Please remember to check out the posts from the other participants at
Once a month, the Science Fiction Romance Brigade’s showcase enables the brigade’s authors to highlight snippets from new works, WIPs, cover reveals or other fun things.
My fun post for today is a slightly 'tongue in cheek' interview with Narjohol, the antagonist in the first book of the Destiny Trilogy 'Starquest.' Each book is a 'standalone' and complete but features some of the same characters. Narjohol is a slaver from the planet Salmar, and a not very pleasant alien.
(You can also read another, slightly more serious character interview of the hero in this series at https://anastasiapollack.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/book-club-friday-interview-with-hero.html?spref=fb )
INTERVIEW WITH NARJOHOL
(The automatic scan of Narjohol’s travel pack recorded:
A hand held weapon of mass destruction, An electronic whip, A small container of food, most of it still alive, An unusually designed short bladed and very sharp knife, A great deal of money in intergalactic currency,One automatic laser branding iron.)
This is a recording of an interview with the Salmaran Narjohol relayed from Ms Lettus Prey’s personal holcorder.
Please make yourself comfortable Narjohol – it’s all right if I call you Narjohol is it?
Of course, that is my name, please let’s get on with this.
Er. Okay. Can you confirm your occupation for us?
Interstellar slave trader
And where do you live?
On board my slaveship, mainly.
So where do you come from originally?
My home planet is called Salmar, a good many parsecs from your world,
Originally a penal planet, my ancestors were overseers.
Have you any family?
The question is rather frivolous. Salmaran children are abandoned by their mothers as soon as they are able to fend for themselves and they never meet again. There are usually about three in a litter and they go their separate ways.
So do you ever see your brothers and sisters?
Of course not. What would be the point? Salmarans have no need for companionship, that is a weakness you humans have.
I see. Are you married?
The concept of marriage, is meaningless to a Salmaran. The females of our species are for pleasure and breeding, there is no necessity for anything permanent .
What happens to the slaves on your ship?
Most are sold to the highest bidder. Some of them are special orders, privately commissioned.
For what purpose do you use your own slaves?
Both male and females can be used for pleasure purposes and those who do not find favour in our eyes for such pleasure are used for performing basic and the most menial tasks.
What is your main ambition?
To make as much profit as possible from the sale of slaves, of course.
That is self evident, if I may say so. Anything else?
To capture and kill a young Anraatian who has something I want.
May I ask what that is?
Certainly not. That is between him and myself.
You seem to have an interest in his female travelling companion as well.
Why wouldn’t I have? She is most attractive – for a human female.
Er...yes. Getting back to your slaves, what species are they?
No particular species. Whatever my clients request or that I think may fetch a good price at auction. Many of my clients have a liking for Earth women.
Do you have any pets?
The question is meaningless. Elaborate please.
Do you keep small animals for companionship?
As I've told you before, Salmarans have no need for companionship, although I did once capture a venomous Blachmas monster, and derived great pleasure from watching it devour small Terran mammals.
That gave you pleasure?
Immense pleasure
What else do you - enjoy?
Anything that involves pain or blood - especially blood, I love the sight of it. I especially enjoy making others suffer.
That seems a strange way of deriving pleasure. Why do you think you enjoy
such things?
What a peculiar question. Why should I need a reason to enjoy something?
Let me put it another way. Have you ever suffered such treatment yourself and did you enjoy it ?
Yes, I was once whipped to within an inch of my life. The other Salmaran seemed to enjoy the experience, but not as much as I did when I got my revenge on him.
Did you have a happy childhood?
The question is irrelevant. Childhood is a time for learning to survive and prosper.
Do you have friends?
Friends>? I am not sure how I’m supposed to interpret that question. I have people who are useful to me whom I will reward as I see fit.
Do you have affection for these people?
Affection is a meaningless concept to me.
Have you any children?
Undoubtedly, there is a need to continuously propagate our race,
Do you ever see any of your children?
I wouldn't know where to begin looking, nor would I want to. It is sufficient to know my line continues.
Would you describe yourself as wealthy?
Yes, but not as wealthy as I intend to become.
What is your favourite food?
Another irrelevant question. Food is a necessity. As long as it is fresh that's all that's important. If I was to insist on my 'favourite' food I might end up starving to death!
You're not very forthcoming with your answers, are you? Is there a reason for this?
In my line of business you learn to keep certain things to yourself. It’s habit forming.
What's it like on board your starship?
Sufficiently comfortable for our needs. Not so comfortable for the slaves, of course, especially when we have had a successful hunting trip. Would you like to see for yourself, my dear? She'll be making planetfall in approximately thirty of your minutes.
Eh…well…thank you for the invitation, but actually there is somewhere else I have to be...
The interview seems to have ended abruptly and the recording ceased. Ms Lettice Prey has not been seen since. If anyone knows of her whereabouts would they please contact their nearest Intergalactic Law Enforcement Unit. Thank you
Purchase all three books (or just one, they stand alone, while sharing some of the same characters)
For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join
