Romance Readers Book Of The Week
October 31, 2005
ARCHIVED FEATURE
STAR
DUST
by Anne O'Bannon
Genre:
Futuristic Romance
Format: Trade Paperback or eBook
ISBN: 1-904492-82-7
Publisher: BeWrite Books
Buy This Book:
Available at
Amazon.com
FROM THE BACK COVER:
CHANCE or DESTINY?
Captain David Alexander, of the NASA space shuttle
Independence, awoke after seven years in cryogenic stasis to
discover he wouldn't survive the trip home. Then, in answer
to prayer, a UFO was sighted in the vicinity of the Titan
moon... To his chagrin, Commander Zara Darien, of the
Shimuran Starship Command, royally botches ‘First Contact’
when she shoots him from the stars...
With no foundation for trust, find out how they overcome
their animosity, join forces and alter Earth’s future. In so
doing, they unknowingly take the first step in fulfilling a
thousand year old prophecy –The Shimuran Legacy has begun.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS
BOOK:
5 Stars:
“Ann O'Bannon's debut novel sparks with passion in a
star-studded adventure. From its gripping start to
gratifying finish, STAR DUST sweeps you to a universe of
adventure and promise.”
~ Nancy Cane,
Award-Winning Author of STARLIGHT CHILD
“What a story! What a romance! Vivid, heart-pounding action,
a thought-provoking premise, and a fast paced, compelling
read. STAR DUST is a memorable debut novel. Watch out for
Ann O'Bannon!”
~ Rowena Cherry,
Award Winning author of FORCED MATE
4 Flowers
“This is a wonderful first attempt by an author who has a
bright, shining future, in this galaxy or any other! Her
characters are full of life and very believable. The story
concept is fresh and fun. I predict wonderful things for Ann
O’Bannon. Keep an eye on this author, her star is shining
bright!!”
~ Debbie at A
Romance Review
MEET THE AUTHOR:
As
a youngster, Ann blamed the Blarney stone for many wee
tales.
Her heartfelt
desire for novel length yarns occurred later in life when
her daughter left unfinished stories lying about the house.
In an effort to guide her stories to fruition, Ann created
the outline for her first book. Like mother, like daughter,
both Irish to the core…rigid structure created infamous
rebellion, but out of the temperamental conflict emerged a
new universe where Ann's imagination was set free...
Now, she claims:
"Reality is only a matter of perception!" Besides, who set
the margins for normalcy?
WHO IS ANN O'BANNON?
According to various sources she's a wee bit eccentric.
READ AN EXCERPT:
CHAPTER ONE
Earth date, December 3, 2018:
Finally, after seven years the space
shuttle Independence closed on its destination: Saturn.
A
loud click, followed by a series of rapid beeps, broke the
unmitigated silence. Moments later, a myriad of diodes
blinked into existence, illuminating the dusty console with
pinpricks of red light, signifying a series of subprograms
had come online. They flickered, changing to amber and then
to green once a thorough diagnostic certified all equipment
was functioning within normal parameters. New sensor
readings were taken and sent through a series of satellites,
to Earth currently one-point-two billion kilometers away.
A
long delay ensued before an encrypted response came back.
First, the internal environment reactivated, sucking the
thick stale air through a series of filtration systems to
clean and sterilize the dormant habitat. Next, a subprogram
established a stable environment suitable for maintaining
life. The console beeped a second time, initiating the final
sequence: A rich mixture of oxygen, spiked with anesthetic,
filled the closet-sized glass chamber. Then, warm fluids
flowed through various intravenous tubes to initiate the
slow process of thawing the precious contents.
Excruciating pain invaded Captain David Alexander’s
consciousness, jarring him awake. Fire and ice coursed
through his veins, inducing muscle cramps throughout his
body. In severe agony, he gritted his teeth until the
welcome blackness overcame his senses once more.
A
bright shimmering radiance filled the room, glittering with
a life of its own. The light danced and swirled,
transforming into a womanly shape with long blond hair,
flowing white garments and impressive golden wings. She
waved her arm, and time stopped abruptly.
Arianna stepped through the glass of the stasis chamber and
enveloped David’s frozen body within her wings. The angel
drew on her spirited powers, intervening before death’s cold
hand claimed her charge. She pressed her ethereal lips
against his mouth, filled his lungs with life, and
strengthened his failing heart.
“Awake my child,”
she beckoned.
David sucked in a sudden deep breath
then exhaled with a pain filled moan. His teeth started
chattering, and his body shook uncontrollably. Pain singed
his nerves as if the hounds of hell were nipping at his
flesh.
Utter terror beset him, and a surge of
adrenaline helped him break free of the oppressive, stifling
nightmare.
“Shhh,”
Arianna whispered.
“Your destiny
draws near.”
With a flap of her wings, she restored time to its rightful
schedule.
Warm, gentle arms held him lovingly, and a soft feminine
voice sang sweetly in his ear. David ceased struggling and
relaxed against the soft downy pillow while her musical
voice droned on.
The
angel placed her palm against David’s brow, infusing her
ethereal energy with his life force to awaken long dormant
characteristics that had been passed down from generation to
generation, waiting for this exact moment in time to give
birth to a legacy.
***
Commander Zara Darien of the Shimuran Starship Command (SSC)
sipped her steaming cup of chahooa while gazing out the main
viewport. As usual, the hot beverage provided a sufficient
amount of stimulant to kick-start her brain. Good thing too,
because she despised getting up this early and wanted to
depart Vega’s orbit as soon as possible. This area of space
always brought back painful memories that she’d rather
forget.
“Hurry up, dad,” she muttered impatiently.
Zara took another sip and followed the progress of a
Vegarian shuttle, ascending from the planet’s surface. She
sighed with relief when it docked with Xaviour, confirming
the cessation of trade talks. It wouldn’t take long before
the flagship was ready to depart.
A
long wispy trail of vapor blemished the horizon, drawing her
attention.
She
closed her eyes and counted to ten before opening them
again. The comet remained, bound to the gravity of Vega’s
sun. Thankfully, it traveled away from her position because
she despised them. Comets were either harbingers of change
or catastrophe. Always, they served as a painful reminder of
her short-lived childhood and unhappy past.
Twelve annums had passed since her mother left for an
Alliance convention, never to return home. Five hundred
Shimuran women perished that fateful day when the
starcruiser, Napier, was brutally attacked and destroyed by
Morian pirates in this Spirit forsaken Quasar system.
She
wiped a stray tear from her eye and cursed her tender
emotions. Her father, Vice-Admiral Raymond Darien, would
frown upon such weakness. He didn’t understand that the pain
of loosing her mother was not easily forgotten. That memory
was etched in her mind; fresh as the day it happened…
Her
father returned to Shimura for the memorial service, taking
custody of her and Caradoc Rimon, the admiral’s son. They
were two motherless children who suddenly became the last in
their line. As third ranking officer in the SSC, he hadn’t
trusted anyone else with their care and had secured
permission to bring them aboard Xaviour, the Shimuran
flagship. Then, in a rare moment of tenderness, he held her
on his knee while they ascended into the stars.
Xaviour intercepted a comet that day and, under his command,
the ship raced alongside while he filled her head with
mystical stories of falling stars and wishes that would come
true, if you believed with all your heart in the magic of
star dust. He took the time to explain how Aslynn, her
loving mother, now lived in the
eternal valley of spirits with Caradoc’s mother and sister.
No
matter how many times Zara wished on a comet, her mother
never returned.
She
had been a young, impressionable girl, forced to live
amongst men, deprived of all female interaction.
Accordingly, she hung up her skirt, donned a flight suit,
and never looked back.
At
ten annums, she gave up her foolish wishing on stars and
took her frustrations out on Caradoc, her only friend and
surrogate brother. He taught her how to fight. In return,
Zara taught him how to enjoy life and get into trouble.
Together, they terrorized Xaviour’s crew. Only three annums
older, he lived under constant scrutiny as he struggled to
measure up to his father’s expectations. His lineage
demanded he be groomed and ready to take leadership of
Shimura after his father’s reign.
Zara grinned at the fond memories and the sadistic pleasure
she took in using him as a punching bag.
Thanks to Caradoc and the constant pressure he’d put on his
grandfather, Fleet Admiral Donovan Rimon, Zara graduated
pilot training and became the first woman sworn into the SSC.
Her achievement was instrumental in bringing equality back
to the sheltered women of Shimura. Then, when she came of
age, her father presented her with her first command and her
very own starship. She named it Stardust, in memory of
falling stars, lost dreams, and her own personal wish for a
happier future. Overnight, the single-crew, armed escort
vessel became her sanctuary, offering her independence and
freedom from the male dominated flagship.
“Commander, several ships have entered the Quasar system,”
MAI, the artificially intelligent computer, informed.
“They’re not responding to our hail.”
A
prickling sensation coursed down her back, igniting a spark
of fear. Securing her mug, she leaned forward and panned the
starry expanse beyond Vega. Unable to see any telltale
signs, she slumped against her seat, frustrated. “How many
are there?”
“Six in total: Five two-man fighters and one older starclass
battle-cruiser, all Morian in origin.”
“Zorn, it’s a pack of pirates!” She snapped her safety
harness in place. “Open communications with Xaviour.”
“Connection established,” the AI intoned.
“Red alert,” Zara warned. “We have six Morian ships on an
intercept course.”
Vice-Admiral Raymond Darien returned the hail. “Affirmative,
we have them on our scanners now. We are initiating our
phantom shields. Until a temporal bore-hole is secured, your
sole responsibility is to defend us.”
“Yes, sir.” Zara watched the flagship fade into a
translucent blur, eventually vanishing completely.
She
donned her combat visor in preparation of battle and plugged
it into her armrest. “MAI, initiate a complete interface
with the helmet and power up the weapons array. Raise the
defensive shields to max.” Her vision blurred. She strained
to refocus, ordering herself to relax. After several deep,
calming breaths, the visor clarified into an intricate grid
work. She moved her head in all four directions
double-checking her scope and depth perception in
relationship to the artificial horizon.
“Interface is
complete.”
“Confirmed.” Zara gripped the controls and prepared for a
confrontation. “Relinquish helm and weapons control to the
pilot’s seat.” She tested the helm controls, angling and
dangling Stardust from side to side followed by a sharp
vertical three-sixty. Satisfied with the ship’s performance,
she rechecked the enemy’s position and hailed the flagship.
“Stardust to Xaviour, come in.”
“Go
ahead, Stardust.” Her father’s voice boomed loud and clear.
“Sir, enemy fighters are fanning out. Battle appears
imminent.”
“Fall back. Hold them off until you’re cleared to proceed
into the temporal corridor,” Vice-Admiral Darien ordered.
“Acknowledged.”
A
black haze shadowed the stars, darkening and increasing in
diameter. The blackness became agitated, swirling and
churning in a counter clockwise direction as a spatial rift
formed. Pulling hard to port, Zara placed Stardust between
Xaviour and the oncoming threat.
“Enemy is now in range,” MAI paused, “sensors indicate the
battle-cruiser is gearing up to fire.”
Zara tightened her hold on the control arms. No matter what,
she would not fire unless justifiably provoked.
“Projectile underway,” the computer warned.
Despite her aversion to violence, Zara struck back,
vaporizing the missile with her lasers. Her father was
counting on her to defend the unarmed flagship at all cost.
With that in mind and vowing to make him proud, she fired
two unarmed missiles at the battle-cruiser, a warning to
stay clear.
Flashes of green confirmed she was true to target. The
battle-cruiser fell back, and the Morian fighters moved
forward in attack formation. Realizing she had no chance of
avoiding battle, Zara ordered MAI to arm the missiles. She
needed a distraction. A totally unexpected and debilitating
tactic that would grant Xaviour enough time to stabilize the
bore-hole…Think, Zara berated herself, all the while,
sending out bursts of laser fire.
Where did their weakness lie?
She
drew on her wits and highly sensitive perception to navigate
safely through the hostile fire until a missile knocked her
off course. Stardust’s shields deflected the hit, but the
bright green flash temporarily blinded her.
As
her vision cleared, a glimmer of silver off port side caught
her attention. Instinctively, she increased speed and veered
towards the threat. The fighter flew into her sights. A red
blip on her visor grid signaled a target lock. Zara fired,
and the missile hit its mark. The Morian ship listed
precariously to port.
“MAI, report on the fighter!” Zara couldn’t take the chance
that it was a ruse.
“Shields are down. Life support is failing, but their
weapons are still armed. Commander, they’re locked on us!”
Taking careful aim, she vaporized the oncoming projectile
and returned fire. The Morian ship exploded, littering the
vicinity with debris.
Her
eyes blurred. “Oh Spirit, I’ve killed them.”
“Zara, you responded to the threat in self-defense,” MAI
consoled. “Another pirate is approaching on our port side.
Keep your focus.”
Pulling herself together, Zara rolled Stardust to port,
executing a spinning donut that leveled out behind the enemy
ship. She didn’t think twice, just opened fire. Her aim sent
a missile right into their rear thrusters, resulting in a
phenomenal explosion. Surprised by such massive destruction,
Zara braced for impact from the hurtling pieces of metal.
“MAI, I’ve found their weakness. It’s in their thrusters!”
“Affirmative,” the AI acknowledged. “Two down, four to go.
Our shields are holding at eighty-seven percent.”
The
Morians changed strategy. Two fighters attacked
simultaneously on opposite sides of Stardust.
She
executed a quick loop to starboard followed by a downward
spiral, enticing them to follow.
“Yes! They took the bait.” Zara slowed her speed, but
continued to loop teasing them closer. Then ordered: “MAI,
cluster bombs away.”
The
first Morian fighter exploded with a blinding flash. The
second collided with the debris, causing another explosion
that resulted in a huge cluttered shockwave.
Zara ceased her spiral and aimed Stardust towards the
oncoming debris. She held her breath and prayed to the Great
Spirit as it pelted the ship, buffeting it like a toy in its
mighty wake. The horrific noise ended, and the ship ceased
shuddering when the debris spread out in their wake. A clear
view of the cosmos met Zara’s eye, but her relief at having
survived was short lived. Two more enemy ships still lurked
out there.
“Shields are holding at eighty-three percent, commander.”
Zara cautiously navigated through debris. An alarm erupted,
notifying her that a missile was locked on her heat
signature. She quickly rolled Stardust onto its side, veered
to port, and deployed a hot mimic in their wake.
Unfortunately, it didn’t fool the missiles guidance system
and it stayed on target.
The
ship lurched on impact, and the shields glimmered brightly
before fading out completely. Sirens blared shrilly as smoke
filled the bridge. Zara struggled for breath, gagging on the
acrid smoke that burned her lungs and irritated her eyes.
Terror, the likes of which she’d never experienced, tore
through her heart, but an ironclad will to survive quickly
overrode her fear. Deftly, her hands unclasped the portable
oxygen tank stored below her seat. Casting off her visor,
she secured the mask over her nose and mouth.
“MAI, damage report?”
“Hull integrity has been compromised. The cargo bay has been
sealed off. Direct hit to the shield generator created a
fire in the upper level. I’ve initiated fire suppression
measures on said equipment, and the flames have been
extinguished. I’ve re-routed power,” MAI paused. “Shields
are restored, functioning at sixty percent.”
“Where are the remaining Morians—”
“Warning, warning! The battle-cruiser is directly behind us.
They’ve launched another missile.”
“Zara, the bore-hole is open, hurry.” Her father’s firm
voice cut in.
“On
my way, sir.” She immediately increased speed. “MAI,
initiate phantom shielding.” Zara performed a series of
tight maneuvers to mask her position while vanishing from
sight. She aimed her craft for the centre of the whirling
black vortex, decreased speed to GEM-6, and made a turbulent
entry.
AIB, the artificial intelligence onboard Xaviour, promptly
closed the opening, effectively sealing both Shimuran ships
inside a temporal bubble. Xaviour’s ghostly image clarified
into the sleek silver lines of the flagship, glimmering
brightly against the darkness of the passageway.
“We’re in,” Zara cheered.
“But not safe,” MAI interjected. “A missile has followed us
into the bore-hole. Dropping phantom and restoring the
external shields.”
No
sooner had MAI issued the warning did a blinding flash
illuminated the darkness. The blast disrupted the
multi-dimensional vortex, throwing it off course and
creating a massive shockwave.
Jarred violently by the explosion, Stardust lurched forward
then bounced off the revolving cylindrical walls. High
pitched grinding and scraping preceded another detonation
from within her ship, setting off further alarms. Her ship
shuddered and vibrated excessively, to the point that Zara
swore it was tearing apart at the seams.
The
shockwave overtook Xaviour next, slamming it against the
vortex. She watched in horror as the flagship spun out of
control, suffered an explosion that showered Stardust with
sparks and debris, further weakening the temporal bubble.
The
bore-hole shimmered in ominous shades of black, gray, and
silver. The otherwise smooth cylindrical walls bucked and
gyrated as the burrow tore through the fabric of space,
totally out of control.
“Zara, the temporal bubble is collapsing!” Vice-Admiral
Darien yelled over the com. “Stay with us.”
Increasing speed, she narrowed the distance between the two
ships.
“We’ve sustained serious damage. Our engines are operating
at ten percent, and our shields are failing.” Vice-Admiral
Darien’s tone reflected his stress. “I can see our exit
point. Stay on our tail or we’ll emerge in two vastly
different locations.”
“There’s no way in Zorn I’m letting you out of my sight.”
Fear gripped her heart like a vice, but she increased speed
to close the distance between Stardust and Xaviour.
The
churning vortex thrashed from side to side, buffeting the
two starships mercilessly. Zara struggled to maintain visual
contact with Xaviour and aimed Stardust towards the same
hazy opening in the disturbance.
“A
huge orange globe is obstructing our flight path. Collision
is imminent,” Vice-Admiral Darien reported. “We lack the
power to break away from its gravity. Zara, upon exiting the
vortex, veer hard to port. It has us now…” Ship-to-ship
communications deteriorated until only the crackle of static
echoed in her ears.
Stardust cleared the turbulence, and she pulled sharply to
port, all the while craning her neck to keep her father’s
ship in sight. Once she was safe, Zara backtracked in time
to see Xaviour bounce off the lunar atmosphere and burst
into flames. The flagship illuminated the murky environment
as it plummeted to the surface.
“Father!”
A
broken up transmission reached her ears. The connection came
to an abrupt end when the flagship collided with the moon.
At terminal velocity, it created a crater, cluttered with
burning debris visible from space.
“Daddy!” she
screamed hysterically. “Answer me!”
ROMANCE READERS CHATS WITH THE
AUTHOR:
How did you get started in your writing career?
My daughter kept leaving all sorts of short stories lying
about the house, but none of them were finished so I thought
it best to teach by example and show her how to plot a
story. Anyhow, to make a long story short I scribbled out a
basic outline to a futuristic romance, but my fingers seemed
to have a mind of their own when they made ‘first contact’
with my keyboard. Three months later, The Orange Moon” was
written. That was four years ago. Since then I’ve written
two more books, started my fourth and done the blurb for at
least six more… Not to mention rewriting the first about a
dozen times until it was picked up by BeWrite Books and
published as “Star Dust.”
I
honestly thought I was helping my daughter but I found
myself instead.
Who are your favorite authors, and why?
Nancy Cane was, and will always be my favorite. She abducted
my imagination in her book “CIRCLE OF LIGHT” and introduced
me to futuristic romance. I’ve read & re-read her books so
many times that I know her characters as well as my own, and
because of this, her writing has had a huge influence in my
writing style.
Other futuristic authors that I enjoy are Rowena Cherry,
Saranne Dawson, Christine Michels and Stobie Piel.
Occasionally I break away from futuristic and enjoy a little
historical. I adore Hanna Howell’s sense of humor in her
Scottish Highland series and Terry Brooks & Sara Douglass
capture my imagination when I resort to pure fantasy…
What advice do you have for first-time authors?
Don’t ever give up on your dreams, but understand that by
becoming a writer your life will never be the same. It might
be a long, tough road to travel but in the end you will
discover qualities within yourself you never knew existed,
and enjoy the rewards of all that effort.
What is it about space fiction that makes your imagination
soar?
Space is the alpha and omega, a beginning without end…
Beyond Earth’s immediate horizon where our telescopes become
blind, there are no rules except those imposed by the forces
of nature. Any life sustaining planet would be orbiting a
sun, creating some form of gravity. Ecosystems will very,
but the relationships between vegetation, animal and
sentient life would be similar, but their environment would
have a direct affect on their development, unless you
believe that we were all created in the image of a higher
being… Thus the fascination begins, with no apparent limits
placed on my imagination.
In Star Dust, you mix science fiction with fantasy elements,
like a thousand-year old prophecy, a guardian angel and a
few ghosts. Do you believe in the supernatural, or are you
more scientific?
Let me give you my definition of supernatural first:
Anything that is not easily explained, or may not be
tangible or visible, but (whatever “it” is) does have a
positive or negative effect. That result is the only clue we
have that something “supernatural" has occurred. Did
I confuse you yet?
Yes. I believe with all my heart that everything happens for
a reason, even if we don't understand why or how they occur
in the first place. Let me ask you a question: Have you ever
asked or wished for a sign? Something that would clarify a
troublesome issue in your life, and found the answer in the
form of a message in the paper, words in a book, or even
images in the clouds? Everyone has their own sensitivity
level, but various forms of "supernatural" occur each
and every day, you just need to keep an eye open for them.
Do you think the two can co-exist?
There will always be situations and events that can not be
explained, nor should we know everything or we would loose
the desire to search for the truth. Science is how we seek
those answers, and it provides an accurate measurement of
how we have evolved through the years.
Do you believe there's intelligent life out there?
Yes, most definitely!
Do you think we're ready to make contact with them? Or,
would we be courting disaster?
There are some of us who are ready to make contact, but the
overall emotional state of our world population is fear of
the unknown, mixed with racial prejudice and violence. If we
cannot get along with our neighboring countries and other
races that look and believe differently than ourselves, what
makes you think we will accept an alien with open arms? In
my humble opinion, we are a race of sentient beings that are
too immature to accept an invitation to broaden our horizons
without expecting, and preparing for disaster.
Having said that, let me ask you a question: What makes you
think they’re not here already? If we were all created in
the image of a higher being, it would also imply that we
would be similar in appearance... Wouldn't that explain the
increased psychic phenomenon's that are occurring around the
globe, as well as these "supernatural" events you
asked about earlier? In my humble opinion, it would be wiser
for them to check us out before deciding if we're ready for
contact.
Finally, if your fans wanted to get in touch with you,
how can they reach you?
They are more than welcome to e-mail me at: annobannon@rogers.com
or visit my website: http://www.annobannon.com or snail mail
Ann O'Bannon at P O Box 29107, 3500 Fallowfield Rd, Nepean,
Ontario Canada K2J 4A9