The Reptiles’ Blade is a science fiction novella about a
retired military member, a lizardine warrior-come-“diplomat” and some
high-level negotiation that very nearly goes astray before it even gets
started.
When Felicity Shannara
Jones is ordered by her command to infiltrate a criminal organization using
humanitarian aid as a front, she isn’t sure she’s the right girl for the job,
but then she finds Mika, second planetary adviser to humanity’s current foe,
and she knows things just got serious. When Mika escapes custody, things go
from serious to dire in one jet-propelled moment and Felicity, with her history
in the lizardine war, finds herself in the firing line once more.
First Page: The Reptiles' Blade
Felicity
Shannara Jones, Captain Jones to most who knew her, Felix to her friends, Jay
to Manx Carlisle who followed her up the steps from the car.
“You
could drop the uniform, you know,” he said. “After all, you don’t wear one
anymore.”
“Can
it, Carlisle.”
“And
I know you’re pissed when you go formal on me.”
“You
have no idea.”
Carlisle
placed a hand on her forearm. It was just a touch, firm, a warning. Felix
stopped half way up the stairs, let him partially block her path and catch her
eye.
“Take
a breath, Jay. They are the dumbest damned civilians we’ve yet come across, but
they are holding all the cards.”
It
took an effort, but Felix managed to halt the epithet before it crossed her
tongue. This was what they paid him for. This was why she had kept him around,
long after she had given most of her other PAs the can. Carlisle knew the
playing field, and knew her well enough to warn her when she was letting too
much of her inner self show—and, tonight, she had to present a cool, collected
façade. The institute they were visiting was holding someone she dearly wanted
to meet. If they caught a whiff of who she really was and what she was doing
here, she’d be out on her ear before she could see him.
She
laid a hand over the top of Carlisle’s fingers, acknowledging his assistance.
Turning her head so she could meet his eyes, she took two deep breaths, careful
to stay aware of her surroundings even as she lost herself in the color of his
eyes. Blue and green swirled together to remind her of the oceans of Aquapearl.
Aquapearl.
Not all of her memories of that distant world were so peaceful. In fact, most
of them were highly disturbing. She had been a killer then, worn a uniform, led
a squad against one of the most cunning and adept enemies humanity had ever had
the misfortune of irritating. Attempting to claim someone else’s planet tended
to have that effect on the inhabitants. The oceans, though.
She
had been given time to heal beside one, and had learned to associate the
uniquely colored water with security—and then they had whisked her out of the
war zone and slotted her with an advisory position. It was too dangerous to
send her back to fight; she’d draw too much attention to any unit to which she
was attached.
Felix had learned a
lot about the politics behind the conflict, since then, was active in trying to
find a way to peace that would let both sides retire with grace. Or, at least,
with their economies intact. The lizardine warrior being held was probably the
emissary they had been waiting for, and that was going to put a big hole in
their hopes for an equitable ending.
END FIRST PAGE
If you would like to read more, The Reptiles’ Blade is available from Smashwords, Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Omnilit, DriveThruFiction and iTunes.
