Robert Jeschonek is an envelope-pushing, USA TODAY bestselling author whose fiction, and comics have been published around the world. His stories have appeared in CLARKESWORLD, PULPHOUSE FICTION MAGAZINE, METASTELLAR, ESCAPE POD, TALES FROM THE CANYONS OF THE DAMNED, and many other publications. He has written official STAR TREK and DOCTOR WHO fiction and has scripted comics for DC, AHOY, and others. He also edits fiction anthologies, including SPACE: 1975: SPACE OPERA STORIES, 1970S STYLE and LEGENDS OF INDIE COMICS: WORDS ONLY. In addition to all that, he writes articles for RETRO-FAN and BACK ISSUE magazines and essays on literature and entertainment for BenBella Smart Pop, Sequart, and other publishers.

Annie Reed has been called "one of the best writers of her generation" and for good reason. She writes in multiple genres, including mystery, suspense, science fiction, urban and contemporary fantasy, romance, and thrillers, along with the occasional story that doesn't fall into any one specific category. She's a founding member of the innovative UNCOLLECTED ANTHOLOGY, and her short fiction appears regularly in PULPHOUSE FICTION MAGAZINE; MYSTERY, CRIME & MAYHEM; and THRILL RIDE MAGAZINE. She's written official STAR TREK fiction and admits that she's an unabashed MCU fangirl. She currently writes and edits fulltime.

Power Play by Robert Jeschonek and Annie Reed

GET READY TO BLAST OFF WITH THE GRAY LADY HERSELF, AUGUSTA "GUS" LIGHT, AND MEPHISTOPHELES DRAKE ON THEIR MOST EXCITING ADVENTURE YET!

Just when our heroes thought it safe to take a little well-deserved alone time, a long-buried secret from Gus's past rears its ugly head. A secret that could spell the end of her relationship with Drake.

For deep within the heart of the Alliance, an unscrupulous man has set in motion the final steps in a lifelong quest for power. A long game that requires one last object to make it happen.

An object of immense size and power thought lost forever in the far reaches of the Frontier.

An object a ruthless alien species will do anything to seize for themselves.

An object that Gus must retrieve or face the destruction of everyone and everything she holds dear.

Against a deadly backdrop of political gamesmanship, Gus and Drake find themselves fighting not only a powerful new alien enemy but also the most unprincipled power brokers in their own Alliance.

-—

Robert Jeschonek is a USA TODAY bestselling author. He won the grand prize in Pocket Books' nationwide Strange New Worlds contest for his STAR TREK tale, "Our Million-Year Mission." He also won an International Book Award and a Scribe Award from the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers. His young adult fantasy, MY FAVORITE BAND DOES NOT EXIST, won a Forward National Literature Award and was named a Top Ten First Novel for Youth by BOOKLIST magazine.

Annie Reed has won awards in categories as diverse as her writing. She's been honored with appearances in five year's best mystery and crime volumes, including an amazing three years in a row in the Best Mystery Stories of the Year (2022, 2023, and 2024) edited by Otto Penzler. She received a Silver Honorable Mention from Writers of the Future and a Literary Fellowship from the Nevada Arts Council for her speculative fiction story "One Sun, No Waiting." She's been a multiple Derringer finalist, and one of her stories was chosen to appear in English language study materials in Japan for students preparing for college entrance exams.

CURATOR'S NOTE

•Annie Reed is a longtime friend and one of the best in the business—a real "writer's writer." There's nothing she can't do…including co-authoring this mecha-meets-Firefly space opera series. Three books in the series ran in past Space Opera Sisterhood bundles —and we had so much fun writing them that we decided to develop a brand-new adventure for this year's bundle. The result, brings together our individual strengths as writers—Annie's uncanny ability to create multidimensional characters with rich back stories and powerful motivations, plus my love of writing offbeat, surprising tales that bring new life and surprises to well-worn genre tropes. In the latest of Gus and Drake's adventures on the interstellar frontier, they set out to stop evil forces from claiming a hyper-advanced ship that could enable them to mount an overwhelming blitzkrieg invasion of galactic civilization. Even with a ship run by a genius AI and a high-tech armory that has saved the frontier and Alliance alike from previous would-be conquerors, they have their work cut out for them…but the Gray Lady and Space Cowboy have a history of beating the odds on the field of battle. Cross your fingers that our heroes triumph in the end and pave the way for more adventures in books to come. – Robert Jeschonek

 

REVIEWS

  • "Annie…and Bob? Writing together? Folks, this is epic!"

    – Dean Wesley Smith, Editor, PULPHOUSE FICTION MAGAZINE

  • "By the brilliant hands of Robert Jeschonek and Annie Reed, GRAY LADY'S REVENGE rejects any trace of the flattened scifi woman. Stature doesn't hold over the skill of this weathered, whirlwind protagonist, whose level of trust in her own ass-kicking ability never bows to the strident influences of intergalactic law enforcement or arrogant old flames, much less to towering, shrouded foes. Space frontierism is subverted in this sharp-staked story that makes way for sensitive and authentic relationships and tender sacrifice, while still never forgetting to leave room for brawling badassery throughout."

    – L. Daniel, Reviewer

  • "GRAY LADY'S REVENGE sweeps readers into a captivating intergalactic odyssey led by the

    charismatic pair of Augusta Light and Mephistopheles Drake. At the core of this adventure is

    Augusta Light, a formidable female protagonist radiating strength, dynamism, and

    determination. Penned by Robert Jeschonek and Annie Reed, the novel intricately constructs a

    universe teeming with complexity, heartwarming bonds, and spirited exchanges. For any fan of

    science fiction, this novel will prove not only entertaining, but deeply thought provoking."

    – Bill Baker, Reviewer

  • "GRAY LADY RISING explores relevant themes of companionship, family, and self-reliance against the

    backdrop of elaborate intergalactic politics and action-packed conflicts. The captivating storyline builds suspense and urgency; my eyes were glued to the page the whole time. A paragon of feminine power, the protagonist possesses a vitality that both stuns and inspires readers, making us feel that we too are capable of anything. If you enjoy military sci-fi thrillers and non-traditional characters, you might enjoy reading this as much as I did!"

    – Alicia Chen, Reviewer
 

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

The Golden Void was getting one hell of a workout.

The Über Dragon, though damaged and leaking blobs of obsidian ichor, kept blasting away, unleashing volleys of missiles and waves of energy beams one after another. With help from Bruce, the Void dodged most of them and got in plenty of licks of her own—but not yet enough to disable the monstrous black vessel roaring after her.

Then a second slaver ship broke away from the ring ship's orbit and joined the action, flanking the Void with guns blazing. This smaller ship, which Drake dubbed the Under Dragon, was faster and more agile than the Über, less heavily armed but still able to get in more hits than the bigger ship.

Together, the pair were giving the Void a run for her money…even as the clock counted down to the complete darkening of the ring ship.

"Ongoni coating now eighty-seven percent complete, Captain," said Bruce. "Eclipse process continues to accelerate geometrically."

Drake grunted as the Void took another solid strike amidships. Even the combined power of the singularium plating and the shields generated by the high-tech boxy gadget hooked into the Void's systems couldn't stave off the accumulated impact of many more destructive blows from the slavers' weaponry.

If only Gus were free to lend a hand, or the Alliance ship that had just dropped out of a nearby flume would join the fray on the side of the angels. Sadly, though, for now, it was clear the Void would have to hold the line on her own, without any cavalry.

To do that, she would have to step up her game.

Mind racing, Drake hammered a button on the weapons console, launching a torpedo just as the Under Dragon veered off. The weapon detonated wide of the target, so the best that came of the shot was a shockwave that kicked it into an off-kilter spin.

Swinging the Void around, Drake intended to catch the Under before she zoomed out of range…but he failed.

The Under had one advantage that no pilot—no matter whoever or whatever he/it was—could match. The Under was a living being who actually lived in space. It understood how to navigate space better than anyone.

Drake had spent his entire life thinking that ships that looked like ships were ships. Ships were controlled by pilots. No matter how good a pilot was, there was always a lag time between a pilot's thoughts and the ship's response. Even when he'd been "piloting" the Scintilla by thinking at it, there'd been a split second lag time between his thoughts and the Scintilla's response.

The Ongoni Dragons didn't have pilots. They didn't need pilots. There'd be no split second delay between what the Under thought it needed to do to avoid his shots and what it actually did. No more than he needed a split second to think about moving his feet before he took a step. He just stepped.

He needed to keep that in mind. He couldn't fight the Ongoni like he would any other ship. He had to fight them like he would another living being.

A being that had ridden out the blast wave and turned it into an unexpected looping course to evade the Void's guns.

The Über Dragon, meanwhile, moved in to exploit the confusion with a barrage of mixed projectiles and energy beams. The Void shook with the force of the attack, unable to get clear fast enough.

The bridge lights flickered and dimmed, and the engines cut out.

"Bruce?"

The AI didn't respond. For precious seconds, nothing did.

It could be worse. Drake flicked a fingertip against the dead gray screen of a viewer on the console before him. At least I can't see the bastards coming.

Suddenly, the power came back on, and the bridge returned to life. Viewers at the various consoles flared with video…just in time for Drake to see the Under Dragon hurtling headlong toward the Void with weapons charged, crackling with energy.

Fingers dancing over the weapons controls, he swung the energy guns around and pummeled the onrushing slaver with punishing fire. This time, he caught the Under dead-on, pounding its nose with the unrelenting assault.

"Great shooting, Captain!" cheered Bruce. "Way to go!"

Drake was too busy keeping up the pressure to say anything in reply. Even as the Under Dragon fell back, rapid-fire explosions consuming its prow—head—whatever, he refused to stop lashing it with beams of golden force.

"Incoming!" said Bruce. "Brace for impact!"