Genre: Science Fiction

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-971945-00-2

Retail Price: $21.99

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-971945-01-9

Ebook Price: $4.99

Distributed by: Ingram Wholesale

Published by: Gatzlaff Bokhage Publishing, LLC

Release Date: May 15, 2026

“Let no one know you have him.”

This was the stark warning Leo received when he was discharged from the HMU and given a support companion. When human soldiers became obsolete—replaced by intelligent systems and mechanical operators—veterans like Leo were sent to live quietly near the city’s edge, each issued an AI support unit.

Only, Leo wasn’t given the standard-issue companion. He got Bear.

And Bear is different. Small, silent, with glowing blue fiberoptic fur, he’s more advanced than the typical support unit. Leo doesn’t care why Bear is so different. All he knows for sure is that without Bear, he wouldn’t last a day.

Now, Bear is refusing to charge. His battery is draining. Fast.

As Leo searches for a way to repair the fading unit, strangers start appearing at his door. They’re talking about vanishing files and systems behaving strangely.

Leo knows exactly what they’re all after. They think he’s involved. They know he has something he shouldn’t.

They want answers.

They want Bear.

Rachyl Moore is a Florida-based author specializing in speculative science fiction. With a professional background as an Occupational Therapist, Moore brings a unique perspective to the genre, focusing on the psychological and physical tethers of identity in an increasingly digital world. Her writing emphasizes the idea that empathy is both radical and essential to survival. As a runner and mother of three, she is uniquely focused on stories that bridge the gap between care, humanity, and high-stakes technology.