Smuggler's Run: A Star Runner Story

By Mark McDonough

Space. It’s where Sfolan has lived his life. His father’s the captain of a tradeship. It’s what Sfolan’s destined for too. But an unexpected mutiny has left him stranded on an alien world. He’s alone, with no food, no money, no prospects - until he lands the one job that might make it possible for him to get back into space. It’s not like he really need to know what he’s delivering. Does he?

Before Sfolan joined the Star Runner, before he became part of the crew destined to shape his life, he was marooned on an alien planet when his ship left without him. This is the story that helped shaped his journey back where he belonged.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mark McDonough
• Release date: Dec 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311870322

Mark McDonough

Mark McDonough has lived his whole life in Queensland, Australia. After growing up in Ipswich, he lived for a short time in Brisbane while attending University. Work then took him to Far North Queensland for a number of years before he moved to his current home of Toowoomba. For as long as Mark can remember, there have been characters clamouring to have their stories told – everything from the depths of time when dinosaurs ruled the Earth through to the vast reaches of space where only the bravest spaceships dare to fly and everywhere in between. Most were written in secret until, one day, those characters demanded that their tales be spread far and wide. Thus, was born Stargon Books. When he's not sitting with laptop or notebook in hand, he can be found at work, with his family or out on the football field where he not only plays but also referees and Coordinates an entire competition. Ultimately, Mark dreams of the day when he can write full time but until then, as he says, "I'm a wordsmith, it's who I am; if I didn't write, I wouldn't be me".

Book preview

SMUGGLER’S RUN

A Story Set in the Star Runner Universe

By Mark McDonough

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 Mark McDonough

Current Edition 2019

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it to http://www.smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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SMUGGLER’S RUN

A Story Set in the Star Runner Universe

I.

Sfolan stood, staring.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

The Market, his ship, his life, was fast disappearing into the sky of Dramazan. Her trajectory took her close to where the yellow sun blazed down on the planet and his eyes squinted in protest.

But Sfolan continued to stare after her. His eyes filled with tears. It might have been because of the brightness of the sun. Or it could have been that Sfolan had just been left behind.

Either way, the tears were justified.

Abandoned. Marooned. He knew exactly what the Market's leaving meant.

She'd been in the Yan'dris family for three generations. Sfolan should have one day been the fourth Yan'dris captain. But that wasn’t going to be. His father was dead. Killed barely a month ago by a first mate once thought to be loyal beyond question.

Sfolan had barely escaped the event with his own life. The Market's new captain, Wen Leggess, had kept him on as a cabin boy. Someone to do all the menial, drudge jobs. And as someone to kick around whenever he felt like it.

Over the past month, Sfolan had dreamed of the day that the Market would put into a Luitian planet and he could have Leggess arrested. And then he'd be the Market's rightful captain.

Now, that dream was dead.

He'd been left behind on a strange planet. There were no Luitians here. Dramazans, obviously. And half a dozen other species on port, most of which he'd never seen before.

But right now, he refused to look at any of them. He only had eyes for his ship.

It was now no more than a dark dot in the sky. Sfolan was never quite sure the moment it disappeared from view, but he continued to stare after it nonetheless.

Are you alright? a soft voice asked.

Sfolan spun, quickly dashing the tears from his eyes with his sleeve as he did so.

Before him stood a Dramazan. Like all Dramazan, this one had pale gold skin and a hooked beak. Her arms were tight against her side,