First Contact — C.S. Feldman

Her first -- and quite accidental -- foray into the field of heroics brought plucky St. Louis waitress Peg Brickner more than one narrow escape from danger and doom in the magical land of Cantrial. But hey, the first Hero's Quest is always the roughest, right? Right.Unless maybe the next one involves airlocks that can suck people into the vacuum of outer space, warring alien races that are vying for political control of a planet, ruthless kidnappers, a ticking clock, and the ever-present risk of -- God forbid -- alien probings. And that's before what was just supposed to be a simple ransom drop implodes.Suddenly it's up to Peg to come up with Plan B before a snatched comrade disappears forever, an alien client's hapless offspring meet a grisly fate, or all-out war takes over the planet.And all before her oxygen runs out.Sure. What could possibly go wrong?