Two Weeks to Resident Alien!

I’m entering the countdown to the release for Resident Alien! I’m so excited to make this novella available again.

Brendan and Kira are such a sweet couple, and I can’t wait to share their story with more readers. Here’s a sneak peek to tide you over—and in the meantime, don’t forget to check out Gray Card!

RESIDENT ALIEN

(THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMEWORLD SECURITY, Book Two)

Copyright © 2016 Cassandra Chandler

All rights reserved

“T5-Alpha, I need an ID on the vessel currently approaching the station.”

After a brief delay, the station’s interface sounded through the communications output of her control-band, level and emotionless.

“No vessels are on approach.”

“What?” Kira looked back out the viewport that followed the curve of the small, disc-shaped station. The ship would reach them in minutes. It wasn’t even cloaked.

Wait, the station was cloaked. How did they even know where she was?

For a moment, she considered that it was a coincidence. An unknown ship was departing from Earth and just happened to be on a direct collision course for the invisible station.

Unlikely.

“I have visual contact. Scan again.”

The delay was a bit longer, but the interface came back with, “No vessels detected.”

Something had to be wrong with the scanners, but she didn’t have time to run a full diagnostic check. If the station wasn’t detecting a threat, it wouldn’t defend itself—or her. Not without her help.

The approaching ship was close enough that she could make out its shape—a small equilateral triangle getting bigger by the moment. Adrenaline spiked through her system.

“It’s the Tau Ceti!” Kira jumped to her feet and ran toward command, hunching over to stay clear of the low ceilings while shouting orders to the interface. “Raise shields. Send a distress call to the Arbiter.”

“Shields inactive. Communications are offline.” The station made the statements casually, as if it wasn’t reciting their death sentences.

“By whose order?”

“Access code 471-PLT-113894—planetary liaison. Earth designation Todd Simms.”

Kira’s fingers were slick with perspiration as she climbed the ladder that led to the upper deck. Coincidence was no longer a possibility.

The Arbiter’s communications with the Coalition had been logged with the station while it was in orbit. She knew that the planetary liaison had been taken into custody. What she didn’t know was why his codes hadn’t been stripped or who was using them.

The command deck was the most open and spacious part of the station, with a lowered circular area surrounded by monitors facing its center. One person standing in the middle of the circle could see everything, commanding the station as necessary. Kira ran to the center of the space. A chill swept through her as she looked around.

One by one, the monitors flickered out. The station lights dimmed and she heard systems shutting down all around her.

She was too late.