Read The A.I. War, Book One: The Big Boost (Tales of the Continuing Time) Online
Authors: Daniel Keys Moran
The A.I. War, Book One: The Big Boost (Tales of the Continuing Time) (24 page)
He landed on sand, and took two automatic steps forward, away from the burning ship behind him.
It was like walking into a hot, moist holograph. A bright sun, brilliant blue skies. It didn’t feel real to Vance. Drifting white clouds, far above him. The smell of salt hung heavy in the air. A shimmering blue-green sea reached out to the horizon and it was silent except for the crackle of the fire behind him, and the gentle waves lapping at the beach.
Palm trees, vibrant green and tan, swayed in the balmy breeze, off to his left.
The sand he walked upon was white as snow.
The jumpjet had landed on a small oval island, less than two hundred meters long, less than eighty wide. Vance could see the ocean in every direction across the island’s length and width.
Trent’s footsteps were plainly visible in the sand, leading away from the ship and down toward the ocean.
Toward it.
The footprints ceased three meters before the high water mark.
There were no other footsteps, no other sign anywhere else on the island that humans had ever visited this desolate rock.
After all these years, Trent had finally returned to Earth –
– and was gone.
About the Book
Given how long it took to produce this novel for publication, I won’t make any representations about when the next Trent story will appear. A collection of short fiction, mostly Continuing Time stories, will probably appear first, however. Keep an eye on my blog,
danielkeysmoran.blogspot.com
, for updates.
– Daniel Keys Moran, March 2011