by Scott Moon
The moment felt short and eternal at the same time. Rolling away from Maximus, he struggled to catch his breath and winced at pain all over his body. His back and left arm had been pierced multiple times during the second and a half he had shielded Maximus.
“You okay, animal?”
“Aroooh.”
Screams filled the air as the lesser monsters withered and died. Some managed to flee, but they didn’t make it very far.
With his good hand, Thad scratched behind the pig-dog’s ears. “Pen?” he called.
Penelope Fry-Grigman fell to her knees, chest heaving with her efforts to fight the pain that racked her body. “Getting better by the minute,” she managed to say. She didn’t try to stand, not wanting Thad to see her weakness.
“Max? Come on, buddy. Give me some loving.” The Glakridozian nuzzled him before heading for Penelope.
She draped an arm over him as he smacked her face with his tongue.
“Get off me you disgusting creature!” she ordered with little energy behind her words.
A long arm reached down and pulled her to her feet. “Your eyes look bigly weird, all pupil and no iris.”
“That’s because I’ve been rocking the ganj, my alien friend.”
“Mast Jotham must remind the former Special Investigator that on Ungwilook, she is the alien.”
“Point to the deputy!” she declared taking a step forward to test her balance.
Thad struggled to his feet, grimacing at his deputy. “I knew you had a soft spot for the ladies.”
“I am muchly like you,” the deputy replied.
Thad started to laugh as he staggered to Mast, nodding and apologizing when he grabbed on to maintain his balance.
With a human braced on each side and a Glakridozian pig-dog leading the way, Mast started for the Mother Lode.
***
Shaunte faced Judy Ortega across the largest table in the Mother Lode. They each had a witness.
“This contract doesn’t even resemble fairness,” Ortega said.
“It’s non-negotiable,” Shaunte said.
“I don’t see why I have to sign myself into a mental hospital. You’re trying to discredit me.”
Shaunte smiled. “My sheriff has more than enough evidence to convict you in a court of law. Consider yourself lucky I am willing to deal on this proof.”
“What kind of evidence?”
Thad cleared his throat. “Some jury members don’t like sworn witness statements unless they come with video and audio evidence. Fortunately, my witness is smarter than you are.”
“I demand to know who your witness is and what he or she claims I did,” Ortega said. “Carter, make them tell me. I need proof or I’m not signing this contract.”
Thad interrupted. “That will be revealed if we go to trial as part of mandatory discovery. I’ll show all my evidence to your defense lawyer. He or she will want to make a deal, take a plea bargain, but you’ll get a hard forty instead.”
“Take the deal, Mrs. Ortega.”
“This gives all the advantages to SagCon and far too much protection for the planet of Ungwilook and its natural population,” Ortega complained.
Shaunte didn’t argue. She waited, not caring which decision Ortega made. The woman had come to Darklanding thinking she was playing a deadly game of chess when she was really only playing checkers. Shaunte had learned the game from a master, honed her skills on the hardest frontier in the galaxy, and found a sheriff who didn’t scare off easily or get himself killed.
The future of Darklanding was in her hands. With a little help, everyone could win. Except the woman who had tried to betray her and murder her friends.
Ortega muttered curses as she signed the certified tablet form.
Shaunte signed her portion, then leaned back. “Welcome to Darklanding.”
The End of Episode 12. The End of Season 1.
Season 2 depends on you. We need people to read and enjoy Darklanding. Leave us a review. Say kind words. Tell your friends and keep the series alive.
Thank you for reading this story.
Author Notes: Scott Moon
Thank you for reading Darklanding!
It’s been a heck of a ride. Now is probably a good time to really offer a super big thanks to Diane Velasquez, Dorene Johnson, and Kat Lind who pitched the concept to Craig. This simple project has become something new and great, I think. Maybe not everyone will love it. Perhaps some won’t get it at all. But we just created a space opera western from scratch. Inspired by Firefly, Tombstone, Bonanza and other classics cinema, I wonder if someday (just maybe) Darklanding could see the silver screen?
That’s a subtle hint for anyone who happens to know a movie producer to mention our little series. We’ve already been approached by one studio. I wish I could say more, but that would probably not be allowed.
So exciting. And now I’m rambling.
It is 0442 hours in the morning as I write these final words of season one. I need to grab a quick workout and head to the day job. If I’m lucky, I will encounter interesting people, situations, and scenery that will fuel my imagination. On the way to work I will listen to an audiobook. Which reminds me, Craig and I are waiting with eager anticipation as the audiobook for the first three episodes goes into final production.
I love audiobooks and can’t wait to hear the final version of Darklanding.
I hope you and yours are well. May good things come to you all day, everyday!
Thank you so much for reading season one of Darklanding.
Scott Moon, Writer
Author Notes: Craig Martelle
Woohoo! Time to pop the cork on the good champagne! Can you believe that we did it? Scott Moon doing the heavy lifting, telling great stories, and together, we delivered these episodes, one after the other, only eighteen days in between. An amazing run.
Would we do it again? With the right incentive, that answer would have to be yes. If a studio wants to make a small screen version of this series, I’m sure we could come up with plenty new and exciting adventures for our favorite characters.
Today is the solstice, June 21st. In Fairbanks, Alaska, they have the annual midnight classic, a baseball game they play overnight, without lights, because they don’t need them. It has been light for twenty-four hours for the past month and will be for the next month. It’s just how it is this far north.
I’m working on other series, other worlds, in a broad range of genres. So many stories left to tell. Look for all of that chocolatey goodness in your candy aisle.
While you’re jonesing for more Darklanding, Scott and I both have plenty of other books that you can read. Here’s a listing of the series that I have available.
Terry Henry Walton Chronicles (co-written with Michael Anderle) – a post-apocalyptic paranormal adventure
Gateway to the Universe (co-written with Justin Sloan & Michael Anderle) – this book transitions the characters from the Terry Henry Walton Chronicles to The Bad Company
The Bad Company (co-written with Michael Anderle) – a military science fiction space opera
End Times Alaska (also available in audio) – a Permuted Press publication – a post-apocalyptic survivalist adventure
The Free Trader – a Young Adult Science Fiction Action Adventure
Cygnus Space Opera – A Young Adult Space Opera (set in the Free Trader universe)
Darklanding (co-written with Scott Moon) – a Space Western
Judge, Jury, & Executioner – a Space Opera Adventure Legal Thriller
Rick Banik – Spy & Terrorism Action Adventure
Become a Successful Indie Author – a non-Fiction work for aspiring authors
Metamorphosis Alpha – stories from the world’s first science fiction RPG
The Expanding Universe – science fiction anthologies
Shadow Vanguard – a Tom Dublin Humorous Science Fiction Action Adventure
Uprise Saga – an Amy DuBoff Space Opera
Superdreadnought (c
o-written with Tim Marquitz) – a Military Space Opera (coming fall of 2018)
Enemy of my Enemy (co-written with Tim Marquitz) – A Galactic Alien Military Space Opera (coming late summer of 2018)
And there you are. So much to read. So many places to go. Lots of great characters to relate to. Peace fellow, humans. We will see you later.