Guest Post: Meet Neyru from Pets In Space 6!
I invited author Greta van der Rol, the author of the amazing Pets In Space 6 story, The Thunder Egg, to tell us about her pet in space. Greta loves writing action-packed adventures with a side salad of romance. Most of her work is space opera, but she has written paranormal and historical fiction.
Meet Neyru, the interesting creature in "The Thunder Egg."
by Greta van der Rol
My story, The Thunder Egg, started as an opening scene probably a year ago. Afra, independent freighter captain, is regretting taking the short cut to the spaceport through the oldest, seediest section of Old Port as one of the frequent fogs descends. It's a haven for thugs and muggers and she's grateful for the pistol in her pocket. As she walks, something hits her chest and clings, staring into her eyes.
Back then I didn't know much about Neyru at all – certainly not her name. She could fly, she was alien, she wasn't a bird or a bat. As the story grew, so did Neyru's appearance and her abilities.
I imagine her as a kind of cross between a pterodactyl and a Pern dragon. She has four legs, wide wings that fit along her backbone when they are closed, and a short tail. Her amazing black eyes are forward-facing and slightly raised in an otherwise slender skull on a long neck. She has skin, not feathers, but it is hard to tell what color. The hues seem to move like oil on water.
Apart from being able to fly, Neyru has some other qualities. Her hide when at rest is silvery, with that same iridescence that Drew noticed in the rock at the market where he bought the thunder egg which turned out to be an egg. But she can change her colour and to some extent, her appearance to match her surroundings.
Neyru is pretty good at hiding in plain sight.
She's also intelligent, able to communicate emotion to her Human companions. After hitting Afra in the chest, she persuades her to rescue Drew, who has been bashed and left in an alley
Neyru plays an important role in Afra and Drew's love story, often acting as a go-between. She doesn't understand the obstacles the two Humans create for each other. Here's an example.
"Sharp claws landed on Afra's shoulder. Her eyes snapped open but Neyru forestalled her reaction with soothing thoughts and a soft head brushing against her cheek. "Hello, little one. Did you come in with Drew?"
In her mind she saw a picture of Drew leaving the bridge. And then an image of her and Drew kissing which saddened her. Afra could almost hear Neyru's question; what went wrong?"
As is often the case with my stories, The Thunder Egg is a mix of mystery and adventure. An obvious question is 'why are villains chasing Neyru' – but you'll have to read the story and find out the answers at the same time as Drew and Afra.
