Excerpt!

 Excerpt from the beginning of Three Moons of Cerulann, mmm scifirom.

As we fly to Vaye’s place, a utilitarian high-rise, a blocky and ugly cube compared to my expensive estate home, we get a pulse on our holocoms. I pull off onto a quiet street, and we read our messages.

It’s from Rebel Rin who is our mathematics instructor. But he also dislikes the government of Kellis and started a secret student group to discuss autonomy and things our society needs to change. He is against the war and the conscription. Several of us students who will be sent to the war all use a secret forum. Rebel Rin gets information about the Sorg Empire and our own coalition, which has pledged assistance to the Sorg. We would never hear about these events without Rin. Anyway, war is coming.

ATTENTION! VITAL!

The Sorg system has increased conscription numbers for Sector Aro 4 from 2700 to 7000 in their parliament today. Nearly all males age 17-22 will be conscripted within the week. Leave now, tonight, if you can. I have one hundred paid berths on the Mioo freighter. Payment is not required, just hoping to save some lives. Download the code. The ship leaves in four hours.

Stunned, I stare at my com, but Vaye screeches, “Download it! Do it!”

I download it. It takes a tic.

“Got it,” Vaye says. “Do you have it? Do you?”

Mine completes. “Yes,” I say, still in shock.

He checks. “All right. Back to your place. Grab your clothes and stuff. Sneak out. We’ll pick up mine on the way to the space hub.” 

He pauses to place his hands on my cheeks and look deep into my eyes. “This is our only chance, Kelu. I’m poor and of mixed ancestry. I’ll go to a disposable unit.”

“No,” I moan.

“I don’t want to be a soldier, anyway. Plus, the Ulger have outstanding tech, far above what our Confederation has. Colonists will just be fodder.”

I’ll be married to Grysha within a week. And probably never see Vaye again. Then I’ll be flashed out of existence by the Ulger drones.