Hello Friends,
A new day, a new DAWN on Storyplanet.
Do you speak another language other than english? If you are like me and are polylingual, then today may be your lucky day, well, depending on what languages you speak.
In Switzerland where I live, french, german and italian are our languages. So I will get the book translated into these languages just for you :)
If you would like an advance copy in one of these languages, and even a discount, make your voice heard! I shall make you a nice deal :)
So just watch this space. I shall let you know when the new eiditions are available.
For now, here is another excerpt from the book:
Commander Bonzok's face showed signs of stress.
“Try again,” he said to the young man at the microphone. “Maybe he is in a room full of people and he can't talk,” he said.
“No sir,” the young man said. “There is a harsh tone which indicates interference, sir. I am simply not getting through and Hainay appears not to hear me. Either there is no reception, or his receiver is malfunctioning.”
“Try Bentel Vosh,” the commander suggested.
“Alright, sir,”
The young man worked at the keys on his desk for a few minutes. Commander Bonzok looked on in silence.
A few garbled sounds came over the microphone.
“I can hear something,” Commander Bonzok sucked in his breath.
“It's the same tone as before, sir.”
“Again, no contact with Bentel.”
“Is it the ozone-block? Have they completed the sound block?”
“No sir, not yet. They still have nine hundred thousand square miles to go. We should still be able to communicate with our agents in Falrus until next Thursday. I have calculated the time it should take to complete the sound barrier, sir. It seems to me if the Falrusians work 24 hours a day using all their resources, they should finish around midnight, give or take a few minutes.”
“Then what's going on? Why can't we contact our ‘agents' as you so eloquently put it?”
“I have no idea, sir, maybe..
“Find out! What do we pay you for?”
“But sir, there is.”
“No buts! Do as I say!”
“Yes sir.”
Commander Bonzok left the Svstems Control Unit in a rage. Without Bundash Hepwat, thev were doomed. The Falrusians would see it as a national insult if their precious prince were kidnapped. He could not understand why he had lost contact with those kids. What were they up to? He blamed Commander Nellit. It was his fault his so-called trainees were useless. He should bear the consequences of this mess, not him. He had personally done a lot more for this half-galaxy than all the other officers put together.
He took the elevator to his private study. He came here whenever he needed to clear his head and find fresh ideas. He sat on his favourite chair and smoked a cigar. Maybe that Demba boy would know something. He had been cooperative so far, the most useful child out of all those who'd been snapped up from Falrus. That Takenan boy was as tough as nails. He just wouldn't budge. He was not exactly forthcoming with information, but he had his best men working on him.
He had warned The President about him. That boy hadn't uttered a word since he got here. He had sent him back to the Kiutishes in the Fifth District after many hours of questioning. They would send for him again and this time, the boy would talk. Oh yes, he would talk. Commander Bonzok would personally see to that.
Meanwhile, it was high time Giren Demba paid him another visit. There had to be a way out. He dialled the Voshes' number. Mr.Vosh picked up.
“I'm sending my men over to get the boy,” was all he said. There was no need to introduce himself. Everyone in the Districts knew his voice well.
Half an hour later, Giren Demba was before him. He looked frightened, but his chin was high. Commander Bonzok smiled in spite of himself. He liked this boy. He had something of the proud warrior about him. He wished he had a son like this boy.
Stopping himself from thinking these ‘soft' thoughts, the commander stood up from his comfortable chair and tucked his truncheon under his arm. He had to look authoritative, frightening even. This boy had to be shown that he, Commander Bonzok was in charge. He was the boss, answerable to no-one except The President.
“Giren,” he said, in a business-like voice.
“Yes sir?” the boy said, his voice betraying his inner fear.
“What can you tell me about this robot of your friend's?” “Professor Potty?”
“Is that his name? How amusing.” Commander Bonzok smiled in spite of himself.
“So what do you know about Professor Potty? What can he do to help us?”
“I don't know what you mean, sir.”
“I mean, how can I get Professor Potty over here from Falrus?”
“I don't know, sir,” Giren replied. “The only thing I know is his code number.”
“Yeah?” Commander Bonzok said. “What is it?”
“XL 444358. Anyone who enters that number into his programmer could get him to obey specific orders, sir.”
“What if the programmer cannot be found?”
“Then I'm afraid there is nothing anyone can do, sir.”
“That will be all, Giren,” Commander Bonzok said, satisfied that the boy was telling the truth.
“Yes sir.”
Giren walked to the door and opened it. A guard standing outside stepped aside to let him pass. More guards followed him outside to a waiting car. Soon he was on his way back to the Voshes'. He couldn't believe his luck. That went smoothly, he thought. He let out a huge sigh of relief.
He thought of his family in Falrus. How he missed them!