"He will not be happy."
"Leave his happiness to me," Vicky said. "It will be interesting to see if a mere commoner can hitch a ride on a light cruiser. Something tells me that there are a few Navy captains-to-be interested in helping him chase down his runaway bride. Maybe I'll make a Grand Duke out of him yet."
"Maybe," Admiral Bolesław said, dryly. "Navigator, work me up a possible course to Dresden. Run it by engineering to make sure all our ships have enough reaction mass to make it."
"Aye, aye, Sir."
"Comm, message to Brunswick, 'The Grand Duchess requests and requires that you reinforce the squadron around Oryol to at least two battleships and four cruisers.' Does that satisfy Your Grace?"
Sadly, only Mannie and a very big bed could provide the satisfaction that Vicky really wanted, but for now, this would have to do.
"Yes, Admiral, that is very satisfactory. Let me know when we are underway for Dresden."
"Your Grace, we already are. And may God have Mercy on all our souls."
"Maybe she will," Vicky said, a satisfied grin on her lips.
The admiral just shook his head and gave orders for the high gee stations to be parked in the back of the flag bridge. "We'll be needing them again soon."
About the Author
Mike Shepherd is the national best-selling author of the Kris Longknife saga. Mike Moscoe is the award-nominated short story writer who has also written several novels, most of which were, until recently, out of print. Though the two have never been seen in the same room at the same time, they are reported to be good friends.
Mike Shepherd grew up Navy. It taught him early about change and the chain of command. He's worked as a bartender and cab driver, personnel advisor and labor negotiator. Now retired from building databases about the endangered critters of the Northwest, he looks forward to some fun reading and writing.
Mike lives in Vancouver, Washington, with his wife Ellen, and not too far from his daughter and grandkids. He enjoys reading, writing, dreaming, watching grandchildren for story ideas and upgrading his computer – all are never ending.
For more information:
http://krislongknife.com
mikeshepherd@krislongknife.com
2019 Releases
In 2016, I amicably ended my twenty-year publishing relationship with Ace, part of Penguin Random House.
In 2017, I began publishing through my own independent press, KL & MM Books. We produced six e-books and a short story collection. We also brought the books out in paperback and audio.
In 2018, we began the year with Kris Longknife’s Successor, followed by Kris Longknife: Commanding, and Vicky Peterwald: Dominator.
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In 2019, you can look forward to the following:
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Kris Longknife: Indomitable - Grand Admiral, Her Royal Highness Kris Longknife, commander of the Iteeche Imperial Combined Fleets has the enemy on the run. Literally. The last time she entered a rebel system, every disloyal ship picked up its skirts and ran.
So why has she been ordered, as in requested and required, to make a formal report to the Emperor? Ron the Iteeche and his two young Iteeche Counselors have little to say on the subject except that some Iteeche think Kris is winning too much, too fast.
What human combat commander has ever heard those words?
Worse, when Kris returns to the capital, no one wants to sell her a ticket on the space elevator. Driving the streets is dangerous . . . not two roadside bombs but three detonate! Now she's got her embassy in sight and she can't get in!
What kind of games are the clan lords playing? What threats are being hatched against the young Emperor? Even more pressing, how does Kris get back into her embassy and back to her kids? The Iteeche Empire claims it has a ten-thousand-year history and traditions for every possible situation. However, they've never run into Kris Longknife Indomitable.
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Vicky Peterwald: Implacable - Grand Duchess Victoria Peterwald wants her Empire back. If you're the one who's holding any part of it hostage, you really want to be somewhere else. Quick!
Vicky has cleared Dresden of the so-called Security Specialists of the Bowlingame crime family. Every redcoat is dead on that planet … and good riddance. Vicky thought she had killed that family twice when she took off the head of it. First the Empress and her dad died at the Battle of Cuzco. Then she captured all the uncles and brothers who'd done their best to keep the kleptocracy going.
Still, that snake refuses to die. If Grand Duchess Vicky wants her Empire back, be she an autocrat or a constitutional monarch, she needs to root the snakes out of every hole they've crawled down. The only question is where to go next.
While her army prepared for the invasion of Lublin, Vicky figured Oryol would only be a small police action. Yes, the planet had dropped off the net, but all they have are a regiment of Redcoats with no tanks.
What happens when a police force faces no resistance . . . and goes bad? Just how sick and depraved can men become when they are the law, and no one can stop them from satisfying their every vicious whim?
Worse, what price will a Grand Duchess pay to put an end to that wretched hive of scum and villainy?
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Kris Longknife: Victorious - November 2019 release
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Stay in touch to follow developments by friending Kris Longknife and follow Mike Shepherd on Facebook or check in at my website https://krislongknife.com
More Books by Mike Shepherd
If you enjoyed this book, here is a list of more books by Mike Shepherd, including some of his early works and short story collections. All have hyperlinks. Enjoy!
Published by KL & MM Books
Kris Longknife: Emissary
Kris Longknife: Admiral
Kris Longknife: Commanding
Kris Longknife: Indomitable
Kris Longknife’s Relief
Kris Longknife’s Replacement
Kris Longknife’s Successor
Rita Longknife: Enemy Unknown
Vicky Peterwald: Dominator
Vicky Peterwald: Implacable
Short Stories from KL & MM Books
Kris Longknife’s Maid Goes on Strike & Other Short Stories
Kris Longknife’s Maid Goes On Strike
Kris Longknife’s Bad Day
Ruth Longknife’s First Christmas
Kris Longknife: Among the Kicking Birds
Ace Science Fiction Books by Mike Shepherd
Kris Longknife: Mutineer
Kris Longknife: Deserter
Kris Longknife: Defiant
Kris Longknife: Resolute
Kris Longknife: Audacious
Kris Longknife: Intrepid
Kris Longknife: Undaunted
Kris Longknife: Redoubtable
Kris Longknife: Daring
Kris Longknife: Furious
Kris Longknife: Defender
Kris Longknife: Tenacious
Kris Longknife: Unrelenting
Kris Longknife: Bold
Vicky Peterwald: Target
Vicky Peterwald: Survivor
Vicky Peterwald: Rebel
Mike Shepherd writing as Mike Moscoe in the Jump Point Universe
First Casualty
The Price of Peace
They Also Serve
Rita Longknife: To Do or Die
Ace Science Fiction Short Specials
Kris Longknife: Training Daze
Kris Longknife: Welcome Home, Go Away
Kris Longknife’s Bloodhound
Kris Longknife’s Assassin
The Lost Millennium Trilogy by Mike Shepherd, published by KL & MM Books
Lost Dawns: Prequel
First Dawn
Second Fire
Lost Days
Award-Nominated Short Story Collections by Mike Shepherd, published by KL & MM Books
A Day’s Work on the Moon
The Job Interview
The Strange Redemption of Sister MaryAnn