Title: STAR CRUISE GHOST SHIP
Author: Veronica Scott
Genre: Scifi romance
Book Blurb:
After losing his Space Navy career due to an unfortunate accident, Theo Knox is looking for any opportunity to distinguish himself as an officer aboard the luxury cruise liner Nebula Zephyr. When they come upon a derelict freighter, he’s happy to lead a small crew to salvage the ship and bring her to port. But once he’s boarded the little ship questions pile up. What happened to the original crew? Why is the lifeboat still docked? Is the ship haunted? What’s in those mysterious crates in the cargo hold?
Security Officer Jayna Evans has complicated feelings about Theo so she’s pleased to be assigned to his salvage crew. She hopes they can work out their future while bringing the derelict to port but the uncanny events aboard the abandoned vessel pile up and she can’t trust anyone, not even Theo.
Can Theo and Jayna salvage the ship and their relationship? Will anyone survive a cruise on the Ghost Ship?
This 38K word Star Cruise novella is the latest installment in the ongoing, connected series. Have you booked your Star Cruise yet?
There is a very brief mention of the loss of a previous pregnancy.
Excerpt:
“Captain Knox, I’ve been researching the Mebsuta C in various interstellar shipping databases and registries. She was commissioned 750 years ago on a remote world known as Jackjorine Six. I thought you might like to see the owner/operator and his family. I’ll continue to look for more information to assist you. Captain Fleming sends his regard. Maeve, out.”
A holo took the place of the ship’s image, rotating slowly in midair. The three people depicted were smiling and the labels Maeve had added identified the trio as Wil, Leah and Angelee Herron. The latter was a bright-eyed child, probably seven or eight, standing with her parents and clutching a colorful stuffed animal.
There was silence on the bridge. Theo cleared his throat. “I don’t know if it’s better or worse to have the original crew identified for us actually.”
Jayna drew near to his chair, staring at the holo. “Worse. Definitely worse. I wonder what happened to them?”
Feeling the need to end this sad moment, Theo said, “It was a long time ago, whatever occurred. I’m sure Maeve will keep digging and we have time on our hands here to explore more thoroughly what records the computer does hold. Turner, you can distribute the holo to the other crew members.”
“Aye, aye, sir.” She moved to obey the order and Theo sat back in his chair. Jayna was right—it was a lot harder to see the people who’d probably had such high hopes for this ship and their future and to know they were going to disappear from the galactic records without a trace.
Off on a solitary patrol of the ship later, Jayna couldn’t forget the image of the happy family who’d owned the Mebsuta C and suffered an unknown but probably not happy fate.
Jayna couldn’t shake the intuitive belief someone had walked through the corridors right before she got there. She even paused to listen for footsteps but there were none. Raising her voice slightly, she said, “Soames?” Why he’d be out roaming the ship instead of getting his rack time she couldn’t imagine but who else would be out and about? Curiously reluctant to turn the corner into the next quadrant, she forced herself to move, weapon hot and at the ready. Something about this damn ship was wrong. Maybe I should have stayed in the bridge with the others.
As soon as the idea crossed her mind she angrily flicked it away. Was she or was she not a Security badass? “It’s the quiet,” she said out loud and immediately wished she hadn’t spoken as her words echoed in the empty corridor, emphasizing her unease and the fact she had no one watching her six right now.
Not a good idea to remain in the proximity of the handsome Theo Knox either. Jayna sighed. She hoped her assignment to this boarding party hadn’t been because Maeve was meddling and match making. The AI was known to do that on occasion, claiming she was only looking out for the good of her crew.
Pausing to take a quick drink from her water flask, Jayna leaned against the bulkhead. Unbidden memories of the volleyball tournament came to her mind and how hot Theo had been in his shorts and tight t shirt. The intense rivalry between them during the games had been charged with something else besides the competition between Security and Bridge Crew. He had a killer serve and she had a lethal spike. Okay, I’ll admit it was desire. He’s a sexy guy and it’s been a long time since I let my guard down. She’d let herself go at the afterparty, drinking feelgoods and dancing with him but then she’d realized what she was doing, letting herself give in to attraction and she’d fled the beach deck and the party. Theo had followed up and she gave in to their instant attraction, inviting him to her cabin. She’d kept their interaction strictly physical because she wasn’t going to get involved emotionally with anyone ever again. It was the only way she knew to survive, keeping her inner shields up and her heart guarded. He wanted more from her and it made her heart ache to deny him and herself any emotional intimacy outside the bedroom.
He could be the one…but do I want to risk myself? Getting to this place of emotional stability was hard and I lost so much along the way…
Closing the flask and putting it in her belt, Jayna froze as she heard footsteps from the next level up. The sound wasn’t the measured tread of a security officer on patrol—it was the skipping gait of a child. She heard someone humming in time with the steps.
Clutching her blaster, Jayna crept up the stairs, determined to catch whoever it was. With great caution she raised her head the last few inches to survey the corridor and nearly fell off the ladder in shock.
Back turned to her, a little girl was playing a hopping game. As if she’d heard Jayna, she stopped and stood utterly still for a moment before pivoting on one foot, balance precarious.
“Angelee?” Jayna said in a breathless whisper.
The child vanished in the blink of an eye and Jayna rushed up the last few stairs, emerging into the corridor as if storming an enemy installation but there was no one there. Shaking, not sure whether to believe the evidence of her own eyes, Jayna checked the entire corridor, one end to the other and found nothing. She closed her eyes and decided not to mention what she thought she’d seen to anyone else. They’d think I’d gone space happy. Maybe I have.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
If you could dress up as anything or anyone this Halloween, what or who would it be and why?
Cleopatra! I love ancient Egypt and all the beautiful jewelry they had.
Explain why your featured book is a treat to read:
It’s a romance and a ghost story set on a mysteriously abandoned spaceship and perfect for the Spooky Season!
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $100 Amazon gift card.
Open internationally.
Runs October 1 – 31, 2024
Drawing will be held on November 1, 2024.
Author Biography:
USA Today Best Selling Author
Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.
Seven time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances!
She read the part of Star Trek Crew Member in the official audiobook production of Harlan Ellison’s “The City On the Edge of Forever.”
Social Media Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vscotttheauthor