by Dietmar Wehr
Terrington laughed. “Fine. I wanted to greet you in person, but you and I can talk more tomorrow. Go say hello to your wife and son, Richard.”
With all the hugs and kisses, that task took a long time. Samantha kept touching him, as if to assure herself that he was really there, and Troy couldn’t stop asking questions. Troy was noticeably taller too, and Strider felt guilty about having been gone for almost nine months.
“Are you home for a while now?” asked a tearful Samantha.
“Better than that. I’m home for good now,” said Strider. He turned to look at Terrington who was still standing nearby. “General? I’ve accomplished everything I wanted to do when I joined the AF. Is there a desk job somewhere where you think I could be useful?”
“Oh, I’m pretty sure we can find something like that, Colonel, as long as you’re sure that’s what you want.”
“I’m sure. And as for reporting to you tomorrow, I might be a bit late.” Terrington and Samantha both laughed.
“Any time after lunch is fine, Colonel.”
The adults were still laughing when Troy and his parents reached their air car. He shook his head with incomprehension, muttering under his breath, “Grown-ups.”
This is the end of Return of the Star Raiders.
Author’s Comments:
This book has a series name, ‘The Long Road Back’. When I started writing Return of the Star Raiders, I thought I might write additional stories set on other planets as they try to regain their lost status as an interstellar civilization. By the time I finished writing RotSR, I had another completely different series in mind and I’ve decided to concentrate on that new series next. It’s entirely possible that I may come back to The Long Road Back series at some point but then again, I may not. In any case, I hope you liked this story and if you did, please take a couple of minutes to post a review. They really do help in generating future sales and I appreciate any advice or suggestions on how to become a better writer. You can get updates on my latest books and occasionally a special offer by signing up for my mailing list here. If you’re new to my books, please check out the list at the top. There are two free ebooks, The Synchronicity War Part 1 and Rumors of Glory. You’ll also find the first short story in a dark and gritty series entitled The Tattooed Angel. It’s intended for adults only. The Complete Thunder Series is now also available as an audiobook narrated by Luke Daniels. Links to my books can be found by clicking on my website link at the top. D.A.W.