Strangers In a Strange Land

Millennia ago an advanced race seeded Earth with the cultures in their galaxy so they could find out what would happen when those cultures left their home planets and started to mingle. Then they vanished…Dr. Livy Valens couldn't pass up the opportunity to discover a lost language even if it means traveling to another galaxy to do it. Her friends, Jessie Hartner and Kevin Blake, think she's being kidnapped when her escort comes to pick her up and they refuse to let her go without them. But what starts out as an intellectual puzzle turns into an adventure when they get to the other side and find a complicated political structure they don't entirely understand and a galaxy on the brink of revolt.The Magyar rule this galaxy with an iron hand. They own and control everything. The band of rebels wants to overthrow them, but before they can do that they need to learn to work together, both to overcome their prejudices and to move beyond their personal baggage. Daig was a famous poet, traveling between worlds until his performances led to his parents forced to retire early, his older sister losing her position at a prestigious hospital and his younger sister arrested. He would like to spend more time with Dr. Valens, but he needs to right the wrongs he feels he's caused first. Lars is in a contract marriage with Saida, but it is strictly a business arrangement. He believed in the cause, but had no funding. She had funding, but couldn't command troops. The deadline for that marriage is looming and he's feeling more than professional respect for former gunnery sergent Jessie. Meanwhile Saida is intrigued by Kevin, but she isn't sure she can trust him. With reason.This is an ongoing series. More Science Fiction with Romantic Elements than Sci Fi Romance.Episode 1: Livy and her friends are transported through the portal to the Venedae stronghold where Livy only knows the basics of the language and none of them know how the society works, but it seems that the situation is much more precarious than Livy was led to believe.

The complete story arc. Millennia ago an advanced race seeded Earth with the cultures in their galaxy so they could find out what would happen when those cultures left their home planets and started to mingle. Then they vanished...Linguist Dr. Livy Valens couldn't pass up the opportunity to discover a lost language even if it means traveling to another galaxy to do it. Her friends, Jessie Hartner and Kevin Blake, think she's being kidnapped when her escort comes to pick her up and they refuse to let her go without them. But what starts out as an intellectual puzzle turns into an adventure when they get to the other side and find a complicated political structure they don't entirely understand and a galaxy on the brink of revolt. The Magyar rule this galaxy with an iron hand. They own and control everything. The band of rebels wants to overthrow them, but before they can do that they need to learn to work together, both to overcome their prejudices and to move beyond their personal baggage. Daig was a famous poet, traveling between worlds until his performances led to repercussions against his family. He would like to spend more time with Dr. Valens, but he needs to right the wrongs he feels he's caused first. Lars is in a contract marriage with Saida, but it is strictly a business arrangement. He believed in the cause, but had no funding. She had funding, but couldn't command troops. The deadline for that marriage is looming and he's feeling more than professional respect for former gunnery sergeant Jessie. Meanwhile, Saida is intrigued by Kevin, but she isn't sure she can trust him. With reason.

Livy makes a discovery that leads to her being lost and Daig fears she has been kidnapped by someone who wants to see the rebellion fail.

In a visit to the villages, Livy, Jessie, and Kevin figure out how to turn on the defensive shield and discover new enemies, but don't get any closer to understanding why one village is in so much better condition than the other.

Saida gives Livy permission to go to the village in search of materials to decipher the Vendae language, but just after they leave, a flood of refugees arrive and Daig is called back to the fortress to deal with them. When the refugees are moved to the village rioting breaks out because some groups feel that others are getting preferential treatment.

A shameful illness arrives with a group of refugees, but before Aine and Daig can contain it, it leaps to the groups with little or no immunity. Suspicion and fear threaten to tear the rebellion apart before Livy, Jessie, and Kevin realize that the "shameful illness" is chicken pox and are able to bring some sanity to the situation.

As the chicken pox crisis passes, suspicion remains. Saida's high temperature left her confused, paranoid, and unable to command. Daig, who had chicken pox as a child, is exhausted from running things for the last two weeks, but many of the Baili and Hiberni feel that he should remain in power. Then Livy discovers the fortress is running very low on food supplies. As she and Daig try to figure out how to get more food, Saida is attacked by two Hiberni who want her out of the way permanently and food appears outside the village and the fortress gates.