C41 was taught to fight and never trust anyone but a select few. But in order to leave prison, he might have to work with those who can break him. ***** Inmate C41 is the youngest registered "feral" shapeshifter -- someone unable to control his animal urges and aggressions. When he turns eighteen he is transferred to the Adult Feral Rehabilitation Center in Scotland, where he meets a mysterious American government agent who endlessly probes him with questions. C41 does the only thing he thinks will help him survive - he lies. And that starts a chain of events that will either end in a prison break or a life of torture. Content and/or Trigger Warning: sex and violence. [[Wattys' Shortlist]] [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

A star-faring religious cult has created an army of robotic zealots designed to follow holy scripture. As the robotic menace spreads across the galaxy, it takes prisoners to be 'excommunicated': hooked into a neural simulation of eternal torment. Captain Rolland Barron leads the Sol Federation Starship Excalibur on a diplomatic mission. Cassia LaCroix is a wormhole hunter, earning a living scouring the galaxy for valuable tunnels through space-time. Prince Zoojin, a psychic alien from a distant galaxy, must prove himself worthy of the throne of Paxis Prime. The paths of these characters converge as they pursue their own motives, leading them towards the mechanical legion that is sweeping across the galaxy. COVER BY: rentachi AUTHOR'S NOTE: this is an early draft of the novel. I am very grateful for your readership and your feedback, which I have taken into consideration for a major rewrite. The new novel is completely different. If you liked the book, then please look forward to the release of the finished novel.