I know I usually do the first chapter as a sneak peek, but in this book the first chapter is in space before arriving planet-side and gives you some good background information but isn’t quite as fun as chapter 2 when they arrive on Turongal. So I am giving you chapter 2 instead! The valuable thing to keep in mind that you would have known reading chapter 1 is that human civilization has reached a point where Earth became united but to deal with population concerns and global interests in offworld colonizing, they managed both affairs by creating three distinct classes: citizen, soldier, and the non-gratis. The latter class does not possess any rights of citizenship. They must obtain licenses to have children, relocate etc, their lives completely controlled by government assignment/ supply and demand. They are also entered into lotteries for initial colonization efforts on unknown worlds. That is what we find on Turongal. The heroine, Charlie, is from the non-gratis class sent to be part of the colonization team. Those who have read the short erotica Serpent of the Abyss might recognize the Exploratory company name.

Chapter 2

Movement on the planet surface felt sluggish. Despite the slightly lower gravitational pull that should have made walking easier, the weight of Charlie’s environmental protection suite, was crushing. The EPS was made from heavy synthetic materials that covered every inch of her body, the thick gloves magnetically sealing to the suite as did her boots. If that weren’t heavy enough, her standard issue rifle was heavy as fuck, and the helmet and filtration unit added considerable weight. The air was breathable on Turongal, but everyone was required to wear the unit and helmet as a safety precaution. Altogether, it made for a heavy fucking load. It wasn’t quite as bad as it had been during drills on board the colony ship, which had kept its artificial gravity set to Earth standard, only adjusting to Turongal gravity in the final weeks before landing, but it was still a bitch.

At least it was warm on the planet surface, despite the frequent windstorms that swept the landscape. She couldn’t feel the temperature of the air, but between the sunlight and her TRS that she wore close to her skin, she was no longer freezing like she had been for the last three years on the lower deck. Instead, she was uncomfortably hot, the sweat gathering between her skin and suite making it stick in places. She almost missed the wretched cold…at least then physical exertion was welcoming for the warmth it brought.

Squinting at the dome reflecting light in the distance, Charlie cursed. She swore it was no closer than it had been over an hour ago. The miles between the safe landing zone and the colony settlement seemed to stretch on forever. She didn’t know which sadist decided that all the non-gratas would walk to the colony, but she wanted to kill them. Already the land vehicles had disappeared into the distance carrying essential personnel, leaving them to catch up or fall over and die where they stood on the alien world. The sector head wouldn’t give a shit. He would merely cross them off his list. No doubt, somewhere eyes were watching them to keep count of how many made it alive to the colony and who were not traveling quickly enough to garner full rations when they would finally arrive. Assholes.

A drone flew by and she groaned. Yep there it was. She just barely resisted the urge to raise her middle finger at her superiors doubtlessly watching at the other end. She shouldn’t antagonize them, not when she was already going to get her ass jumped for what she was about to do. Fuck it, she needed to rest for a moment. She wasn’t killing herself for anyone.

Ignoring the people passing by, Charlie leaned against a rocky outcropping, dropped her rifle to her side and tilted her head back in disgust. A low groan worked its way out of her.

How much hotter was it going to get?

She was tempted to disobey direct orders and shuck the EPS off. Sure, there might be some toxin in the air that might kill her, but the first touch of air on her skin would almost be worth the poisoning. Come to think of it, she would happily peel herself out of the damn TRS and walk the rest of the way nude if they would let her. She examined the rocky ground. Ok, she would keep her fucking boots.

            Doug grunted as he stopped at her side, shouldering his rifle. “Home, sweet home,” he muttered, his eyes scanning the gray landscape. Everything was just miles of gray rock and bluish gray brush with scattered trees of similar hue that had the faintest green tinge to them.

            Jace dropped beside her, pulling at the neck of his EPS, allowing his weapon to fall at his side loosely from its strap. “I feel like I am being suffocated. I can’t believe that they are making us walk all the way to colony wearing this shit.”

“Probably thinks it is a good practice for when we are out there working,” Ben retorted wearily. The strap of his weapon hung from one shoulder as he braced his hands on his hips and he glared at the distant colony dome. “We are going to be expected to be out here for hours every day laboring. Besides, they probably didn’t want to expend the gas sending the land rovers back and forth to transport us all.”

“Of course, we would be worth less than the fucking gas,” Jace sighed. “Sadistic motherfuckers.”

Exhausted, Charlie leaned forward allowing her upper body to sag over her knees. Turning her head to the side, she gave Jace a tired grin. “Look at the bright side. Apparently after we get our quarters and assignments, we will have the rest of the remaining daylight hours free.”

Jace snorted. “Do you suppose they have an operational tavern? If so, I am planning on getting wasted and trying to forget I was sent it this wasteland.”

“It ain’t so bad,” Doug retorted gruffly as he slapped Jace on the back. “It reminds me of the small laborer’s town I grew up in near the Badlands in South Dakota. Color is off, and this place has more trees, but it reminds me of home all the same. A lot of open terrain—a lot of possibilities.”

“Whatever dude,” Jace sighed, bracing his hands behind his head. “I don’t see it. Everything just looks gray and dull, like something from the old twentieth century Twilight Zone vids. I expect at any moment for someone to start telling me all about a fifth dimension beyond light and shadow.”

Ben rolled his eyes and shoved Jace, upsetting his twin’s balance. “I keep telling you those old vids are going to rot your brain. They are on the restricted list for a reason.”

“What’s new? All the fun shit is. Anything that makes you actually use your brain.”

Charlie grimaced in agreement. She wasn’t Jace. She never had the nerve to download forbidden content from illegal servers. At thirty-two, she spent her entire life playing by the rules hoping that she wouldn’t get sent to the colonies. She kept her head down and worked her ass off. In the end, it hadn’t done a damn bit of good. Her name had still been entered into the Lottery and no one had been willing to write her a recommendation to get an exemption.

“Do you think they will have uplinks ready to the planetary data system?” she asked aloud as she pushed herself off the rock. She was curious just how cut off they were in their little part of the galaxy.

“Yeah,” Doug sighed, wrinkling his brow. “They have key satellites orbiting designated planets and a few space stations between here and there. They newest that have been set up were scheduled to go live a year ago. Earth isn’t going to let us do anything without their stamp of approval. No doubt the sector head will be in contact with them daily in regard to our progress.”

“Planning a little illicit viewing, Charlie?” Jace grinned as shoved himself back onto to his feet. “I hear on some of the outer space stations they broad cast some really freaky alien-human porn. Illegal as hell, but I bet I can find it. It certainly would be a way to wile away many lonely nights,” he chuckled with a gleam of avarice in his eyes. “They let it slide on the colonies because they would rather everyone just be wanking off in their quarters instead of stirring up trouble. What do you say—planning on rubbing one out?”

“After three years shut in with Doug, probably more than one,” she retorted, falling easily into the camaraderie she enjoyed with the men.

“I would certainly volunteer to be used,” Ben offered with a flirtatious grin as he walked with a relaxed gait at her side. A little swagger going on…but both brothers were good for that. She wasn’t so easily taken in. Especially when she knew full well that he didn’t mean it in any way that mattered. He offered his services widely.

Charlie raised an eyebrow. “Are you built like an Aturian and did not tell me?”

“Damn, that’s a low blow,” he laughed. “I’m only human, Charlie. But we could have some hot, sweaty fun. I’ve certainly had no complaints.”

She chuckled and shook her head. “Thanks, but I seem to recall how quickly you got around on the ship. I think I will be quite happy with my vibrator and some tawdry visual stimulation.”

Charlie felt a tingle between her thighs thinking about it. It had been a while since she had enough privacy to rub one out, and even longer since she had sex. The thought of watching Aturian porn in the privacy of her own quarters, even if it was literally a hole in the wall, sent a hot lick of desire through her, leaving behind a needy edge that demanded satisfaction. Like many human women, Charlie definitely appreciated the aliens and their extremely exotic dicks. It was a shame that they were nowhere near Aturian space.

“What about you Doug, any plans for a little R and R…recreational release that is?” Jace asked impishly as he skirted around their larger friend and swung his weapon over his shoulder once more.

Doug leveled him with a hard glare. “None of your damned business, fuck-head. Keep your mind on what you are supposed to be doing, you can go waste brain cells later when you are alone. We need to catch up to the group. The sector head isn’t going to like the fact that we are lagging so far behind intentionally.” As if to lend weight to his words, a drone zipped overhead and circled low before heading back toward the colony.

Yeah, they had fucked around long enough.

Picking up their pace, they trod after the rest of the colonialists, silence stretching out among them as they focused on their destination. It took all that Charlie had just to keep her going. Gritting her teeth through the suffocating heat, she continued to put one foot in front of the other, her attention locked on colony settlement. One foot in front of the other and eventually she would get there. It became her mantra. Even when sweat slicked her entire body and her breath came out in miserable pants, she forced herself to continue walking as she watched the settlement get increasingly closer.

At midday when the sun beat down on them with a blistering, ceaseless heat and the horizon wavered in and out like a mirage, their group passed between two tall, rocky cliffs. The relief as they entered the heavy shade was instantaneous. Captivated by the rugged beauty of the cliffs, Charlie slowed her pace as she stared up at them, an awareness skittering over her that made her muscles tighten with apprehension. A few bent trees and thick brush bent as a hard wind blew through, beating at her helmet, and several small, loose stones tumbled down the side of one slope. Her mouth went dry as her gaze drifted over the incline.

She felt watched.

Her heart sped up as she slowed even more. Her head turning as she kept the cliff to her left in sight. What the fuck was out there?

Doug turned his head and glanced back at her, his brow slamming down into a scowl. Hoisting his rifle onto his shoulder, he walked back to her side and nudged her gently with his elbow.

“You okay, kid?”

Charlie jerked her head around and swallowed thickly. Nodding her head, she dredged up a tight small. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just freaking out for a moment there. I could have sworn that there was something out there.”

Her friend narrowed his eyes as he looked at the same cliff she’d been staring at, his lips tightening. He shook his head slowly as he grabbed her arm, pulling her ahead of him. “I don’t know. Let’s keep moving. We don’t have much further until we are at the settlement. Just stick by my side.”

Nodding wordlessly, she dropped her head slightly against another burst of wind, eager to get away from the cliff. Whatever was watching them had felt distinctly threatening, like a predator weighing its next meal. Perhaps intelligent? She let out a humorless laugh as she clutched her rifle tighter to her. Had all those years in the dark of the lower deck succeeded in fucking her head up? She had to have been imagining it. Durval Exploratory would have known if this world was inhabited, and they would have told the Earth Government. There was nothing to worry about.

Sighing, she focused on Doug’s steady, reassuring steps behind her as they breached the canyon and made their way over the comparatively flatter landscape that led to the settlement. Although the sun still beat down on the mercilessly and the wind was sharper in their exposed location, the terrain was easier to walk over, and they made good progress. The dome loomed over them as they passed the large field droids grinding deep furrows into the earth, the blades of the dangerous machines whipping at high speeds. They gave them wide berth, none of them wishing to get too close to the machines and risk losing a limb or worse should they fall near one.

When at last they arrived at the entrance, Charlie let her breath rush out of her in relief. The guard at the gate peered at them disdainfully as they stumbled through the gates. She shifted her weight from foot to foot as the antechamber air was scrubbed. A green light flashed, and the gate opened, permitting them entrance to Delta Stargazer colony.

Charlie stared at the uniform gray buildings uncomfortably. Everything was cold, gray and sterile…but for better or worse, it was home.

***

            A lone male glared from where he was crouched among the rocks, his four long limbs braced with tension as his tail half curved around him, aiding his balance the side of the cliff. His nostrils flared and a low growl rattled from his chest. He felt his long, blade-like claws slide out from his four paws and the fingertips of all four of his hands, wanting nothing more than to bury them in the flesh of the alien invading his planet. Lips pulled from large fangs as he issued his warning, his angry roar echoing through the canyon. Let the strangers hear it and tremble. Let them cower in their settlement. They would find no mercy or kindness on this planet. Inara Tahli would destroy them if he did not.