The character Star in the book Swordsman On Unium by James Michael Moody is a cautious but brave young girl who becomes an important ally to the main character, Greg Vancover.
We are introduced to the main character in Book One of the series, Pioneers On Unium. Greg, along with 133 other passengers, was on board an airplane flying through the Bermuda Triangle when it was abducted by a UFO. Mysteriously, the plane, along with its passengers, was transported to a planet named Unium.
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| Pioneers On Unium |
It did not take long for the passengers to realize they were no longer on Earth, and there would be no rescue. Together, the group fashioned a primitive frontier-type fort, which they named Fort America.
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| Greg Vancover |
Over time, Greg befriended two women of the group. Laura Richardson, a UFOlogist by profession, was a friend with no romantic involvement. The second girl was Sally Swift, the fort's nurse, and the daughter of the fort’s doctor. Sally became Greg's secret lover with no strings attached.
After weeks of enjoyment, Greg began to develop strong feelings for Laura. He decided to end his secret sexual affair with Sally and make Laura his number one and only girl. When Greg tried to break it off with Sally she went ballistic and swore Laura would never have him.
A short time later Sally, who was on a nurse call in the field, was kidnapped by a Bigfoot-like creature. Greg, who was in the vicinity at the time, was left with the job of playing rescuer. The hunter eventually caught up with the two in a clearing in the forest.
Putting his life on the line Greg manages to kill the hairy Bigfoot creature and save Sally from who knows what. By now, darkness was setting in, so the two had to spend the night lodged in a tree trying to evade predators.
The next day, on the way home, they ran into a rescue party searching for them. All returned to the Fort in safety and all seemed well. That is until two months later.
By now, Greg and Laura's relationship had advanced to the point that they were living together in a cabin like man and wife, although there was no marriage ceremony. Both being young and healthy it was not long before Laura turned up pregnant. Greg and the UFOlogist were so happy after receiving the news.
Mere days later, Sally fell under the weather. A few days later, not getting any better, she had her father, the fort's doctor, to examine her. To everyone's surprise, Sally was also found to be with child. After Sally was pressured by Dr. Swift to reveal the father's name, the girl panicked and pointed a finger at Greg although they had not been together in months.
Greg denied the accusations but none of the new pioneers believed a word that came out of his mouth. No one had ever seen Sally dating a man, so her pitiful rape accusations were believed by all except Laura, Duke, and Will. Greg, although falsely accused, was arrested and charged with forcible rape.
While Duke and Will went on a rescue mission, Dr. Swift worked up the town's people and convinced them to form a court and try Greg before the rescue team returned home. Thanks to a hand-picked jury, Greg was found guilty of all charges and sentenced to be hanged by the neck until dead. The execution was to take place without any delays. The hanging would take place the very next day.
While the hanging was being conducted, the rescue team returned to Fort America and attempted to halt the execution. Arriving seconds too late, Duke, Will, and the others witnessed Greg dangling from a grass rope even as they ran forward.
Before they could reach the strangling hunter, the hand-woven rope around his neck broke, and he fell to the ground, gasping for air.
The pilot, Duke Powell, declared the trial non-void, and a retrial was set. Again Greg was found guilty of the false charge. Instead of death, this time the hunter was banished from Fort America. Anyone seeing Greg within a day's march of the township was to kill him on site.
In Book Two, Exiled On Unium, Greg is now living in isolation on a riverbank.
One day, while out exploring and mapping the lake, an unexpected storm blew in. Strong winds broke off a huge tree limb and in the process of falling to the ground, it pinned a hairy observer.
Discovering the unfortunate creature, Greg was puzzled as to what to do. The trapped creature was a Bigfoot being just like the one that kidnapped Sally Swift. This one, however, lay calm and helpless, instead of like Sally's abductor, who was outraged and combative.
As the canoeist watched the helpless forest man he could not help but feel pity for him. Upon closer observation, the pinned mag appeared to be more hominithanen ape. Thinking out loud, Greg spoke as he contemplated freeing the Bigfoot.
To his amazement, the hairy manthing replied back in perfect English. That settled the mental debate. Greg could not leave a speaking anything to die without attempting to rescue it.
Taking a chance, the boater freed the trapped being. Greg learned the best man, named Mon-ta, was on a quest to climb a giant tree called Ri-ga to the top of a towering cliff in search of beings like himself. During that discussion, the human learned there may be men like himself.
Taking the biggest gamble of his life Greg decided to tag along. After many adventures and narrow escapes, the unlikely pair reached the top of "The Great Cliffs". There they parted ways to do their own thing.
Book Three, Swordsman On Unium, introduces Greg to a homosapien-like race. They appeared to be human in every way.
While traversing the unknown landscape, the banished explorer happened upon a horrifying event. As he crusted a small ridge, he came across a blond-headed woman attending her flock. Seeing a human-like woman was a shock, but that was nothing compared to what was going on. Behind the herder, crept a gigantic lion-like cat that was unseen. The fanged predator had murder on its mind. Too far away to use his bow, the vagabond ran screaming at the girl in a warning voice.
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| Star |
Unbelieving eyes watched as the man ran toward the herder as she discovered the creeping feline. Quickly the woman drew a long sword as the cat charged. Expecting the tyloned horror to make short work of the defender the running man felt helpless.
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| Star VS Destra |
Still too far away to use his bow, the youth watched as the girl nimbly side-stepped the clawed monstrosity. A lightning-like swing with her razor-sharp blade slashed one of the cat's legs. Landing, the outraged beast turned and launched itself roaring as it charged the herder again.
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| Destra |
As cool as an ice cube, and nerves of steel, the girl timed the cat's leap, and once its feet left ground, she side-stepped once more and slashed through a leg to the bone. Still, the bloodied killer did not retreat. Loosing lots of blood and visibly affected by its wounds, the cat wheeled and charged once more..
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| Greg & Star |
The girl held her ground and timed the cat's every move. No fear showing on her face, the swordswoman, for a third time, dodged the crazed killer. For a third time, her glimmering sword tasted blood as it sliced through flesh and tendon.
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| Destra |
The cat, for the first time, realized it may not be the winner in this savage conflict. In all its power and glory, the muscled feline, almost crippled and losing strength by the second, prepared to charge a fourth time.
Patiently, the girl waited for the precise moment that padded feet left the ground, and without hesitation, went into attack mode. When the cat touched ground its fourth leg was all but amputated. This time the forest predator could not rise. Showing no mercy, the swordswoman positioned herself, and when the timing was right, she slashed her sharp blade with all her might through its neck. shoulder into its heart. The creature's head tumbled to the ground with its neck gushing blood that painted the surrounding grass red.
By now, the running man reached the battlefield. Ho was not greeted as a friend, however. The suspicious girl eyed the surroundings, searching for others, but none were found.
Suspiciously, the blond-headed herder started questioning the stranger who stood before her. During the interaction, it eventually comes out that Greg is an alien from another planet. The girl did not call him an alien, but instead a "Starchild' It turns out Starchilds were considered very valuable because of the knowledge they brought from another world.
Unknowingly at the time, it was very fortunate for Greg that he was from another planet. Star's father had taught her at a very young age to kill any stranger found on their property. Starchilds were very unique and valuable, so the herder had instant doubts about killing them. It came to her that she should hold the Starchild hostage, and let her father decide his fate when he got home from town.
Instead of killing the stranger, Star went against her training instead. She decided to take him home with her. In-kor could meet him, then decide his value.
The girl offered the roamer a proposal which he quickly accepted. She offered him a short-term job until her father arrived. The traveler was to sleep in the barn, help with the animals, and do farm chores.
In return, the vagabond would keep his life. He would have a barn to sleep in and get three meals a day. When her father returned he would decide the long-term arrangements.
Star and In-kor lived in the High Country, towering high above the grassy plains below. Their farm was out of the way, and naturally coandlhow ed. There were no neighbors for many miles.
The farm girl's father, In-kor, in his younger days worked in the service of the King of Zor. Zor is a castle city-state on the outer edges of their civilization. The last human outpost nearest to "The Great Ciffs", and the gigantic tree "Ri.
After years of soldiering, the veteran became the greatest swordsman in their known world. He held the title, "Grandmaster Swordsman". After many years of service, he lost a hand defending the royal family during an assassination attempt.
Shortly after In-kor’s wife died during childbirth. In a depressed state he and his daughter, Star, moved into a mountain home built on property provided by his former employer, the King of Zor.
There, in isolation, he raised his daughter. The only contact they had with others was the monthly trips to Zor for supplies. From the time Star could hold a sword, In-kor taught her the skill. When the teenagers reached a certain age, Star was left at home. Because of the dangerous world she lived in the herder was raised in total isolation.
The farm job turned out to be a great opportunity for the nomad. He was introduced to several new animals. Star also taught him their names, their habits, and how to care for them. The female warrior introduced Greg to an Ostrich-like bird which was the favored mount of the area, and how to ride one.
Besides the animal world, World Star also introduced Greg to Unium farming. He learned much about the flora, their names, when to plant, when to harvest, what each plant was used for, and how to care for them.
Star, also started tutoring the Earthman in swordsmanship and other weaponry. Greg and Star also shared much knowledge about each other's planet and customs.
In short:
- Star is a healthy, beautiful, intelligent, and trained in warfare.
- She was a master with swords, knives, axes, spears, bow & arrow, and many other primitive weapons.
- The herder loved animals and was comfortable around them. Even the dangerous ones.
- She was extensively trained to ride and care for the transportation animals of her locality.
- She was very informed about the lay of the land above The Great Cliffs. Her father, being a veteran, had traveled extensively, and he had passed that info on to her.
- Thanks to In-kor's military training Star was not trusting, always on the alert, and antisocial.
- She was loyal, brave, and never showed any sign of fear.
- She was very selfafficent.
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| Swordsman On Unium |
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