Koshka Book Cover

Click cover to read an excerpt

Excerpt · Koshka

A View from Orbit

The cockpit's panoramic window stretches before them, offering an unobstructed view of Drosar's rust-colored surface. The massive StellarBloom Solutions fleet hangs in orbit like a swarm of metallic insects, their hulls gleaming in the light of the system's distant sun. Dozens of smaller vessels dart between the capital ships and the planet's surface, their engine trails creating a web of luminescent paths through the void.

"They're earlier than expected," Eren observes, pressing her palm against the transparent surface. The window automatically adjusts its temperature to match her body heat, preventing condensation from forming. "Look at the northern pole."

A massive plume of orange and red erupts from Drosar's surface, the controlled detonation part of StellarBloom's terraforming process. The fire blooms outward in a perfect circle, its edges precisely contained by invisible energy barriers. Even from orbit, they can see the transformation beginning as the flames reshape the planet's barren landscape.

Ash steps closer, her shoulder brushing against Eren's. Her biosynthetic eyes zoom in on the activity below, capturing every detail of the operation. "Their new ignition technology is impressive. The burn pattern shows a fifteen percent increase in efficiency compared to previous methods."

Transport ships continue their steady rhythm between the fleet and the surface, their holds filled with terraforming equipment and personnel. The StellarBloom Solutions logo — a stylized flower blooming among stars — adorns each vessel's hull, the corporate markings clear even at this distance.

Koshka

On the edge of oblivion, survival is only the beginning.

In the shadow of the Great Scar Rift on the remote desert planet Drosar, seventeen-year-old Koshka has spent her life scavenging and repairing mining equipment to survive. Her only education comes from an advanced ESC Vox terminal — her window to a universe she's never experienced.

When StellarBloom Solutions designates Drosar for "resource optimization," the planet's sparse population faces an impossible deadline: evacuate or be erased. For Koshka, this means abandoning the only home she's ever known — and the legacy of her parents' research.

Armed with only her technical skills and the knowledge stored in her parents' Vox terminal, Koshka must navigate a web of competing interests while leading her fellow refugees toward possible salvation.

Series
Vox Fables · Book II
Genre
Hard Science Fiction
Author
Kathryn Darcy
Available
Coming Soon to Amazon Kindle
🌌

Explore the Vox Legends Encyclopedia

Koshka is part of the Vox Mentis universe. Explore characters, locations like Drosar, organizations like StellarBloom Solutions, and the full Vox Fables lore at the Vox Legends Encyclopedia →

Stories from the Void — on Substack

Short stories, lore drops, and exclusive Vox Mentis content. Subscribe to the Void Beans Substack to read new stories before anyone else.

Subscribe Free →

Be first to know.

Get notified when Koshka launches and receive exclusive content from the Vox Mentis universe.