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Across Time
Across Time
Across Time
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Across Time

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Corri Dunn has the posting of a lifetime as captain of the Avery McKenna, but she had to give up the man she loves to have it. When she’s ordered to transport an archaeological team to Adhara VII, she finds he’s arrived ahead of her.

Devin Tremaine lost the love of his life five years ago when a younger Corri chose her career over his love. As captain of the Stargazer, he’s ordered to secretly transport a mercenary to Adhara VII - knowing Corri will soon be there.

Passion burns brightly between the reunited lovers, but trust returns more slowly. Years of longing for each other, and second-guessing their abandonment of each other, has left them treading on shaky ground.

When the mysterious Ori-Arkee visits Corri, she must turn to Devin for help. Together, they embark on a quest to discover the secrets of Adhara VII and discover they’ve found more than the way back to each other and a completely vanished civilization. They’ve stumbled on the way across time.

* * *

Devin quickly gathered his gear and headed for their best shuttle. The Moira was powering up as he tossed his pack behind the pilot’s seat and strapped in. Greg Roland didn’t bother to acknowledge him, just flipped a few switches to bring the pilot’s boards active. Devin ran the sequence checks, then ordered the bay depressurized and the huge doors opened. Lack of gravity took over. The Moira rose a scant six inches from the deck and the Stargazer slid out from under her.

It didn’t take long for the call from the Avery McKenna to come. Rose had followed protocol to notify other orbiting ships of a shuttle launch and that a ship’s captain was onboard. Devin grinned wolfishly as Corri’s voice filled the shuttle.

“What do you think you’re doing, Tremaine?”

“Well, hello, Corrine. Fancy meeting you way out here.”

“Listen, you son of a bitch. You land that shuttle on Adhara VII and I will personally take you into custody.”

He didn’t think he’d mind that too very much, especially if she used handcuffs.

“Your momma needs to go get her money back from that fancy finishing school she sent you to. Tsk, tsk. Such language.”

“You are not funny. Park that shuttle anywhere but back on that piece of garbage you fly and I’ll have to arrest you.”

He could challenge her on that because there was no way she had a warrant. Carlton would have covered such a contingency. “Show me your open authorization to arrest anyone on Adhara VII and show me your open warrant on me, in particular.” The silence on the other end of the transmission was evidence her bluff had been called.

“You keep away from Dr. Winston, you stay away from my personnel. And you stay away from me, Tremaine.”

“I’d love to stay away from you. I have every intention of staying away from you. As for the rest of it, you’d better tell Winston to steer clear of my people. Cooperation is a two-way street, and if your people don’t respect mine, I’ll personally order them to stand up for themselves.” Let her stew about that, he thought smugly.

“You idiot! You can’t give them permission to start brawls!”

“Sure I can. My people have brains, Dunn. The military hasn’t sucked the gray matter out of their skulls and replaced it with rhetoric. They can actually think for themselves. And they’ll know if they’ve been insulted.”

“This is serious, Devin. You stay away from Winston or I’ll have to take appropriate action.”

Your actions are always appropriate, aren’t they?”

Devin grinned as the com link went dead. 

LanguageEnglish
Release dateMay 15, 2016
ISBN9781533720511
Across Time

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    Book preview

    Across Time - Rayne Forrest

    About Across Time

    Corri Dunn has the posting of a lifetime as captain of the Avery McKenna, but she had to give up the man she loves to have it. When she’s ordered to transport an archeological team to Adhara VII, she finds he’s arrived ahead of her.

    Devin Tremaine lost the love of his life five years ago when a younger Corri chose her career over his love. As captain of the Stargazer, he’s ordered to secretly transport a mercenary to Adhara VII - knowing Corri will soon be there.

    Passion burns brightly between the reunited lovers, but trust returns more slowly. Years of longing for each other, and second-guessing their abandonment of each other, has left them treading on shaky ground.

    When the mysterious Ori-Arkee visits Corri, she must turn to Devin for help. Together, they embark on a quest to discover the secrets of Adhara VII and discover they’ve found more than the way back to each other and a completely vanished civilization. They’ve stumbled on the way across time...

    Other books by Rayne Forrest

    Science Fiction Novels

    A Hero’s Bargain

    Across Time

    The Curiosity Shoppe

    Step Into Time

    Novels set in the Near Future

    Money Back Guarantee

    Mischief at Midnight

    To Bed a Spy

    Paranormal Novels

    A Hidden Heaven

    Contemporary Romance

    Loving Luke

    One Summer

    What they said about Across Time

    A Two Lips Reviews Recommended Read

    You definitely don't want to miss this book!  Across Time is an extremely well written, powerful and intense story. The characters and scenes are so well described that I could visualize everything so well that I felt like I was watching a movie instead of reading a book. Rayne Forrest has mastered the art of descriptive language. The emotions experienced by Corri and Devin, as well as they undeniable attraction to each other, was elemental.  Their raw need seemed so tangible in both its sensuality and poignancy that it exploded off the page. Their lack of pretense about their past and their present feelings showed maturity. Their desire to understand what happened to their relationship five years ago was remarkable and spoke volumes about the true nature of their feelings for one another. Devin is easily one of the most ideal men I’ve ever had the good fortune to read about – in a word, he’s dreamy! Across Time is like a science fiction version of Indiana Jones with a mystical twist that had me absolutely riveted until the very last page.  – Kerin Henson for Two Lips Reviews

    Dedication

    To Ron, always. Thanks for your never-wavering support and belief in Across Time.

    CHAPTER 1

    Corri Dunn knew trouble when she heard it. At least her commanding officer couldn’t see her as she made an extremely rude gesture at her blanked communications screen. She grimaced as Colonel Lewis refused to stop barking orders.

    "You will make the Avery McKenna ready, Captain. Your crew will have more than enough opportunity for shore leave when you reach Adhara VII. You’ll be there, supporting Dr. Winston and his team, for three months."

    The man just didn’t seem to understand her crew needed time to grab some rest. They’d barely returned from an extended round trip flight to distant Alpha Cygni. To send them out again before they’d had time to take shore leave was unjust.

    She didn’t care that it was the lot of the military to follow orders. Her crew was tired, and a tired crew meant too many mistakes. And too many mistakes eventually meant too many dead bodies on the deck. She’d seen it happen during her first year in space, and it had made her aware of how careful a captain needed to be when it was necessary to push crew past their physical reserves.

    Very well, Colonel. But I must inform you that I’ve requested the technicians examine our main engine for a suspected crack in the coolant containment system. They’ve informed me it will be four days until they’ve completed the check. I understand they’ve drained the coolant to forty percent. Corri wished she could see Lewis’s face. He was known for turning beet red when he didn’t get his way.

    If I learn you’ve intentionally ordered a non-essential test on your ship, I’ll strip you of rank, Captain Dunn, Lewis replied, his voice a cold whip.

    Corri calmly pressed a few buttons on her console. My engineering logs are on their way to you, sir. We suspected a problem nine days out. I’ll request that Central also forward their communications logs. We reported the problem and requested a new ETA, which we were granted, or we would have been in orbit two days ago. I didn’t want to push the engines.

    Captain Dunn, I cannot stress strongly enough the importance of the Adhara VII mission. It is vital Allied Planets Coalition not be allowed to gain a foothold on that planet.

    "Yes, sir, I understand. But every person aboard the Avery McKenna is dead if that containment system is compromised. My crew and Dr. Winston and his team."

    There was the briefest pause.

    Instruct the techs to keep my office informed. The minute your ship is certified flight-worthy, you will leave for the Adhara system. Are we clear, Captain Dunn?

    Corri was careful to keep her voice neutral and respectful. Aye, sir. Very clear. We’ll make what preparations we can to be ready to break orbit as soon as it’s safe to do so. Dunn out. Corri flipped the com channel closed.

    Damn, damn, damn.

    Adhara, six hundred or so light years away, was part of the constellation of Canis Majoris. It was a basically unexplored system and had been thought to be incapable of sustaining life. Then thirty-three years ago, an amateur astronomer discovered Adhara’s seventh planet. Evidence of Allied Planets Coalition interest surfaced quickly thereafter.

    The APC would not waste their time and resources unless they had good reason to believe something of value was to be had on Adhara VII. They’d pushed construction and installed a hyperspace portal at the edge of the Adhara system in less than ten years.

    The APC and United Free Planets Alliance treaties specified both entities could use any and all portals placed at any location in space. The unwritten and unspoken ending on both sides of that agreement was, if you can find them. Both parties had spies everywhere. Corri thought it would be comical if it weren’t so serious.

    The UFPA had sent their own survey ships hot on the heels of the APC ships. Political mayhem soon followed. Now there were so many probes, satellites, spybots and pieces of trash orbiting Adhara VII that Corri feared she’d dent the Avery McKenna’s hull just settling into orbit.

    She finished toweling dry her short dark hair and called for her first officer, Rick Barstow. She’d barely finished dressing when the computer announced he was outside her door.

    Come in, Commander.

    He frowned at her use of his rank.

    What’s up? He perched on the edge of her desk.

    Coffee first. Corri motioned him to the table. She poured a large mug of the dark brew and handed it to him before sliding onto the chair across from him. He accepted the mug without comment.

    Corri had known Rick since their days at the Terran Space Exploration Academy. He’d been two years in front of her. A bit of luck for her, a bit of misfortune for him, and she got command of the Avery McKenna. Nonetheless, she considered it her good fortune that Rick drew the first officer’s berth. He was steady, smart and loyal. His motivation was not to displace her command; it was the greater good of his ship and crew.

    We’re going to Adhara VII. There was no point in trying to soften it for him. We leave as soon as the techs are finished.

    I can’t! My wife will never understand this.

    Corri felt for him, truly she did. She watched his eyes darken with worry.

    Do you want to put in for leave? she asked quietly. Better he take leave than go on a flight and not have his mind on business.

    "What’s so important that the Avery McKenna has to go?"

    We’re transporting archeologist James Winston and his A-Team. They’ve been approved for a three-month dig. We’ll be providing whatever support and protection he needs.

    Winston? This must be really big. He paused and looked at her. How big?

    I don’t know. I’ve got to do a little research. As best I remember, there’s been no mention of anything in command briefs. Pulling this assignment was a surprise to me, too. She sipped her coffee, hating that she had to ask her next question.

    I need to know where you stand, Rick. Do I need to fill your chair for this one?

    He shook his head. I’m in. I’ll figure out something to tell my wife.

    Good. You’ve got the ship. I’m going to see what I can dig up on Winston, if you’ll pardon the pun.

    He managed a small, tight smile, gulped the rest of his coffee and nodded to her respectfully. She watched him leave, worried he had just thrown away his marriage.

    Well, that was something she couldn’t fix for him. She had concerns of her own. She needed to find out what she was flying into at Adhara VII.

    Three hours later, all Corri could be sure of was she had a headache. She’d queried the computer and come up blank on Winston. Completely blank. The hair on her arms took on a life of its own.

    Dr. James Winston was the most respected archeologist of his time. Article after article had been written by him and about him. The newswire archives should have contained several hundred terabytes of general information about his rather illustrious career.

    She applied her security clearance and tried again.

    At least the computer found evidence the man existed on that pass.

    The hair on the back of her neck rose and joined the hair on her arms.

    She ran a pass on the Adhara system and got the standard information. Declination coordinates, right ascension coordinates, Draper catalog number, spectral type and visual magnitude.

    There should have been a lot more. There should have been something about the discovery of Adhara VII, the hyperspace portal located there, the competition between rivals UFPA and APC to claim the planet. But there was nothing.

    She chewed her lip. In a locked case, in a locked drawer, she had a piece of equipment that was very illegal. It could bypass any known security lockout on any computer. Corri had come by it honestly. She’d found it just lying on the floor under a table at a pub in Glasgow and recognized it instantly. It wasn’t the sort of equipment one reported lost, and it was too valuable to leave behind.

    Where she’d gone wrong was she’d not turned it in. She’d pocketed it instead.

    No, it wasn’t the right time. She’d stay legal until trouble started. And she would stake her command trouble was waiting and not too far ahead.

    She sent a formal request to Central Control for information on Dr. James Winston, Adhara VII, and how the two fit together. She didn’t hold out much hope for a helpful response.

    On a whim, she opened the Avery McKenna’s archive library and was rewarded with a stroke of luck. Her communications officer hadn’t linked the library computer to the main at Central, which was the protocol when any ship returned to space dock. Corri quickly copied all available information onto a data crystal.

    It wasn’t much, but it was all she had at the moment. She grinned. She would forget to log he’d not followed procedure. Besides, it was another indication of how tired her crew was.

    She was reading Winston’s official bio when her computer beeped with an incoming call.

    Dunn. Go ahead.

    Corrine, you’re home! Come for dinner.

    Hello, Mom. What time?

    The usual. Nineteen hundred hours.

    Okay. See ya, Ma, Corri said mischievously.

    Corrine, don’t call me that. I’m not a grandmother yet. Her mother sighed long-sufferingly, and they both laughed with the shared familiarity of mother and daughter. The transmission closed.

    This was perfect. She’d raid her parents’ considerable library after dinner. And if her brother were home, that would be even better. Since he’d accepted a position as a tele-instructor at the academy, the job required him to keep a huge personal archive of scientific information. She’d troll through his files for some intel, and it would be legal.

    She shrugged into her jacket and headed to the bridge to advise Rick of what she’d found. Or more importantly, what she’d not found. Yet.

    *          *          *

    What the hell is Adhara VII? Where the hell is Adhara VII?

    Devin, Devin. Adhara. The second-brightest star in the constellation of Canis Major. You’ve surely seen it. Adhara VII, for lack of a better name, is the seventh planet in the sun’s orbit.

    Ah...that. Yep, Carlton, I’ve seen it. I don’t want to go there. Period.

    "I’m not asking this time, Devin. I need you to go, and you need to leave now."

    Devin Tremaine gave his benefactor a long, hard look. Carlton Starkey had plucked him from the gutter when he was ten and handed him the world. Never in the twenty-five years since had Carlton ever given him a direct order. Until now.

    That spoke volumes—and sent unease crawling up Devin’s back.

    I’m not so oblivious I don’t know what’s happening, Carlton. The APC are at Adhara VII sniffing around. What’s there that your Consortium needs to muddy the waters more?

    "I’m not sure. There’s no officially filed survey of any kind available on that planet. Nothing. So why are they interested? The UFPA is sending the Avery McKenna out in all due haste, with Dr. James Winston and his team onboard. I need you to find out why."

    Why don’t you just hack into the UFPA computers? Oh, don’t look shocked, Carlton. I know you know how to do that.

    The older man smiled weakly. I confess, then. I did. There’s nothing there.

    That sent a shiver of real worry down Devin’s spine. Dr. James Winston was the premiere archeologist of the modern era. The members of his team were the crème de la crème in their fields.

    There was no point in questioning Carlton on his facts. If he said no information existed in the computers, then there was none. Devin knew where to go, though. Men like him had a buddy network. A lowlife buddy network.

    Men like Devin didn’t usually sit in multi-million-credit homes in real leather chairs surrounded by real books, printed on real paper, with real gold leaf lettering on their spines either. Devin felt equally at home in Carlton’s library as he did in any dingy pub.

    What’s on the rumor mill about Winston? Devin asked, as Carlton refreshed his drink.

    That is the question, isn’t it? Carlton dropped tiredly into an armchair and sipped his bourbon.

    The words fell out of his mouth before Devin could stop them. "I’ve got another one for you. How do you know the Avery McKenna is headed there?"

    Devin clamped his jaw firmly shut. He never should have let that pass through his lips. Carlton smiled into his drink.

    One hears things. I’m sure you hear things as well. Carlton regarded Devin evenly. Put it behind you, Devin. She did.

    Devin tossed back the remainder of his drink. Money did buy the best, he mused, as the fiery liquid landed in his belly.

    Corri Dunn. Even now, after five years, he wanted to snarl every time he thought about her.

    The most beautiful silver eyes he’d ever seen. Little rich girl playing starship captain.

    Long, strong legs that wrapped around his ribs. Class-A bitch.

    A mouth that knew how to make him insane. The best fuck I’ve ever had.

    It’s behind me, Carlton. It was behind me the minute the door closed behind her. It was a lie and Devin knew it...and he knew Carlton knew it, too.

    Carlton inclined his head and raised his glass, then downed the rest of his bourbon. Devin wanted to snarl at his friend and benefactor, too. Well, let Carlton think what he wanted. Corri Dunn was in his past.

    "Can the Stargazer beat the Avery McKenna to Adhara VII? The McKenna’s in space dock for some critical repairs, and it’ll be a week until she can depart."

    Are you paying the passage through the portals?

    In response, Carlton flipped him a data chip. The fees are already paid, my friend.

    Devin grinned. Oh yeah, he could beat her there. No problem.

    "I need to go and make some calls. The Stargazer crew is scattered over four continents. Devin looked at the older man. It’ll burn some credits pulling out of here fast."

    So burn them, Carlton replied calmly.

    What aren’t you telling me?

    Carlton sighed. It’s all rumor, Devin. But if Winston is going, there must be some truth to it, somewhere. Rumor is an APC survey found evidence of previous inhabitants on that planet.

    Previous? Previous could mean there’s a very good reason they’re not there now.

    Yes, it could. Be careful, Devin. Part of me wishes I had someone else to trust on this one.

    I’m always careful. And I’d be pissed if you sent someone else.

    I want you to take John Marks with you.

    Devin snorted. He’ll likely shoot me in the back.

    I’ll ask him not to. Take him along. He’s got a job to do.

    Devin didn’t like the sound of that and disliked that Carlton felt the need to hire a mercenary, and a well known one. John Marks was not low profile, but he was good at what he did.

    So what was he doing for Carlton on some god-forsaken planet in the middle of nowhere? He knew he wouldn’t get that answer tonight.

    Devin stood and stretched before plunking his empty tumbler down on the bar. I’ll aim to pull out of here tomorrow at noon, if that’s soon enough.

    Quite acceptable. Just don’t leave without saying goodbye.

    Devin took a closer look at the man who’d saved his life all those years ago. He was shocked to see Carlton had aged. He’d always thought Carlton Starkey was ageless. Now there were deep worry lines creasing the man’s forehead and more than a little grey at his temples. He seemed smaller somehow. A man who was passing from the years of prime strength.

    Maybe that’s all it was. Devin was just entering those years. Tall, strong and healthy, he wore male confidence like a cloak. Devin wondered again if the man who raised him was really his father.

    "I’ll check in before the Stargazer leaves." Devin squeezed Carlton’s shoulder and realized, with a pang, it was usually Carlton who did that to him.

    Make sure you do, Carlton replied, as Devin headed toward the door. His private shuttle was parked in the middle of Starkey’s manicured front

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