Sunday Snippet: The Lottery

I love it when characters creep me out on television shows. The marine colonel on Banshee is a total madman and takes the mantle of crazypants from the Red Bone leader Chayton Littlestone. Gotta say, he lost points this past week, but I won't get into why in this venue. I may have to dust off my Universes Altered blog and go to town on this season. LOL

Other television news… eh, not much until this upcoming week. Looking forward to new episodes of Arrow and The Flash. Hoping for some great stuff from Gotham and Sleepy Hollow, too.

Lastly, come on February. I need Bitten and The Walking Dead back on my screen. :D

Tonight's post is from The Lottery, a novella where a devastating illness turns the lives of my hero and heroine upside down.

Here's the tagline:

A devastating illness tears through a space colony and repopulation is paramount for continued survival. Veronica Fine and Garrett Delroy think they'll be exempt from the lottery, which will match up prime candidates for procreation, but word comes down all members of the colony have to participate, even members of the military. When they're matched up, both suspect some behind the scenes maneuvering from the planetary leader.

And a sneaky peek…

Veronica stepped under the hot spray of water, happy to have the head to herself. Eight hours in a cockpit sucked huge hairy ones. Squirting some cleanser on her washcloth, she started lathering up, washing the thin layer of sweat from her skin.

She moaned with pleasure. "Ah… feels so much better." She poured shampoo in her hand, ready to wash her hair.

"Lieutenant Fine?" A voice called from the locker area. "I have an urgent communiqué from the chancellor."

Veronica growled. "Dammit, I'm in the shower, can you give five freaking minutes?" She dug her fingers in her scalp and quickly got a good head of suds. "I don't appreciate being accosted while I'm scrubbing down." She stepped under the stinging spray and rinsed the shampoo out.

So much for enjoying a nice, long experience.

Twisting the knobs to off, she grabbed a towel and exited the stall, drying off with quick, efficient movements.

A young petty officer paced back and forth in the changing room. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant. My orders were to track you down no matter where you were."

Veronica frowned. She couldn't remember doing anything to piss off her superior officers lately. What the hell happened?

She strode into the changing area with the damp terrycloth wrapped around her. "Okay, Petty Officer, what's the urgent message?" A cold water drop dripped from the end of her hair to her shoulder and she shivered.

The petty officer handed her a crisp white envelope, not the usual battered manila color from the intership memos.

She opened her mouth to ask where the communiqué came from, but the petty officer dashed out the door before she could speak.

She shivered again, but not from the cold. "Well, that can't be a good sign." Turning the envelope over, she read her name in blocked letters. "Okay then… might as well see what's going on." Breaking the seal, she lifted the flap and pulled out an official announcement.

Veronica Fine, Lieutenant of the Colonial Guard, you have been chosen by random drawing to participate in the repopulation of the Genesis Colony. You are hereby ordered, upon the command of Chancellor Lydia Adams, to report to the Genetic Census Bureau within twenty-four hours to be paired with a favorable match. Failure to do so will result in the loss of your rank, privileges, and result in a mandatory sentence of servitude to be determined by Chancellor Adams and the Council of Twelve.

Veronica sank down to the nearest bench. Stunned disbelief warred with a building anger. She read the missive again, her jaw clenching against the churning fury swirling in her gut. Rising, she shed the towel, crumpled the orders, and tossed the ball in the trash bin.

She quickly pulled on her fatigues. "No goddamn way. There's gotta be a mistake." Shoving her feet into her shoes, she stormed out into the corridor, heading for the commandant's office. "And I will find out how I got called up."

This one is going to be a total blast to finish. Shenanigans are most definitely afoot.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flip.

ML Skye