Catch the Lightning

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Catch the Lightning is a novel by Catherine Asaro detailing the lives of Althor Vyan Selei and Akushtina (Tina) Santis Pulivok in the Saga of the Skolian empire series by Catherine Asaro.

Unlike the other novels, this one takes places in an alternate reality, on Earth, and at a time period similar that of the late 20th century. Skolian fighter pilot Althor has somehow travelled through time with his Jag ship. In this alternate universe, he meets the young waitress Tina, and in helping her escape some thugs, the two become fugitives.

We soon learn that Althor is not just a common soldier, he is in fact son of the ruler of an interstellar empire called Skolian Imperialate. He is also a Rhon psion, who can read moods and even thoughts. He is immediately attracted to Tina, who seems to possess the same abilities - like seeks like.

Althor's Jag is discovered by Earth forces and is being held in a military installation. Specialists there are examining it, and due to the telepathic link between a Jagernaut and his ship, the tests they are running are killing Althor. Using the aid of Tina and her friends, they break into the military complex and regain the ship.

Althor is able to return with Tina to his spacetime, but in the process they are captured and sold as slaves to an Aristo named Kryx Iquar. It is a shock for Althor when he learns, that the person who betrayed him was his close personal friend, Ragnar Bloodmark, an influential Skolian admiral who helped raise Althor. After held captive and tortured for several days Althor and Tina escape, destroying half the habitat and in the process killing Kryx.

In the end, Althor marries Tina, and together they discover the origin of Althor's ancestors, the Raylicans, who were actually a displaced group of Maya from Earth, relocated 5000 years ago by some unknown beings.