End Of The Line
Birth Of Magic™ Book Three
ND Roberts
Michael Anderle
This book is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.
Copyright © 2021 LMBPN Publishing
Cover by Andrew Dobell, www.creativeedgestudios.co.uk
Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing
This book is a Michael Anderle Production
LMBPN Publishing supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.
The distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
LMBPN Publishing
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Las Vegas, NV 89109
First US edition, June, 2021
eBook ISBN: 978-1-64971-829-7
Print ISBN: 978-1-64971-830-3
The Kurtherian Gambit (and what happens within / characters / situations / worlds) are copyright © 2015-2021 by Michael T. Anderle and LMBPN Publishing.
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue
Author Notes - N D Roberts
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
Books By Michael Anderle
Connect with the Authors
The End Of The Line Team
Thanks to the JIT Readers
Daryl McDaniel
Wendy L. Bonell
Diane L. Smith
Rachel Beckford
Peter Manis
Deb Mader
Dorothy Lloyd
Veronica Stephan-Miller
John Ashmore
Kelly O’Donnell
Jackey Hankard-Brodie
If I’ve missed anyone, please let me know!
Editor
Lynne Stiegler
Dedication
For everyone who waited so patiently for these answers. For hope.
— Nat
To Family, Friends and
Those Who Love
To Read.
May We All Enjoy Grace
To Live The Life We Are
Called.
—Michael
Prologue
SAF Enora, Earth Orbit, WWDE+225
“Big day,” Esme commented, shaking Sarah Jennifer out of her introspection about the beauty of space.
Sarah Jennifer smiled, her eyes remaining firmly on the viewscreen. “Sure is.” She was almost used to being up here after months of preparation for this operation, but she was determined never to allow the wonder of the expanse to become commonplace for her. The viewscreen was split between the cotton wool clouds covering the Earth and the void of space between the BYPS satellites.
“The Gate is about to open at Lagrange Point 4,” Enora announced.
“About bloody time,” Esme grumbled, the twinkle of excitement in her eyes belying her tone.
Sarah Jennifer made a noncommittal sound of agreement. The arrival of the terraforming equipment was long overdue, thanks to Federation supply issues and the need for secrecy as to the consignment’s final destination. Bethany Anne had been clear that this supply run had to be done without any of the companies who had supplied the components knowing that it was coming to Sol.
Sarah Jennifer and Esme turned their attention to the pinpoint of silver-green light that appeared at the prearranged coordinates. The dot spiraled as it expanded, casting a cold light that was captured by the dust blanketing the area.
The Gate shimmered as multiple containers broke the event horizon.
Sixteen hundred shipping containers in all, they hovered around the Gate while they got into formation. The Gate winked out, leaving them in darkness.
Sarah Jennifer leaned forward in her seat. “Enora, take us out.”
“Arrival in six minutes, Major.” When they reached the holding area, Enora spoke again. “Security protocols on the containers have been activated. Voiceprint confirmation is required to access the controls.”
Sarah Jennifer had been expecting this. “Confirm: Major Sarah Jennifer Walton accepting delivery.”
“Voiceprint confirmed,” an EI intoned over the speaker.
“Thank you,” Sarah Jennifer told the EI. “Transfer controls to Enora and treat her commands as if they were mine.”
Esme grinned. “You know the EIs don’t have feelings and don’t require pleases and thank yous?”
“Politeness costs nothing,” Sarah Jennifer returned good-naturedly.
“Next you’ll be telling me good manners are the stumbling block to the robot uprising.” Esme snorted at Sarah Jennifer’s blank look. “Did you miss the movie night where we watched Terminator?”
“I’ll be back,” Enora announced in an uncanny approximation of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s voice before she vanished from the screen.
Esme waved a hand, laughing. “See, Enora gets it.”
Sarah Jennifer gave her a blank look. “I prefer to read on quiet nights. You know that. Besides, the community center is too rowdy on movie night.”
“You’ve got a shock coming on Samhain, then,” Esme told her.
“Samhain is different.” Sarah Jennifer was well aware of the crowds that were already descending on Salem for the winter festival. “It’s more that the troops find it difficult to relax when they see me there. Movie night is their night to blow off some steam. They need to get rowdy once in a while. They work hard.”
“You’ll get no argument from me on that account,” Esme agreed.
Enora returned. “I have completed the inventory of the containers. We got everything we requisitioned. There is also a message for you from the Baba Yaga, Major.”
“Play it, please.” Sarah Jennifer wasn’t surprised to hear Bethany Anne knew she had requisitioned the build-your-own-planet kit. The Queen might be light-years from the Federation, but she still had an ear on the ground there.
Bethany Anne’s voice filled the cockpit.
“Good luck, Sarah. Permission would have been a good thing to ask, but I forgive you.” A throaty laugh came over the speaker. “I’ve read through the projections your engineers put together. I trust you know what you’re doing. Oh, and don’t fuck it up. There won’t be another delivery until I return to the Federation.”
Sarah Jennifer smiled. That was just like the Queen. Bethany Anne did not suffer fools lightly, and they had that in common.
This operation has been planned to the last detail, she reminded herself.
Esme chuckled. “You know the dangers of invoking Murphy’s law, Duckie. We have contingencies for our contingencies. This operation will be a success even if we have to work all the way to Plan Z to make it so.”
Sara
h Jennifer had given up telling Esme to stay out of her head years ago. “Only one way to find out how far into the alphabet we’re going to get. Enora, let’s get started. Begin recording video and scan all data and stream it to wherever Jim is currently. Habitat containers are to remove themselves to the area we marked for Habitat One. Inform me once the BYPS satellites are in position and have the EI await further instructions.”
They watched while containers moved away from the holding area, remaining in formation. Sarah Jennifer took a moment to process the majesty of the spectacle as Enora turned the ship to follow the containers.
The Red Planet came into view, and eight hundred of the containers broke off to position themselves around the planet.
The doors of these containers opened, and the satellites were ejected. The remainder of the containers broke orbit and entered the atmosphere.
“I have provided the landing coordinates,” Enora announced. “Phase One of magnetosphere regeneration can begin as soon as you are ready, Major.”
Sarah Jennifer glanced at Esme when their Etheric comm pinged. “It’s Brutus.”
“Go ahead, Lieutenant,” she answered.
“How are things going up there?” Brutus asked.
“We’re about to get started,” Sarah Jennifer told him. “How did the operation go?”
“Lilith has the cells set up. We have Mad from three of the five groups she specified. Rory’s team and Bruiser’s team are expected back by tomorrow with the rest.”
Esme smiled. “Good job. I bet the Venetians were happy to see you.”
Brutus gave an awkward laugh. “Yeah, no. No one wanted to go to Venice again, not after last time. We got the rotters from Florida.”
“As long as you got them,” Sarah Jennifer told him. “Call if you need us. Otherwise, we’ll be back in a few days, once we know if our efforts here have succeeded or not.”
“Got you.” Brutus paused for a moment. “Good luck.”
Sarah Jennifer said goodbye and ended the call. Esme’s face was flushed with anticipation. “You ready for this?”
Sarah Jennifer nodded. “As ready as I’m ever going to be. Proceed, Enora.”
The satellites came to life, their casings unfolding to reveal what looked like huge guns.
However, the Etheric energy Sarah Jennifer sensed gathering had nothing to do with kinetic weapons. Twelve of the satellites rotated to face the planet. The rest faced outward as standard.
“Shielding is set to maximum,” Enora informed them. “Preparing to engage in three…two…one. Engaging.”
The ESDs on the twelve inward-facing satellites activated, lighting the void. The pencil-thin energy discharges bored straight to the core of the planet at the coordinates predetermined by Ted and Jim.
Phase One—or Attempt One, more accurately—involved passing the ESD current through the planet to liquefy the outer core and jumpstart the planet’s rotation.
The expected result was that the magnetosphere, which was currently too weak for the planet to retain a viable atmosphere, would increase to a level where the rising levels of greenhouse gases would result in the planet warming, making it possible for Jim’s team to begin the oxygenation process.
Baby steps, starting with the magnetosphere.
The data they had from the Federation’s terraforming specialists lacked information about the use of the ESD in place of the more standard injection of fissionable materials. However, her engineers had been beyond enthusiastic about this method, and Sarah Jennifer knew when to bow to the greater wisdom of her advisors.
It didn’t make this any less nerve-wracking.
She gripped the arms of her chair, offering up a mental plea that this method would work.
Esme reached over and patted her arm. “Don’t sweat it, Duckie. We have a whole bunch of things to try before we have to go with the nuclear option.”
Chapter One
WWDE+233, Mars, Reynolds Plain, Habitat One
Sarah Jennifer, Jim, Carver, and Geordie were sitting around the table in the central hub of the twenty interlocked shipping containers that made up the habitat.
In the eight years since Sarah Jennifer and Esme began the process, Mars’ atmosphere had slowly thickened, thanks to the gradual introduction of greenhouse gases.
Outside the habitat, the land was finally greening.
Habitat One had been accessible from the start. However, Sarah Jennifer had only allowed her chief engineer and his two right-hand men up here once the bots had reduced the planet’s toxicity to manageable levels. They still couldn’t go outside without pressure suits, but the team was well-used to the inconvenience.
Everyone was snacking on creamed chipped beef and toast MREs, affectionately known to Sarah Jennifer as shit on a shingle, as they worked through the latest terraforming projections.
Jim had the map open to the area in the northwest of the planet’s eastern hemisphere that Enora had identified as having previous glacier activity and more recently as having vast underground aquifers the Defense Force could draw from to irrigate the surrounding land.
“Where are we with the lakes?” Sarah Jennifer asked.
“They’re filling, for sure.” Jim zoomed in on the crater that held the largest body of freshwater they’d managed to coax from the vast underground reserves beneath the surface. “As we already know, the water ice at the poles was released along with the CO2 ice when we reached optimal temperature planetwide. Using existing channels with some intervention to ensure the water flowed to the places we wanted it to has been effective. Another six to eight months, and we should be ready to seed the lakes with life.”
“Fish?” Sarah Jennifer took another bite of her toast and chewed slowly.
Jim laughed. “Microbial matting. Bacteria brought from the lakes on Earth. We have a ways to go before we get to the fish.”
Carver and Geordie emitted identical snorts.
“Talk about understatement,” Carver retorted. “It took us most of the last six years to figure the filtration system.”
Sarah Jennifer wrinkled her nose. “The data Akio sent from Waterworld suggested a shorter timeline.”
“That planet already had oceans,” Jim reminded her. “Theirs was a cleanup operation. Ours is a tad more complex, seeing as most of our water was trapped in the aquifers and had to be ‘cleaned’ before we were able to use it to irrigate the ag sector.”
They all groaned, recalling the voracious native microbial life that had sprung up and outgrown their first attempt to make the planet habitable to humans and their livestock.
Geordie raised his coffee mug. “Let’s hear it for suppressing Martian ecology.”
Sarah Jennifer sighed. “Let’s not go there. Weather reports, Lieutenant.”
“The important thing is that we learned from our mistakes.” Jim switched to the next slide. “The climate control system is working as it should. We have initiated tropical weather systems along the equator. Breathable atmosphere will be next, so long as the arti-forests do their job.”
“Oh, they’ll do their job,” Carver assured them. “Once we reach nominal propagation of the silk leaf trees in the temperate zones, we’ll be golden.”
Sarah Jennifer had limited this meeting to the four of them for the simple reason that the arti-forest had become a topic of debate among the engineering community, all of whom had their own opinions about how the planet’s ecology should be structured.
She had chosen to rely on the data the Federation’s terraforming specialists had given them to figure which elements they had to add to produce an atmosphere that would support Earth life, and the arti-forests were the most viable solution in the short term. They had magic, which the Federation did not, and there were dozens of witches among the teams of scientists who were waiting to come here and push the non-artificial flora to thrive.
“Geordie, your pet project is taking care of that, right?”
Geordie nodded. “I’ve matched production on the artifi
cial forests that are converting CO2 to methanol and oxygen to keep up with the gases released by the melt.”
Sarah Jennifer grinned. “That’s what I like to hear. What does that mean for planting crops? It would be good if I could tell the enlisted we have at least a tentative date for getting magic users up here to move the new growth along.”
Jim smiled. “I think we’re ready to begin the building phase.”
“That’s music to my ears, Jim.” Sarah Jennifer made a mental note to schedule a logistics meeting for the day after Samhain. Everything was a half-step farther along than where it had been the last time she’d made the trip out here. “Looks like we’re done. Pack it up, guys. We need to get back to Salem.”
Everyone at the table turned interested gazes to her.
“Samhain,” she reminded them with an exasperated smile. “You’ve been up here so long you lost track of the season, huh? The festival starts in two days.”
All three men jumped up from their seats, talking excitedly. Jim gathered his datapad and notebooks. “Guess you’re right, Major. Can’t say I’m not glad to hear the winter festival has come around, though.”
“You just want to see my sister,” Sarah Jennifer teased.
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