Pursuit

In Dying Starlight #8

by Emily McCosh

A run-in with an old friend. A betrayal that may kill them all.In the expanses of space where the closest planets are days away, Aaron and crew have a destination in mind. When their ship crosses paths with another from a different era of Aaron’s life, he’s braced for the worst, knowing his old bounty hunter captain is friendly, where the rest of the crew holds grudges.

Trapped on Captain Lee’s ship with a star in the nearby vicinity going super nova, Aaron, Bat, and their humans wait out the storm. Between the hostility of his old crew and the strangely kind looks Yvonne is sending his way, Aaron is feeling particularly trapped. At least no one’s trying to kill them.

Until a mysterious vessel lands in the hangar. With two less-than-human occupants.

Pursuit is the eighth episode in the action-packed space opera series In Dying Starlight . Featuring a grumpy sarcastic cyborg, a talking badger, plenty of space travel, a cast of oddball characters, and a bit of romance, In Dying Starlight is perfect for fans of Star Wars , Firefly, and Blade Runner .

Kindle Edition

Published February 13, 2025

About the author

Emily McCosh is a graphic designer, writer of strange things, and daydreamer extraordinaire. She currently lives in California with her two parents, two dogs, one fish, one tree swing, and innumerable characters who need to learn some manners. Her fiction has appeared in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Shimmer Magazine, Galaxy’s Edge, Flash Fiction Online, Nature: Futures, and elsewhere.

Find her online on her writing and bookish YouTube channel, website where she sometimes blogs, and Instagram full of sappy poetry.

YouTube: Emily McCosh
TikTok: emilymccosh
Instagram: emily_mccosh
Blog: oceansinthesky.com
Facebook & Twitter: @wordweaveremily

Reviews

[Dr susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic sci fi adventure

I'm really loving In Dying Starlight. Aaron is a great narrator and character, his supporting cast is lovable, and I think Captain is up to some big badness. Pursuit gives a look at Aaron's earlier life; I thought he was a little hard on Captain Lee, but I'm big on redemption. The story is definitely a nail-biting thriller with a hint of cyborg horror. Now I have to wait a month for Sanctuary.

[Rivet Conri · Rating 5 out of 5]

In love with the found family and cyborg shenanigans. I just want them to be safe at some point ! The supernova gave me Treasure Planet vibes which was a win!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I freaking love this series so much!!! The dynamics between the characters they way this story has evolved from the first book to where we are now. I have to pace myself when I read this series because I want to sit down and binge it all. But I also want to savor it. If you Murderbot Diaries and the Wayfinder series by Becky Chambers. This series is a combination of the snark and family dynamics but also so much more. It's like all the best toppings thrown together and more. This was an intense part of the series and had me holding my breath and reading faster to see what happens to the characters and immediately pick up the next to get answers. 

[A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. Goodness.

I can't even.

The bro-ness.

Zane and Aaron must be protected at all costs.

I am not okay.

Content: Some PG-13 language scattered throughout.

[Ryan Winters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy Sci-fi with found family

We get some interesting backstory on Aaron and some brutal fight scenes. It was intriguing to see Zane finally get angry haha