Albatross - Hardcover

Gusman, Rico; Duncan, Kirk

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0951303406 ISBN 13: 9780951303405

Publisher: Ikthos Publishing Co, 1987

Synopsis

Alabatross is about a girl who has vivid daydreams and one
day, through her daydream, she embarks on a long journey through space, to
help rescue AL1, a new space craft. AL1 is equipt with an extremely
powerful new weapon, which Meaga, the bionic dictator of large parts of the
Universe, wants and has stolen.
This is the story of how AL1 was rescued and yes, there is a proposed
follow up, which is mapped out and is awaiting being written. Kirk Duncan.

End

About this title

About the Author:

Kirk Duncan is a musician of some 45 years professional
experience, who has now also moved into music publishing and, since 1980,
the writing of books and screenplays. He has also written a Chronology of
the Letters of Shostakovich and Britten, on file at the Britten-Pears
library in Aldeburgh for the use of musicologists and students.
In his career as a musician, he worked with the fledgling writing team of
Elton John and Bernie Taupin during their first six months and helped Elkie
Brookes get her solo career off the ground. He recorded with John & Justin
of the Moody Blues, The Spencer Davis group, Allan Clarke of the Hollies,
etc and wrote songs throughout the summer of 1967, with Graham Nash and
Allan Clarke, as well as Elton John, Spencer Davis, The Walker Brothers,
etc.
His current publishing interests allow him to continue to bring on young
musical talent and to work in the studio as musician and producer.
Rico Gusman, who's basic story Alabatross is, works as a graphic designer
and is one of Britains finest corporate designers, having worked in
industry and TV, etc. He has recently recorded his first ambient/dance
album, which is available on iTunes.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

This is the transition, where the young girl, Allie, who has
rescued a young Albatross, is releasing it back into the wild and goes off
into one of her daydreams:
"Come on." she pleaded softly. "I can't keep you any longer. You must fly."
Picking him up again, Allie bent her head and pressed her lips to the top
of Albie's head. Holding him again between her hands, she threw him up into
the bright blue expanse above her. This time the great sea bird spread his
wings and soared up into the heavens. With every beat of his wings he
regained more and more of his majestic bearing. He seemed to hang in the
sky and Allie clapped her hands and laughed and shouted with glee.

Her noisy happiness continued even when the albatross did a deep dive and
then floated out to sea, its body almost motionless and its wings faintly
quivering. As he floated away, she became still and stood with her hands
hanging down. The bird flicked its wings and went into a curve, which
brought him back over the lonely figure of the slim golden girl in the
middle of the huge expanse of empty sand dunes. The albatross moved away
once more and Allie's eyes became distant. She was only just conscious of
the two butterflies, which whirled up into the sky and flew in tight
formation past the albatross. Her mouth moved silently, as the orders from
the space station rang out across the sand.

"Al-1! What on earth is happening? Come in. You are ordered to answer
immediately." In answer, Al-1 began to move off.

"Quickly! Tractor beams! Lock in on Al-1."

As the Station Commander shouted his orders, Al-1 switched on its defence
energy shield. The powerful fighter moved away even faster and then glowed
as it accelerated, finally vanishing into hyperspace.

Chapter Four-

On the command centre deck a very worried Station Commander was trying to
find out what was going on in his normally quiet sector. As one of the main
control areas for the Legion, it was generally untroubled by enemy forces
which was why this eruption of violence was so unexpected. The main port
opened and the Captain of Albatross burst into the room and headed for the
control console, his face grim.

"What's going on, Commander? I've just been told that Albatross has fired
on Legion craft and then left the area at high warp speed." He stood behind
the Commander, peering intently at the various screens on the console.

"We heard you request clearance." The Commander looked over his shoulder at
the worried face of Captain Yan.

"But I was here in traffic control."

"Well, who's on Al-1? It destroyed two Butterfly fighters and disappeared."
Captain Yan slumped into the spare seat at the Commander's side.

"Two! What on earth is going on?"

On board Al-1, a little android busied itself with setting the course
co-ordinates recorded on its memory. It muttered while working. The voice
was that of the fighter's captain which was recorded on its Vocoder. The
likeness was good enough to fool the best voice sensitive security lock.
The being had requested clearance, destroyed the two escorts and then had
jetted the Albatross away into hyperspace. It finished plotting the best
course to its secret destination, avoiding any areas of heavy planetary
population or dense asteroid debris. Then, switching on the outer shield,
it closed down with a sigh.

About this edition

• Publisher: Ikthos Publishing Co
• Publication date: 1987
• ISBN 10: 0951303406
• ISBN 13: 9780951303405
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 148