The Creatures In Doc’s Orders

By Cynthia Sax on July 13, 2019

Khambalia 5, the planet the cyborgs explore in Doc’s Orders, is home to some interesting and dangerous alien creatures.

Pahas

Stock art crafted by Likozor

The pahas are wolf-like creatures. They run in packs, see anything that moves as prey, sport sharp claws and teeth. Their coloring allows them to blend into the grayness of the planet’s landscape.

They aren’t the most intelligent creatures, however. Eating and breeding is about all they know and their language is primitive, consisting of barks and growls. They can’t be reasoned with.

Miljoonasuuts

Stock photo taken by dba87

The most dangerous creature on Khambalia 5 is the miljoonasuut, a creature that from the top or side looks like a giant pill bug (also known as a roly-poly, doodle bug or wood shrimp). The miljoonasuut’s exoskeleton is extremely tough. The cyborgs believe it can repel projectiles.

Miljoonasuuts have more in common with pill bugs than merely their appearance. Pill bugs, like miljoonasuuts, eat almost everything, including heavy metals.

Pill bugs can also thrive in places where other Earth species can’t. Miljoonasuuts live on Khambalia 5, a planet barely suitable for sustaining life.

Miljoonasuuts, however, have a few other adaptations. They’re large, bad-tempered, and fairly intelligent. They have multiple mouths with extremely sharp teeth on their undersides.

Miljoonasuuts have evolved to be some of the most dangerous predators in the universe. No one, excluding the cyborgs, mess with them.

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Doc’s Orders

She wants both sides of her cyborg—the medic AND the beast.


A fully functional cyborg is balanced. His machine half and his organic half work together to produce the perfect warrior.

Doc isn’t fully functional.

The G Model operates at the two extremes. When his machine is in complete control, he’s the logic-driven medic, saving lifespans. Once his organics take charge, he becomes the savage beast…and beings die.

Both sides of Doc want to be the first to claim his female.

Allinen is one of the few beings in her small settlement who wasn’t born with a fated mate. Determined to belong somewhere, she has crafted a plan to leave the planet.

That plan doesn’t involve a huge stormy-eyed male who alternates between cool seduction and out-of-control ravishment. Doc isn’t her fated mate. Allinen knows that. But his dual nature and forbidden embraces tempt her to forget forever and indulge in more immediate delights.

Neither side of Doc views their relationship as being temporary. Her conflicted cyborg is prepared to battle her family, her planet and death itself to keep her.

Buy Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Apple/iTunes:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/docs-orders/id1463105812

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/docs-orders-cynthia-sax/1131529760

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/doc-s-orders

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/938342

Topics: Guest Post | Comments Off on The Creatures In Doc’s Orders

Doc’s Orders Releases!

By Cynthia Sax on July 12, 2019

Woot!
Doc’s Orders, the second story in the Cyborg Space Exploration series, releases today!
Happy reading!

Doc’s Orders

She wants both sides of her cyborg—the medic AND the beast.


A fully functional cyborg is balanced. His machine half and his organic half work together to produce the perfect warrior.

Doc isn’t fully functional.

The G Model operates at the two extremes. When his machine is in complete control, he’s the logic-driven medic, saving lifespans. Once his organics take charge, he becomes the savage beast…and beings die.

Both sides of Doc want to be the first to claim his female.

Allinen is one of the few beings in her small settlement who wasn’t born with a fated mate. Determined to belong somewhere, she has crafted a plan to leave the planet.

That plan doesn’t involve a huge stormy-eyed male who alternates between cool seduction and out-of-control ravishment. Doc isn’t her fated mate. Allinen knows that. But his dual nature and forbidden embraces tempt her to forget forever and indulge in more immediate delights.

Neither side of Doc views their relationship as being temporary. Her conflicted cyborg is prepared to battle her family, her planet and death itself to keep her.

Buy Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Apple/iTunes:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/docs-orders/id1463105812

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/docs-orders-cynthia-sax/1131529760

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/doc-s-orders

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/938342

Topics: New Releases | Comments Off on Doc’s Orders Releases!

Doc’s Orders Mentioned On Dear Author

By Cynthia Sax on July 11, 2019

Woot! Doc’s Orders (releasing on Friday) was featured on Dear Author’s weekly New Release post!

See all of the releases here: https://dearauthor.com/features/new-releases/new-releases-week-of-july-9-2019/

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Doc’s Orders

She wants both sides of her cyborg—the medic AND the beast.


A fully functional cyborg is balanced. His machine half and his organic half work together to produce the perfect warrior.

Doc isn’t fully functional.

The G Model operates at the two extremes. When his machine is in complete control, he’s the logic-driven medic, saving lifespans. Once his organics take charge, he becomes the savage beast…and beings die.

Both sides of Doc want to be the first to claim his female.

Allinen is one of the few beings in her small settlement who wasn’t born with a fated mate. Determined to belong somewhere, she has crafted a plan to leave the planet.

That plan doesn’t involve a huge stormy-eyed male who alternates between cool seduction and out-of-control ravishment. Doc isn’t her fated mate. Allinen knows that. But his dual nature and forbidden embraces tempt her to forget forever and indulge in more immediate delights.

Neither side of Doc views their relationship as being temporary. Her conflicted cyborg is prepared to battle her family, her planet and death itself to keep her.

Pre-order Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Apple/iTunes:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/docs-orders/id1463105812

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/docs-orders-cynthia-sax/1131529760

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/doc-s-orders

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/938342

Topics: New Releases | Comments Off on Doc’s Orders Mentioned On Dear Author

Doc’s Orders Featured On Veronica Scott’s New Releases

By Cynthia Sax on July 10, 2019

Woot! Doc’s Orders (releasing on Friday) was featured on Veronica Scott’s awesome weekly SciFi Romance New Release post!

See all of the releases here: https://veronicascott.wordpress.com/2019/07/10/new-releases-in-scifi-fantasy-and-paranormal-romance-for-wednesday-july-10/

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Doc’s Orders

She wants both sides of her cyborg—the medic AND the beast.


A fully functional cyborg is balanced. His machine half and his organic half work together to produce the perfect warrior.

Doc isn’t fully functional.

The G Model operates at the two extremes. When his machine is in complete control, he’s the logic-driven medic, saving lifespans. Once his organics take charge, he becomes the savage beast…and beings die.

Both sides of Doc want to be the first to claim his female.

Allinen is one of the few beings in her small settlement who wasn’t born with a fated mate. Determined to belong somewhere, she has crafted a plan to leave the planet.

That plan doesn’t involve a huge stormy-eyed male who alternates between cool seduction and out-of-control ravishment. Doc isn’t her fated mate. Allinen knows that. But his dual nature and forbidden embraces tempt her to forget forever and indulge in more immediate delights.

Neither side of Doc views their relationship as being temporary. Her conflicted cyborg is prepared to battle her family, her planet and death itself to keep her.

Pre-order Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Apple/iTunes:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/docs-orders/id1463105812

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/docs-orders-cynthia-sax/1131529760

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/doc-s-orders

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/938342

Topics: New Releases | Comments Off on Doc’s Orders Featured On Veronica Scott’s New Releases

Doc’s Orders – The Fourth Scene Of The First Chapter

By Cynthia Sax on July 8, 2019

As we wait for the release day for Doc’s Orders (Friday, July 10th), I’m sharing the first chapter.

Read the first scene here: http://tasteofcyn.com/?p=6869

Today, I’m sharing the fourth and final scene.

 

***

 

“Leave us alone.” He communicated to the beasts in their language, issuing a barrage of short barks. “And we’ll cause you no damage.”

They won’t believe you. Dissent relayed that projection through a transmission. We were manufactured to inflict damage on others.

The parameters of this mission restrict the damage we can cause. Doc reminded the J Model.

Captain had authorized them to match yet not exceed the aggression levels of the locals. They could inflict damage only if beings attempted to inflict damage on them first.

The beasts don’t know our parameters. Truth’s eyes shone with anticipation. They won’t believe us when we say we won’t damage them and they will attack us. Then we can fight back.

“Smell good.” One of the beasts raised his muzzle. “Nourishment.”

“We are not nourishment.” Doc slashed the air with his hands, seeking to dissuade their opponents. “You cannot consume us.”

“Eat.” Another beast bared its teeth. “Eat.”

The entire pack repeated that word. Doc stifled a sigh. The beasts didn’t have the processing power to view them as anything other than prey.

Distract them as I analyze the vegetation. He gave that instruction to his two brethren. Don’t end their lifespans.

Yes. Truth grinned. The warrior was eager to fight.

Even the normally solemn Dissent appeared pleased with those orders, the J Model repositioning to protect Doc’s back.

The beasts attacked. Dissent and Truth fended most of them off, happily knocking them in the direction from which they came.

Doc crouched, took a soil reading. The ground was as toxic as the rest of the planet. Its temperature was high.

A beast approached him from the side. It lowered, coiling its body, and leaped. Without looking up from his handheld, Doc punched it in the nose.

It flew backward and smacked into a tree, then fell to the ground whimpering.

Doc stored the genetic information he’d taken from the brief contact in his databases. Toxins were incorporated into the beasts’ fur.

Have you sampled their saliva? He asked his brethren.

I haven’t sampled it yet. Truth, that malfunctioning warrior, shed his body armor. Come and get me. He waved his arms.

A beast took the bait, pouncing. Its jaws clamped around the D Model’s right arm.

Got it. Truth grinned. Relaying the information.

He shook the beast loose. Blood spurted from the warrior’s wounds.

It was minor damage, would repair on its own. Doc concentrated on the data. The saliva is extremely venomous, would kill a human.

I’m taking a blood sample. Dissent extracted daggers from sheaths on his body armor.

The beasts attacked, were pushed back, recovered, attacked, were pushed back, recovered. The constant assault slowed Doc’s evaluation of the terrain.

Even a human would have processed the futility of their actions by now. He grumbled as he took a sample of a tree’s bark.

Humans aren’t nearly as much fun as these creatures. Truth caught two beasts by the scruff of their necks, slammed their skulls together and tossed them over his shoulders.

“Lava pocket.” Dissent shoved Doc forward.

Heat blazed over his back as molten rock shot into the air. The lava pockets were one of the reasons why the ship transporting them hadn’t landed.

Are you feeling any aftereffects of being bitten? Doc scanned Truth.

The warrior’s specs were within range. His nanocybotics had neutralized the venom in the beast’s saliva.

My processors say I’m not experiencing any aftereffects. Truth swatted a beast away from him. But they must be malfunctioning. I’ve never felt this strong.

The male might merely be buzzed on the beasts’ venom or he could be affected by the toxins in the air or impacted by a number of other inputs.

Needing his hands free, Doc hung his medic pack on a limb of a tree. The trees grew on the most stable ground, terrain unaffected by lava pockets.

A beast attacked him. He punched it harder than he had hit its previous pack member.

The creature slammed against a boulder and went limp. It continued to breathe, would live, but it wouldn’t bother him for a longer duration.

That was a good thing for the mission and for Doc. With each violent confrontation, his organic side emerged more and more, seeking to take complete control, to eliminate all threats.

He didn’t have his white jacket to combat the turbulent emotions inside him, to remind him why he needed his machine side to be in command. That symbol of his medic role was too visible to wear on a hostile planet, could draw prospective enemies to him and his small team.

But without his white jacket, he resembled the warrior he’d once been. Clad in black body armor and boots, the sheaths and holsters on his protective garment filled with weapons, he was outfitted to hurt, to kill.

To release the primitive part of himself.

Seeking to prevent that from happening, Doc scanned the nearby tree, focused on those findings, those specs. He derived formulas in his processors, performed calculations, determined probabilities.

That pleased his machine, bored his organics.

This approach is illogical. Dissent swiped at the circling beasts with his daggers. If we kill the beasts, they won’t return. We could—

“Danger.” One of the beasts on the edge of the pack yelped that warning.

The rest of the four-legged creatures ran at full speed in the opposite direction, their tails tucked between their hind legs, their heads down.

Doc, Dissent, and Truth looked at each other.

What could be more dangerous than lava pockets and venomous beasts? Dissent frowned.

We’ll soon find out. Truth’s grin spread as he donned his body armor. I love this planet.

Doc felt no love for Khambalia 5.

He wanted to focus on their mission, on scientific discovery, not on threats and not on situations that provoked the unstable, emotional part of himself.

Deal with the new danger. Doc delegated that task to Truth and Dissent. I’m gathering the information we require.

He would ignore everything and everyone else.

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Doc’s Orders

She wants both sides of her cyborg—the medic AND the beast.


A fully functional cyborg is balanced. His machine half and his organic half work together to produce the perfect warrior.

Doc isn’t fully functional.

The G Model operates at the two extremes. When his machine is in complete control, he’s the logic-driven medic, saving lifespans. Once his organics take charge, he becomes the savage beast…and beings die.

Both sides of Doc want to be the first to claim his female.

Allinen is one of the few beings in her small settlement who wasn’t born with a fated mate. Determined to belong somewhere, she has crafted a plan to leave the planet.

That plan doesn’t involve a huge stormy-eyed male who alternates between cool seduction and out-of-control ravishment. Doc isn’t her fated mate. Allinen knows that. But his dual nature and forbidden embraces tempt her to forget forever and indulge in more immediate delights.

Neither side of Doc views their relationship as being temporary. Her conflicted cyborg is prepared to battle her family, her planet and death itself to keep her.

Pre-order Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Apple/iTunes:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/docs-orders/id1463105812

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/docs-orders-cynthia-sax/1131529760

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/doc-s-orders

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/938342

Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Doc’s Orders – The Fourth Scene Of The First Chapter

Doc’s Orders And Glowing Heroines

By Cynthia Sax on July 3, 2019

Allinen, our alien heroine in Doc’s Orders, glows.

The light she emits serves as a defense against some of the dangerous creatures on Khambalia 5, her home planet.

The creatures are accustomed to the darkness. Light scares them.

(In contrast, cyborgs can see well in the dark and nothing much scares them – grins)

Bioluminescence also occurs in some Earth-based creatures, especially creatures living in the water. Some deep sea anglerfish, for example, emit light to attract prey and to also attract mates. Fireflies also emit light for these two purposes.

Some instances of bioluminescence are caused by symbiotic organisms like certain types of bacteria. Some are caused by the design of the creatures themselves.

In Allinen’s case, her kind’s bioluminescence is influenced by the water they drink. When she drinks the purified water other beings bring to the planet, her glow dims.

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Doc’s Orders

She wants both sides of her cyborg—the medic AND the beast.


A fully functional cyborg is balanced. His machine half and his organic half work together to produce the perfect warrior.

Doc isn’t fully functional.

The G Model operates at the two extremes. When his machine is in complete control, he’s the logic-driven medic, saving lifespans. Once his organics take charge, he becomes the savage beast…and beings die.

Both sides of Doc want to be the first to claim his female.

Allinen is one of the few beings in her small settlement who wasn’t born with a fated mate. Determined to belong somewhere, she has crafted a plan to leave the planet.

That plan doesn’t involve a huge stormy-eyed male who alternates between cool seduction and out-of-control ravishment. Doc isn’t her fated mate. Allinen knows that. But his dual nature and forbidden embraces tempt her to forget forever and indulge in more immediate delights.

Neither side of Doc views their relationship as being temporary. Her conflicted cyborg is prepared to battle her family, her planet and death itself to keep her.

Pre-order Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Apple/iTunes:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/docs-orders/id1463105812

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/docs-orders-cynthia-sax/1131529760

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/doc-s-orders

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/938342

Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Doc’s Orders And Glowing Heroines

Doc’s Orders – The Third Scene Of The First Chapter

By Cynthia Sax on July 1, 2019

As we wait for the release day for Doc’s Orders (July 16th), I’m sharing the first chapter.

Read the first scene here: http://tasteofcyn.com/?p=6869

Today, I’m sharing the third scene.

***

“Humans scare easily.” Chuckles shrugged.

“There might be some logic behind their fear. This is the first lifeform scan.” North displayed a flattened image of the planet.

A gathering of four hundred and sixty-seven humanoids was situated in one area. There were also several small groups of beings spread out on the land mass. Some were human. Most were humanoid.

“This is the second lifeform scan.” North shared that image.

The large gathering remained. Many of the small groups were gone.

“If we wait, we won’t have to collect any genetic information.” Chuckles pulled his female closer to his body. “They’ll all be dead.”

“The large group will remain.” Captain studied the main viewscreen. “Their numbers were static.”

Captain had been given orders by Power, the leader of the Cyborg Council. He and the Reckless’ crew were to gather information on life-sustaining planets in the cyborg-controlled sector. Power expected Captain to transmit data about one of those planets within sixty-two planet rotations.

“Scanning a group that size should take less than a shift, Captain.” Doc assured their leader.

The crew of the Reckless had never failed a mission. And they wouldn’t fail this one. He and the fingertip sensors he’d developed would ensure they didn’t.

“We have sixty-two planet rotations.” Captain didn’t move on that deadline. “We won’t put warriors in peril to complete the task early.” He looked at Doc. “Are the fingertip sensors functional?”

Doc tilted his head. “I’ve tested them.” The sensors resembled a thin layer of skin, were designed to be attached to a cyborg’s fingertips and had the ability to gather vast amounts of genetic and other biological information about any being that warrior touched.

“He’s tested them on himself.” Truth’s tone was dry.

“Those tests were in controlled situations.” Doc ignored the D Model. “There might be some modifications needed once we’re in the field.”

“Then you will lead the team.” Captain made that assumption.

Doc should have expected to be assigned the role of team leader. They were gathering specs about living beings. As Chief Medic, he had the most experience performing that task.

The prospect of exploring an unknown planet, facing danger and extreme challenges, filled him with trepidation. He had intentionally chosen a ship-based role, seeking to control his stimuli, attempting to keep the organic part of him restrained.

With this assignment, that buffer would be stripped from him.

There might be substances on this planet no one has yet encountered. Truth transmitted that message through a private line. Think of the experiments you could run utilizing them, G Model.

That suggestion was more valid than the D Model realized.

If Doc focused on gathering substances, on future experiments, on the science of the mission, he should be able to complete it with no negative repercussions.

“I’ll lead the team.” Doc accepted the responsibility.

Yes. Truth cheered through the transmission lines.

Captain nodded, appearing pleased with Doc’s response. “You’ll be accompanied by two other warriors.”

Oh. Pick me. Pick me. Truth’s transmission bubbled with excitement.

“If the humanoids in the large group resemble humans, having a J Model in the party might put them at ease.” J Models were the most human-like cyborgs on board the warship. “I choose Dissent.” He deliberately shared his number two choice first. “And…”

And me. Truth was relentless. I have your back, G Model. Didn’t I remind you about this debrief?

I’m a cyborg. I don’t need to be reminded…about anything. But the male did have his back and that might be needed on this mission. “Truth is skilled with communications.”

Chuckles, the Communications Officer, grumbled his disagreement.

Yes. Truth cheered again. This is going to be so much fun.

***

A shift later, the D Model was having fun. Doc, however, was annoyed.

They had been dropped on the surface of Khambalia 5, their systems immediately adjusting to the planet’s high temperatures and the toxins in the air.

The shuttle had returned to the Reckless.

There hadn’t been a safe site for it to land. Very little of the land mass was stable, its fragmented crust constantly shifting.

And some of the locals were hostile. Their arrival had attracted a pack of four-legged creatures.

The beasts circled them, growling and snarling. Saliva dripped from their muzzles.

A fog hung over the terrain, layering a haze over their surroundings. The gray eyes and gray fur of the predators almost blended into their surroundings.

The creatures sported sharp claws on all of their feet and long canine teeth. And they were fast. Their movements would be undetectable to human eyes.

Doc and his two brethren were cyborgs, however. They could easily track the beasts, could avoid the teeth and claws.

That would take time and Doc preferred to concentrate on their mission.

***

Reading the next scene (available July 8th) here:  http://tasteofcyn.com/?p=6875

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Doc’s Orders

She wants both sides of her cyborg—the medic AND the beast.


A fully functional cyborg is balanced. His machine half and his organic half work together to produce the perfect warrior.

Doc isn’t fully functional.

The G Model operates at the two extremes. When his machine is in complete control, he’s the logic-driven medic, saving lifespans. Once his organics take charge, he becomes the savage beast…and beings die.

Both sides of Doc want to be the first to claim his female.

Allinen is one of the few beings in her small settlement who wasn’t born with a fated mate. Determined to belong somewhere, she has crafted a plan to leave the planet.

That plan doesn’t involve a huge stormy-eyed male who alternates between cool seduction and out-of-control ravishment. Doc isn’t her fated mate. Allinen knows that. But his dual nature and forbidden embraces tempt her to forget forever and indulge in more immediate delights.

Neither side of Doc views their relationship as being temporary. Her conflicted cyborg is prepared to battle her family, her planet and death itself to keep her.

Pre-order Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Apple/iTunes:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/docs-orders/id1463105812

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/docs-orders-cynthia-sax/1131529760

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/doc-s-orders

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/938342

Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Doc’s Orders – The Third Scene Of The First Chapter

Doc’s Orders And Dangerous Planets

By Cynthia Sax on June 28, 2019

Khambalia 5, the planet the cyborgs explore in Doc’s Orders, is extremely dangerous. The air is toxic to humans. The planet’s crust is shifting. There are…

Lava Pockets

Lava pockets are like geysers except, instead of shooting water and steam, they shoot lava.

The lava pockets make landing on the planet’s surface difficult. They can shoot upward at any time, destroying ships and killing beings.

The local Khambalians live inside trees to avoid this danger. Tall trees indicate stable ground (that’s why the trees have survived so long) and the absence of lava pockets.

By M S – Flickr: Thorny tree, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31333383

Tappaminen Trees

Khambalians do NOT live in the tappaminen trees. Tappaminen trees have spikes on their trunks and are extremely toxic. Touching one will kill a human.

A similar (but not the same) Earth tree would be the Hura crepitans aka the sandbox tree. Sandbox trees are covered with spikes, are poisonous and have exploding fruit.

Antaa Potkut Rocks

An additional danger on Khambalia 5 are the antaa potkut rocks. These are rocks that have been heated to extreme temperatures by the underground lava flows. They glow so they’re easy to spot but if a newcomer wasn’t aware of their dangers, he could injure himself and possibly die.

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Doc’s Orders

She wants both sides of her cyborg—the medic AND the beast.


A fully functional cyborg is balanced. His machine half and his organic half work together to produce the perfect warrior.

Doc isn’t fully functional.

The G Model operates at the two extremes. When his machine is in complete control, he’s the logic-driven medic, saving lifespans. Once his organics take charge, he becomes the savage beast…and beings die.

Both sides of Doc want to be the first to claim his female.

Allinen is one of the few beings in her small settlement who wasn’t born with a fated mate. Determined to belong somewhere, she has crafted a plan to leave the planet.

That plan doesn’t involve a huge stormy-eyed male who alternates between cool seduction and out-of-control ravishment. Doc isn’t her fated mate. Allinen knows that. But his dual nature and forbidden embraces tempt her to forget forever and indulge in more immediate delights.

Neither side of Doc views their relationship as being temporary. Her conflicted cyborg is prepared to battle her family, her planet and death itself to keep her.

Pre-order Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Apple/iTunes:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/docs-orders/id1463105812

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/docs-orders-cynthia-sax/1131529760

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/doc-s-orders

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/938342

Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Doc’s Orders And Dangerous Planets

Doc’s Orders – The Second Scene Of The First Chapter

By Cynthia Sax on June 24, 2019

As we wait for the release day for Doc’s Orders (July 16th), I’m sharing the first chapter.

Read the first scene here: http://tasteofcyn.com/?p=6869

Today, I’m sharing the second scene.

***

“No logical being would ever challenge whether or not Captain or Chuckles can perform their roles.” Doc replaced his body armor and rolled down the sleeve of his white medic jacket. “They both excel in them.”

“They also both have females.” Truth’s tone was edged with envy.

A cyborg warrior was genetically compatible with only one being. Many of them would never find their females.

“There’s no correlation between having females and having permanent damage.” Doc should know. No female had been found for him in the combined databases and he was permanently damaged.

Not that anyone was aware of that. He kept that concealed.

“Are you certain about that hypothesis?” Truth lifted his eyebrows.

“I’m 99.6932 percent certain.” Doc grabbed his black medic pack. Since he had escaped the Humanoid Alliance, he never went anywhere without it.

“Then I shouldn’t permanently damage myself to try to get a female?” Truth kept pace with him as they walked along the hallways. “Because I was considering doing that.” The D Model was never serious.

“If you do that, I’ll have to add you to my list of beings to repair.” Ensuring the beings Doc considered to be his responsibility were fully functional was his role, one he took great pride in undertaking.

They entered the bridge. The rest of the core crew were already there. Captain overlooked the space. His female was seated on his lap.

Their cyborg offspring, Future, was missing. Doc projected the likelihood to be 98.6958 percent that the male was training. Captain wouldn’t allow Future to participate in missions until his skills were honed, and the newly manufactured male was determined to prove himself to his father.

Chuckles’ female, the other non-cyborg on board the ship, was also present and impossible to miss. She was dressed in a bright-pink flight suit—matching her bright-pink hair—and she shared her warrior’s chair.

The two human females added complexity to Doc’s duties. They were more fragile than cyborgs, required more maintenance.

He scanned them with a handheld as he claimed his regular chair. Their specs were normal. To be thorough, he took the readings for the rest of the occupants.

Chuckles glared at him. The D Model was sensitive about his damage, resisted the regular diagnostics Captain had insisted be scheduled.

Dissent, the human-appearing J Model, frowned. Having only recently been freed, he wasn’t accustomed to having a Medic.

North, Captain’s Second-In-Command, had his head bowed over the private viewscreen embedded in the console. The male was focused on his role.

Truth spread out his arms as though he sought to give Doc more of him to scan.

“Truth, slow our speed as we orbit the planet.” Captain didn’t find the male’s antics amusing. “North, perform lifeform scans and other readings.”

A magnified image of Khambalia 5 was on the main viewscreen. The planet was small, consisted mostly of water. The one detectable land mass was covered with clouds.

“Early readings indicate a high level of toxins in the air, Captain.” North displayed that information on the main viewscreen.

Doc studied it, comparing the readings to information in his databases. “It’s within acceptable ranges for cyborgs.” They had been manufactured to tolerate toxins. “Prolonged exposure will cause damage in humans.”

“There are no humans on board the Reckless.” Chuckles’ female lifted her chin.

Chuckles frowned at her.

“Are there, sir?” She gazed defiantly back at her warrior. “You said I was no longer human.”

Chuckles was correct. The two females sported their warriors’ nanocybotics. That made them no longer human.

“There are no specs on the effects of toxins on cyborg’s females, Captain.” Doc was forced to admit his lack of knowledge about that new group of beings. “I project with 56.0258 percent accuracy that the acceptable range should be greater than a human’s is, but tests are required to confirm that.”

“We will not be testing the effects of toxins on any warrior’s female.” Captain severely limited his gathering of information. “Our females will stay on board the Reckless.”

Chuckles’ female’s bottom lip curled.

In contrast, Chuckles appeared pleased with that decision.

Doc applied a section of his processors to the challenge of determining acceptable toxicity levels on warrior’s females without testing toxins on those same females.

“I’m relaying all of the information I could access about Khambalia 5.” Dissent transmitted the data.

Doc scanned it at cyborg speed. It appeared to be mostly anecdotal, much of it illogical. There was nothing about the local humanoid or human population.

“Skin-melting vegetation, invisible four-legged predators with glowing eyes and venomous fangs, ship-destroying pockets of lava shooting from the ground.” Truth grinned. “I love this planet already.”

The D Model’s processors must be malfunctioning. No logical being could love a planet like that. But Doc had never been able to locate damage in any of Truth’s diagnostics.

***

Reading the next scene (available July 1st) here:  http://tasteofcyn.com/?p=6873

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Doc’s Orders

She wants both sides of her cyborg—the medic AND the beast.


A fully functional cyborg is balanced. His machine half and his organic half work together to produce the perfect warrior.

Doc isn’t fully functional.

The G Model operates at the two extremes. When his machine is in complete control, he’s the logic-driven medic, saving lifespans. Once his organics take charge, he becomes the savage beast…and beings die.

Both sides of Doc want to be the first to claim his female.

Allinen is one of the few beings in her small settlement who wasn’t born with a fated mate. Determined to belong somewhere, she has crafted a plan to leave the planet.

That plan doesn’t involve a huge stormy-eyed male who alternates between cool seduction and out-of-control ravishment. Doc isn’t her fated mate. Allinen knows that. But his dual nature and forbidden embraces tempt her to forget forever and indulge in more immediate delights.

Neither side of Doc views their relationship as being temporary. Her conflicted cyborg is prepared to battle her family, her planet and death itself to keep her.

Pre-order Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Apple/iTunes:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/docs-orders/id1463105812

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/docs-orders-cynthia-sax/1131529760

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/doc-s-orders

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/938342

Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Doc’s Orders – The Second Scene Of The First Chapter

Doc’s Orders And The Meaning Of Allinen’s Name

By Cynthia Sax on June 22, 2019

Allinen is the heroine of Doc’s Orders.

Her full name is Kapinallinen, which roughly means rebellious or rebel.

(That’s a long name so her loved ones call her Allinen.)

Allinen is an outcast in her community.

Khambalians are born with a fated mate. Everything in their society revolves around this bond. There are training sessions, elaborate lifespan-long ceremonies, mate-required leadership roles.

Our heroine, however, isn’t genetically compatible with anyone in her settlement, the only group of Khambalians on her planet.

She doesn’t fit in. She can’t hold a role. She doesn’t serve a purpose. She’s seen as being damaged and very few beings want to associate with her.

All traditional routes to happiness, to belonging are closed to her so she has no choice but to rebel, to find her own unique path.

That path leads her to Doc.

***

Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Doc’s Orders

She wants both sides of her cyborg—the medic AND the beast.


A fully functional cyborg is balanced. His machine half and his organic half work together to produce the perfect warrior.

Doc isn’t fully functional.

The G Model operates at the two extremes. When his machine is in complete control, he’s the logic-driven medic, saving lifespans. Once his organics take charge, he becomes the savage beast…and beings die.

Both sides of Doc want to be the first to claim his female.

Allinen is one of the few beings in her small settlement who wasn’t born with a fated mate. Determined to belong somewhere, she has crafted a plan to leave the planet.

That plan doesn’t involve a huge stormy-eyed male who alternates between cool seduction and out-of-control ravishment. Doc isn’t her fated mate. Allinen knows that. But his dual nature and forbidden embraces tempt her to forget forever and indulge in more immediate delights.

Neither side of Doc views their relationship as being temporary. Her conflicted cyborg is prepared to battle her family, her planet and death itself to keep her.

Pre-order Now:

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Docs-Orders-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07RML2WG1

Apple/iTunes:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/docs-orders/id1463105812

B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/docs-orders-cynthia-sax/1131529760

Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/doc-s-orders

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/938342

Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Doc’s Orders And The Meaning Of Allinen’s Name

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