Sunday 20 May 2012

'Alpha One - The Kronan' - now on Kindle!

Alpha One - The Kronan 

The Kryl are back... but this time they intend to feed.


Published by Eternal Press - 14th May 2012


An extract for your delectation:


'It was not pain in the conventional sense. To begin with, the tingling sensation as his brain was invaded was insignificant. There was no detectable impact on his cognitive ability, or apparently to his motor function. Now, though, the tingling was constant and more so after the event, rather than while the Kryl drones carried out their attack. The functions and capabilities of the cerebral cortex and the temporal lobes in particular were reduced substantially. He could still sense most things around him,his sight was still good, but his perception of things was changing and his emotional responses, his memory and his speech were confused. He did not know how long he had left. He had no perception of time, no concept of his surroundings. He was still able to move around, slowly and purposefully, but each movement was a calculation deliberately made, rather than an automated response.

He was led once again, to the Kronan’s sanctuary. All of his crew had gone and soon, he would join them.

“Ah Lieutenant Samos. Come in and take a seat. I can see that you have grown weaker. Your motor functions are slowing and even your basic functions are fading, your breathing, your heart rate and your digestive capabilities. If I allow my crew to digest again, you will not survive another day. Do you still have a significant part to play in this discussion?”

Samos had been waiting for this. It took all his concentration just to get here, but somehow, somewhere he had stored the basic instinct for survival and this was his last chance.
“I can still contribute...I could be of use to you for a long time. I know stuff.” He found it harder and harder to speak but somehow he managed to finish his sentence.
“I agree that you have been useful and it would be counter productive to end our discussions prematurely. However, your brain functions have been compromised. There is no guarantee that even your basic functions will return. Nonetheless, there is a precedent with other species. Convince me!”

Samos could barely comprehend the Kronan’s dysfunctional dialect at the best of times but now, he was having trouble keeping his eyes open, let alone, make a speech, which could stop the Kryl from killing him. He concentrated hard.
“About Alpha, about Earth, about us...it must be of use!”
“I could capture any human, even a higher ranking one and obtain better, more concise, more accurate information than you can provide. I said convince me!”
Samos sighed and pulled his hands away from his face. “But you know and understand me. I am at death’s door. I will tell you anything, everything!”
The Kronan smiled.“You may be of some use still. I will allow you to recover and we will talk again in a few days. By then, we will have arrived at the wormhole and we can welcome my fleet together.”

Samos was led back to his cell, where he collapsed onto his bed exhausted. When he awoke, he felt more alert. A medication droid was monitoring him and he was hooked up to a spinal drip. He could
not move but realized the Kronan was good to his word. The Kryl were bringing him back from death. He was suddenly overjoyed. This was not much; at least he was alive—for how long, he did not know, but he was still alive.'

Book 2 in the Alpha One series is now published and available via Eternal Press  http://www.eternalpress.biz/book.php?isbn=9781615726745
via Amazon.com  http://amzn.to/Mx8QQu or Amazon.co.uk http://amzn.to/KxGBMZ
The paperback will be available shortly, with other e-book formats and availability in other on-line and retail stores following suit.


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