EARTH
By Jessica Frances
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2014 Jessica Frances
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
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Cover Design by MGBookcovers
Editing by C&D Editing
Earth– Book 1
Chapter 1
Marduke
Eugene, Oregon, United States of America
I’ve always wondered who I am because I honestly have no clue. I’m a son. I’m a brother. I’m competition. I’m the future. I’m also a coward. None of those tell me exactly who I am, though.
My father, Sergii, is the leader of our home planet, Oden, and controls several planets as well. We are part of an elite group of families who are able to rule Oden. My brother and I were born because we must carry on with our family’s legacy by not only honouring our past, but also adding to our family successes with our own accomplishments. It is how it has always been and always will be. Any one of the twelve elite families can be elected to rule, but for over a century, it has been my family. We’ve been in charge for four generations now, and as my father demands of us, it is how it will remain for many generations to come.
There is a reason we’ve been in charge for as long as we have. Only my family has been ruthless enough to acquire planets as we do. Only my family has led Oden to the successes we’ve had. Nine planets acquired in only a hundred twenty years, three of them under my father’s rule.
I’ve never seen a problem with this. I’ve never cared about what we’ve done and continue to do. I’ve never even questioned what we take and claim without care. I haven’t once considered the way me and my brother, Ival, were raised might be thought of as harsh and wrong. It didn’t even occur to me to question being forced to mate with a female of my father’s choice. I think I might have even been told who that will be, but I’ve never paid attention to whom my future mate will be. It is going to happen when the time is right and that is all I’ve needed to know.
I’ve long been taught there is no love in our world, only power and respect. It hasn’t been until my recon mission to Earth that I’ve begun to question things.
We’ve found many planets in the near vicinity of Earth, but my father wants us to take this planet first. The natural resources and similar atmosphere to our own planet will be priceless to our future.
Never before have we seen a planet so populated, even more so than our own. And the beauty and life here is astounding. I’m in awe of the manmade structures and natural wonders. So much time and effort has gone into making life on Earth fun. From the exotic foods to the entertainment box—a TV—which everyone appears to have in most rooms of their homes, to the thrill seeking pleasures that people take at every turn. Humans are so different to our own people and our culture because they have so many different highs and lows.
I’ve also seen some horrible things on Earth, some truly awful and mindless tortures that I can’t understand at all. It shows me how ruthless humans can be. I see the horrors at their hospitals. How have they not found cures to all their diseases yet?
While the humans have focused on building up their weapons for their governments, fighting each other and pumping out mindless entertainment, on Oden we have focused our energy on healing any illness that touches us, on perfecting our combat skills and fitness. We don’t work for money because we work in whatever class we’re given. We have zero crime and no animosity. It has never occurred to me that our people might want something more out of life, or that there is something different compared to the way we do things in the universe.
Our people are generally placid and incredibly loyal to us. The two exceptions to being easy-going are probably my father and brother. They’re both power hungry and have only the goal of furthering Oden’s rule in the universe and making a legacy that will never be forgotten.
When my father decided to take Earth as our own, we had to change our usual way of obtaining a planet. For one, the humans pose a huge problem. The sheer number of them is daunting, but my father has a plan. We are going to take them all away from here, empty Earth so that we can control them on our own terms. It is for the best for not only us, but for the humans, too. They don’t know how to take care of a planet, and Earth is dying because of it. Really, we are rescuing this planet.
We aren’t usually a violent race and we have not come across a violent species in over a hundred years. Even then, the Claws were mindless creatures only after our blood.
Humans are different. They look like us and have brains that can strategize and plan. If we attack too early or unprepared, we have a good chance of not only losing this fight, but also good people as well.
So I was sent here with my brother to breathe in this world. There are several of my people scattered amongst Earth, doing surveillance and research, however I have been stationed with my brother in the northern part of America on the west coast.
This is my first visit to a planet that is not Oden or part of the nine we already own. Ival came here first and he has shown me the death and destruction that is being done to this beautiful planet. I have seen the pollution, destruction of forests, wars with each other, and the diseases that still ravish this place.
He has shown me the weapons that have been created here just to kill. There are guns, bombs, deadly chemicals and other death machines. I am horrified at what we’ve found here.
We’ve sent word back to my father and he’s started to prepare an army. Ival and the others have sent back data, maps and schematics on Earth’s weapons. He was able to gather most information needed just by hacking into a portable computer that connects to an invisible web. With the use of our own advanced technology, the human’s security proved weak, and within months, Ival had sent off everything he thought was needed to win this fight. He sent documents, recruitment videos and even theatrical movies. Everything went back to our people that had to do with defence strategies, previous wars, and all types of weapons.
Our people there have taken that information and modified our own defences so we can properly fight the humans. We know we will need to attack quickly, without warning, and we’ll need to cut off their communication to each other. Going dark will prevent them from forming any real plans against us.
It will take us time to get this right, and unless Ival or I alert our father of a reason to speed the process up, we’re looking at an entire year on this planet before the invasion starts.
I would be lying if I said I’m not feeling a little nervous. This will be my first hostile takeover and Oden’s first one in over a hundred years. Usually the planets we find that can be of use to us are either empty or the life there has little to no defence. This has the potential to be our greatest find and our biggest fight to date. Therefore, once the attack happens, Ival and I will hover above Earth to ensure our safety. We’ll wait until we get word that it is over, and then we will wait on Earth until Father arrives.
So Ival and I wait for our orders and continue to live on Earth, just biding our time until the attack happens and we can take over this planet.
Months slowly drift by, and at first, I don’t want to leave the small apartment that Ival has acquired for us. I’m ashamed to say I am terrified of what I will find outside the walls that protect me. All my gathered knowledge has come from books Ival has brought back to the apartment or from the TV we have access to. But the walls begin to close in on me, the air feels too stagnate, and I’m lonely.
I’ve
always kept to myself, rarely speaking or interacting with anyone back at home. This is different. I’m surrounded by nothing familiar and technology that I don’t fully understand. I’ve never gone so long without seeing someone other than my brother. Back home, I have my trainers, guards, and on occasion, I’ll see my mother.
Even Ival has grown sick of our confinements and left to explore, often disappearing for days or weeks at a time.
I’ve felt hesitant to take that step outside the front door, though. I’ve even opened it up a few times and poked my head outside. There’s always strange vibrations coming from the place next door to us, a bass sound that moves to a beat. There is screaming from the other side; two humans yelling at each other, usually all night. Later, I’ll often hear other noises where the couple is making up with each other, sounds that I’m definitely embarrassed to be overhearing.
Back home I’m used to silence, but here on Earth, I rarely hear nothing. Not with the noisy neighbours and busy street down below us. I want to go someplace quiet, a place where no one else is around me. I need to get away from this apartment.
So one day, in late March, I do.
Opening one of the windows, I let the cold breeze enter the apartment and feel the light sprinkle of rain in the air. There are dark clouds overhead which suggest it will start to rain very soon.
I feel an excitement and adrenaline building up inside me as I decide today is the day I will go outside these walls. I open and close our door and use a physical key in my hand to lock it. It feels strange to have to manually lock it. Back on Oden, we have no such thing.
I make my way along the hallway, down the stairs, and as I step out onto the sidewalk, I’m almost run over by someone on a bicycle. The man yells abuse at me, shaking his fist in the air, before he turns around the corner and I hear a short scream, then more abuse from the same man.
I stare around me, worried I’ve caused a scene and everyone will be staring. Will they know I’m not from here? That I’m not even from Earth? Have I made a huge mistake by coming out here?
My paranoia is unfounded, though, because everyone appears to be in a rush, and no one is sparing me any attention. Even given the early hour, there is heavy traffic on the road. We have nothing like a car back home. We have areas that we teleport to and there are zero exhaust fumes. Cars seem like a dangerous way to travel.
In the distance to my left, I see trees and grasslands, so I head that way while careful not to run into anyone else. I keep my head down and pull awkwardly at my t-shirt. I don’t own anything warmer, and underneath, my argu is irritating me. It’s a family heirloom, one that is given to every reigning family. It looks something like a vest which is made of the strongest material known to the universe. It’s priceless, and when we are out on a mission, it is never to be removed.
Ival and I both wear one, and my father and mother own the other two we have. Since we are the smallest family to rule, we have many spare argus. Even so, they have been locked away until needed by only our family. No one else is allowed to wear one—not our guards, not our trainers, and most definitely, not our people. If a time comes when our family is voted out of leadership, then we will give them up.
After months on this planet and never taking it off, I’m ready to destroy it. It’s not that it’s heavy or even all that warm. It’s just a constant pressure on me that is frustrating.
This whole planet is annoying me. I want to go home.
I enter the park to find it larger than I’ve imagined. I’m only a few steps in when the buzz of life outside already moves to the background. After several more steps in, it is almost gone. Instead, I hear the leaves rustling in the wind, the laughter of small children running on a strange looking contraption and sliding down over it. Parents mill around, cradling beverages in their hands, smiling and talking amongst themselves. It all looks so peaceful.
I move over to a bench, slightly damp from the wet air, and sit down to watch. I’m not noticed as I sit there for over an hour.
It’s then that my eyes are drawn away from the view in front of me to a woman jogging. I’m not sure why I can’t take my eyes off her. I lean forwards, my elbows resting on my knees as I take in everything I can about her.
Her long, blonde hair is tied back away from her face, but a few strands have escaped to stick to her forehead and face where sweat has built up. Her skin is lightly tanned, her eyes a deep blue. Bluer than anything I’ve seen on any planet. Her body is fit with muscles that contract with every step she places on the ground. She’s tall—not as tall as me, but taller than most people I’ve seen walking along the streets. She wears headphones with wires attached to a small device strapped over her shoulder, which brings my attention back to her body again.
I’ve seen a lot of almost naked women since I’ve been on Earth, watching the TV—it appears unavoidable. To me, the fashion on this planet is strange and far more revealing than what is normal on Oden. I’ve found myself reacting to those images much as I imagine any man must, but none of those have made my heart race or have had me wanting to ever meet the women on the small monitor.
I realise that this person jogging is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Not only does my body want her—which is evident when my legs bring me to stand and I take several steps towards her without actually meaning to move at all—but questions about this stranger suddenly bombard my mind.
What is her name? How does her voice sound? What does her smile look like? Does she have a mate? Is she as sweet as she appears? Why is she jogging alone?
I force my feet to freeze, yet there is no hope convincing my gaze to move away from her. She hasn’t seen me staring, her concentration only on the worn trail in front of her. She moves along the slight bend, bringing her directly in line with where I am standing, although I’m still several feet from the trail. Then I get a view of her from behind as she passes me.
Her hair swings from side to side; some hair is glued to the back of her neck from sweat. There is a small, damp patch along her back and a gap between where her skin-tight t-shirt finishes and her shorts start, displaying the skin of her stomach. I have a forbidden urge to rip those shorts away from her and see her obviously perfectly formed ass without the obstacle of material. Her legs are long and I see new muscles bunching from the backs of her thighs and calves. Her legs lead my eyes back upwards, again landing on her delectable ass and then back up her back.
I can’t help myself now, running towards the same trail and following her. I need to see her, need to talk to her, and strangely, I worry that she shouldn’t be out here on her own. I’ve seen the death, violence and weapons this planet has and is capable of. I need to protect her, which doesn’t make sense to me since she is obviously human. I’m here to take this planet away from her.
Where are these urges coming from?
I stay close to her, though not so close she will notice me following her. I imagine speaking to her, wondering what I’d say.
I have a language chip that has been implanted in my neck when I got here. I currently have access to ten Earth languages that are commonly spoken. Although Ival tells me that English is the most common in this place, I’ve never had to use it much. We’re not permitted to speak our own language at the risk of being overheard, but Ival and I don’t talk much to each other, so I’ve had very little chance to use this strange language. It has taken me months of watching TV to understand some of the slang and the correct way to pronounce words.
What if I mess up? What if I make a fool of myself? What if she knows I’m not from here?
I watch her disappear from my view behind a line of bushes, and as I round the corner, the girl suddenly steps out and crashes into me.
She is strong, stronger than I would have thought possible, and even given my wide shoulders, sturdy body and years of training, I go down easily, hitting the ground hard and falling onto my back.
“Are you following me?” she demands of me. She wipes her forehead with one hand, r
emoving the headphones with her other. Her eyes narrow on me as she stands over me so closely that I can’t stand up without needing to crawl back to get some room.
“No,” I croak out, my throat sore. I don’t think I’ve spoken in days.
She crosses her arms over her chest. “It looks to me like you are. I noticed you staring at me earlier. Do you have something you want to say?” Her voice sounds off, like she has an accent that is different to what I’ve been hearing on the TV for the past few months.
I shake my head, not sure what I’m supposed to do. My heart is still racing, and I think I might be shaking. Not because I’m scared, but because I’m so nervous. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt nerves like this in my life.
“Are you here to run?” She stares down at my clothing and I look down at myself quickly too, wondering what she sees. Am I not in suitable clothing?
“Yes.” I’m grateful my voice sounds clearer this time.
“Are you capable of saying more than one word answers?” She removes her arms from her chest, and from this angle, I get a clear view of her breasts. It does the opposite to helping me get a clear understanding of what she’s saying.
“What is your name?” I ask, hoping it is customary to ask someone on this planet at a first meeting. I honestly just really need to know the name of this beautiful human in front of me.
“I don’t give out my name to strangers. Are you from somewhere else; your accent sounds off? French, maybe?” She takes a step back and allows me the opportunity to easily stand, which as soon as I think I’ll manage it and not fall over, I’ll try.
“I’m from France.” I nod, already allowing the French in my language chip to come forth. I haven’t spoken this language at all, but I will be capable if need be.
“Cool, I’ve always wanted to visit Europe. I think I’ll end up there after college if I get recruited.” Her gaze becomes unseeing as her mind drifts away from me.
Earth (The Invasion Trilogy Book 1) Page 1
