This week's snippet is from my sci-fi romance, The Protector (An Outer Rim Novel). Last week, after Rissa helped two girls out the spaceport restroom window, the pilot accosted her, demanding to know how she stole the girls. After playing innocent, she was allowed to leave.
Forcing herself not to rush, Rissa strode
through the hangar, but as soon as she was out of sight of the pilot and his
men, she ran around to the back of the spaceport then called softly, “Girls, where are
you?”
She raised her hand to shield her eyes
from the Mid-Day sun blazing down on the planet—the wind whipped around the
sand and blasted her face. Out in the open, the girls wouldn’t be safe from the
desert heat, yet with no head coverings, no water, they wouldn’t do much better
if they chose to remain hidden in the heap of scrapped speeders, starcraft, and assorted
junk behind the spaceport. Pung rats and other more nefarious critters would
make them wish they’d stayed aboard the ship.
No, anything was better than being sold as slaves or worse.
“Girls, I have to get back to my tavern—you
have two mins to come out if you still want my help, otherwise, I’m leaving.”
Not that she would, she just needed them to hurry.
The scrape of metal on metal heralded
their approach—the tall girl still looked defiant, but Anaris, the little one,
ran to Rissa and flung her arms around her waist, crying, “You came back, we
didn’t think you would.”
Her emotions on high alert and still
shaking in fury over the slavers, Rissa pulled the girl’s hands from around her
back and said, “We have to go—when the pilot couldn’t find you, he thought I stole you and is very
angry.”
The tall girl scoffed, “He’s afraid of
getting in trouble with his boss—that’s what he said when we tried to escape
before.”
Who knew rescuing two girls from traffickers would bring down a world of hurt?
After tavern owner Rissa Dix rescues two girls from a slave ship, she must rally the townsfolk to prevent traffickers from returning. Mining heir Dillan Rusteran has loved her for years. Little do they know that by rescuing more children they're tangling with a galactic trafficking ring.
The girls are persistent! Good. Lots of nice questions raised, mainly, who's the big boss.
ReplyDeleteYou really packed in the sentences. This is a lengthy excerpt for Wewriwa!
Such a dramatic story going on here! I loved all the details and the heightened emotions -great snippet.
ReplyDeleteGreat clip, Di! Very visual and intense. The girls are lucky to have found such a protector!
ReplyDeleteI love the description you've included in this tension-filled scene. It's hard to balance that, and you've done it perfectly here. :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat snippet and I love the defiant attitude of the girl in the last paragraph. Tweeted.
ReplyDelete"Pung rats" -- this phrase leapt out at me. I love coming up with names for aliens plants and animals, and this one is particularly effective.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ed - the 'pung rats' leapt out at me too (not literally, thank goodness! :) ) Great term, great description and a brilliantly conveyed scene. I'm putting this on my TBR list!
ReplyDeleteThey've tried before. I hope with a little help they'll succeed this time.
ReplyDeleteI see a theme occurring. 'Pung' rats also caught my attention, and I'm glad I'll never run into/over one! :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the expanded view of the world they live in. Combined with the tension of the situation, this is a great snippet.
ReplyDeleteNice excerpt. I liked the term pung rats and the nice description of the world they're on.
ReplyDeleteWhy offer the girls two minutes? She needed them to come out immediately. What if the men follow Rissa?
ReplyDeleteGreat emotions evident in this snippet. I'm so glad Rissa is going to help the girls. This has to be a great risk for her. I'm curious to know how she's going to keep them safe.
ReplyDeleteSo many different dangers out there... I like her 'hurry up' method, it worked well!
ReplyDeleteThanks, everybody, for your comments, even though I forgot to sign up. You'd better believe I've signed up for next Sunday's hop. So, you guys liked the term "pung-rat"? They're everywhere out on the Rim. ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat scene, Diane. Those girls have no idea just how lucky they are!
ReplyDelete