Cat's Night Out: Tails from the Federal Witch Read online

  “Nothing’s happening,” Cal pointed out. “Why’s nothing happening?”

  “Pull up!” Miz cried. “We’re going to crash!”

  “Yeah, we noticed!” Mech bellowed. “Ain’t my fault!”

  “It’s totally your fault!” insisted Cal.

  Behind him, Loren groaned and flickered open her eyes. She gazed at the screen for a few seconds, her eyelids slowly scraping up and down. She jumped suddenly upright. “Second left, third from bottom, top panel!”

  Cal reached up for the top panel. “What? Second…?”

  “Left! Third from bottom!”

  Cal found a small, unassuming white button. “What about it?”

  “Press it!”

  “Now?”

  “Yes, now!” Loren yelped, gripping the armrests as the landing pad spiraled closer and closer. “Press it now!”

  Cal pressed the button. There was a roar that rumbled the whole underside of the Shatner, vibrating them all through the floor. The spinning slowed, then stopped. The ship tilted until one of the ingot buildings loomed right ahead of them.

  There was an impact which, while jarring, didn’t turn them into a crater on the ground. With a hiss and a billowing of gray smoke, the Shatner touched down on the landing pad.

  Loren and Mizette both relaxed into their chairs. Cal swiveled to face them. “What was that?” he asked. “What did I press?”

  “Auto-pilot,” Loren croaked, rubbing the top of her head.

  Cal shifted his gaze to Mech. “Auto-pilot? There’s an auto-pilot?”

  “Hey, how was I to know?” said Mech. “We’re alive, ain’t we? It’s all good.”

  Cal stood up. “Well, there’s a very high chance I’ve soiled myself, so I wouldn’t say it’s all good, would you?”

  Miz sniffed the air. “I don’t think you have.”

  Cal’s nostrils flared. He grimaced, just briefly. “Well, that’s a relief. Thank you for checking.”

  “Any time.”

  Loren unclipped her belt. “The important thing is that we’re here.”

  On screen, an enormous door on the closest building slowly swung inwards. Loren stiffened. “And here comes the welcoming committee.”

  Author Barry Hutchinson can be found here on Amazon as well as his Blog

  Missing scientists, a desperate corporation, that sounds like just the kind of payday Captain Drake, and his crew were looking for.

  Life out in the stars isn’t easy. Not unless you’re willing to pledge your services to one of the major players. Captain Drake has never been much for servitude even when it comes with a golden spoon. That just means he has to be willing to get a little extra dirt on his hands to make a living.

  The mercenary guild only hires the best for their top of the line clients, and the crew of the Star Talon has just made the grade. What they find themselves involved in now will change the path they fly through the stars forever.

  Author Bradford Bates can be found here on Amazon and at his Blog here.

  The Federal Witch

  Born a Witch Drafted by the FBI!

  Conjuring Quantico - Out Now!

  Magical Probi - Out Now!

  Special Agent in Charge - Look for it Early 2017

  Witness Enchantment - Look for it Mid 2017

  Night of the Unicorn - TBD

  Cat’s Night Out and other Tales - You Just Read it!

  Athena Lee Chronicles

  The Forgotten Engineer

  Engineering Murder

  Ghost ships of Terra

  Revolutionary

  Insurrection

  Imperial Subversion

  The Martian Inheritance

  Infiltration

  Prelude to War

  War to the Knife - Out Now!

  Ghosts of Noodlemass Past -Out Now!

  Athena Lee Universe

  Shades of Learning

  Space Cadets - Coming Soon Early 2017

  Short Story Collections

  Wilson’s War

  A Colony of CATTs

  Box Sets

  Chronicles of Athena Lee - Books 1-3

  Chronicles of Athena Lee - Books 4-6

  Chronicles of Athena Lee - Books 7-9 plus the prequel

  The Federal Witch Book 1

  Standalone or tie-ins

  The Tide: The Multiverse Wave

  The Lost Pilot

  Uncommon Life

  Kutherian Gambit

  The Etheric Academy Alpha Book 1 - Out Now!

  Don’t forget to check the Blog every week for a New Wilson or Fergus story.