Spooker

Grass Eaters 3 | 76 | Armistice III

Marine Logistics Base 32 (Grantor City), Grantor-3

POV: Bertel, Znosian Dominion Marines (Rank: Five Whiskers)

Base Commander Six Whiskers Korchaj pulled up a chair next to Bertel and Krasht. “Rewind and show that part again,” he insisted.

She did as he asked, showing him the curious — and somewhat horrifying — segment of gun camera footage from their Light Skyfang. And as the footage played, the youthful Korchaj squinted into the screen. “Are yo...

Grass Eaters 3 | 75 | Armistice II

Marine Logistics Base 32 (Grantor City), Grantor-3

POV: Bertel, Znosian Dominion Marines (Rank: Five Whiskers)

“You looking for me?”

Bertel squinted at the source of the voice across the open hangar. It was a short, rough-looking fellow with grease on his uniform, tightening something near the tail rotor of his Light Skyfang. She approached him, shouting over the mechanical din, “Are you Five Whiskers… Krasht?”

He shot her a grin, pointing ...

Grass Eaters 3 | 74 | Armistice I

Grantor City State Security HQ, Grantor-3

POV: Krelnos, Znosian Dominion State Security (Position: Administrator)

Amidst the shock, it took two days for the Znosian Marines to re-organize and put down the worst of the fighting. In the end, her troops had the artillery, the sustained air support, and the long-term organization and logistics needed to pound the local rebel units in fixed positions to dust. Those of them who stood and fought were overwhelmed.

Grass Eaters 3 | 73 | Prisoner Exchange

MNS Oengro, Grantor (15,000 Ls)

POV: Grionc, Malgeir Federation Navy (Rank: High Fleet Commander)

“The enemy fleet has blinked out of the system,” Vastae reported. “Grantor system space is clear.”

In the past, the disappearance of about a thousand enemy combat ships from the sensor computers would be accompanied by the slowing of their cooling fans as they had to process less data. The newly retrofitted Terran computers on the bridge were much less...

Grass Eaters 3 | 72 | Peace For Our Time

TRNS Crete, Znos-4-C (15,500 km)

POV: Carla Bauernschmidt, Terran Republic Navy (Rank: Rear Admiral)

Carla was tempted. The temptation was deeply embedded in the tradition and institution of the Republic Navy.

Decades of its historical operations had been based around simple, easily articulated political objectives. They were mostly focused on a singular premise that was famously put by retired Admiral Carter over forty years ago: The people of the Red Zon...

Grass Eaters 3 | 71 | Condition Two

ZNS 0312, Grantor (4,000 Ls)

POV: Telnokt, Znosian Dominion Navy (Rank: Ten Whiskers)

Ten Whiskers Telnokt was horrified.

In Dominion Navy doctrine, there were seven conditions for a fleet, in descending levels of readiness. The highest level of readiness, officially referred to as Condition One in training, was known to the crews as battle stations. This was usually reserved for when a fleet was in a state of combat, which was defined by the presence of p...

Grass Eaters 3 | 70 | Valley of Death

Area 203 Temporary Shelters, Znos-4-B

POV: Plodvi, Znosian Dominion Navy (Rank: Six Whiskers)

It took almost three full months. The logistical expertise of the Dominion was put on full display in front of the predator enemy.

It was too bad it was to assist in the abandonment of one of its home system planetoids, Znos-4-C.

Shuttles ran day-and-night, lifting off every thirty seconds at some of the more crowded spaceports. Troops were stuffed — in so...

Grass Eaters 3 | 69 | Crazy

High Council Palace, Malgeiru-3

POV: Cerbos, Malgeir (High Councilor of the Federation)

“High Councilor, the default penalties for that contract are astronomical. We can’t afford to shuffle that one around. Our only course of action is to take out additional loans with the Schprissian Central Bank. The Terrans have offered to subsidize a few of them, but they are in the hole themselves with their new naval construction projects.”

Cerbos shifted uncom...

Grass Eaters 3 | 68 | Thunder

Dominion Navy Central Command, Znos-4-C

POV: Sprabr, Znosian Dominion Navy (Rank: Eleven Whiskers)

“Eleven Whiskers, there’s been an update from the temporary division commander,” Dvibof reported nervously.

“What is it?”

“He seems confused, but some of his vanguard troops have encountered heavy direct contact.”

“This soon? Shouldn’t we still be… about eight or nine kilometers before coming into range of the enemy base perime...

Grass Eaters 3 | 67 | Critical Mass III

Dominion Navy Central Command, Znos-4-C

POV: Sprabr, Znosian Dominion Navy (Rank: Eleven Whiskers)

“Enemy orbital support ships are rising out of range!” Dvibof reported. “Frontline division still retains effective command and control.”

The most elite units of the frontline division of the day had been sacrificed, driven forth to bait out the enemy’s latest nuclear strike. And it was no ordinary feint. Sprabr knew that no amount of obfuscation wa...

Grass Eaters 3 | 66 | Critical Mass II

Objective Zulu, Znos-4-C

POV: Mgnistr, Znosian Dominion Marines (Rank: Four Whiskers)

Bang.

Mgnistr jumped back in shock as the State Security officer toppled over where she stood.

“You— you—” she looked at the unharmed Spazglu. His paws were empty. She looked around in confusion. “What?”

“One of my sharpshooters,” he replied dully, gesturing into the dim forest around him. “Precaution I took when she rolled up with t...

Grass Eaters 3 | 65 | Critical Mass I

The Frontline, Znos-4-C

POV: Mgnistr, Znosian Dominion Marines (Rank: Four Whiskers)

The first sign of friendly losses Mgnistr saw as they drove towards the temporary frontline was not from the effects of the nuclear weapon detonated by the predators. Rather, they took a break at an improvised resupply station about a dozen kilometers away from the front, where she observed a large gathering of abandoned vehicles less than a hundred meters from the converted tan...

Grass Eaters 3 | 64 | Restraint II

Objective Zulu, Znos-4-C

POV: Baedarsust, Malgeir Federation Marine Special Warfare Team (Rank: High Pack Leader)

If he hadn’t been briefed and prepared extensively about his objective, High Pack Leader Baedarsust would not have noticed the difference between his current mission and any other routine exercises. Indeed, the pre-mission briefing was longer than all the ones he’d participated in, combined, in all the time he was in the Federation before the dis...

Grass Eaters 3 | 63 | Restraint I

Dominion Navy Central Command, Znos-4-C

POV: Sprabr, Znosian Dominion Navy (Rank: Eleven Whiskers)

Now in full, uncontested control of the orbits over the central command of the Dominion Navy, the rest of the predator fleet made their way over Znos-4-C. What concerned Sprabr most was that they didn’t seem to be in any specific hurry.

The many sensors of the Znosian home system were having trouble tracking all of the enemy hiding ships at once, but their ...

Grass Eaters 3 | 62 | Survivors

TRNS MCM-26 “Right of Way”, Znos (24,000 Ls)

POV: Minesweeper, Terran Digital Intelligence (Base Build: 2124-A)

Oh. Oh my.

So many mines.

So many targets.

Target 1,201 of 152,018. Gun #1, orbit calculated, gun ready, burst starting… burst complete. Cycling. 150,817 targets remaining.

Target 1,202 of 152,018. Gun #2, orbit calculated, gun ready, burst starting… burst complete. Cycling…...

Grass Eaters 3 | 61 | Search

Dominion Navy Central Command, Znos-4-C

POV: Sprabr, Znosian Dominion Navy (Rank: Eleven Whiskers)

“What appears to be the problem, Eleven Whiskers?” Dvibof asked nervously as the grand fleet commander hovered over his shoulder, watching him operate his console.

“No discrepancies at all, Six Whiskers?” Sprabr repeated his question.

“None— none that we have detected.”

Sprabr’s expression was one of utter disbelief. “Bring the l...

Grass Eaters 3 | 60 | Diet

Rural District 990, Datsot-3

POV: Zaernust, Malgeir (Wanted: Tax Evasion)

Zaernust closed his eyes in bliss, savoring the flavor of his steak as his tongue sampled its texture thoroughly. The meat itself was from an animal native to Datsot, but the aromatic seasoning was imported from off-world.

Rosemary.

It gave off an odd scent but a pleasant one… once he got used to it. Some called it an acquired taste.

It was an expensive taste, to put it...

Grass Eaters 3 | 59 | Hybrid War

Gruccud D-Day Memorial, Gruccud

POV: Amelia Waters, Terran Republic Navy (Rank: Fleet Admiral)

“We stand here on a lonely, windswept basin, near as we can to the south pole of Gruccud. The air here is soft and crisp, but just three hundred days ago, the air was dense with smoke and the cries of battle. Four hours before dawn, 450 brave Federation Marines landed not far from here in eight assault shuttles. Their task was one of the most difficult of this war: t...

Grass Eaters 3 | 58 | Huddled Masses II

Spaceport Sugihara, McMurdo System (25,000 Ls)

POV: Monvu, Malgeir (Detainee)

“Why don’t you tell me the story of how you got here… with four Znosian plasma-incendiary bombs embedded in between the third and fourth ribs in your chest?”

“How— how did you know?” Monvu asked with a mouth drier than a southern Plorve desert.

“We’ve known since you entered Republic space,” the Malgeir officer replied casually. She gestured around her a...

Grass Eaters 3 | 57 | Huddled Masses I

Spaceport Sugihara, McMurdo System (25,000 Ls)

POV: Monvu, Malgeir (Civilian)

As the spacecraft approached their destination, the young pilot’s voice came over the intercom. “Good day all. It is currently midnight in Malgeirgam and 4:32 Atlas Universal Time. We have been given final docking clearance, and we are beginning our final deceleration burn into our destination Spaceport Sugihara of the McMurdo System. For your own safety, please turn off all electr...

Grass Eaters 3 | 56 | Fire Suppression II

Dominion Design Bureau Laboratory 382, Znos-8

POV: Irtisl, Znosian Dominion Navy (Rank: Five Whiskers)

Fire detected in main server room. All personnel, immediately evacuate the facility by descending order of importance and rank. Fire detected in the main server room…

The intercom blared out the urgent-sounding warning in a calm voice as Irtisl continued the struggle with her office door. The lock continued to refuse to budge.

2025-03-03 16:47:01 +0000 UTC View Post

Grass Eaters 3 | 55 | Fire Suppression I

Dominion Design Bureau Laboratory 382, Znos-8

POV: Irtisl, Znosian Dominion Navy (Rank: Five Whiskers)

“Say that again?” Irtisl looked at her Chief Engineer Stultam in utter disbelief as he made his report over the loud server rack fans humming their labor outside her office. She’d gotten so used to their noise that, most of the time, she could ignore them well enough to nap in there during her scheduled nap time. But what she thought she hea...

Grass Eaters 3 | 54 | White Flag III

TRNS Crete, Vdrajma (2 LY)

POV: Carla Bauernschmidt, Terran Republic Navy (Rank: Rear Admiral)

“We have a problem.”

“A problem, exec?”

“A problem of plenty.”

“Ah. The prisoners.”

“We’ve taken on too many prisoners. Our efforts at extracting updated information from them have been fruitful, but now we have too many of them on the Crete, and the other ships don’t have the facilities to take many more of them.”

...

Grass Eaters Book 1 Date/Link

Hello loyal readers, I’m going to be PUBLISHED!

I’ve submitted my first book, First Strike (Grass Eaters: Book 1), this week. It’ll be available for pre-order on Amazon for about a week, and then it’ll come out on March 6.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DYGKVK15

I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am for every comment, piece of feedback/c...

Grass Eaters 3 | 53 | White Flag II

Dominion Navy Central Command, Znos-4-C

POV: Dvibof, Znosian Dominion Navy (Rank: Six Whiskers)

“Central Command to ZNS 3420. Central Command to ZNS 3420. Report in.”

There was some scratching from the speaker as the other end of the FTL radio activated.

“ZNS 3420 reporting in,” the other end of the call replied, her face showing up on the screen two seconds later.

“This is Six Whiskers Dvibof of Dominion Naval Command. Identify yours...

Grass Eaters 3 | 52 | Accountability

Atlas Naval Command, Luna

POV: Amelia Waters, Terran Republic Navy (Rank: Fleet Admiral)

Amelia tried her hardest not to glare at the covert operative on her screen. Kara was sitting in a dimly lit basement bunker, somewhere in occupied Grantor.

She was barely successful.

“I’m sorry for your loss, operative,” Amelia said.

“Thank you, Admiral. The director— Mark was the best of us. He saved my life.”

“I’m sure he did,” sh...

Grass Eaters 3 | 51 | Procurement

Republic Senate Complex, Luna

POV: Martina Wright, Terran (Executive)

“This is not just another ship. Not just another procurement program. The Joint Strike Missile Destroyer is the largest-scale defense development program in the entire history of the Republic,” Martina said into the microphone. “A project in cooperation with the Malgeir Federation and other friends beyond Kuiper. A truly interstellar project made possible by people from five different sp...