Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Jeff Horton in the house for the Book Blogger Fair today...

Business first: We're having a reader's choice contest during this Fair, so be sure to place your votes here: http://shutupandreadgroup.blogspot.com/2013/07/readers-choice-awards.html

My book, The Spi-Corp Series, Book 1 - A First Love Never Dies is in the Science Fiction - Mature Category down toward the bottom of the page and it would sure appreciate some love!
Now, to the fun stuff...

The camera opens on a newsroom and sitting behind a desk is Laytak Draza, a very handsome Borgla from the planet Yerod. He is tall, with broad shoulders, a barrel of a chest and his long arms are folded on the desk. His face is a muted grey with high cheekbones and a strong, defined chin. He has no hair but the ridges that begin at his hairline, could almost be braids. His brilliant red eyes glow with underlying knowledge and his full lips split into a grin as he speaks...

Good Morning and welcome to the Galactic News Network. I'm Laytak Draza. On today's show we're speaking with Amena Wharry, Captain of The Patrick Henry.


Welcome. Why don't we start by with who you are, tell my audience a little about yourself...

My people are called Entelli, and we are a race of sentient, living computers. Unfortunately, human beings cannot pronounce my true name, but you may call me Ignis. I was recovered from a Valhari ship that crashed near Roswell, New Mexico in the year 1947. When I was finally revived nearly seventy years later, I discovered that a scientist named Kate Summers, the same human who reactivated me, had named me Ignis. I believe that means "ignition" in one the many languages you speak here on Earth. You may address me by that name.

Interesting. And what's your current mission...

I had been linked via a neural interface with the man who would become Kate's husband, a man named Nick Reynolds. He so impressed me that I took a great interest in humanity, lending my support to aid in humanity's emergence into the greater galactic community. I left Nick a little "gift" before I left Earth, an ability that later enabled you humans to build your first interstellar spacecraft. Nick wrote about what followed in a book he entitled, "Frontiers, I highly recommend it.

Anyway, sometime later, when I learned you Earth had built its first fleet of interstellar ships, and that you had finally set out to establish your first colony on another world (Nick's son wrote about this in a book he entitled, "New Beginnings," I decided I wanted to be a part of it. I transferred from another Valhari ship to one of the Earth Space Alliance ships that will be transferred to the colony on New Eden. Much of this was documented in the two books I mentioned, Frontiers and New Beginnings, manuscripts that document Frontier, the first interstellar ship, and the new Earth Space Program.

*Laytak looks at the camera.* How quaint. So, you’re a sentient computer who is currently inhabiting a space ship?

Correct, although not all Entelli choose to serve on interstellar ships, as I do. I happen to enjoy the exciting interaction with alien species, and I want to see as much of the universe as I can. I serve many functions aboard the ship, but I primarily act as the ship's navigational computer, I bridge the gap between machine and the sentient beings piloting the ship.

Very Interesting. And have you enjoyed helping humans?

Human beings are a remarkable life form; the Valhari have always thought so as well. Human beings are full of passion, curiosity, and an insatiable to learn. They are also capable of incredible acts of kindness as well as barbaric, unspeakable acts. The way you balance these various qualities is truly quite astonishing.

And what do you think of Earth?

Well, since I have no biological eyes, I've experienced it only seen it directly through the ships scanners, and the numerous images in the ship's database, since we Entelli have no eyes, as you humans do. It's a beautiful planet, and I've seen quite a few so I'm extremely qualified to say so.

Enlightening. And do you wish to return to your home world? When your mission is complete?

Absolutely, as much as I enjoy meeting new species and experiencing the wonders of the universe, after a while I miss my own people. We communicate with one another through a global network of sorts.

Well then, what are your plans?

Humanity is a most promising and exciting new species, the most recent to join the League of Sentient Beings. I plan to offer my services to their new fleet of ships as often as I possibly can.
 Well, thank you for your time Ingis... I am quite sure we will be hearing more of your adventures soon enough.

Thank you very much for having me, Laytak, you quite an exceptional person, for a Borgla!

*Laytak turns back to the camera.* If you would like to know more about Ingis, you can find him here

 
Excerpt:
 
“Nick, wake-up! They’re here! Nick, wake up!” Kate was frantically yelling at him when he opened his eyes. He quickly took off the helmet, stood up, and backed away from Ignis.
 
“Hi, Kate!” Nick said to her, before pulling her close, embracing and kissing her once more. Kate took a step back and smacked him on the arm. 
 
“Don’t you ever scare me like that again, Nick Reynolds! I had no idea whether you were going to come out of it in time, or whether you’d end up going back with Ignis!” 
 
Nick suddenly became aware that the building all around him was shaking.
 
“What’s going on?” he asked. Kate walked over to the window and pointed up.
 
“Just take a look. It looks like Ignis’ friends from out of town have come to take him back home after sixty-five years,” she said, smiling, happy to have Nick back. She jumped back into his arms once more before standing next to him with her arm around his waist, alternately looking out the window and back at Ignis.
 
“Wow,” was all Nick said, as he watched the huge alien spacecraft stop when it arrived over their location at S-4. It was beautiful, a circular, saucer-shaped craft. It had considerably more detail than anything he’d ever seen before. There were numerous, square shaped portals all around the craft, and there was a center ring underneath, which rotated in the opposite direction from the larger outer ring. The immense craft from another world filled the sky above them.
 
"Okay, so I wonder what happens next?” asked Kate. “Will they send a ship down to collect Ignis?”
 
Nick shook his head. “I don’t think so,” he answered. “Somehow, I don’t think they’ll need to.” They were watching Ignis when suddenly a bright blue light materialized all around the lab table. The light grew brighter and brighter until a moment later, a brilliant white light appeared in the midst of the blue one. When both lights suddenly disappeared, the Ignis device had disappeared. Moments later, the rattling stopped. When they looked out the window, they found that the ship had already vanished."
 
------------------------------------------------------
 
Jeff has also been kind enough to host a giveaway during his stop today. Simply comment below answering the question, what would you say to a sentient computer if you could and be eligible to win a copy of either The Dark Age, The Last Prophet, The Way of Nacor or Cybersp@ace, winner's choice.
 
Thanks as always for stopping by today.
 
Until next time.

Margaret Taylor

No comments:

Post a Comment