sciencefiction &mdash; Ernest Ortiz Writes Now https://ernestortizwritesnow.com/tag:sciencefiction My chaotic brain needs a place to stay. Author of The Package trilogy. Mon, 13 Jul 2026 23:46:08 +0000 https://i.snap.as/lcehEm96.jpeg sciencefiction &mdash; Ernest Ortiz Writes Now https://ernestortizwritesnow.com/tag:sciencefiction The Package Trilogy https://ernestortizwritesnow.com/the-package-trilogy?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[A sci-fi adventure series by Ernest L. Ortiz Malcolm Diego is a cyberjacker living on Unity Station, orbiting Earth. Work is scarce, money is tight, and his options are running out. When his ex-girlfriend asks him to deliver a package to her mother on a colony in the Asteroid Belt, it seems like a straightforward job. It isn't. What follows is a fast-paced journey across the solar system — from Earth orbit to the Asteroid Belt to Jupiter — full of smuggling runs, corrupt officials, ruthless factions, and more trouble than Malcolm ever bargained for. The Package Trilogy is sci-fi adventure for readers who want a great story without dozens of pages of setting exposition and technobabble. Three novelettes. Three locations. One cyberjacker trying to survive. The Stories Novelette 1 — The Package For cyberjacker Malcolm Diego, opportunities for work are slim at Earth's Unity Station. As he prepares for his one-way trip out of the station, his ex-girlfriend Jess Harman asks him to deliver a package to her mom living on Typhod Station in the Asteroid Belt. It's a decision that starts Malcolm off on a journey that results in more than he bargained for. 10 chapters — approximately 10,800 words 👉 Get it on Gumroad Novelette 2 — The Package: Foul Run Cyberjacker Malcolm Diego dealt with corrupt security officers, pirates, a few attempts on his life, and being blackballed throughout the inner system. All because he delivered a package to his ex-girlfriend's mother, Sandra. Now, he's settling into his new home at Typhod Station in the Asteroid Belt working for Typhod Holo Services. But when certain employees want him gone, he turns to Sandra for another package job. This time, the job takes him to Jupiter's Jove Station. Will he face the same problems as before, or something worse? 13 chapters — approximately 12,600 words 👉 Get it on Gumroad Novelette 3 — The Package: Sovereign Malcolm Diego, cyberjacker and smuggler, has faced two encounters with the Progressive Alliance. Now, the stakes are even higher as they come out of the shadows. With Marla, the woman in the purple jumpsuit, the two have to rely on each other as they face the PA head on. In this third and final trilogy installment, join Malcolm and Marla as they try to survive what could be humanity’s biggest threat. 15 chapters — approximately 19,700 words 👉 Get it on Gumroad Start Reading Not sure where to start? Read the first chapter of The Package free right here on the blog. Each novelette is available individually for under $3. 👉 The Package 👉 The Package: Foul Run 👉 The Package: Sovereign 👉 The Package Trilogy Paperback - Available when complete adventure gumroad epub novelette PDF sciencefiction scifi a href="https://remark.as/p/ernestortizwritesnow.com/the-package-trilogy"Discuss.../a !--emailsub-- ]]> A sci-fi adventure series by Ernest L. Ortiz

Malcolm Diego is a cyberjacker living on Unity Station, orbiting Earth. Work is scarce, money is tight, and his options are running out. When his ex-girlfriend asks him to deliver a package to her mother on a colony in the Asteroid Belt, it seems like a straightforward job.

It isn't.

What follows is a fast-paced journey across the solar system — from Earth orbit to the Asteroid Belt to Jupiter — full of smuggling runs, corrupt officials, ruthless factions, and more trouble than Malcolm ever bargained for.

The Package Trilogy is sci-fi adventure for readers who want a great story without dozens of pages of setting exposition and technobabble. Three novelettes. Three locations. One cyberjacker trying to survive.

The Stories

Novelette 1 — The Package

For cyberjacker Malcolm Diego, opportunities for work are slim at Earth's Unity Station. As he prepares for his one-way trip out of the station, his ex-girlfriend Jess Harman asks him to deliver a package to her mom living on Typhod Station in the Asteroid Belt. It's a decision that starts Malcolm off on a journey that results in more than he bargained for.

10 chapters — approximately 10,800 words

👉 Get it on Gumroad

Novelette 2 — The Package: Foul Run

Cyberjacker Malcolm Diego dealt with corrupt security officers, pirates, a few attempts on his life, and being blackballed throughout the inner system. All because he delivered a package to his ex-girlfriend's mother, Sandra. Now, he's settling into his new home at Typhod Station in the Asteroid Belt working for Typhod Holo Services. But when certain employees want him gone, he turns to Sandra for another package job. This time, the job takes him to Jupiter's Jove Station. Will he face the same problems as before, or something worse?

13 chapters — approximately 12,600 words

👉 Get it on Gumroad

Novelette 3 — The Package: Sovereign

Malcolm Diego, cyberjacker and smuggler, has faced two encounters with the Progressive Alliance. Now, the stakes are even higher as they come out of the shadows. With Marla, the woman in the purple jumpsuit, the two have to rely on each other as they face the PA head on. In this third and final trilogy installment, join Malcolm and Marla as they try to survive what could be humanity’s biggest threat.

15 chapters — approximately 19,700 words

👉 Get it on Gumroad

Start Reading

Not sure where to start? Read the first chapter of The Package free right here on the blog.

Each novelette is available individually for under $3.

👉 The Package 👉 The Package: Foul Run 👉 The Package: Sovereign 👉 The Package Trilogy Paperback – Available when complete

#adventure #gumroad #epub #novelette #PDF #sciencefiction #scifi

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]]> https://ernestortizwritesnow.com/the-package-trilogy Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:36:47 +0000 The Package (Chapter One) https://ernestortizwritesnow.com/the-package-chapter-one?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[An excerpt from The Package (Novelette 1) Another pack of instant ramen noodles with imitation eggs and sausages for lunch today. Need someone to install ransomware on a criminal’s holocomp? Bypass a Top Secret Station Security access? Divert gold coin mail transactions from Sol Mafia? I’m your guy, Malcolm Diego. However, business is slow despite being an awesome cyberjacker, and my savings are dwindling. Unity Station Security cracks down big time on its War on Hacking. I take a couple days off when security arrests the majority of the cyberjacker network. The mediocre skilled are in jail and the best are floating outside the station without a spacesuit or turn into protein packs. The good news, I’m still alive and have a month of savings. The bad news, Station Security is eyeing my every move. It’s only a matter of time before Chief Mascow comes up with some dumb excuse to arrest me. I guess I can find a corporate job until the heat dies. Nothing wrong trying to be legit. I activate my armcomp to update my resume and search for any job openings. With some embellishments, I put in enough experience to wow the HR departments, despite my criminal history. Maybe I can also add “Bypassed security encryption to obtain $250,000 from the Bank of Unity.” Or, “Collected and analyzed AIFutCom President and CEO’s sexual history” in my Accomplishments section. LunaStar might be hiring, but Moon Police are still looking for me as a person of interest in a price-gouging scheme after a colony accident. Apparently, trading oxygen and food one cent higher than the “fair price” is illegal. How about MarsSAM? No, wait. The CFO’s daughter thinks I impregnated her. I didn’t even talk to much less touch her, I swear. Maybe one of the Asteroid Belt colonies? They always need a good holocomp tech. However, a trip to the Belt is about four to six months, including turnover, and no one has invented faster-than-light travel yet. I worked as a holocomp maintenance tech on a Luna-Mars-Luna transport a few times. But you’re packed in those tiny living quarters like sardines and there’s only so much you can do to pass the time before you start acting like an asylum patient. But I need the moolah, so I’ll take any job available. The Spacers Guild currently has plenty of ships heading for the Belt. I cross-check ship and colony job listings. The transport ship Hella Awesome needs a part-time holocomm/holocomp tech and offers the standard pay and benefits. Typhod Station desperately needs holocomp techs, and the pay is five times the current market rate. Typhod Holo Services gives me the job after eighteen minutes of radio sending/receiving. Hella Awesome accepts my application after seven minutes, and it departs at 1800 at Terminal Nineteen. I slurp my last ramen noodle. Time to pack. My duffle bag includes an EVA skinsuit and helmet, two spares of civvies, work jumpsuit, and a toothbrush. I transfer all my Bank of Unity savings to my CryptoCoin wallet stored in my brain implant. Goodbye Unity. Now the hard part is leaving without being hassled by Station Security or bad guys with a grudge. I program the station’s computer to close my housing and utilities accounts the second Hella Awesome departs. Station time is 1213. Plenty of people to hide behind during lunch break traffic. I’m hoping the baseball cap obscures me from the facial recognition surveillance software. I walk behind the big and tall (which is most people), slip past shoulders, and don’t make any eye contact. Employees from a clothing store and ramen restaurant curse at me while I’m exiting through their back doors. But that isn’t enough. My shirt tightens and my lungs restrict. A bear-like figure spins me around. He towers over me and a growl rumbles from his diaphragm. “Shut up and don’t move.” I comply, and the familiar assailant puts himself between me and my escape to Central Docking Bay and Terminal Nineteen. In my most polite voice, I greet the man with the security badge. “Hello, Chief Mascow.” Chief Warrant Officer Emery Mascow snorts. “You didn’t think you could leave this station without me knowing, did you?” I smile, knowing Mascow can throw my ass in jail for any reason. “No, of course not. Nothing gets by you, Chief.” Passersby ignore us and keep on walking while Chief Mascow shoves me against the wall. He pokes his cigar-shaped finger at my chest. “For years, I’ve wanted nothing more than to see you rot in prison or spaced towards Earth’s atmosphere. But I guess I’ll have to settle with you leaving this station forever. I don’t care where you’re going. Actually, I do. So I can warn the poor sucker that has to watch you. You better not come back or else. You hear me?” My chest hurts but a few words escape from my lungs. “Crystal clear, Chief.” Chief Mascow spins me and hurls me back into the crowd. I walk and don’t look back. Going to miss that big lug. Get The Package, with both EPUB and PDF, on Gumroad for $3. Foul Run and Sovereign are also available. adventure gumroad epub novelette PDF sciencefiction scifi a href="https://remark.as/p/ernestortizwritesnow.com/the-package-chapter-one"Discuss.../a !--emailsub-- ]]> An excerpt from The Package (Novelette 1)

Another pack of instant ramen noodles with imitation eggs and sausages for lunch today. Need someone to install ransomware on a criminal’s holocomp? Bypass a Top Secret Station Security access? Divert gold coin mail transactions from Sol Mafia? I’m your guy, Malcolm Diego. However, business is slow despite being an awesome cyberjacker, and my savings are dwindling.

Unity Station Security cracks down big time on its War on Hacking. I take a couple days off when security arrests the majority of the cyberjacker network. The mediocre skilled are in jail and the best are floating outside the station without a spacesuit or turn into protein packs.

The good news, I’m still alive and have a month of savings. The bad news, Station Security is eyeing my every move. It’s only a matter of time before Chief Mascow comes up with some dumb excuse to arrest me. I guess I can find a corporate job until the heat dies. Nothing wrong trying to be legit.

I activate my armcomp to update my resume and search for any job openings. With some embellishments, I put in enough experience to wow the HR departments, despite my criminal history. Maybe I can also add “Bypassed security encryption to obtain $250,000 from the Bank of Unity.” Or, “Collected and analyzed AIFutCom President and CEO’s sexual history” in my Accomplishments section.

LunaStar might be hiring, but Moon Police are still looking for me as a person of interest in a price-gouging scheme after a colony accident. Apparently, trading oxygen and food one cent higher than the “fair price” is illegal. How about MarsSAM? No, wait. The CFO’s daughter thinks I impregnated her. I didn’t even talk to much less touch her, I swear. Maybe one of the Asteroid Belt colonies? They always need a good holocomp tech.

However, a trip to the Belt is about four to six months, including turnover, and no one has invented faster-than-light travel yet. I worked as a holocomp maintenance tech on a Luna-Mars-Luna transport a few times. But you’re packed in those tiny living quarters like sardines and there’s only so much you can do to pass the time before you start acting like an asylum patient. But I need the moolah, so I’ll take any job available.

The Spacers Guild currently has plenty of ships heading for the Belt. I cross-check ship and colony job listings. The transport ship Hella Awesome needs a part-time holocomm/holocomp tech and offers the standard pay and benefits. Typhod Station desperately needs holocomp techs, and the pay is five times the current market rate.

Typhod Holo Services gives me the job after eighteen minutes of radio sending/receiving. Hella Awesome accepts my application after seven minutes, and it departs at 1800 at Terminal Nineteen. I slurp my last ramen noodle. Time to pack.

My duffle bag includes an EVA skinsuit and helmet, two spares of civvies, work jumpsuit, and a toothbrush. I transfer all my Bank of Unity savings to my CryptoCoin wallet stored in my brain implant. Goodbye Unity. Now the hard part is leaving without being hassled by Station Security or bad guys with a grudge. I program the station’s computer to close my housing and utilities accounts the second Hella Awesome departs.

Station time is 1213. Plenty of people to hide behind during lunch break traffic. I’m hoping the baseball cap obscures me from the facial recognition surveillance software. I walk behind the big and tall (which is most people), slip past shoulders, and don’t make any eye contact. Employees from a clothing store and ramen restaurant curse at me while I’m exiting through their back doors.

But that isn’t enough. My shirt tightens and my lungs restrict. A bear-like figure spins me around. He towers over me and a growl rumbles from his diaphragm.

“Shut up and don’t move.”

I comply, and the familiar assailant puts himself between me and my escape to Central Docking Bay and Terminal Nineteen. In my most polite voice, I greet the man with the security badge.

“Hello, Chief Mascow.”

Chief Warrant Officer Emery Mascow snorts.

“You didn’t think you could leave this station without me knowing, did you?”

I smile, knowing Mascow can throw my ass in jail for any reason.

“No, of course not. Nothing gets by you, Chief.”

Passersby ignore us and keep on walking while Chief Mascow shoves me against the wall. He pokes his cigar-shaped finger at my chest.

“For years, I’ve wanted nothing more than to see you rot in prison or spaced towards Earth’s atmosphere. But I guess I’ll have to settle with you leaving this station forever. I don’t care where you’re going. Actually, I do. So I can warn the poor sucker that has to watch you. You better not come back or else. You hear me?”

My chest hurts but a few words escape from my lungs.

“Crystal clear, Chief.”

Chief Mascow spins me and hurls me back into the crowd. I walk and don’t look back. Going to miss that big lug.

Get The Package, with both EPUB and PDF, on Gumroad for $3. Foul Run and Sovereign are also available.

#adventure #gumroad #epub #novelette #PDF #sciencefiction #scifi

Discuss...

]]> https://ernestortizwritesnow.com/the-package-chapter-one Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:34:55 +0000 Novelette 3 of The Package Trilogy Series is Out Now! https://ernestortizwritesnow.com/novelette-3-of-the-package-trilogy-series-is-out-now?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[For sci-fi adventure fans, Novelette 3 (19,700 words) of The Package trilogy series is finally published. It’s $3 for both EPUB and PDF versions on Gumroad. Click on the Gumroad link here: https://ernestortizwritesnow.gumroad.com/l/thepackagesovereign The Package (Novelette 1) is also available. Click on the Gumroad link here: https://ernestortizwritesnow.gumroad.com/l/thepackageone The Package: Foul Run (Novelette 2) is also available. Click on the Gumroad link here: https://ernestortizwritesnow.gumroad.com/l/thepackagefoulrun I’m currently making the paperback version. All three stories will be on one single book. I will keep you updated. Let me know what you think. Thank you for your support! adventure gumroad epub novelette PDF sciencefiction scifi a href="https://remark.as/p/ernestortizwritesnow.com/novelette-3-of-the-package-trilogy-series-is-out-now"Discuss.../a !--emailsub-- ]]> For sci-fi adventure fans, Novelette 3 (19,700 words) of The Package trilogy series is finally published. It’s $3 for both EPUB and PDF versions on Gumroad.

Click on the Gumroad link here: https://ernestortizwritesnow.gumroad.com/l/thepackagesovereign

The Package (Novelette 1) is also available. Click on the Gumroad link here: https://ernestortizwritesnow.gumroad.com/l/thepackageone

The Package: Foul Run (Novelette 2) is also available. Click on the Gumroad link here: https://ernestortizwritesnow.gumroad.com/l/thepackagefoulrun

I’m currently making the paperback version. All three stories will be on one single book. I will keep you updated.

Let me know what you think. Thank you for your support!

#adventure #gumroad #epub #novelette #PDF #sciencefiction #scifi

Discuss...

]]> https://ernestortizwritesnow.com/novelette-3-of-the-package-trilogy-series-is-out-now Wed, 01 Jul 2026 15:24:09 +0000 Novelette 2 of The Package Trilogy Series is Out Now! https://ernestortizwritesnow.com/novelette-2-of-the-package-trilogy-series-is-out-now?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[For sci-fi adventure fans, Novelette 2 (12,600 words) of The Package trilogy series is finally published. It’s $3 for both EPUB and PDF versions on Gumroad. Click on the Gumroad link here: https://ernestortizwritesnow.gumroad.com/l/thepackagefoulrun The Package (Novelette 1) is also available. Click on the Gumroad link here: https://ernestortizwritesnow.gumroad.com/l/thepackageone Let me know what you think. Thank you for your support! adventure gumroad epub novelette PDF sciencefiction scifi a href="https://remark.as/p/ernestortizwritesnow.com/novelette-2-of-the-package-trilogy-series-is-out-now"Discuss.../a !--emailsub-- ]]> For sci-fi adventure fans, Novelette 2 (12,600 words) of The Package trilogy series is finally published. It’s $3 for both EPUB and PDF versions on Gumroad.

Click on the Gumroad link here: https://ernestortizwritesnow.gumroad.com/l/thepackagefoulrun

The Package (Novelette 1) is also available. Click on the Gumroad link here: https://ernestortizwritesnow.gumroad.com/l/thepackageone

Let me know what you think. Thank you for your support!

#adventure #gumroad #epub #novelette #PDF #sciencefiction #scifi

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]]> https://ernestortizwritesnow.com/novelette-2-of-the-package-trilogy-series-is-out-now Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:07:43 +0000 Novelette 1 of The Package Trilogy Series is Out Now! https://ernestortizwritesnow.com/novelette-1-of-the-package-trilogy-series-is-out-now?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[For sci-fi adventure fans, Novelette 1 (10,800 words) of The Package trilogy series is finally published. It’s $3 for both EPUB and PDF versions on Gumroad. Click on the Gumroad link here: https://ernestortizwritesnow.gumroad.com/l/thepackageone Thank you for your support! adventure gumroad epub novelette PDF sciencefiction scifi a href="https://remark.as/p/ernestortizwritesnow.com/novelette-1-of-the-package-trilogy-series-is-out-now"Discuss.../a !--emailsub-- ]]> For sci-fi adventure fans, Novelette 1 (10,800 words) of The Package trilogy series is finally published. It’s $3 for both EPUB and PDF versions on Gumroad.

Click on the Gumroad link here: https://ernestortizwritesnow.gumroad.com/l/thepackageone

Thank you for your support!

#adventure #gumroad #epub #novelette #PDF #sciencefiction #scifi

Discuss...

]]> https://ernestortizwritesnow.com/novelette-1-of-the-package-trilogy-series-is-out-now Tue, 19 May 2026 15:30:37 +0000