Sword of the Gods: The Chosen One (Sword of the Gods Saga)

by Anna Erishkigal

  Needles: biomechanical space dwelling creatures the size of a large porpoise with a marsupium (pouch) that can transport cargo or, if small enough, a humanoid, through space. They can instantaneously 'leap' across subspace the way an ascended being can, but are only marginally sentient. Nobody knows where needles came from. A small herd of them just appeared one day and the Alliance put them to use.

  * * *

  [1] A golem is an animated anthropomorphic being created entirely from inanimate matter to perform a set task, usually through magic or will of the gods. There is a connotation that the golem is incapable of deviating from their set duties even when warranted. The modern-day equivalent would be a robot with limited programming.

  [2] A 27-foot/8.2-meter long sea-serpent type creature meeting this description washed up off the shores of Gourock Island, Scotland in 1944. Perhaps it's a descendant of one the Eternal Emperor seeded here?

  [3] Brood pouch or carrying compartment.

  [4] çok puan ile mızrak translates literally into spear with many points. Weapon of mass destruction is used hereafter for Pareesa's nickname as that's what Mikhail thinks of her in his own mind when he translates from Ubaid into modern Galactic Standard.

  [5] Despite Mikhail's use of modern tactical designations, the concept of breaking large groups of warriors up into smaller units or 'teams' pre-dates Mikhail's visit to Earth. The earliest cave paintings depict groups of men hunting mammoths from more than one side. Mikhail is merely perfecting their ability to coordinate.