by Tobias Roote
Table of Contents
Title
Copyright & Disclaimer
Other books
Author's note
Description
Introduction
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
Chapter 27
The Pattern Ship
POD
Nubl Wars
Sky City
Artis Prime
AARON, FIRST WATCHER
(The SAR Chronicles)
by
TOBIAS ROOTE
ISBN-13: 978-1534671614
ISBN-10: 1534671617
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Aaron - First Watcher, The SAR Chronicles, and SOULBORN are subject to copyright 2012/2013/2014/2015/2016 by Tobias Roote. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law, or in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For further information, please contact [email protected]
DISCLAIMER:
This book has been written and edited in the United Kingdom. As a result, some of the words and spellings may not conform to US dictionaries.
PUBLISHED BY
ROOTE PUBLISHING LTD
TOBIAS ROOTE NOVELS
Books in the Pattern Universe series
The Pattern Ship
POD
The NUBL Wars
SKY CITY
RIGA/AI Space Adventures
ARTIS PRIME
The SAR Chronicles
Aaron, First Watcher - The Grith
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http://tobiasroote.com
Dear Reader
It has been a while since my last published release, but I’m currently working on two new series which should appeal to both Space Opera fans in the Clone Worlds saga, and General Science Fiction with the SAR Chronicles. In addition, there is another SKY CITY in the works that will thrill fans of the Pattern Universe and answer many of the questions left unresolved in Nubl Wars.
When I first began writing in 2012, I wrote and rewrote a book titled SOULBORN. However, the book raised more questions than answers and my penning skills were still developing so, I placed the 100,000 word novel in my archive until I could do it justice.
This book, Aaron - First Watcher, is the beginning of an SF saga that will spread across inter-stellar space and into the Sol system at a time when humanity first walked the Earth. I cannot say how many books precisely, but my aim is for at least five, possibly more in this series. The books will take us up to present day (and my already completed novel, SOULBORN) and along the way I am hoping the subject matter will raise some interesting discussions.
Because much of my writing is (for me at least) an experiment in ‘off-the-wall’ ideas and concepts, I really appreciate reader feedback which helps me firm up plots and gives me the confidence to explore the universes I develop in my head. To that end, if you have the time and want to help, please consider putting up a review of my work where your views and thoughts will help me as well as other readers. I’m always looking for good BETA readers, please email me at [email protected] if you want to join my discussion groups.
As always, I’m grateful to you for reading my books and being a fan of Science Fiction. I hope we continue to cross paths in the future. To keep up to date with my new publications as they are released, please consider joining my private mailing list at http://tobiasroote.com
Kindest regards
Tobias Roote
[Book Description]
The SAR chose genetic enhancement to put them on a fasttrack path to spiritual enlightenment, then disaster struck and their world fell apart. Stripped of technical ability and unable to change things, the SAR quickly devolved into a simple society, one that was now increasingly telepathically linked. This brings its own problems and Sentinels, or Watchers evolved to help keep society on an even keel. For the most part it was working, but like all systems is not foolproof and injustices flare regularly.
Aaron is a ‘wild talent’ one of a growing number, but considerably stronger than the norm so represents a threat to a large influential group that want to control society for their own gain. There are other factors that put Aaron into grave danger, but by learning to manage himself he might provide the means with which to assert a more moderate solution, Outcast from his own people, he must first survive an attack of Grith, large predators that hunt by night. Can he harness that which is required to save himself?
Aaron, First Watcher is the first in a new series of standalone novels, The SAR Chronicles will trace the history of an alien civilisation that interfaces with Earth in such a way as to bring to light the very question of what it means to be human, especially in the 21st century. And why nothing we believe should ever be taken for granted. For further releases sign up to my mailing list at http://tobiasroote.com and be the first to hear of the next book as the story unfolds.
Introduction:
The Sar were a highly technologically advanced race with achievements at all levels of science, although biology and especially gene manipulation proved to be their strongest traits. The Sar had no qualms about applying gene-therapy to eradicate imperfections in their race’s physical make-up.
The continual striving for perfection caused dissent amongst their people and splits occurred. Some technologically biased moved away and into space, where they were free to continue to develop in their own way. Others shunned technology altogether, choosing a simpler way of life and through it, they believed, they would achieve transformation onto a higher plane of existence.
Having already manipulated their DNA to give them telepathic ability, the Sar unwittingly opened the door to their own apocalypse. Millions died of mass suicide, unable to cope with the closeness of mental communion with others caused wave upon wave of despair and loss. Through the resulting breakdown in their civilisation they lost much of the technological knowledge that had brought them to their current point in evolution and with no means of reversing their path, descended into chaos.
The open door of minds joined without proper training caused uncontrollable mood swings to sweep like ripples on a pond, infecting millions, drenching them in super-storms of negativity, creating massive biofeedback, and driving them to despair, and mass-suicide.
Only the strongest, or those not yet telepathic, survived but many were still prone to fall under the spell of any unsuppressed negativity. A few, by monitoring the ‘emote’ of the people, learned to dampen the effect of negative thought and calm distressed minds.
They banded together to create the Sentinel programme, a system of Watchers who constantly monitored the mass emotional output of the people, allowing the Sar to concentrate on their chosen path to spiritual enlightenment. They erected towers to give them greater range and to also protect them from bands of marauding Sar who wanted them neutralis
ed as blasphemers.
Sar society had fractured and given way to different ideals. The main groups stuck together gradually forming a civilisation based on the stablest of their people who could lead them away from extinction. The Watchtower society were not political leaders, but kept their people safe and became almost a religion. They were highly regarded and all councils of Sar claimed at least one Sentinel amongst their leadership to ensure everything was kept aboveboard and honest.
As with all majorities who give up their rights to the management by the few, the Watchtower society, as it became known, evolved into more than just a guardianship of the Sar mind. It didn’t take long before the society itself began to be subverted by its own leaders to take more control for themselves.
The current Watchtower leader sought dominion over all others. He managed to dominate his own society, and sabotaged new and strong talents, deliberately making them weaker with flawed training. Wild talents were generally hunted down and either controlled or ‘muted’ (a mental castration) rendering them unable to call upon their abilities.
The only defence against Krendar’s manipulations were a small band of rebellious Sentinels. Some of the oldest (and strongest) in the land who would defend their world and its people, but alone were not strong enough to defeat him. Indeed, they would soon be vanquished by Krendar’s agents if the council’s mood swung much further his way. Time was now pressing hard on them and the opportunity to halt Krendar grew smaller by the day. He would soon be unstoppable. They needed someone who could overpower Krendar and halt him in his tracks, but Krendar was at the very least, extremely cunning and knowing this, was always one step ahead.
- 1 -
Aaron startled awake, his body tensing in anticipation of the unexpected which, despite the feeling of danger, didn’t immediately materialise. He sluggishly gathered his thoughts while physically observing his surroundings. How long had he slept?
Looking up, he could see the two moons high in the sky, telling him the night was already half gone. Everything had darkened in the absence of a watch-fire, or glo-light, with only vague luminous reflections off trees providing him with any depth of view. The surrounding low lying scrub cast eery double shadows on the ground, making it difficult even for the trained eye to see what might be skulking out there - and Aaron could see absolutely nothing.
Suddenly, his mental faculties caught up and he remembered where he was, and why. He frantically cast his ‘emote’ around him in an effort to discover any immediate danger.
His ‘emote’ was his reason for being here. Wild as he was, the talent overly strong in him, he had proved highly dangerous to everyone near him. The Elders had received a ruling from the Watchers bully boys two days prior. He was to be muted and cast out. In frustrated anger, he had challenged them, and won. However, in the process he had lost everything, as in defeating them he had clearly demonstrated to everyone the risk his talent posed. They would no longer trust him near them and now Krendar’s men would find some other way to achieve their aim. Rumours were circulating that people were prone to disappear. Fear of him and for him drove his people to make unpopular decisions.
While they could no longer mute him because he had injured their ability to do so, he was, nonetheless, shunned and evicted from his home. Lifelong friends and cousins were afraid to defy the Elders to contest their decision. His parents, distraught and heartbroken, insisted he could not stay - it would be too dangerous - for all of them. As was their way, the whole community turned out to force him beyond their borders and he became officially an outcast. Driven out onto the desert plain with no supplies, under an unseasonally hot sun, the first long day had weakened him to the point of exhaustion. Finally, finding somewhere to shelter, he had stopped to rest, leaned back and closed his eyes.
“Drummit!” he muttered angrily at nobody but himself. Now was not the time to reflect on what had happened, he needed to place wards at all of the approaches to his location. He might already be too late, he realised. He nervously cast his thoughts outwards seeking any threat, all the time praying to the Lord Watcher there would be none but equally certain there would.
He frantically searched, mentally quartering the area around him. Sector by sector he cleared a path, mapping wildlife, setting trip markers, then moving onto the next quadrant, recovering the ground he had lost through his ill-timed slumber.
He became aware of movement and sensed a large animal close by. It was broadcasting hunger and rage over a lost kill. Now it had smelled a new food source within its foraging range. As the beast followed the drifting traces of its prey, it arced its nose left to right, centering on its target - Aaron.
Sitting in near dark, unable to physically see far, he was suddenly and desperately aware his time on this world might be coming to an abrupt end. The Grith, the most ferocious and voracious predator on Sar, had his scent.
Feeling the animal's closeness, Aaron’s sensitive ears pricked as he heard the padding sound of the animal’s heavy-clawed paws as the Grith approached him. He could barely stifle his panic now. It had begun deep in his bowel, turning its contents to liquid, causing unwelcome pressure that desperately searched for release. No! He would not stain himself, not now, not ever. The fear and revulsion brought him to his senses, and he calmed himself, mentally chanting the litany which would bring him to his centre allowing him to recover his self control.
He had just seconds, and if he did not use them wisely he would be food for an unthinking beast, and his family would be down their first-born. He could visualise his mother weeping while his father stood stoically by her side, a hand clamped to her shoulder, the only concession either would make to their loss.
Now, he had to draw himself together and face his fears, knowing he had no time left for arrogance and stupidity. It left him with nothing, but the fear of imminent death.
Having controlled the physical urge to void himself he pushed outward seeking the focused mind of the Grith. He was surprised at the depth of it and his confidence soared realising a more complex brain meant a greater possibility of success. He sent fine tendrils of suggestion into it. Taking control of the animal’s conscious movement would prove too difficult at this stage, so he worked on its motivation. Instinctively sensing, more than feeling, the thought patterns that controlled its actions, he continued to concentrate knowing full well his life literally depended on it.
Sweat that beaded on his brow instantly cooled in the night air. Aaron focused on changing the Grith’s emphasis, damping its primal urge to kill and rend, imbuing calmer, more relaxed thoughts. Its memories no longer centred on food and the sensation of ripping flesh, as Aaron broadcast those of a contented mate with pups feeding off regurgitated meat.
The feeling of exhaustion was growing. His talent, not properly trained or exercised was inefficient, using more of his energy than he had to give. He knew he had to succeed in the next few minutes or his strength would fail. He renewed his efforts pushing deeper into the Grith’s thoughts. Sensing its hesitation, Aaron knew he was almost in control of the animal’s mind. He was elated and almost let go in his excitement, his inexperience causing his hold to slip. He caught himself and renewed his effort, driving with all of his mental might into the creature’s mind.
None too soon he brought the Grith to a halt. It was so close he could feel its hot fetid breath on his naked shoulder inches from his neck, the intended act of ferocity frozen by Aaron’s iron-grip on its mind. One small slip and he would be in its jaws. He held on.
Through his inability to remain awake he had left it too late to properly prepare his defences. Now, to fumble would be instantly fatal, he needed to rigidly hold the animal's mind while he sought the means with which to change its perception. He clawed deeper into the thought processes of the Grith, visualising what he needed. It had a mate, hidden in the rock cleft a few miles from here, and pups. Two of them.
Giving it satisfying thoughts of a successful kill and a full stomach of fresh meat, Aaron dire
cted its desire to return to its family. There, it would wonder where its full belly of food had gone, before going out anew to hunt, with the angry snaps of its mate at its heels.
Aaron sighed in relief as the heat of the Grith’s breath pulled back, to be replaced by a cold draft.
He opened eyes he did not remember closing to see the animal no longer in his perception - it had vanished.
Leaning back against the cliff, sweat rolling down his back, he savoured his triumph. He had succeeded in overcoming his first near-death experience and it had been - truly amazing. Yet, the cold shock of rock against his body brought his mind instantly back to sharp reality. He was not out of trouble yet.
As if to prove his own premonition, and before he could draw breath, Aaron sensed a new danger. Pushing his mind outwards, he counted new mental signatures and was gripped anew with mind-numbing fear.
- 2 -
Aaron’s hand went to his mouth pressing hard against his skin, both to stifle the wail of fear leaving his throat and to halt the trembling that he otherwise couldn’t stop. There had never been any recorded instances of Grith hunting in packs - ever. Yet he could sense the wall of minds heading directly towards him at a fast lope. He was doomed.
Already exhausted from the first Grith attack he realised he could not manage another so soon after. With his current energy levels there was no way he could ‘emote’ that many, it would require considerably more power than his wild talent could call on. He pressed back against the rock in a pose of resigned defeat and almost - almost - gave up. Instead something within him sparked, and in a last desperate attempt to survive, Aaron found the determination to stretch his mind outward searching for any psychic energy that could aid him.
