Release date: April 12, 2020
Subgenre: Military science fiction, Space exploration
About Kwelengsen Storm:
You can turn your back on war, but sometimes it refuses to let you go.
When Logan Twofeathers takes on the job of head of engineering on Kwelengsen, the first habitable planet discovered by Earth, he thinks he’s leaving conflict far behind. But when he investigates the loss of a deep-space communications relay, his ship is attacked and crash-lands back on the planet.
With his new home destroyed by the invaders, Logan is stranded deep in the frozen mountains with an injured sergeant who hates him almost as much as the enemy. Against the ever-present threat of capture, he must battle his way through icy surroundings in a treacherous attempt to find his wife.
And when he's forced to ally himself with a disparate group of soldiers and their uncompromising captain, Logan must face the reality that he may have lost everything—and everyone—he loves. Will he choose to fight? And what will it cost him?
Kwelengsen Storm is the first in a gripping, new sci-fi thriller series from the author of the Joe Ballen novels.
Excerpt:
Logan
Twofeathers looked at the inky, cloudless sky as the pinprick of light crawled
toward the eastern horizon. Even through high-powered binoculars, it was
nothing more than a bright dot glimmering with reflected sunlight. It wasn’t
the Hansen, the transport ship that
had brought them to the planet. At that time of day, the transport’s orbit
would place it on the other side of Kwelengsen. And the next scheduled supply
ship wasn’t due for another month.
“Have
you got anything?” he said, tracking the dot.
He
was standing by the window of the science and communications building of New
Hope—the first and so far, only, city on the planet. Behind him, illuminated by
the lights from several computer consoles, a shadow moved.
“The
ship is broadcasting a transponder ID, but our systems don’t recognize it.”
Logan’s wife, Aurore Vergari, sat at one of the computers studying the
information on the screen. “And the imaging we can get from down here is
inconclusive. It doesn’t match anything on the books.”
“I
thought you were our science expert.” Wildan Tejal was the settlement’s lead
civilian authority, and his dark mustache wriggled over his plump lips like a
hairy, oversized caterpillar when he spoke.
“There’s
no reason for that attitude, Administrator.” Logan’s jaw tightened. Tejal might
be a good politician and competent in a general sense, but he liked to play
people. “We’re doing what we can, but until our reconsat gets a closer look,
our information is bound to be limited.”
“We
need to know who it is and what they’re doing here.” Tejal sighed, as if he
were talking to a misunderstanding child. “You’re supposed to be our technical
leads.”
Logan
gave a humorless smile. “Feel free to issue a request for replacements. I’m
sure Earth will be willing to log another
of your complaints.”
A
message would take over a day to get to Earth and the same for any response to
return. Even with the RoboPony relays invented by Logan’s friend Joe,
interstellar communication was closer to sending an old-style letter than
anything approaching “real-time.” Besides, the Combined-Earth Settlement
Authority had made its personnel assignments and wasn’t likely to change them,
short of the community on Kwelengsen failing. Something Tejal was aware of.
“What
about Captain Manners?” Tejal said. “Can’t the Guard launch a reconnaissance
ship?”
“I’ve
apprised her of the situation,” Logan said. “They’ve shown no hostile
intentions, and I believe she’s happy to wait on the reconsat feedback.”
Tejal
frowned. “We don’t know who they are, or why they’re here. The entire settlement
might be in danger.”
“Then
you should raise your concerns with her.” Logan stared down at Tejal, holding
his frustration in check. “I’m not a soldier.”
Tejal
took a step back. “Well, no, but you… well, you have influence, shall we say.”
Logan
glanced across at Aurore, her brown eyes almost black in the subdued lighting.
Her nod was meant to reassure him, but they’d discussed how he felt about his
past
“I’m
afraid I can’t help you,” he said brusquely.
Tejal’s
mouth clamped tighter, making his fleshy jowls look bigger than usual. “I see.
I’ll be including this lack of cooperation in my CESA report.”
“I
wouldn’t expect anything else, Administrator.”
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About David M. Kelly:
David M. Kelly writes intelligent,
action-packed science fiction. He is the author of the Joe Ballen sci-fi
thriller series and the short story collection Dead Reckoning And Other
Stories. He has been published in Canadian SF magazine Neo-opsis.
David’s interest in science and
technology began early. At the age of six his parents allowed him to stay up
late into the night to watch the television broadcast of Neil Armstrong
stepping on to the surface of the moon. From that day he was hooked on
everything related to science and space.
An avid reader, he worked his way
through the contents of the mobile library that visited his street, progressing
through YA titles (or ‘juveniles’ as they were known back then) on to the
classics of Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Harry
Harrison.
David worked for many years in
project management and software development. Along the way his interests have
included IPSC combat (target) pistol shooting, crew chief on a drag racing
team, and several years as bass player/vocalist in a heavy rock band. He also
managed to fit in some real work in manual jobs from digging ditches and work
on production lines to loading trucks in a haulage company.
Originally from the wild and woolly
region of Yorkshire, England, David emigrated to Canada in 2005 and settled in
Northern Ontario with his patient and supportive wife, Hilary. Foot surgery in
2014 temporarily curtailed many of his favourite activities – hiking, camping,
piloting his own personal starfighter (otherwise known as a Corvette ZR-1). But
on the plus side, it meant a transition from the world of IT into life as a
full-time writer—an opportunity he grasped enthusiastically.
David is passionate about science,
especially astronomy and physics, and is a rabid science news follower. Never
short of an opinion, David writes about science and technology on his blog
davidmkelly.net. He has supported various charity projects such as the
Smithsonian’s Reboot The Suit and the Lowell Observatory Pluto Telescope
Restoration. He also contributes to citizen science projects such as SETI@home.
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