The aliens have landed. The humans are panicking. The scouts have been sent. J’s mission is clear — find an alien outpost, observe, report back. Simple enough. It’s what he’s trained to do. But he’s always worked with his team, never as a party of one. Now he’s been sent out alone to blindly navigate a dense, dark forest until he finds his target. The dynamics are foreign to him, the stakes never … him, the stakes never higher. Resources are scarce. Comms are down.
And he’s found the enemy.
J is shocked when everyone’s true allegiances are revealed. And the consequences of betrayal will be deadly.
A short story set in the bestselling Invasion Universe, “The Scout” by D.L. Cross will have you hungering for more. Pick up your copy today!
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An excellent short story that takes a look at what happens when alien cultures clash. J is determined to complete his mission as a scout, gathering intel on an alien outpost, but the assignment grows murky when he connects with one of “the enemy.” The pace moves quickly, hurtling the reader toward a confrontation which addresses the nature of loyalties and betrayal.
A quick read, The Scout is part of the Invasion Universe, but stands perfectly on its own. The author also writes the Astral Conspiracy series of novels which made this bit of short fiction a treat for someone eagerly awaiting book 2 in that series. New fans and established fans will enjoy The Scout for its fluid story, tight plot, and polished writing. You can’t go wrong with anything from the pen of D.L. Cross!
The Scout, by D. L. Cross is one of those support books to a larger series. As such it is a short quick read, and an amazing one at that. I’ve read The Crossing and thoroughly enjoyed it, but it isn’t a prerequisite for The Scout. This book easily stands alone.
The author wove in a delicious twist that I thoroughly enjoyed. Read The Scout. You might want to read on in the Invasion Universe. I know I will be.
When a scout is given a mission to find and observe feared aliens, he takes on the job with determination- though he’s never had to work alone before.
Soon, he finds his quarry and settles in to gather intel for his superiors. Poor communications forces him to trek miles in order to relay information.
A chance meeting with a young alien woman leads to an unlikely alliance- one that leads to unexpected consequences.
For a short story, this book packs one heck of a punch! I totally didn’t expect the twist at the end. Kudos to the author for writing a page-turning suspense!
I give The Scout: Dark Crossings 5 lovely kisses- Things are not always how they appear!
I love short stories. Some of them stay with me as long as any novels I’ve read. They can offer a punch that novels can’t. And this prequel to Staci Troilo’s space invasion series is a great example of short fiction. J., her alien who’s sent to scout out the inhabitants of a planet and what they’re capable of, is sent on a lone mission, hard for him since he always works as part of a team. A woman spots him but doesn’t turn him in, and he thinks of her often. And that’s where things get interesting. His superior in command grows unhappy with him for reporting so little information, and he starts to feel abandoned, alone. I’ll leave it at that so I don’t give too much away, but J’s journey was a good, fast read. And the last two lines of the story were chilling.
Okay, you often hear the words, “I couldn’t put it down,” when it comes to a page-turning book. But in this case, I couldn’t stop reading and finished it in one sitting. Yes, it is short, but the story kept my interest from page one to the end. D. L. Cross has created a powerful story with her Astral Series, and I highly recommend you read “The Gate.” However, this book could easily stand alone.
I’ve never been a great fan of science fiction, but this author has caused me to change my mind. She weaves in suspense and intrigue that gives her stories more depth than your typical sci-fi and leaves readers wanting more.
I eagerly await the next book of this series.
Having read and loved “The Gate” by Ms. Cross, I was excited to see a sci-fi short story based on that world. Sent out to scout the aliens, J finds them. His character had so much depth that I felt his discomfort of being alone when J was used to functioning in a group. J’s commitment to his duty and what he found was fascinating and complicated. This well-written quick read can be a stand-alone. I highly recommend it!