Sometimes, death is only the beginning of the adventure The IX a Sci-Fi Fantasy by Andrew P. Weston ➱ Book Tour with Guest Post & Giveaway
Sometimes, death is only the beginning of the adventure.
The IX
The IX Series Book 1
by Andrew P. Weston
Genre: SciFi Fantasy
Soldiers from varying eras and vastly different backgrounds, including the IX Legion of Rome, are snatched away from Earth at the moment of their passing, and transported to the far side of the galaxy. Thinking they have been granted a reprieve, their relief turns to horror when they discover they face a stark ultimatum:
Against all odds, this group of misfits manages to turn the tide against a relentless foe, only to discover the true cost of victory might exact a price they are unwilling to pay.
How far would you be willing to go to stay alive?
The IX.
Sometimes, death is only the beginning of the adventure.
**The IX is Perseid Press' featured book for August and is on sale for Only $2.99 on Kindle!!**
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Excerpt:
By
Strength and Guile
(May
4, 2052)
“Gold command, emergency hatchway
has been breached and preliminary seal established. We now have access to pylon
three. Repeat, pylon three is secured. Beginning final appraisal.”
“Roger that, Sunray,” a muted,
metallic voice acknowledged, “You are go
for tactical ingress, on your mark.”
Lieutenant Alan–Mac–McDonald,
officer commanding SBS Four Troop, UK Special Forces Anti-Terrorist Wing,
remained a shadow in the dark. His night optics brought the scene about him to
life in lurid, silver-green detail. As he began his final assessment, he could
clearly see the seven other members of his team, bobbing about in the swell
beneath the Husker-Trent oil and gas platform. Each of them was silent, alert,
and professional. Highly trained killers. But skill and training weren’t the
only things on their side tonight. Thanks to their reactive micro-com network
and chameleon armor, they were also invisible from prying eyes, eavesdropping
and covert surveillance. Scanning their arcs, each specialist waited patiently
for their leader to complete his evaluation and give his final affirmation.
From their briefing of only two
hours ago, Mac knew this gravity-base derrick, situated nearly a hundred miles
out into the North Sea, was the very latest in platform design. A floating,
self-sustained city in one of the harshest environments known to man, she was
also the apple of the Corroco Corporation’s eye. And the Corroco Oil and
Technologies Corporation were not happy at being the latest targets of White
Dawn, a group of eco-terrorists who had kept a number of security agencies
around the world busy over the past thirteen months.
No one knew who the leaders of
this faction were, or indeed how they were funded. The only facts available
tended to support the theory that White Dawn operatives were highly trained,
incredibly motivated, and skilled in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.
Their goal appeared to focus on public embarrassment, rather than financial
gain. More worryingly, if cornered and unable to achieve their objectives, they
weren’t reticent about making the ultimate gesture for their cause. Suicide!
The group was also very thorough
when it came to researching possible targets, and this evening’s venture was no
exception. Husker-Trent was fitted with the very latest in AI camera-motion detector recognition
technology. If unidentified persons approached, they could either be blown out
of the water by .50 rail mounted cannons, or the rig would go into safe mode. Security bulkheads would
lower to seal off the strategic centers of operations, emergency valves would
cut off oil and gas pressure, and automated distress signals would be sent via
com-sat and wireless. Additionally, the platform had been constructed in such a
manner that the drilling module was entirely separate from the run off vents,
and the combined work-cum-habitat ring. The only way on or off, was via the
central helipad, accessed by any one of three retractable gantries. These
safety features should have made it very hard for anyone to breach her security
measures. The fact that White Dawn had done so, this easily, smacked of
exceptional planning and execution, or an inside job. As such, Gold Command
were hedging their bets and treading cautiously.
Mac zoomed in on a number of the
defensive systems as he made his assessment. The thermal and electronic
heads-up display emblazoned across the left side of his visor, showed they were
primed, tracking, and ready to deploy.
Difficult
to get past, but not impossible. Not for my team…especially with what’s at
stake.
He glanced at his radiological
detector. The glowing red patches confirmed the presence of the real reason why
Special Forces had become involved so quickly.
When it was realized Husker-Trent
had been taken by an unknown number of assailants, contact between the derrick
and the outside world had been suspended. Negotiators and law enforcement
agencies had been put on alert, and, as a precaution, the Special Forces
Directorate notified. Standard procedure, especially where oilrigs were
involved. However, when an opening dialogue had been offered by trained
mediators, they had been resolutely ignored. In fact, each subsequent attempt
at communication had been met by a similar wall of silence. No ensuing ransom
demands or political statements were made, and neither was a release of
hostages offered. That had made the prime minister very worried.
When a high altitude fly-by had
been ordered, the drone had quickly picked up the telltale signs of suspicious
activity and the unmistakable signatures of a scattered number of nuclear
devices. Odd, especially when White Dawn purported to be ecologically
sympathetic. Needless to say, the discovery of such ordnance had guaranteed a
swift response. One with an aggressive focus.
As the lead team on the duty
roster, Four Troop had been deployed to gather intelligence, ascertain the
reason for the attack, secure all radiological materials, and bring the
standoff to an end. And we’ll do that
alright! Mac thought, as he completed his assessment, by strength and guile.
Smiling to himself over his
reference to the SBS motto, Mac gave a thumbs-up to his team, and depressed his
throat mike to deliver his decision. “Gold command, this is Sunray, do you
copy?”
“Go ahead, Sunray.” The reply was
almost instantaneous.
“Traffic lights are at green.
Repeat, traffic lights are at green. Waiting for final authentication.”
“That’s a go, team four. Use of
lethal force authorized. Gold command authentication…Alpha, six, six, six,
omega.”
“Alpha, six, six, six, omega,
confirmed. From Sunray, we are now going dark. See you when this is all over.”
“Roger that, team four. See you
on the other side. Good hunting.”
The radio went dead. Turning to
face his section, Mac motioned with his hands for radio silence. As one, each
team member moved to adjust their equipment to ensure they were cut off from
all forms of outside communication. Once done, they switched to covert
internals, before checking back in again.
Facing his second-in-command, Mac
said, “Mark, take bravo squad and tag the location of each radiological device.
Let me know if they’ll be suitable for tactical removal or deactivation.
Secondary protocol, ascertain strength and deployment of the enemy.”
Throughout the entire process,
Mac didn’t have to raise his voice once. The covert set enhanced his vocals
until the whispers rang loud and clear in his teammate’s ear.
Sergeant Mark Stevens, a nine
year veteran of special operations, raised his left index finger and tapped the
side of his head twice, replying, “Roger that. I am Bravo-one. Primary objective, locate and tag radiological devices.
Secondary, ascertain strength and deployment of the enemy.” Addressing his
squad members in particular, he added, “Bravo confirm?”
Specialists Sean Masters,
Richard–Fonzy–Cunningham, and Andy Webb all replied in the affirmative, each
going through their call-signs and orders in turn, to confirm they fully
understood their operating procedures.
Twisting slightly, Mac continued
with his own squad, “Alpha, we will be concentrating on the hostages.
Preliminary sat-recon shows almost the entire compliment of ninety-seven rig
personnel are gathered together within the dining and kitchen areas. At least
half a dozen managers have been relocated to the operations and radio rooms.
Verification of their wellbeing is our priority. Secondary objective is
intelligence, namely, rescue and casualty viability. I am Alpha-one. Alpha confirm?”
Specialists Stu Duggan, Sam Pell
and Den–Jumper–Collins sounded off in turn.
Once they had done so, Mac
addressed them all again. “During the first stage, we will not engage the enemy
unless forced to do so. Only then, in order to save life. If we do go hot before phase two, take them
down. No quarter…understood?”
Seven thumbs were raised into the
air as confirmation.
Moving his own hand in a circular
motion twice, Mac then clenched his fist and opened his fingers wide.
Immediately, each of them moved to their designated points for insertion
through the lining of the gravity base pylon.
Forming an outward facing fan
about the hatchway, each specialist paired off. They then made sure to cover
the movement of their teammate as they gained access. Having entered, the
respective partner likewise kept on the watch for his buddy.
Mac was quietly complimentary of
his men. Moving covertly was a time consuming process. However, they were so
well rehearsed that the maneuver was over in less than two minutes. Fast going,
considering the change in conditions.
As last man in, Mac had remained
in the water the longest. When they had started to breech, the area was
relatively calm, exhibiting a mild chop that had them bobbing up and down
through six or seven foot swells. Nothing unusual. However, in the time that
had elapsed since then, the sea had begun to heave alarmingly, as if suddenly
agitated by a leviathan stirring in the depths beneath them. Mac was also sure
he could hear the distant roll of thunder.
That’s
odd? He thought.
How did it move in so quickly? It wasn’t
on satellite.
Adjusting his optics to get a
better look, Mac let out a gasp of astonishment. A solid wall of cloud and rain
was moving toward them. Darker than the surrounding star filled night, it was
still a few miles out. But even so, he could see it seethed with a powering
menace that gave him Goosebumps. Mac couldn’t shake the impression that the
approaching tempest was a missile, with the rig as the bulls-eye on its target.
“Alpha-one? What is it boss?”
Being the first in, Mark was higher up inside the platform’s structure and had
totally missed the change in weather.
Mac paused to check he was seeing
things right.
A seething maelstrom of midnight
black, punctuated by bursts of lurid brightness charged toward them. Where it
touched the sea, the water churned and frothed as if being distressed by a
thousand propellers. Even at this distance, Mac was sure he could see the
entire storm front rotating, both above and below the surface.
“Oh for Christ’s sake!”
“Alpha-one? What is it?” Mark
repeated.
“Trouble.” Mac replied bluntly.
“I think we’d better crack on, gentlemen. Our evening might get
complicated…real soon.”
What is something unique/quirky about
you?
I’m
resistant to opiates. And while I’ve highlighted this before, I feel it’s worth
mentioning again as it’s such a humdinger, that it gives people pause, and gets
them asking questions. You can pump as much of the stuff into me as you want:
Morphine; fentanyl; methadone, etc. Tablet form, liquid and patches. Besides
giving me bathmat tongue and an itchy rash, I won’t get high, addicted, or
really benefit from its pain-killing quantities. And how do I know? Ah, that’s
another story J
Can you, for those who don’t know you
already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
I’m
a former Royal Marine and police officer who led something of a charmed life
until the fateful day I was injured on duty and was forced to give up work well
before I originally intended. Fortunately, I’d completed well over thirty years
of service, so was able to retire to warmer climes to help speed my recovery. Obviously,
I needed something to do. So, with all that extra times on my hands, I began
putting down in writing all the ideas I’d been playing with over the years. And
that’s how I became an author.
Which of your novels can you imagine
being made into a movie?
A
television production company did express some interest in the IX, so I would
say that book in particular. And though I’m the author, I can appreciate why. When
you look at what’s popular today, you can see viewers want something that’s
visually appealing and mentally stimulating. Something that isn’t afraid to mix
genres and cultural beliefs. Something that’s a good old-fashioned mash up of
high technology and olde-world head-thumping. The IX has all that. Roman
Legionaries against savage Picts; Cowboys and Indians; modern-day special
forces versus eco-terrorists. All of them, thrown together in the forge of
battle against soul-sucking aliens. Can you imagine the fun?
What inspired you to write the IX?
I
was inspired to write the IX following a military reunion dinner some years
back, where a number of us were discussing what might have happened to the
legendary “lost” ninth legion of Rome, who marched into the mists of Caledonia
– now Scotland – cira 100 A.D. and were never seen again. I mean, if you know
how big those ancient legions were, you can’t imagine how five thousand men and
all their armor and equipment and support structure could simply disappear. A
legion was a vast entity. No wonder, then, the lost legion’s story has inspired
films and research papers alike.
A
few weeks after I got home, I watched a film on TV, Millenium, where time-travelers use super-advanced technology to
snatch people away from major disasters, (usually air crashes), at the moment
of their deaths. The bodies are replaced with clones, and the travelers are
then taken into the far future to repopulate a world recovering from a
devastating eco-disaster.
That
got me thinking. What if. . .
What
if the IX Legion of Rome – and others – were snatched away at the moment of
their deaths, and taken to another world where their skills and courage were
needed to combat an – as yet – invincible foe?
Convince us why you feel your book is
a must read?
Because
as is hinted above, The IX has the epic scale of Dune and Game of Thrones;
the visionary scope of The Expanse
and Babylon 5; the sheer thrill of Mission Impossible and Extraction, and the gritty punch of such
movies as Once Upon a Time in the West
and the Magnificent Seven. There’s
something there for everyone, and all of it delivered from the mind of a combat
veteran who knows exactly what it’s like to experience the forge of battle.
What is your advice to new authors?
That’s
simple. Learn your craft. Write every day. Adapt. Evolve. And get a darn good
agent to look after your future development.
Andrew P. Weston is Royal Marine and Police veteran from the UK who now lives on the beautiful Greek island of Kos with his wife, Annette, and their growing family of rescue cats.
An astronomy and law graduate, he is the creator of the international number one bestseller, The IX, and also has the privilege of being a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, as well as the British Science Fiction Association, and British Fantasy Society.
When not writing, Andrew devotes some of his spare time to assisting NASA with one of their remote research projects, and writes educational articles for Astronaut.com and Amazing Stories.
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Thank you for sharing your guest post, bio and the book details, I have enjoyed reading about you and your work and I am looking forward to reading this book and series
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bea. And I look forward to seeing what you think.
ReplyDeleteThe excerpt sounds great. Enjoyed the guest post.
ReplyDelete