Sara Galbraith-Dickson stepped into her cozy apartment and dropped her workout bag on the fold-out couch set into the nearest wall. As the door hissed shut behind her, she took off her sweaty T-shirt and dropped it in the laundry hamper, noting that she’d have to wash her clothes before long. That could wait, though—she had other, more pressing things to do.
“Welcome back,” came the slightly monotone voice of her personal AI. “Did you have a good training session at the dojo?”
“Yes, thank you,” she said as she unstrapped her wrist console and plugged it into the computer terminal. The sidebar on the holoscreen displayed a few news stories, but none of them stood out at a glance.
“Excellent. I’m glad you did.”
Sara knew that the AI didn’t really care how she was doing—it was only programmed to say that so it could determine her personality and adjust its responses accordingly. Still, she didn’t mind the artificial companionship.
“Did anyone leave a message?” she asked as she keyed open the door to her bathroom. The familiar smell of half a dozen hygiene products met her nose the moment she stepped inside.
“As a matter of fact, I received two messages while you were away. Shall I play them for you?”
“By all means,” said Sara as she slipped out of her clothes in preparation for the shower. This AI was a lot more personable than the last model—thinking about it made her realize she hadn’t named it yet.
“Computer, do you have a name?”
“I do not have a user-specified designation, but my serial number is NI-9938.”
“That won’t do,” said Sara. “Set new designation to…” What name should she give her AI? NI-99…
“Nina.”
“Very well,” said the newly-christened Nina. “Playing first message.”
====================
Heart of the Nebula
They called him a lone wolf. Now, he must lead them across the stars.
To save his people from a brutal occupation, James McCoy must lead them on an exodus across the stars. But it will take a strong leader to get them to their new home, and the temptation to trade freedom for security has never been greater.
They called him a lone wolf. Now, he must lead them across the stars.
Five years have passed since the Hameji conquered James McCoy’s homeworld. The yoke of occupation has grown unbearable, and unless he can help his people throw it off, everything that he fought for will be destroyed.
Light-years away, in the heart of the Good Hope Nebula, there is a place where they can start over. But the dangers are many, and the way is unclear. Only a strong leader can take them there.
James once gave all that he had to save the ones he loved. To do so again, he must become the leader that his people need. But he’s never been more than a maverick, and even his friends fear he will trade their freedom for security and lose both.
In a galaxy full of pirates and wolves, how can James save his people without becoming a monster?
