The Renegade D.O.R.K.S.

An inexperienced crew of administrators aspiring to be field operators are assigned to a distant star system, where they encounter a sentient nebula.

Genre: Science Fiction

Excerpt: The newly appointed Captain Dorus gazed at his new crew, each one interviewed and hand-picked by him. The not-so-hotshot pilot, Orson, who retired early after she was nearly killed flying into a star during a practice maneuver. The experienced engineer, Rekha, whose tendency to tinker a little too much got her booted off the first four ships she was assigned to. A doctor, Shade, who had no specialty because she kept getting distracted by new discoveries. And the actor, Kellu, whose purpose there no one—including himself—quite understood.

What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?No prompt.  This idea came to me this morning, inspired by a binge-watch session of a show I once enjoyed (“Legends of Tomorrow,” Season 3).  I’ve always loved the idea of a ragtag crew onboard a spaceship having adventures and doing stuff together and…stuff.

MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.

It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.

Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

(Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can be a renegade by getting tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)

CREDITSStory: “The Renegade D.O.R.K.S.” Copyright © 2019 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music: “Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)

Music by ANDREW SITKOV* “Abstract Vision #2” “Among the Stars” “Unknown Terrain” “Abstract Vision #7” “Abstract Vision #4” “Another World” “Dark Side” “First Contact” “Abstract Vision #1” “Space Discoveries”

Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)* “Particle voyager” “Stars above” “Pursuit”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping of some to align with my narration.

Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net Find more music by Andrew Sitkov and Nicholas Jeudy at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Partial view of the bridge of a ship from a low angle, showing three people from the waist up. Foreground right, a woman looking up and to the left with mouth parted. Center background, a man with hands resting on a wide flat panel and looking right. Background left, a woman with arms stretched out to another panel, looking down at the panel. A porthole on the ceiling shows a view of space.  Three support struts extend away from the porthole. The rectangular image is made square with a border at top and bottom. The border contains a vertical textured pattern with colors from the image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along support strut near the middle figure’s head.