Month: July 2023

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

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Flippant comments turned into full-fledged half-baked ideas so quickly on the Jolly Barracuda, it made Kipper’s head spin.  She wanted to scream, “Don’t listen to me!  I’m not qualified to make recommendations!”  But the Jolly Barracuda was already flying full tilt toward Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.

Next time, Kipper would know better than to let her paws wander around forming signs on their own.  She’d keep them tight in her vest pockets, like they were now.  Of course, that presupposed there would be a next time, and, watching that Great Red Spot swell, closer and closer, on the central viewscreen, Kipper wasn’t at all sure about that. Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 14: Jupiter”

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

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Trudith was a big, black, bag of fur-coated turmoil.  She expected Alistair and Petra back from the capital building any minute, but that had been true for half an hour’s worth of minutes now, and it made her extremely nervous to have Alistair’s arch-rival in their headquarters.

Everything Senator Morrison looked at, everywhere he laid a paw — Trudith felt the responsibility of guardianship.  Worse, he kept trying to make small talk, but between his stentorian style and Trudith’s terse responses, it felt more like an interrogation.  As Senator Morrison’s kidnapper, Trudith was pretty sure she wasn’t supposed to be the one being interrogated. Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 13: Earth”

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

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Gel encrusted eyes flittered open to the wavery sight and watery feel of oxo-agua.  Kipper felt cold and icky.  Are we there yet? she thought, but she knew better than to try using her lungs.  There’s not much point in signing if no one’s looking at you.  Given the state of her own gooey eyes, she’d be surprised if anyone was.

A few more groggy minutes and Kipper felt she could risk sitting up.  She was alone in the barracks, but that wasn’t surprising.  She was the only crewmember who’d never been cryo-gelatinated before. Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 12: Jupiter System”

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

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Only two hours until Alistair planned to storm the senate assembly, and Trudith was completely lost.  She didn’t get lost easily.  She’d been all over the back streets and alleys of New LA.  In her old life, as a thug, she’d tailed many a cat through every unsavory part of the city.

She could only assume Petra was going somewhere incredibly top secret.  Or she knew Trudith was following her. Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 11: Earth”

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

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Kipper recorded the video.  It took a few takes to get just right.  She wasn’t much for public speaking.  At least, she wouldn’t have to be there in the senate assembly when Alistair played the video.  She hoped it would give him what he needed.

She wouldn’t find out until his coup was all over. Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 10: The Asteroid Belt”

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

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Petra, Alistair, and Trudith huddled around Petra’s computer, reading the enlarged photo she’d taken of Morrison’s petition.  The petition didn’t look good.

“Well,” Alistair said, “that explains why Morrison’s hench-hounds were so withholding with these.”

“Indeed,” Petra agreed, seeming unusually restrained, but her restraint didn’t hold.  She spat through her teeth, “Lying canine bully!” Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 9: Earth”

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

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Kipper stood among the noisy patrons of the Foghorn, shocked by what she saw on the vid screen.  Did this change anything? she wondered.  She’d uncovered and visited one hidden cat colony on Mars.  She’d spoken with the cats there.  She’d made friends with one of them, or so he would have her think from his letters, anyway. Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 8: Trailside”

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

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There was nothing for it, Trudith decided.  She had to find a way to use this little, cat-paw-sized cell phone, because Alistair needed to know what she’d found out.  Right now.

Trudith pulled the borrowed phone out of her pocket.  She held it lightly between keratinous black claws, and an idea struck her.  She couldn’t operate this phone, but a cat could.  Any cat. Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 7: Earth”