This week at the SFF Seven, we're sharing a snippet from a work in progress. I’ve been working – slooooowly – on my next Badari Warriors book, JAMOKAN. Everything going on with the pandemic and politics this year had made it hard for me to feel energized and creative (plus I’ve had several chronic health issues flare up recently). I actually have gotten six books out this year, much to my own amazement. Originally I thought JAMOKAN was going to be a novella but of course the characters thought otherwise and I’m over 50K with some major scenes still to be written.
I haven’t written the
blurb for the book yet because one challenge at a time, you know? Here’s the
series blurb: Genetically engineered
soldiers of the far future, the Badari were created by alien enemies to fight
humans. But then the scientists kidnapped an entire human colony from the
Sectors to use as subjects in twisted experiments…the Badari and the humans
made common cause, rebelled and escaped the labs. Now they live side by side in
a sanctuary valley protected by a powerful Artificial Intelligence, and wage
unceasing war on the aliens. Some overarching issues do remain unresolved in
each book since this is an ongoing series but romance always wins the day in my
novels!
Jamokan is the Alpha of
one of the packs and feeling frustrated with his role in the rebellion and in
the sanctuary valley. In this unedited scene from near the beginning of the novel, he’s asking Aydarr, the ruling
Alpha for permission to take his men to the mountains for a hunt.
EXCERPT:
Two days later he sat with Aydarr in the other Alpha’s office, drinking Badari
herbal tea and discussing a training issue. It was a rare meeting with neither
Jill nor Daegan in attendance and Jamokan knew this was his opportunity to make
the proposal he’d been mulling over. “There is one more thing,” he said once
they agreed on the resolution of the training curriculum.
Eyebrows raised, Aydarr watched him. “Yes? I know
you’ve had something weighing on your mind for a while now. I know you too well
after all those years of rivalry in the lab. I used to have to watch you like
the alien cat in my DNA would stalk small winged prey. I never knew what you’d
pull next and I always had to be prepared.”
The Alpha’s tone was complimentary, admiring even
and Jamokan was mollified to some extent. Yes, before Jill came onto the scene there had
been strong competition between them and Jamokan won his share of the contests.
He stopped himself before wondering for the thousandth time what would have
happened if the Khagrish had given Jill to him instead of Aydarr. She isn’t my fated mate, which is the will
of the goddess, so we’ll never truly know. “I need to pull my pack together
and take the men out of this damn valley for a bit. The pack bond is… fraying.”
He searched for the right words. “Not to the point where it would ever break of
course.” A flare of dominance prickled through his nerve endings at the mere
idea of his pack dissolving. “I wouldn’t permit that. I can hold a pack
together. But maybe it’s our special canid mix of DNA – we need to run as a
pack. Just us. Take a breather from all this forced togetherness in the valley
and undertake a task or mission on our own.”
“I think the Khagrish unfortunately had some sense
built into their so-called science,” Aydarr said, unperturbed. “I think all
three of our packs needed that time loose in the Preserve which we were given
between experiments. To just be ourselves, as much as we could be under the
circumstances. To not interact with the other two packs for an extended period.”
Thinking back to the time in the labs, Jamokan said,
“I wonder how the Tzibir are faring these days? Collaborating with the Khagrish
even to a limited extent seems like a slippery slope to extinction.”
“You hear the same reports I do from MARL,” Aydarr
said with a shrug. “Nothing about them on any of the intercepts. As long as the
damn lizards aren’t taking the field against us, I have other worries to deal
with than a group who chose not to join us. What kind of sortie do you have in
mind for your pack? Now isn’t a bad time actually.”
Jamokan had come prepared. “I understand the kitchen
is running low on protein stocks, since we added the last group of people. I
was thinking the pack and I could go up north, to where the giant horned
faleker roam, and do a few weeks of serious hunting. Maybe bag game birds as
well. Darik said when he was on his solo mission to the north he saw flocks of
thousands of birds on the lakes near the falekers’ habitat. My enforcers and I
could design a few simulated maneuvers to run as well, sharpen everyone’s
senses. Maybe offer a prize to the winning team or soldier. I have to think
through the details, once I know for sure where we’re going.” He tilted his
head ever so slightly, knowing he needed to signal his willingness to accept
Aydarr’s decision. The other Alpha’s strength pushed against his own and of
course Aydarr would win. Jamokan always had to be mindful to steer clear of
confrontation with the man, which chafed. In the old days, in captivity, he and
Aydarr squared off fairly often. “Assuming you give permission.”
The supreme Alpha lounged in his chair, considering…
******************************************
I hope to get the book finished, edited and released
in December….till then feel free to catch up on the rest of the series, if you haven't already! At all major ebook sellers...
