Under Strain, Cyborgs And Never Forgetting
Cyborgs, when their processors and databases are functional, never forget anything. Everything they have seen or heard or learned is stored inside them in perfect detail.
They store not only what THEY have experienced but also often what their brethren have experienced. Their memories can be shared.
(They don’t have to be shared. Cyborgs have the option of keeping information to themselves.)
Their perfect memories are usually beneficial. Their knowledge bases are greatly expanded. It increases their chances of survival tremendously. They learn faster.
But it can be a strain on them also. ALL experiences, the good AND the bad, are captured in their entirety, are always accessible to them. These memories never fade, never lose details, are as vivid now as they were two hundred solar cycles ago.
Cyborgs don’t have the gift of forgetting. And they remain half human, often have human reactions to bad memories. If an experience is especially traumatic, like the planet rotation Strain endured, it will always be with them.
Thankfully, cyborgs have coping mechanisms…if their machines allow them to use them. Many of them gather happier experiences and focus on them, not on the bad memories.
Rage, for example, replays moments with Joan and his offspring, rather than the footage of the Humanoid Alliance’s experimentation on him. That has allowed him to find great joy. Unfortunately, not every cyborg has that ability.
***
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Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10602
Topics: Story Insights | Comments Off on Under Strain, Cyborgs And Never Forgetting
Under Strain And Eating Fruit
Kamyelle, the heroine of Under Strain, exists mostly on fruit. It IS alien fruit, fruit native to Rohini 9. But it is similar to fruit grown on Earth during the Jurassic period.
And there WAS edible fruit on Earth during the Jurassic period. We tend to think of the ‘caveman diet’ as consisting of only meat. That’s more marketing than reality.
Early humans ate fruit and vegetables. Paleoanthropologists have found bits of dates stuck in the teeth of Neanderthals. Researchers have found evidence of 7 million year old grapes. Plums and olives have been found dating back to the paleolithic period.
Could early humans have existed ONLY on fruit? There ARE fruitarians living on Earth today. It can be challenging, however, to get all the needed vitamins from our planet’s fruit selection.
Kamyelle, living on Rohini 9, can get all the nourishment she needs from the fruits on her planet.
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10602
Topics: Story Insights | Comments Off on Under Strain And Eating Fruit
Under Strain And The Heroine’s Name
The human heroine in Under Strain, the next Rebel Cyborgs story (releasing soon!), is named Kamyelle.
As happens with many of the heroines in my stories, she was named after a beloved reader. If you reach out to me and you have a cool name, beware! I will likely steal it (letting you know first) and I’ll use it in a story. Your namesake will be paired with a sexy cyborg or alien. (grins) That is the price of being my buddy!
I didn’t find much information on Kamyelle on name sites. There was conflicting information about its origins and about the name’s meaning…which I thought was very apt for Strain’s female. Kamyelle in Under Strain has been forced to hide for solar cycles. She has ‘disappeared.’ For safety reasons, she tells other beings as little about herself and her kind as possible.
Until Strain arrives. (smiles)
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10602
Topics: Story Insights | Comments Off on Under Strain And The Heroine’s Name
Under Strain And Trees
Kamyelle, the human heroine of Under Strain, lives mostly in the trees on Rohini 9.
These alien trees are very tall and they have thick, horizontally growing branches. The branches often intertwine with the branches of neighboring trees.
This makes them easy to navigate. Kamyelle can run along the trees’ branches, using them as an in-the-sky pathway. She sleeps in the trees with little fear of falling out of them.
As a girl, I would often sleep on branches of less-sleeping-friendly Earth trees. (grins) Some kids can sleep anywhere and I grew accustomed to being in the trees.
When the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I travel, I take photos of interesting trees and other instances of nature I think might make great alien environments.
These tree photos were taken in Kauai. The trees on Rohini 9 are MUCH larger but the branches are very similar.
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Topics: Story Insights | Comments Off on Under Strain And Trees
Under Strain – Third Scene Of The First Chapter
Under Strain releases on May 11th. As we wait, I’m sharing scenes from the first chapter.
You can read the first scene from the first chapter of Under Strain here:
This week I’m sharing the third scene of that first chapter.
***
The bots completed 86.1288 percent of the cleaning. Strain and Grudge restocked supplies, inspected weapons, reset the modified freighter’s systems.
Grudge chattered during the tasks, continued to talk as he lumbered toward the front of the ship.
Strain, situated in one of the holding chambers, didn’t contribute to the conversation.
He’d spent eight solar cycles, five planet rotations, and two shifts on the death planet. Utterly alone. He hadn’t spoken to another being throughout that entire duration, hadn’t transmitted for the first four solar cycles, forty-four planet rotations, and two shifts of his solitary sentence.
Transmitting had been too risky, and it would have served no purpose. His brethren remained under the control of the Humanoid Alliance. They couldn’t help him, and he didn’t want to draw attention to them, to put them in additional danger.
Once the cyborgs had mass rebelled, he requested a transport off the planet. Three solar cycles and three hundred and twenty-six planet rotations later, Cadet and her team arrived.
Chatter felt…unnatural at the point. And he had nothing he wanted to convey to anyone. He hadn’t saved his brethren, hadn’t died with them as an honorable warrior would have done.
During the bombing, he’d been trapped in an underground tunnel. By the time he escaped, there had been no one left to assist or fight. His fellow warriors were dead. The Humanoid Alliance and their ships were gone.
He was alone, had only his brethren’s corpses and his regrets for company.
For solar cycles.
His lifeform scans pinged, snapping him back into the present. A cyborg was approaching the chamber.
Grudge was currently situated in the bridge. Strain closed the compartment he had restocked with nourishment bars. There was a 75.1258 percent probability the newcomer was Cadet.
She had ordered him not to damage any humans. He had attempted to attack the rescued female. Cadet could relieve him of his duty, kick him off the team.
He would then have no access to a ship, would be stuck on the surface, unable to escape if there was an attack, a bombing. Strain’s muscles flexed to the point of pain. The screams in his auditory system amplified.
The stress would be too much. His slender hold on reality would be severed.
The door slid open. Cadet stepped into the holding chamber.
Strain braced his booted feet apart and faced her directly, waiting to be reprimanded.
“Unless I authorize it, human females are not to be killed.” The female cyborg leveled a hard glance on him. “You agreed to that directive when you joined our retrieval team.”
The human female had pointed a gun at a warrior’s back.
Strain said nothing, because that circumstance didn’t negate his leader’s orders. The Humanoid Alliance had beaten that truth into them. Orders were to be followed at any cost.
Even if those orders were illogical, were issued to soothe a human commander’s irrational female, and following them resulted in the loss of fifty-two thousand, three hundred and ten cyborgs.
Fraggin’ hole. His lips twisted. He hated humans.
“Cyborgs can’t lie.” Cadet shook her head. The inability to bend the truth was hardcoded into their programming. “You must have believed you could adhere to that rule.”
“I will adhere to that rule.” Strain forced himself to speak. “It won’t happen again.”
The female cyborg studied him. “You’re severely damaged. Frag.” Her laugh contained a hard edge to it. “We all are that way. But your damage puts the team and our mission at risk. We will find beings destined to be ours during the retrievals, and some of those beings will be human. I can’t stop you from attacking them and, at the same time, keep the others safe. That exceeds my bandwidth.”
“I won’t attack them.” He jutted his jaw. “I can do this.”
“If anyone can do it, you can.” Cadet nodded. “When we arrived on that war-battered planet you were trapped on, you were standing all alone on top of that toppled domicile, your fingers curled into fists, your stance defiant. The remnants of your body armor hung from your frame. Your eyes were wild, and your hair was scraggly. You reminded me of the images I’d seen of my dad when he’d first been freed.” Her face softened. “You definitely had his vocabulary.”
Cadet’s dad, the C Model he’d seen her with earlier, spoke as rarely as Strain did.
“It took tremendous strength to survive what you did.” The respect in the female cyborg’s voice straightened Strain’s spine. “I projected you’d make a solid addition to our team. All the other cyborgs were required to go through the rehabilitation process. I made an exception for you. Was I wrong to do that, warrior?”
“No.” He wasn’t like all the other cyborgs.
The rehabilitation program lasted for an entire solar cycle. None of the warriors in it were given access to the ships on Mercury Minor.
There weren’t enough vessels to allocate to everyone, and there were thousands of cyborgs who had arrived on the planet earlier than he had.
Not having a means of transport off the planet would break him.
“You weren’t wrong to do that.” He had to be the exception. There was no other option for him, not if he wanted to survive with some of his processors intact.
***
Read the next scene (available May 3rd) here:
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10602
Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Under Strain – Third Scene Of The First Chapter
Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – April 11th
As I wait for edits on Baring Grudge, the 3rd Rebel Cyborgs story (releasing in August), I revised and expanded a short(er) romance featuring a tiger shifter hero for the next C.S. Sax collection. This is yet another fun, sexy story. It would be perfect for those times when you need a light shorter read.
This upcoming week, I plan to revise the third and final story in that collection. It will feature a leopard shifter hero. I love all three stories. I wouldn’t be sharing them with you if I didn’t love them. But the leopard shifter romance is my favorite of the three.
I’m wishing you a wonderful week! (big hugs) Please treat yourself to some new-to-you books this week if you can do that. Escape the world for a while. Do what you need to do to find happiness, my friends. Joy is what I want most for you.
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Topics: Cynthia Sax Weekly Update | Comments Off on Cynthia Sax Weekly Update – April 11th
Under Strain And Caviomorphs
Under Strain, the second Rebel Cyborgs story, is set on Rohini 9, a dinosaur planet. The main predators are velociraptor-like theropods. The presence of a predator implies the existence of prey.
The main prey for the theropods are caviomorphs. I joke that caviomorphs are R.O.U.S. es or Rodents Of Unusual Size, a reference to the giant rat-like creatures in The Princess Bride. (grins)
Here on Earth, present day caviomorphs include the guinea pig, capybara and the chinchilla rat. The caviomorphs on Rohini 9 are MUCH larger. They are very similar to the Josephoartigasia monesi, an extinct rodent that lived about 4 to 2 million years ago. Josephoartigasia monesi might have weighed up to a ton. It was HUGE.
Rodents often make an appearance on planets. Earth rodents hitchhiked on ships and other means of transport, expanding their range to cover the entire planet. I suspect space rodents would do the same, extending their range to include the entire universe.
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Topics: Story Insights | Comments Off on Under Strain And Caviomorphs
Under Strain And Fruit-Scented Hair
Once Kamyelle, the heroine of Under Strain, washes the lifeform scan blocking mud off her body, Strain notices her hair smells like the fruit growing around them.
There’s a reason for that—she uses the fruit as a form of shampoo.
The word shampoo (which isn’t used in Under Strain) originated in India. One of the ancient recipes for shampoo in India used a combination of soapberries and gooseberries. It was, of course, all natural, made from ingredients grown around them.
Today, here on Earth, many shampoos are fruit-scented. There are also recipes for shampoos made from fruit and vegetables.
Rohini 9 has a vast and diverse selection of alien fruits. It is logical that at least one of those fruits would make a great shampoo. Kamyelle’s ancestors have lived on the planet for many generations. They would have discovered this use for the fruit.
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10602
Topics: Story Insights | Comments Off on Under Strain And Fruit-Scented Hair
Under Strain And The Death Planet
Strain, the hero (though he wouldn’t consider himself one) of Under Strain, is dealing with emotional trauma. The worst planet rotation in his long existence, the source of that trauma, happened on, what he refers to as, the Death Planet.
Strain is a cyborg. He knows the name of that planet.
Yet he never ever uses it.
Why?
Because that would make the experience even more real for him, even more challenging to live with.
That’s also the reason why he doesn’t specifically name his cyborg brethren during his relaying of that planet rotation’s events. He knows their names, ALL their names, but he can’t handle that level of detail. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
And that’s okay.
We all deal with grief differently. (big hugs) We all have our own unique methods of coping. We all do what we have to do to get through trying times.
We all WILL get through it, however. We’ll find happiness again.
It might be a different type of happiness. Strain’s happiness post trauma doesn’t look exactly the same way happiness looked for him before the events on the Death Planet.
But he DOES find peace and joy and love.
And, along the way, courtesy of Grudge and Rancor and his female, he also has some laughs. (grins)
Cadet has both of her cyborg hands full managing her team. They are intent on causing chaos.
***
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Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10602
Topics: Story Insights | Comments Off on Under Strain And The Death Planet
Under Strain – Second Scene Of The First Chapter
I’m sharing scenes from the first chapter of Under Strain as we wait for its release on May 11th.
You can read the first scene from the first chapter of Under Strain:
This week I’m sharing the second scene of that first chapter.
***
“Take one more step and I’ll stun you, D Model.” A C Model cyborg issued that warning.
The voice was familiar. Strain searched his damaged processors for a name.
Gain. No, Grudge.
He was one of his brethren, part of the cyborg retrieval team.
“Human.” Strain’s gaze remained fixed on his target, on the couple approaching the transport ship. Surely the male behind him could see the danger.
“She’s a human female.” Grudge didn’t lower his gun. “She isn’t a threat to us.”
Many cyborgs believed human females didn’t pose a danger to them.
Strain knew that assumption was incorrect…and dangerous. The commander’s female had shown him they could be as evil as their male counterparts.
The female had reveled in her power over him and his brethren. She had once whipped him down to his frame, had done the same to many of his fellow cyborgs. Warriors had been decommissioned, suffering the most painful death available, for the mere infraction of looking at her.
Human females weren’t to be underestimated.
Strain held his position, didn’t look away from the black-haired female.
“She is also that cyborg’s female.” Grudge pushed the muzzle of the gun harder into the back of Strain’s neck, that tinge of pain planting him more thoroughly in the present. “Malice had his nanocybotics boosted. You do not want to challenge him a second time. He’ll beat you into the ground.”
Strain wasn’t interested in challenging the warrior. The female was his focus.
“And there is no reason to attack them. Smell her.” That was a command, not a request. “She’s ours.”
Ours. Strain turned his head, looked at the female cyborg standing in the distance with a male cyborg and a blonde-haired human female.
Cadet. That was her name. She was their leader.
The female C Model wouldn’t approve of him attacking the black-haired human female…though he couldn’t process why she wouldn’t endorse that response.
He kept his gaze on the cyborg, using her presence as a diversion, and he scanned his databases for the reason.
Some humans were genetic matches for cyborg warriors. They were…ours. That was the term Cadet utilized for them.
And when those humans bonded with their warriors, they hosted their nanocybotics, became different, not cyborg but no longer human.
Strain breathed deeply. The scent of the male cyborg, Ghost, Cadet’s dad, clung to the blonde-haired human female, Cadet’s mom.
She was…ours, was no longer human, no longer a threat.
His organic brain cleared a bit more. The footage continued to replay again and again in his processors, but the screams were now a mere hum in the background. The images had dimmed and the bombardment on his senses was manageable.
He had regained control. Tautness eased from his form.
He permitted himself to look at the black-haired female, inhaled once more.
The female smelled of her warrior.
She was ours also.
“She’s not human.” His fingers flattened.
“She’s no longer human.” Grudge lowered his weapon. “I can’t 100.0000 percent process the damage you’ve endured. As you can’t 100.0000 percent process mine. But if you want to stay on the team, you have to repair yourself. Cadet won’t tolerate many more errors.”
Strain nodded, signaling his understanding. The Humanoid Alliance, their manufacturers, had tolerated zero errors. Cyborgs would be decommissioned, sliced apart, and stripped of parts, killed in the most painful method possible, if they made any mistakes.
He and his brethren were free now. But he didn’t expect their leader to accept less than perfection from the warriors under her command. It was an elite team. He was fortunate to be part of it.
And he would do anything to remain one of its members.
His jaw jutted. He had to repair himself.
“There are thousands of cyborgs unable to free themselves from the Humanoid Alliance’s clutches. Cadet will want to rescue those warriors as soon as possible.” The C Model slammed his purely mechanical hand down on Strain’s shoulder.
The impact would have flattened a human. Strain merely grimaced.
“We have to prepare the modified freighter for the next mission.” Grudge assigned that task to him.
Strain looked at the warrior. According to his calculations, there was only a 35.2563 percent probability he’d participate in that next mission.
“Utilizing tasks as a distraction assisted in my repairs.” Grudge shrugged. “That technique might work for you. And the modified freighter has to be readied.” He stomped up the ramp. “If you choose to remain part of this team, you would be wise to assist me.”
Strain’s gaze slid back to the black-haired human female.
She smiled up at her C Model, chattered about medic bays and offspring manufacturing humanoids. The weapons strapped to the cyborg’s body armor were too accessible to her.
Tension stretched across Strain’s shoulders. The screaming in his auditory system grew louder.
He hurried up the ramp, following Grudge before he lost control. Again.
***
Read the next scene (available April 26th) here:
***
Subscribe To My Newsletter: http://cynthiasax.com/newsletter/
Under Strain
A damaged cyborg warrior is hunted by a peace-loving human female.
***
Strain is severely malfunctioning. The D Model cyborg was the sole survivor after a horrific decision was made by his cruel manufacturers. He hates all humans, and when he attacks one who is under his cyborg leader’s protection, he is reprimanded, stripped of his weapons, and told to watch and not actively participate in the next mission.
That mission takes place on a small remote planet. Its lush terrain should only be inhabited by the cyborgs they were sent to rescue, but Strain senses another presence on the surface. She is watching him, tracking him, hunting him.
A fully operational cyborg would end her lifespan.
Strain wants to claim her. Forever.
Kamyelle is the only one left of her kind. Warriors have killed the other nonviolent human inhabitants of her planet. She survived…barely…by hiding in the trees, observing her enemies, and covering herself with lifeform scan-concealing mud.
When a handsome, gray-skinned, brilliant-blue-eyed male arrives, surrounded by weapon-carrying warriors, she has to save him. Warriors harm and they kill. That is what they do.
She won’t allow them to hurt Strain.
***
Under Strain is a STANDALONE Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.
It features a broken warrior, a human female who thinks he’s perfect, and velociraptor-like dinosaurs who view them both as light, tasty snacks.
Pre-order Now:
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R322L7S
Amazon AUS:
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08R322L7S
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/under-strain/id1545957749
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-strain-cynthia-sax/1138505613
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/under-strain
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10602
Topics: Coming Soon | Comments Off on Under Strain – Second Scene Of The First Chapter
