Speculative Fiction Showcase: Freedom's Horizon (In Love and War, Book 4) by Cora Buhlert

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Freedom's Horizon (In Love and War, Book 4) by Cora Buhlert

Release date: March 28, 2018

Subgenre: Space opera, Science fiction romance

**About Freedom's Horizon:**

Once, Anjali Patel and Mikhail Grikov were soldiers on opposing sides of an intergalactic war. They met, fell in love and decided to go on the run together.

Now Anjali and Mikhail are trying to eke out a living on the independent worlds of the galactic rim, while attempting to stay under the radar of those pursuing them.

After a run-in with a Republican spy on the rim world of Metra Litko, Anjali and Mikhail need to get off planet fast. So they sign on as security aboard the freighter Freedom's Horizon, which is supposed to transport a valuable cargo through pirate infested space.

But they have far bigger problems than pirates, for the Republic of United Planets sends no less than three battlecruisers after them, commanded by none other than Colonel Brian Mayhew, Mikhail's former superior and now their most determined pursuer.

The chase culminates in a stand-off in orbit around Metra Litko, where Anjali and Mikhail have to make a fatal choice. Fight and endanger the innocent crew of the Freedom's Horizon or surrender and face death and worse at the hands of the Republic.

This is a short novel of 55000 words or approximately 185 print pages in the "In Love and War" series, but may be read as a standalone.

Excerpt:

Not long thereafter, Anjali and Mikhail were moving briskly through the labyrinthine passages of the main commercial spaceport of Metra Litko.
Few spared them a second glance. But those who did might have noticed that though they were dressed in civilian clothes, they carried themselves like soldiers. They might have noticed the slight bulk under Mikhail’s long black synth-leather coat, indicating a weapon in a shoulder holster, or that Anjali’s hand rested on her thigh, where she wore her dagger, the signature weapon of the Shakyri Corps. An observant person might even have noticed that they both seemed wary, constantly scanning their surroundings for the slightest hint of a trouble.
“A shipboard security gig? Aboard a freighter? Really?” Anjali exclaimed, looking up from her com unit.
Mikhail shrugged. “It’s an honest job. And it pays decently.”
“Honest and boring,” Anjali countered, “We’re way too good for this.”
“We need to eat,” Mikhail pointed out, “We also need a ticket off planet and this is nicely inconspicuous.”
He stopped, putting his hands on Anjali’s shoulders with the sort of easy intimacy that had grown between them over the past two months. He looked straight at her, blue eyes meeting black. “That Republican spy at the Plasma Café was a close call.”
“He didn’t recognise us,” Anjali insisted, “We handled it.”
“We did,” Mikhail agreed, “But it was still too close for comfort, especially with the prize on our heads. We need to get off this planet and fast.”
“I know.” Anjali pulled away and resumed her stride as if nothing had happened. “Damn, I hate it when you’re right. And I hate running.”
Mikhail fell in step beside her. “I know. Me, too.” He reached for her hand, squeezed it. “But then we always knew it would be like this.”
Anjali turned to him and flashed him a quick smile. “Yes, we did. But that doesn’t mean that I have to like it.”

***

In many ways, the Freedom’s Horizon was typical of the ships that kept the far flung worlds on the galactic rim supplied with anything the colonies couldn’t produce for themselves. It was a boxy mid-sized freighter, forty or fifty years old and in good condition for its age, though it had clearly seen better days.
Anjali, however, was not impressed. “Really? This piece of junk was the best you could find?”
“She’s a Beluga class long-haul freighter,” Mikhail replied, “They’re very reliable.”
“And ugly as fuck,” Anjali exclaimed, “But then that’s very typical of Republican design.”
“Unlike sleek, but barely functional Imperial design, you mean?” Mikhail countered.
They exchanged a private smile.
Anjali sighed. “All right, so let’s do this. Especially since it seems like we have no other choice.” She strutted off towards the freighter.
Mikhail quickly caught up with her, his longer strides matching her shorter ones.
“Assuming they’ll hire us,” he said.
Anjali shot him a look before walking up the ramp. “Of course they’ll hire us. After all, we’re the best.”

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About the In Love and War series:

About Cora Buhlert:

Cora Buhlert was born and bred in North Germany, where she still lives today – after time spent in London, Singapore, Rotterdam and Mississippi. Cora holds an MA degree in English from the University of Bremen and is currently working towards her PhD.

Cora has been writing, since she was a teenager, and has published stories, articles and poetry in various international magazines. She is the author of the Silencer series of pulp style thrillers, the Shattered Empire space opera series, the In Love and War science fiction romance series, the Helen Shepherd Mysteries and plenty of standalone stories in multiple genres. When Cora is not writing, she works as a translator and teacher.

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