"Inherit the Stars"

Tony Peak is an Active Member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, and an Associate Member of the Horror Writers Association. His interests include progressive thinking, music, wine, history, Transhumanism, and planetary exploration. Happily married, he resides in rural southwest Virginia with a wonderful view of New River.

Peak applied the Page 69 Test to his new novel, Inherit the Stars, and reported the following:

From page 69:

throat constricted. She had her prize and just wanted to leave. Waiting outside the bridge viewport, Terredyn Narbas’s lonely shape begged her to return.

“Picking up other ships,” Sar said in a low voice. “Some­one else has followed you.” He stared at her, then turned the manuals. Frevyx neared her ship at docking speed.

Kivita’s stomach quivered. “Shit, Sar. Hurry up! Get me aboard, and we’ll cut from this system.”

Cheseia grabbed a spike baton from the weapons locker. “Where will you go? Your beacon will be posi­tively traceable.”

“Just get me on Terredyn Narbas. No way someone else would come this far from Inheritor Space.” Kivita shook sweat from her lank hair. Her mission grew more complicated and mysterious by the minute, matching a deeper fear.

Others wanted the gem. Maybe enough to kill for it.

Sar snorted. “We’d better leave now, with all of us on Frevyx.”

“Like hell we will! I’m not leaving my ship.” Kivita locked stares with Cheseia. The pause from the bridge made her tremble with anxious energy.

“Stand ready for the airlock, Kiv,” Sar finally called from the bridge. “Better trust us. You know I’ll track your trajectory, so there’s no point in pulling some trick. Wait . . . Got several signals, closing. Cheseia, close the doors as soon as she leaves.”

Frevyx hummed louder. Gravity relaxed for a second as both airlocks magnetized with each other. Kivita rose onto her tiptoes, ready to jump into her gyro harness and clear Vstrunn as soon as possible.

Cheseia approached the airlock’s left side. “Truly, you must follow us. That gem is certainly important—”

Page 69 from Inherit the Stars gives a good impression of the relationship between Kivita and Sar, the two main characters, as well as the science fiction setting and the danger they are in as forces converge on them for an object Kivita has discovered.

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--Marshal Zeringue