Starcaster, Chapter One

I am polishing up a kick-ass new Chapter One of Starcaster. I don't know how many times I started this novel, and was never satisfied with my openings. Then one day, I decided to write out some backstory. I had alluded to the backstory before, but I had never actually written it out. Therefore, I wrote it out even though I didn't know what I would do with it. I just wanted to get it out.

Once I wrote it, I knew I just had to find a way to open the story with it. And I did. I introduce most of the principal characters along with some principal villains.

Here's a scene from a later chapter, where Tory describes this mission to another character:

"Well, I was supposed to deliver a decoding disk to an operative who was working out of the Tarquil Embassy as a domestic servant. He was a Gold Corps operative. He didn't keep his appointment to meet me, so I snuck into the Embassy, located him and delivered the disk."

"You were starcasting?"

"No. This was during the day."

"How did you do it?"

"Well, I speak fluent Tarquillan. I disguised myself as a servant and talked my way inside. He was working as a footman, so it was not difficult once I was inside."

"How did you get back out?"

"I tried to talk my way back out, but I had not considered that they would not let me out again. I was told to get back to work. So I busied myself with chores until nightfall, and managed to steal a battle map in the meantime. It detailed plans to ambush a ship in the Straights. I was almost caught, but I managed to get away. Later, our navy was able to ambush the ambushers."

It's action-packed, with high stakes and narrow escapes. I'm having lots of fun with it.