I, Effing Feline, know Ed’s a big guy, several inches over six feet, and yeah, that gives him an advantage over me. But he has no claws — and that, I believe, evens the odds.

In today’s selection from The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station, Sandrina spies on Duke, the man she loves from afar, as he works out with his sparring partner.

T.X. Mooney entered. Though older, his body was muscular, too. Unbidden, Mooney’s greatest fear and need wriggled into Sandrina’s mind. It was always the same for her, fears and needs, nothing else. That horrific day in her childhood had imprinted itself so deeply on her mind as to twist even her psychic abilities.

Mooney’s greatest need: To salvage his pride by besting Duke. Sure, Duke sometimes let him win a bout, but that was worse than losing.

Greatest fear: That Duke would find out about him.

Find out what?

That’s ten . . . but here are a few more.

They faced each other across a mat. As they bowed to each other, a realization tore through Sandrina.

She couldn’t read Duke. Nothing. Not even a whisper of his mind wafted to hers.

Why not? What did it mean?

Effing Feline here again. I can’t help from feel that if either of these sparring partners had claws like mine, there’d be no contest.

No claws? Pitiful.

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

The space pirates think they’ve conquered Farflung Space Station–but they didn’t count on Duke. The station’s Head of Security wants to prove to his army-officer parents he’s outgrown his youthful rebelliousness. Defeating a pirate army seems like the perfect opportunity.

And they didn’t count on Lockey. This kick-ass princess knows every weapon and martial arts system in the galaxy–and she fell in love with Duke at first sight. It’s not only her job to destroy the pirates, it’s her bloodthirstiest wish.

And most importantly, they didn’t count on Sandrina. After loving Duke from afar, she now yearns to fight with—and for—him. The attractive waif has discovered so many of Farflung’s secrets that she’s the most powerful person on the station—though nobody knows it yet.

They’re about to find out.