know what the hell you are doing. Or at least think you are.)

  I really don’t know if she did that. (Pull the stories out or stop adding them to this series.) Sarah didn’t believe that a lot of you would think the stories were real if she used them in a space opera.

  Although they certainly were.

  I use Los Angeles in one of my own series (Brownstone), and it offers so much richness beyond the characters that you don’t have to make up. It provides a lot of history, places to have your characters go, and stories you can share.

  Kind of like where we are now with the Precious Galaxy. While this story is Space Opera (because we don’t like to fiddle with all of the knobs and math that are required with Hard Sci-Fi) we will get to know it a bit better as time goes on. As authors, we introduce little snippets of truth that we export from this planet to that galaxy.

  Perhaps one day we will all sit down and a reader will ask Sarah, “Was this situation in Precious real or imagined?”

  Sarah will probably start with, “So, I was sitting in a coffee shop in LA…” and then leave us all in stitches as she did me just a few weeks ago. I hope you enjoy the ride!

  Regards,

  Mi
chael Anderle

  Books By Sarah Noffke

  Sarah Noffke, an Amazon Best Seller, writes YA and NA sci-fi fantasy, paranormal and urban fantasy. She is the author of the Lucidites, Reverians, Ren, Vagabond Circus, Olento Research, Soul Stone Mage, Ghost Squadron and Precious Galaxy series. Noffke holds a Masters of Management and teaches college business courses. Most of her students have no idea that she toils away her hours crafting fictional characters. Noffke's books are top rated and best-sellers on Kindle. Currently, she has thirty-three novels published. Her books are available in paperback, audio and in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian. http://www.sarahnoffke.com

  Check out other work by this author here.

  Ghost Squadron:

  Formation #1:

  Kill the bad guys. Save the Galaxy. All in a hard day’s work.

  After ten years of wandering the outer rim of the galaxy, Eddie Teach is a man without a purpose. He was one of the toughest pilots in the Federation, but now he’s just a regular guy, getting into bar fights and making a difference wherever he can. It’s not the same as flying a ship and saving colonies, but it’ll have to do.

  That is, until General Lance Reynolds tracks Eddie down and offers him a job. There are bad people out there, plotting terrible things, killing innocent people, and destroying entire colonies. Someone has to stop them.

  Eddie, along with the genetically-enhanced combat pilot Julianna Fregin and her trusty E.I. named Pip, must recruit a diverse team of specialists, both human and alien. They’ll need to master their new Q-Ship, one of the most powerful strike ships ever constructed. And finally, they’ll have to stop a faceless enemy so powerful, it threatens to destroy the entire Federation.