Meet My Pets in Space
Meet My Pets in Space
This is Space Pets Week! I know for a fact that humans will make pets out of almost anything. Therefore, I know that when we become a spacefaring people, we'll be taking them with us. My upcoming story in Pets in Space 6, the limited edition science fiction romance anthology, has griffins. Here's your chance to meet my pets in space.
By the way, if you preorder now, you'll get to meet all the delightful pets in space on release day, 5 October.
Designer Pets in Space
In the far-future universe of the Central Galactic Concordance, genetic designers create fantasy pets for the wealthy. Tinkering with cornerstone ecosystem species is strictly forbidden, so the zero-ethics pet trade gets around that by creating animals from Earth's fossil record, such as miniature dinosaurs or dire wolves.
Another rich source is creatures from myth and legend, such as dragons, hellhounds, or krakens. Or, as you'll see in Escape from Nova Nine, griffins.
Meet My Pets
Genetically designed pets are supposed to be sterile. However, amateur designers and breeders are always experimenting, hoping to hit the jackpot with a new design that proves a winner. Which explains why not one but four species of griffins inhabits the mine in Nova Nine.
By the way, Nova Nine is a rogue asteroid that's being mined for valuable dangerous elements. No one now running the mine—or being forced to work in it—knows how long it's been in existence. It's likely a relic from the brutal former empire that fell two hundred years ago. The current warden will do anything to keep its secrets.
In Nova Nine, the most common griffin looks the most like the classical Western depiction of a mythological griffin. The original monsters had the body and tail of a lion, but wings and head of an eagle. In my story, the pet-trade versions are cute but fierce, about the size of a four-month-old kitten. They're mostly bird-like with feathers that mimic mottled gray fur.
Griffins Have Secrets
The guards in the mine think griffins are pests to be eradicated. The prisoners know better. Prisoners who treat griffins as allies tend to live longer. Here's a brief excerpt to show you what I mean:
The griffin pecked at Zade’s helmet and vocalized again.
Sutrio’s eyes jittered a moment. Her expression went slack.
The griffin launched from Zade’s shoulder and flew toward the airlock. It veered away at the last moment and circled back around toward Zade.
“Blowout!”
Julke’s stomach went cold as she scrambled to her feet, stumbling to avoid the still-blinking scanner.
Sutrio stopped only to pull cable on the cutter, then bolted toward the airlock.
He rose fast and lunged forward, only slowing to help Lantham get off the jig’s ladder. Astonishingly, the stealth griffin latched itself onto Zade’s shoulder again as he ran.
Read more when Pets in Space 6 comes out in October. Preorder it today so you don't miss out on meeting all the pets in space.
I can’t wait to read your novella! It sounds like fun!!
Thanks! The griffins were fun to invent.