Sunday Snippet: Fyre's Masquerade (a Specter Station novella)

Is it really August? Man, I'm actually kind of thankful. I'm ready for 2020 to be over and done with. It's been a very crazy year.

Had a fairly busy week of calls with potential new clients and a new project starting. It's been kind of slow since May and I'm excited to see if things pick up a little now.

I also got quite a few of my long-form brainstorming sessions converted into text. I'm seriously thrilled with this!! I can't wait to see how many I get translated and transferred over this week.

Didn't get a lot of shows watched this week, but I did catch another couple of episodes of Danger Man.

Also watched episode seven of The Witcher and I'm so happy there's going to be another season of this show.

I'll be catching the second Gabriel's Inferno movie this week, even if I have to stay up super late to watch. I'm looking forward to this one.

I'll hopefully be catching up with a few other shows also. It's been hit or miss with both time and lack of focus to get into a show.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Fyre's Masquerade, a Specter Station novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Balek Fyre made his fortune mining asteroids and just became a principal owner is Specter Station. He's ready to enjoy a new stage in his life—until the Yuli family descends on his base of operations for the galactic midyear celebration with only one thing on their minds … getting him to marry their oldest daughter, Serena. The only problem? Balek would rather spend time with her sister, Scout.

And a sneaky peek…

"What the hell do you mean I'm supposed to meet with my betrothed?" Balek Fyre paced the length of his small office aboard the mining vessel, Fyre's Strife. "Since when do I have one?" Unless he'd missed a major event, he didn't have a female—or male—waiting in the wings for some sparkly wedding.

Maddox Specter shifted in his seat on the holo call. "That's what I said when they contacted the station and tried to make accommodations for their arrival." He picked through a pile of papers in front of him. "The call got shuffled up to Juna because you're a principal owner now and the Yuli family isn't on your list of VIPs." He read the communiqué from Juna. "The Yulis are arriving for the midyear masquerade and are requesting a block of rooms in close vicinity to your suite so you can get to know your betrothed…" He checked the paper again. "One Serena Yuli before the announcement of your engagement at the gala event." Maddox put the page down and leaned in closer to the monitor. "You're sure you didn't know anything about this?"

Balek stopped his back and forth. "Do I look like I do? Geez, Maddox, I've never heard of these people." Then again, he'd traveled extensively through three galaxies with his mining operations. "I have no idea who this family is." And he'd be damned if they'd get away with trying to use his name and position to score a free stay on Specter Station.

Maddox leaned back in his chair. "What do you want me to have Juna do? She can put them on the banned list and when they arrive, they'll be taken into custody—"

Balek cut his friend off. "No. Not that. Have Juna direct the staff to give them reservations but put them in the lower quadrant." Plain, basic, and nothing fancy, the rooms were small and not intended for lengthy visits.

Maddox arched a brow. "You sure you want to do that?" A small smile briefly twisted his lips.

Which convinced Balek he'd hit on the perfect tactic to get to the root of whatever grift the Yulis were trying to pull.

He nodded. "I'm sure." Turning toward his desk, he moved behind it and brought up the data screen. "I've got three-fourths of a load in my hold. I'll finish up on this asteroid and get the shipment info to the broker." He keyed in an order to his belowdecks miners to increase the speed of intake.

Maddox leaned forward again. "And after that? What's your plan?"

Balek glanced up and met his friend's gaze. "To haul ass and arrive on Specter Station before they do." Almost a week before he'd originally intended, but he could move in at any time.

Maddox grinned. "I'll have Wanda make certain your new suite is ready and waiting." He got up and left the viewable area for a moment then returned. "And once you're here…"

Balek's lips twisted in a cold smile. "Once I'm there … let the game begin…"

I'm going to have a lot of fun with this story. I love all four of the men who are making up Specter Station's executive board. Balek is very rough and tumble and he'll have a good time playing cat and mouse with the Yulis.

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

ML Skye