Nova...Chapter 1 with Audio (Repost)
Hey everyone. I am reposting this with an Audio clip of me reading it. I am looking for feedback, as this is a finished book, but I am just not sure if I am ready to share it in full yet. So let me know what you all think. Also still really new to recording...so sorry if it is quiet or unbalanced.
Chapter 1 Audio
(Part 1) Isn’t It Always The Fate Of The Universe?
Chapter 1: An Unexpected Escape
"No, no, no...This is not how today was supposed to go!" I say out loud moving as quickly as I can. I find myself running through the backstreets and alleyways trying to avoid the Dominion soldiers that have suddenly filled the colony. This is ALL my fault! If only my parents were here with me...No, no, Andi you can handle this yourself. I race across a chaotic street, keeping my eyes peeled for the telltale red of Dominion uniforms. How are there so many of them already? I'm breathing heavily, wishing I'd taken my physical fitness a little more seriously. I take a few seconds to rest, leaning against a wall, listening to the sounds of panicked shouting throughout the colony.
"I need to get to the Union headquarters before the Dominion soldiers catch me! They need to know what I know!" I'm too used to talking to myself in my lab...I push off the wall to keep running, but as I round the corner, I feel a powerful hand grab me by the back of lab coat! The most terrifying human I've ever seen is holding me. He is tall, perhaps a foot and a half taller than me, with long dark hair to match his almost black eyes.
Before he drops me at his feet. He gives me a look of derision and shakes his head. "So you're the rat we've been chasing. What a disappointment," the long haired man looks down at me with a smirk
"M-me? No, I'm nobody, I-" The look on his face knocks the words right out of my mouth.
"Don't bother lying to me, Jones." He growls, his face contorted in rage. "Dr. Xend, the greatest mind of the G.L.F., wants to talk to you."
G.L.F? Does he mean the Dominion? I need to find a way to get away from him! My heart is pounding in my chest, the blood rushing to my head. Out of nowhere, dozens of Dominion soldiers appear and all chance of escape with them, but I have to try again.
"I th-think you have the wrong p-person..." I try to stammer out
The long-haired man shakes his head. "I assure you, I don't make mistakes." He lunges forward, moving faster than I've ever seen anyone move. His fingers wrap around my arm, gripping me like a vice. How is he so strong? It's like he's made of metal. I struggle helplessly against his grip, my heart sinking deeper and deeper into my chest. There is no way I'm getting out of this one. He is going to take me to the Dominion, and they are gonna torture me, and lock me up, and...I realize I am hyperventilating, the edges of my vision fading as the reality of the situation hits me.
Just then, his entire body jerks and we are sent flying away from each other. Several of the Dominion soldiers get taken out by the same blast.
"What the…?" I turn my head to see who or what just saved me.
Standing on top of a pile of Dominion bodies is the single most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Did she take out all of those soldiers on her own? She is holding a gun that looks like it probably weighs more than I do, her short white hair fluttering from the shock wave of the gun firing.
I have no idea what just happened, but I think this woman might actually be more intimidating that the other guy. She doesn't seem like she wants to capture or torture me though, which makes her way more appealing. I open my mouth to thank her, but she doesn't give me the chance. She grabs my hand helping me to my feet, looking intensely into my eyes. "We need to move. Come with me if you want any chance of making it out of here alive."
Even her voice is strong. I am pretty sure she could say anything right now and I would agree with it. "R-right."
The long-haired man picks himself up, somehow managing to look even more furious than before. He gets a look at my mysterious savior, and the anger turns to shock. "You...?" He shakes his head. "No, that's impossible."
Does he know her? I look at her, but there is no trace of recognition on her face. Then she starts to run. Pulling me with her.
She leads the way as we weave through the streets, heading deeper into the colony. How is she running with such grace and yet so much power? I can barely keep up with her, even though I get the impression she is trying to go slow for me. On top of that, she is firing that massive gun of hers like it is nothing. Who IS this woman?
She blasts the Dominion soldiers away as they try to bear down on us, and for a moment, I think we might actually be able to get away. Then I look behind me, like an idiot, and see the long haired man catching up with us at a frightening pace. "Oh hubble!"
The woman glances back, but her expression does not change. Does anything ruffle her feathers? Something about the way she is keeping herself collected helps me feel like maybe there is a way out of this yet. Her strength is contagious, and I feel like maybe I can do something too. Come on, Andi. Use that big brain of yours.
Up ahead, I catch sight of a security barrier, and inspiration strikes. "Wait! I can help, just buy me a little time." Wordlessly, the woman spins on the spot in one fluid motion. She starts firing, forcing the man to take cover, slowing his advance. "Wow, that'll do it, yep."
"Work fast." She says calmly, the command clear.
Not wanting to disappoint my would be savior, I pry open a nearby control panel. With a few reconfigured wires, and about eight lines of code typed into a console..."BOOM!" I shout excitedly, as an electric barrier hums to life, cutting us off from the man chasing us.
"Yeah! Try your luck on that one!" I yell, almost sounding confident.
He grunts, still racing towards the barrier. "Uhh..." I watch worried he'll make it through still. He stops right in front of the barrier, and I jump backwards with an embarrassing squeal. Still, it doesn't seem like he can get through, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
"Nice work" Her tone still suppressed and calm, but I swear I see a hint of smile.
Hell yeah nice work. " I, uh..."
"Come on, we cannot stop here." She turns to go.
The two of us keep moving, but thankfully at a more relaxed pace. Now that I can actually breathe properly, I decide to try talking to her. "So! Um...Hi? My name is Andi Jones. Who are you? Oh, and thank you for saving me." I take a breath. SHUT UP Andi you’re rambling.
"Nova, and you are welcome." Her answer is clipped but not unfriendly.
"It's nice to meet you. Listen, I really need to get off this colony. You see, I have information with me, and if the Dominion gets their hands on it, it could potentially lead to the destruction of the galaxy, and..." I trail off as I realize Nova is staring at me, her eyes locked with mine again. It looks like she is considering what I am saying, but all I am considering is how hypnotic her eyes are. I can’t tell if they are grey or silver.
She looks away. "I work on a ship. Follow me and we can get you off the colony." Her voice snaps me out of it, and I nod gladly following along with her.
"Just like that?" I ask a little skeptically.
"Your mission is important, and there is no malicious intent in you," she says matter of factly.
"Oh! Wow. That is a lot to take in...but thank you. Thank you so much." I smile for the first time today.
Nova is an unstoppable force of nature as we make our way toward the spaceport, taking out Dominion soldiers left, right, and center. These soldiers are no joke, but she is in a whole other league. Where did she learn to move like that? I watch as she uses a wall to leap over three soldiers, taking them out hand-to-hand before any of them even have a chance to fire a shot.
Further along, she shoots out a structural weak point of a bridge that buries several more soldiers in a second, incapacitating them. It really feels like there isn't anything that could stop her momentum.
We make it to the spaceport entirely unscathed. I am a little out of breath, but Nova doesn't even seem fazed. One ship in the spaceport stands out. It is old and worn, and the crew are in front of it engaged in a firefight with Dominion soldiers. Nova starts heading directly towards it, so I can only assume it’s hers.
"Stay close to me Andi." Nova weaves through the soldiers, her blaster fire joining with that of the crew, driving the soldiers back. The crew visibly relaxes when they see Nova arrive, and one of them calls out to her.
"Nova! Took your sweet time! We need to get out of here!" A man in red with shaggy blond hair is yelling as he shoots.
The rest of the crew take advantage of Nova's arrival and start retreating into the ship, barely looking our way. We make it to the ship, Nova taking out Dominion soldiers like a speed-shooter in a video game. She pauses long enough to turn around and gesture at the ship. "This is The Tranquility."
"It's perfect.." Really any ship offering a ride out of here would be, but I like its charm.
Nova nods, as if in agreement, her eyes returning to the approaching soldiers. "Best get aboard while we still can."
As the two of us rush up the gangplank, one of the crew members turns to stare at me. Why do I immediately feel like a student in trouble? He is incredibly handsome, in that neat, well put together sort of way, but his face is far from kind. In fact, he is looking quite put out by my arrival. What did I ever do to him?
The man in blue addresses Nova, "Nova? Who is this?"
"Captain, it is of the utmost importance we take her with us." She states, again matter of fact.
Before the captain can respond, an explosion on the far side of the spaceport heralds the arrival of the long haired man, followed by dozens more Dominion soldiers.
"Fine! We don't have time for this. Everyone on board. Atlas, get us out of here." The Captain yells moving deeper into the ship.
Nova starts firing on the newly arrived soldiers as the rest of us retreat into the ship. Once we are all on board, she races in after us. "We need to move!"
The ship begins to rise up off the ground before the doors are even all the way closed. I watch out of the window as the long-haired man yells and points, directing the soldiers to intercept us.
"Uh, guys?" I point out the window.
Nova glances out the window. "They are preparing explosive weapons, Atlas. Shoulder-mounted particle guns at four, six, and seven o'clock, and a plasma cannon at eight. Should I engage?"
An older man in the flight jacket, presumably Atlas, shakes his head. "It’s fine, we'll be out of range before they can get a shot off. If they leave a scratch on her..." He mumbles the last bit to himself.
The man in the red speaks up, "If I'd known there'd be this much heat I wouldn't have taken this job."
Job? Who are these people? Bounty hunters? Pirates?
The Captain turns to me, suddenly scrutinizing me intensely. I shrink back towards Nova as if she'll protect me from him. "So...Who are you?"
"My name is Andi, Andi Jones and I.." What do I say? I need your help to save the galaxy?
"And?..." The Captain demands.
I freeze unable to respond. Nova shakes her head, resting a hand on my shoulder. "Let us get away from the Dominion first."
Without warning, the ship rockets forward and I nearly lose my balance. Seemingly satisfied for now, the Captain moves his attention to the ship, leaving me to stare out the window. What in the universe have I gotten myself into?
Chapter 1 Audio
(Part 1) Isn’t It Always The Fate Of The Universe?
Chapter 1: An Unexpected Escape
"No, no, no...This is not how today was supposed to go!" I say out loud moving as quickly as I can. I find myself running through the backstreets and alleyways trying to avoid the Dominion soldiers that have suddenly filled the colony. This is ALL my fault! If only my parents were here with me...No, no, Andi you can handle this yourself. I race across a chaotic street, keeping my eyes peeled for the telltale red of Dominion uniforms. How are there so many of them already? I'm breathing heavily, wishing I'd taken my physical fitness a little more seriously. I take a few seconds to rest, leaning against a wall, listening to the sounds of panicked shouting throughout the colony.
"I need to get to the Union headquarters before the Dominion soldiers catch me! They need to know what I know!" I'm too used to talking to myself in my lab...I push off the wall to keep running, but as I round the corner, I feel a powerful hand grab me by the back of lab coat! The most terrifying human I've ever seen is holding me. He is tall, perhaps a foot and a half taller than me, with long dark hair to match his almost black eyes.
Before he drops me at his feet. He gives me a look of derision and shakes his head. "So you're the rat we've been chasing. What a disappointment," the long haired man looks down at me with a smirk
"M-me? No, I'm nobody, I-" The look on his face knocks the words right out of my mouth.
"Don't bother lying to me, Jones." He growls, his face contorted in rage. "Dr. Xend, the greatest mind of the G.L.F., wants to talk to you."
G.L.F? Does he mean the Dominion? I need to find a way to get away from him! My heart is pounding in my chest, the blood rushing to my head. Out of nowhere, dozens of Dominion soldiers appear and all chance of escape with them, but I have to try again.
"I th-think you have the wrong p-person..." I try to stammer out
The long-haired man shakes his head. "I assure you, I don't make mistakes." He lunges forward, moving faster than I've ever seen anyone move. His fingers wrap around my arm, gripping me like a vice. How is he so strong? It's like he's made of metal. I struggle helplessly against his grip, my heart sinking deeper and deeper into my chest. There is no way I'm getting out of this one. He is going to take me to the Dominion, and they are gonna torture me, and lock me up, and...I realize I am hyperventilating, the edges of my vision fading as the reality of the situation hits me.
Just then, his entire body jerks and we are sent flying away from each other. Several of the Dominion soldiers get taken out by the same blast.
"What the…?" I turn my head to see who or what just saved me.
Standing on top of a pile of Dominion bodies is the single most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Did she take out all of those soldiers on her own? She is holding a gun that looks like it probably weighs more than I do, her short white hair fluttering from the shock wave of the gun firing.
I have no idea what just happened, but I think this woman might actually be more intimidating that the other guy. She doesn't seem like she wants to capture or torture me though, which makes her way more appealing. I open my mouth to thank her, but she doesn't give me the chance. She grabs my hand helping me to my feet, looking intensely into my eyes. "We need to move. Come with me if you want any chance of making it out of here alive."
Even her voice is strong. I am pretty sure she could say anything right now and I would agree with it. "R-right."
The long-haired man picks himself up, somehow managing to look even more furious than before. He gets a look at my mysterious savior, and the anger turns to shock. "You...?" He shakes his head. "No, that's impossible."
Does he know her? I look at her, but there is no trace of recognition on her face. Then she starts to run. Pulling me with her.
She leads the way as we weave through the streets, heading deeper into the colony. How is she running with such grace and yet so much power? I can barely keep up with her, even though I get the impression she is trying to go slow for me. On top of that, she is firing that massive gun of hers like it is nothing. Who IS this woman?
She blasts the Dominion soldiers away as they try to bear down on us, and for a moment, I think we might actually be able to get away. Then I look behind me, like an idiot, and see the long haired man catching up with us at a frightening pace. "Oh hubble!"
The woman glances back, but her expression does not change. Does anything ruffle her feathers? Something about the way she is keeping herself collected helps me feel like maybe there is a way out of this yet. Her strength is contagious, and I feel like maybe I can do something too. Come on, Andi. Use that big brain of yours.
Up ahead, I catch sight of a security barrier, and inspiration strikes. "Wait! I can help, just buy me a little time." Wordlessly, the woman spins on the spot in one fluid motion. She starts firing, forcing the man to take cover, slowing his advance. "Wow, that'll do it, yep."
"Work fast." She says calmly, the command clear.
Not wanting to disappoint my would be savior, I pry open a nearby control panel. With a few reconfigured wires, and about eight lines of code typed into a console..."BOOM!" I shout excitedly, as an electric barrier hums to life, cutting us off from the man chasing us.
"Yeah! Try your luck on that one!" I yell, almost sounding confident.
He grunts, still racing towards the barrier. "Uhh..." I watch worried he'll make it through still. He stops right in front of the barrier, and I jump backwards with an embarrassing squeal. Still, it doesn't seem like he can get through, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
"Nice work" Her tone still suppressed and calm, but I swear I see a hint of smile.
Hell yeah nice work. " I, uh..."
"Come on, we cannot stop here." She turns to go.
The two of us keep moving, but thankfully at a more relaxed pace. Now that I can actually breathe properly, I decide to try talking to her. "So! Um...Hi? My name is Andi Jones. Who are you? Oh, and thank you for saving me." I take a breath. SHUT UP Andi you’re rambling.
"Nova, and you are welcome." Her answer is clipped but not unfriendly.
"It's nice to meet you. Listen, I really need to get off this colony. You see, I have information with me, and if the Dominion gets their hands on it, it could potentially lead to the destruction of the galaxy, and..." I trail off as I realize Nova is staring at me, her eyes locked with mine again. It looks like she is considering what I am saying, but all I am considering is how hypnotic her eyes are. I can’t tell if they are grey or silver.
She looks away. "I work on a ship. Follow me and we can get you off the colony." Her voice snaps me out of it, and I nod gladly following along with her.
"Just like that?" I ask a little skeptically.
"Your mission is important, and there is no malicious intent in you," she says matter of factly.
"Oh! Wow. That is a lot to take in...but thank you. Thank you so much." I smile for the first time today.
Nova is an unstoppable force of nature as we make our way toward the spaceport, taking out Dominion soldiers left, right, and center. These soldiers are no joke, but she is in a whole other league. Where did she learn to move like that? I watch as she uses a wall to leap over three soldiers, taking them out hand-to-hand before any of them even have a chance to fire a shot.
Further along, she shoots out a structural weak point of a bridge that buries several more soldiers in a second, incapacitating them. It really feels like there isn't anything that could stop her momentum.
We make it to the spaceport entirely unscathed. I am a little out of breath, but Nova doesn't even seem fazed. One ship in the spaceport stands out. It is old and worn, and the crew are in front of it engaged in a firefight with Dominion soldiers. Nova starts heading directly towards it, so I can only assume it’s hers.
"Stay close to me Andi." Nova weaves through the soldiers, her blaster fire joining with that of the crew, driving the soldiers back. The crew visibly relaxes when they see Nova arrive, and one of them calls out to her.
"Nova! Took your sweet time! We need to get out of here!" A man in red with shaggy blond hair is yelling as he shoots.
The rest of the crew take advantage of Nova's arrival and start retreating into the ship, barely looking our way. We make it to the ship, Nova taking out Dominion soldiers like a speed-shooter in a video game. She pauses long enough to turn around and gesture at the ship. "This is The Tranquility."
"It's perfect.." Really any ship offering a ride out of here would be, but I like its charm.
Nova nods, as if in agreement, her eyes returning to the approaching soldiers. "Best get aboard while we still can."
As the two of us rush up the gangplank, one of the crew members turns to stare at me. Why do I immediately feel like a student in trouble? He is incredibly handsome, in that neat, well put together sort of way, but his face is far from kind. In fact, he is looking quite put out by my arrival. What did I ever do to him?
The man in blue addresses Nova, "Nova? Who is this?"
"Captain, it is of the utmost importance we take her with us." She states, again matter of fact.
Before the captain can respond, an explosion on the far side of the spaceport heralds the arrival of the long haired man, followed by dozens more Dominion soldiers.
"Fine! We don't have time for this. Everyone on board. Atlas, get us out of here." The Captain yells moving deeper into the ship.
Nova starts firing on the newly arrived soldiers as the rest of us retreat into the ship. Once we are all on board, she races in after us. "We need to move!"
The ship begins to rise up off the ground before the doors are even all the way closed. I watch out of the window as the long-haired man yells and points, directing the soldiers to intercept us.
"Uh, guys?" I point out the window.
Nova glances out the window. "They are preparing explosive weapons, Atlas. Shoulder-mounted particle guns at four, six, and seven o'clock, and a plasma cannon at eight. Should I engage?"
An older man in the flight jacket, presumably Atlas, shakes his head. "It’s fine, we'll be out of range before they can get a shot off. If they leave a scratch on her..." He mumbles the last bit to himself.
The man in the red speaks up, "If I'd known there'd be this much heat I wouldn't have taken this job."
Job? Who are these people? Bounty hunters? Pirates?
The Captain turns to me, suddenly scrutinizing me intensely. I shrink back towards Nova as if she'll protect me from him. "So...Who are you?"
"My name is Andi, Andi Jones and I.." What do I say? I need your help to save the galaxy?
"And?..." The Captain demands.
I freeze unable to respond. Nova shakes her head, resting a hand on my shoulder. "Let us get away from the Dominion first."
Without warning, the ship rockets forward and I nearly lose my balance. Seemingly satisfied for now, the Captain moves his attention to the ship, leaving me to stare out the window. What in the universe have I gotten myself into?
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