I have finished posting the updated chapters.

XX. Chaptername - Edited xx-xx-xxxx

new text new text new text

new paragraphs

XX. Chaptername - Original

old text old text old text

old paragraphs

Is the format the chapters are in now.

I have to read this all once more and correct any blinding irregularities that are in the book that come from writing a chapter here and there, then five in one night as I polish off a bottle of port.

As you can imagine, that does not always lead to the most congruous of tales. Once that is done I am shipping it off to the editor. I am still in the process of cleaning up the "AI Speak" so when Neith, Observer (and all the others) are speaking to Jax internally there is clear delineation of who is speaking. You will see that in the edits posted, but as I was in a rush I know I didn't get them all.

Some have mentioned that I should change the title of the book as it has little to do with actually building a home. This is because the story got away from me. In the third chapter. I could never get any of my characters to cooperate with me and get back to it, either. As such, the story will still be called "Building Home" but book 1 will be The Lost Ark instead of the series being that. So essentially I am swapping the name of the series for the book.

And now, a sneak peak at my first page written for book 2: Building Home - Rescue

“Launch!” I shouted through the comms. It had been almost a month since we had any word on the fate of the Crew of Ark-9, and we were about to get some answers.

The drop pod which I was in echoed with the sound of the thrusters pushing me out. On my Helmet Visor, I had full telemetry data for my team, as well as all of our “coffins.” I had the brilliant idea of creating a combination quick assault lander and lifeboat that, if shot down, wouldn’t kill everyone. This was the result. A chamber that was three meters tall two meters wide and one and a half deep. It slotted into a cargo bay on one of the newly redesigned assault ships, and when launched, a whole lot of chaff was launched with it. There were minimal guidance and thrusters. I needed to work on that bit some more as they weren’t exactly stealthy.

We plummeted towards the Escort craft that matched the visual records that we had been able to pull from the shell of Ark-9. It was currently docked with a smaller vessel, which we had decided to call cargo haulers, or “Haulers” for short. This was the second that our sensors had detected that connected with them, the first was still attached.

Surprisingly, the designs did not look similar. They looked as if they had been built by two completely separate species with different aesthetics and engineering methods.

Observer, this looks like a different race.

:It is.:

What can you tell me about them?

:Closest Earth analog is a mixture between a slug, a scorpion, and Nessie:

How big? The first two didn’t sound terrible, but if it Observer was also bringing attention to its by using a mythological giant monster, then I there was cause for concern.

:Two of your meters:

That doesn’t sound too bad.

:Tall. Ten long:

Shit. I had brought Observer along for his knowledge. He was still in the proverbial “dog house” for the lies he had told to get our help for his people. It was understandable why he lied, which is the only reason he was seen as anything other than a prisoner.

I waited in the pod, counting down for the impact. We had designed the pods with minimal life support and a wicked spike at the tip, that should at the minimum stick into the ships armor. Then we would be walking across the hull to find an entrance. With us, in each pod, was a portable air lock so that if we could find an external hatch, we could enter while maintaining pressure so as to not sound any alarms from pressure change for the airlocks cycling. Granted, the spikes holding marines that would pierce the hull plating would probably send out an alarm.

Expect more soon!