Eden's Gate

Just sent back to Midnight Showcase the final Errata of Seeds of Chaos, Book One. It should be available some time next week. So keep on checking http://midnightshowcase.com/
I’m taking a two-week holiday with no access to a computer, so I won’t be around when it will be published. Darn, the suspense is killing me. I’ve been waiting a long time to see the book in print. I started writing it a few years back, put it aside, worked on some other stuff, then I picked it up again. When it was finally finished it was too long for one book. I enjoyed writing it, but everything has to come to an end at some time. Book Two, Hell’s Gate, will be published in April.

Here is an excerpt from Book One:

We headed for our first destination, a system not far from Korillia. It took us a couple of days to get there. I was in one of three transport-shuttles, all of them full of heavily armed men. I wondered if they dragged me into some kind of war.
Our shuttle landed beside a settlement of considerable size. The houses were plain, mainly single story buildings of simple design. The area around the settlement looked desolate. Nothing seemed to grow except for some kind of tall, purple multi-leafed plant. I recognized the plant.
Mexacline.
The bulbous roots held the hallucinogenic substance in almost pure form. A natural drug that needed very little processing. Expensive on the market and dangerous to use.
Landry, the leader of our party of twelve men was a big brute with a wild beard and a bald head. He looked us over with little pig’s eyes as we stepped from the shuttle.
“Hey, you,” he addressed me. “You’re the new guy. I’m supposed to watch you, but I don’t have time for that. Behave yourself and don’t get into any trouble. Carry your weapon always in sight…remember that. We are not exactly welcome here. These people are dangerous, ruthless, and rebellious. They’ll kill you if you give them a chance. If in doubt, shoot first, and then talk. Understood?”
“I think so,” I said. I had misgiving about this whole thing, but I had no choice but to go along, realizing from the beginning that I took part in a raid.
We were met by a group of twenty men and eight women. They blocked the road into the town. The weapons they carried might as well have been wooden clubs, compared to the weapons we had.
“We can’t give you anything this time,” said one of the two men who stepped into our path.
“You don’t say? Who gives you authority to speak for this town?” Landry asked him. I noticed the way he held his laser-pistol.
The man drew himself erect. “My name is William Carrel. I am the new mayor of Blacktown.”
“Well, well, I am just so pleased to meet you.” Landry made a mock bow. “And who are you?” He gave the other man a long stare.
“I am the new chief of police. The name’s Burrows. We have decided to make a few rules here. From now on, you will pay us for what you take. No more free merchandise!”
“Listen, little man,” Landry spoke coldly and without emotion, “you don’t make the rules here, we do.”
“What gives you the right to come here and rob us blind?” Carrel’s said boldly, unable to hide the tremor in his voice. The man was scared, but he bravely stood his ground. I knew what was coming, but found myself unable to stop it, because I couldn’t afford to put myself and the mission in jeopardy.
“This!” Landry said, lifted his gun and shot the man. More shots fell, and before the people standing behind their mayor could even react, five men and two women lay dead.
“Anybody else wants to object?” Landry waved his laser-pistol, aimed it at another man. “You maybe?”