“There it is,” I muttered. An orbiting superstructure rotated on the viewscreen before me, silhouetted by the bluish-white planet Toris. This monstrosity was far smaller than its sibling, the Torian orbital station, but still far larger than the Rulusian vessel we rode in.
I studied the hulking mass of dark gray metal which symbolized so much pain and suffering. A long boom, half the length of the satellite, jutted toward the planet. At the very tip, a sensor sphere conducted scans of the planet. Beams penetrated deep under the planet’s surfaces and bounced back to large cupped blades surrounding the satellite’s cylindrical body. The strength of these beams tracked the planet’s citizens, rooting out large gatherings of anti-government forces. Violent executions had run rampant, and had to be stopped.
That’s why I was here.
I'm hoping to get all of my (polish) editing completed in the next few months, and then it's time to 'choose my own adventure' if you will. So, until then, check out the rest of the novels and short stories from the Aston West universe, over at AstonWest.com.
Love the descriptions in this, all feels very oppressive.
ReplyDeleteVery atmospheric, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by! Yes, the Torian government (who built and uses this station) is *very* oppressive...and they're extra-nasty people to boot...so hopefully the title of the novel gives a hint as to what will need to happen. ;-)
ReplyDeleteGo, Aston! He'll kick some butt, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteHe always seems to...though I won't say he always *does* in this one. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
An other-worldly, dystopian feel. Not as easy to create as one might think. Great job, flyboy!
ReplyDeleteWonderful description. I love moody and oppressive.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joyce! I think this might be my best Aston novel yet... :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks again to everyone for stopping by!
Great description/feel... Hurry up and finish edits and get cracking on it's release!! I wanna read it!!!
ReplyDeleteThere has to be something more than just "stop the rebels". I can feel it! Nice snippet!
ReplyDeleteGreat description of this oppressive world. Scary!
ReplyDeleteTK, I'm hoping to have it done and available sometime in February or March.
ReplyDeletePatrick, it starts out this way, but then things get a lot more personal for Aston.
Thanks for stopping by, all!
Great description! I really am going to have to start reading your books once my TBR pile decreases a bit. :)
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling, Gayle! I have so many books on my new Nook that I had to stop buying until I finished some of them. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
The last line clinches it for me! Beautiful description with a great hook.
ReplyDeleteVery scary. I must say I wonder what kind of beam can track people, unless they're all microchipped or something.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed writing that line, Heidi. It's the start of a great set of scenes to follow.
ReplyDeleteSue Ann, very powerful ground-penetrating radar...it doesn't track individual people, just detects the presence of large groups where they shouldn't be. ;-)
Thanks for stopping by!