by Saxon Andrew
The Assassin’s Guild
Earth Must Be Stopped
Saxon Andrew
Copyright © 2018 Saxon Andrew
All rights reserved.
This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals, organisations, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.
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Contents
Introduction
Chapter One • Chapter Two • Chapter Three • Chapter Four • Chapter Five • Chapter Six • Chapter Seven • Chapter Eight • Chapter Nine • Chapter Ten • Chapter Eleven • Chapter Twelve • Chapter Thirteen • Chapter Fourteen • Chapter Fifteen • Chapter Sixteen • Chapter Seventeen • Chapter Eighteen • Chapter Nineteen • Chapter Twenty • Chapter Twenty-One • Chapter Twenty-Two • Chapter Twenty-Three • Chapter Twenty-Four • Chapter Twenty-Five • Chapter Twenty-Six
Epilogue
Books by Saxon Andrew
About Saxon Andrew
Introduction
In 3024 Nordstrum Haliday discovered the phase field. Within two years, the phase-stardrive was developed and mankind had a faster-than-light technology to go out to the stars. The construction of Exploration Starships immediately began, and discovery of habitable planets quickly followed. The many nations on Earth put their differences aside and came together for the first time ever to build massive colony ships to go out and begin colonizing the newly discovered planets. Over population, pollution, and famine made normal life on Earth for most of humanity difficult at best and unbearable for most.
Billions of people from every nation quickly volunteered to go out and build a better way of life on a new planet. The leaders on Earth saw this as a means to reduce the pressures of over population and joined in the effort to build and send the ships out.
Fifty-colonies were founded, and more than three-billion humans left Earth for the stars. The exodus continued for over a hundred-years but barely made a dent in the numbers of humans inhabiting Earth. The leaders of Earth soon realized that Earth’s birthrate exceeded the numbers leaving to colonize. The migration was also causing a severe shortage of scientists and skilled workers. Most of the brightest and energetic people on Earth were being syphoned away to the colonies and the major powers eventually refused to allow it to continue. Ultimately, Earth stopped supporting the colonies and left them to fend for themselves, as the planet implemented severe limitations on family size. At that point, most of the major nations decided to stop working together on colonizing other planets and the colonization of space slowly ground to a stop.
Over the next century, the colonies prospered, while Earth continued a downward spiral into economic ruin. In 3313, the crisis on Earth came to a flash point, when one of the major nations launched a nuclear missile at its most powerful adversary’s capital. That single launch led to massive nuclear retaliation and the ensuing nuclear holocaust ravaged the planet killing more than twelve-billion people.
Fifty-years later, the survivors, struggling among the ruins to stay alive, decided that technology was what caused the holocaust and a wave of anti-technology paranoia swept over the planet. Everything technological was destroyed in the frenzy and the survivors began a primitive existence outside the sites of the big cities, using only basic tools to farm and raise the food they needed to survive. It remained that way for two-hundred years…when starships from the colonies came back to their home world.
Chapter One
The woman sat in silence in a chair in front of the Guild Master’s desk wondering why she had been called in to a meeting. She was considered quite beautiful in the colonies, with her golden colored skin and hair. Her eyebrows and fingernails were blue and didn’t really match her green eyes, but that was the only flaw in her appearance. Her body was incredible, and she carried herself with an obvious sense of poise and self-assurance that was clear to anyone that saw her. She wore a pink and purple billowy outfit that barely covered her chest. She heard the door open to her right and looked to see a man being escorted into the room, who was led to the chair beside her. Her eyes narrowed, and she looked away from him as he took his seat. He noticed her indifference and was silent.
She almost laughed at him; his appearance was ridiculous; he had orange hair and purple eyebrows that seemed to be his only genetic modifications. He wore a matching orange stretch suit and his appearance could best be described as plain. Seemed like a lot of wasted effort to make such small changes in his appearance. She studiously ignored him and stared at the front wall. He had to be of limited intelligence to go around looking like that.
The colonies’ geneticists had discovered genetic manipulation a century earlier and, with a simple injection, every human could radically modify their appearance. They could change their hair color, skin color, weight, chest size, and a myriad of other things in their appearance. The genetic shot would not allow one to change their height or eye color; the government decided that there were some basic things that would be prevented from changing in order to identify the citizens. In a moment, genetic manipulation put the women’s makeup industry out of business and fashion became a rush to see just how flamboyant one could possibly be. The definition of beauty in the colonies changed dramatically overnight. The woman sitting in the office was a perfect example of the new beautiful.
The Guild Master entered the huge office taking his seat behind a large ornately carved wooden desk. He pressed a button and a computer screen rose out of the top of his desk, just as he turned to the two-guild-members sitting in front of him, “Do you know why you have been called in?”
The woman said indifferently, “I assume you have contracts for…” she paused and glanced at the man sitting beside her before finishing, “…us.”
“You are correct, Number One.”
The woman stared at the Guild Master with an expression that was impossible to read and asked, as she nodded toward the man sitting next to her, “Why have you brought him in? I’ve always discussed my contracts in private?”
The Guild Master glanced at the man and turned back to Number One, “There is only one contract and it will require two-agents to fulfill it; you will be working together.”
The woman was silent, as the man asked, “Are you suggesting that neither of us could get the job done alone?”
The Guild Master turned to him, “Number Two, this contract is going to be the most difficult job the Guild has ever accepted; I’m betting my two-best-agents will be able to get it done.”
The woman flinched slightly when the Guild Master called the man Number Two. With that high of a ranking, he couldn’t possibly be as dumb as he looked. The man looked at the woman, “My name is Tal.”
She turned to him and her expression showed nothing, but the man sensed only her disdain for him, as she turned back to the Guild Master without responding to him, “Why don’t you tell me about the contract and let me determine if I need any one else on this job; You know I work alone!” Tal kept his expression neutral and turned back to the Guild Master to hear his respon
se; he didn’t like her attitude but refused to let it show.
The Guild Master’s brow furrowed, “The target of the contract is on Earth.” Tal’s eyes widened slightly before he caught himself. The woman’s expression revealed nothing. “Go on,” she replied.
“The Council received information that a scientist on Earth is close to developing an operational stardrive. The contract is to go to Earth and prevent that from happening. It will require removing anyone on Earth essential in its development.”
The woman shrugged, “You know it’s only a matter of time until they discover that technology. Earth was the first planet to discover a stardrive centuries ago and there might still be a working model on the planet.”
“Phase drive technology is not easily developed, Number One, and Earth destroyed every piece of technology on the planet after the nuclear holocaust,” The Guild Master responded. “The Council is adamant that Earth must not discover it again and is willing to do whatever is necessary to prevent it.”
Tal interjected, “Why would it be a problem? The colonies are light years ahead of Earth technologically; Earth can’t possibly be much of a threat to us. Why not let them have it?”
“That was true in the past, Number Two, but we’re not as far ahead of Earth as you think,” the Guild Master replied. He stared at the two-guild-members and then continued, “I know that most people in the colonies see Earth as a backward, primitive planet that would never pose a threat to them; but they’re wrong. All people remember about Earth is the nuclear war that killed most of the planet’s population more than six-hundred-years ago, the anti-technology paranoia that swept Earth, after the apocalypse, destroying every technological device on Earth, leaving the planet little more than a simple farming civilization. The survivors blamed science for causing the nuclear holocaust.”
“Are you saying that is no longer the case?” the woman asked with no emotion in her voice.
“It hasn’t been the case for more than three-hundred-and-fifty-years,” the Guild Master answered. “Earth started developing technology about three-hundred years ago and have made staggering advances in that time.”
“That’s our fault,” Tal replied.
The woman turned to him, as the Guild Master lowered his eyes, “And just how do you get off saying that, Number Two?”
Tal’s expression didn’t change as he said somberly, “It was about four-hundred-years ago that the colonies started sending starships to Earth, once the radiation levels returned to a safe level, to purchase the food they grew. The traders didn’t negotiate a fair price with the farmers but dictated to them what they would have to accept for their crops. When they hesitated, they were told that they would accept the price, or the traders would just take their crops from them…”
The Guild Master interrupted, “I agree that we were initially somewhat heavy-handed in dealing with them.”
“So, what happened?” the woman interrupted.
The Guild Master turned to her, “It appears the farmers saw the wealth of the traders coming to take their crops and envied it. The nuclear war happened centuries earlier and Earth decided that perhaps technology wasn’t quite as bad as they thought. They started developing basic technology; initially things like electricity, motorized vehicles, and ultimately, nuclear power began appearing around the planet. Not far behind that, they began modernizing their cities and arming the planet again.”
Tal leaned forward, “I’ve never heard anything about that on any of the news wires.”
The Guild Master nodded, “That information has been censored out by the Council. The general population was unaware about it until recently, when several tourist companies began offering cruises to Earth. The visitors to Earth came back telling everyone who would listen that Earth was a great vacation destination with all the modern conveniences. Now word is slowly getting out that Earth is as advanced as any of the colonies and worth the trip. The Council has been keeping a close eye on Earth and they’re worried about what’s happening there.”
“Is Earth as advanced as the colonies?” the woman asked.
The Guild Master looked at her, “They aren’t close to our level of genetic manipulation, but in some ways, they are possibly more advanced.” The woman raised an eyebrow and the Guild Master continued, “In weapon technology, they are, at the very least, our equal.”
“How is that possible?” Tal asked.
“They have a bone to pick with the colonies for the way we’ve treated them over the centuries and are motivated to prevent our intrusion into their internal affairs. The colonies have never experienced a war since they were founded before Earth blew itself up; weapon development has never been high on our agenda. Their warships are now very close to ours technologically.”
Tal shook his head, “But why build warships, they can’t be used outside their solar system without a star drive.”
The Guild Master nodded, “That’s true, Number Two, but they can be used against our warships that go to their planet. That’s why stopping the development of a stardrive by Earth is imperative.”
“Does the nations on Earth still have wars?”
“No, Tal; they do not. The planet is currently united under one government.”
“It makes no sense to build warships,” the woman added. “Without a stardrive, they wouldn’t stand a chance against our fleet, our ships would run circles around them.”
The Guild Leader shook his head slightly in disappointment at her not seeing the obvious, “That’s not hard to figure out, Number One. I suspect they’ve built them anticipating the development of a stardrive in the future. But even barring that, they see us as a threat and the phase-stardrive advantage of our warships doesn’t work inside the influence of a planet’s gravity. Our ships would lose their advantage inside the influence of Earth’s gravity. They built their warships to make sure we can no longer continue to force them to our will.”
Tal smiled slightly, “Imagine that.”
The Guild Master’s expression turned slightly angry, “Look, I didn’t bring you in here to teach a class in ethics. You’re my two-best-assassins and I need the scientist who is close to developing a stardrive eliminated, along with the scientific-staff around him. Going out to do this alone won’t work. Any one going to Earth alone will be targeted and tracked closely by their security forces. We’ve already tried to get single agents in and failed in the effort. Your best chance for success is to go on a cruise ship as a married couple. All I need from you is your signature on the contract accepting the job; now, are you in or out?!”
Tal looked at the woman and she asked him, “I assume you’ve never turned down a contract?”
“If I had, I wouldn’t be ranked number-two in the Assassins Guild. I think it’s safe to say you’ve never refused one either?”
The woman shrugged, “No, I’ve never turned one down.” She turned to the Guild Master, “However, this is one that might cause me to do just that.”
The Guild Master snorted, “There are hundreds of guild members that would jump at the opportunity to rise in rank by accepting it, if you refuse. You do know, if you decline the contract, the royalty percentage you get for each successful contract you make in the future would be more than halved with your loss in ranking!”
She looked at Tal, “My name is Ka. If I refuse it, you would be the new Number One.”
The man shook his head, “If you refuse it, I suspect I’ll refuse it as well.”
“ARE THE TWO-OF-YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MINDS?!” the Guild Master shouted.
Ka ignored him, “Why is that?” she asked Tal calmly. His statement surprised her.
Tal’s eyes showed his amusement, “You didn’t become Number One in the guild for lack of intelligence and talent. Anyone that replaces you would reduce the chance of success in fulfilling the contract. Any idiot can see this contract is trouble with a capital T!” Tal glanced at the Guild Master, as he listened to their back and forth, before continuing, “The Gui
ld Master knows it, too; we’re being sent to a place you and I know nothing about and I suspect we’ve been chosen because the Guild Master has been offered a handsome bribe to open up our slots by other members of the Guild.”
Ka turned to the Guild Master and clearly read his expression. Tal was right. The Guild Master lowered his eyes before responding, “Don’t even try to read anything into my facial expressions! The Council specified the requirements for this contract and insisted on sending my two-best-agents! I had nothing to do with your selections.”
Ka stared at him and then smiled showing her first emotion since she entered the room, “But it gave you the perfect opportunity to accept a few bribes from guild members wanting us removed but are too fearful to do it themselves. If we fail and die in this effort, or if we succeed, you’ll still keep the bribes; you’ll tell them you did all you could to get us eliminated and they can’t fault you for the effort.”
The Guild Master shrugged and smiled slightly, “It’s not personal; we’re all in this business to make a living.”
Tal lowered his eyes, “The Council will be extremely unhappy if the Assassins Guild fails to carry out their contract.”
The Guild Master’s face turned angry, “What are you saying? Is this a threat?”
“No, Guild Master, I’ll accept the job on one condition?”
“And what is that?”
“I want the names of the guild members that paid you off to send us?” The Guild Master stared at Tal, and Tal continued, “You know you’d prefer to not have to look over your shoulder wondering if they’re angry if we survive. I’d be doing you a favor, Guild Master.”
The Guild Master turned to Ka, “Are you in or out?”
Tal turned to Ka, “He’s right, Ka. The reason he’s sending two-agents is because the security forces on Earth know that assassins usually work alone. If either of us tried to do this alone, Earth’s agents would be on us like white on rice. We know nothing about what we’ll be facing on Earth and scouting will be close to impossible. Going as a couple makes sense and increases the odds of success.”
