The Search for Gram
Page 30
“I was afraid of that,” said Captain Nightsong.
“What do you mean?” asked Calvin. “What are you afraid of?”
“I know where the planet Efron is,” Captain Nightsong said. “Efron is the planet across the boundary from Earth. The home world of the Efreet is the same as yours. Efron and Terra are the same planet; the Efreet could come through and attack your people at any moment.”
“Oh, hell,” said Calvin. “We’ve got to get back home right now.”
Epilogue
Bridge, TSS Terra, Golirion Orbit, HD 69830, August 30, 2021
“We are forever in your debt for returning our missing crewmembers,” said the Thor, “and I am personally in your debt for returning my son. Despite living long lives, our race does not have many children; to lose any we have is beyond tragedy.”
“You’re welcome,” said Captain Griffin. “We’re happy to have been able to rescue them. It is too bad we weren’t able to get there sooner; we might have saved more of them.”
“You did your best and honored your word,” replied the Thor. “What more could we ask of you? If you ever need our assistance, you need but ask, and we will come.”
“Thank you for your kind words,” said Captain Griffin. “I’m sure my government will have someone here shortly to open up relations between our two civilizations. We, however, just found out the Efreeti home world in their universe is the same planet as Terra in this universe; we must get back to warn our leaders and help defend our world. We also believe the Efreet may have some Sila scientists there who could help us understand how their time-based weapons work. It would be extremely helpful if we could cross over to their universe and liberate them. We need to understand how those weapons work if we are to develop an answer for them.”
“I understand,” said the Thor. “I would do the same if our positions were reversed. I wish you a safe and speedy journey to your world. Once you are successful there, we would ask for your assistance here again in dealing with the Jotunn/Efreet alliance, if you have aid to spare. With their ability to pop up anywhere at any time, we might be overwhelmed with only a moment’s notice.”
“I understand…and that is why we must get back to Terra as soon as possible.”
# # # # #
1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion of the 1st Regiment
Terran Space Force
Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Shawn ‘Calvin’ Hobbs
Executive Officer Captain Paul ‘Night’ Train
Space Force
Space Force Leader Sergeant Major ‘Master Chief’ Ryan O’Leary
Squad ‘A’ Leader Gunnery Sergeant Patrick ‘The Wall’ Dantone
Fire Team ‘1’ Leader Staff Sergeant Park ‘Wraith’ Ji-woo
Laserman Sergeant Nicholas ‘The Kid’ Tomaselli
Laserman Sergeant Margaret ‘Witch’ Andrews
Laserman Sergeant Adeline “Addie” Graham
Laserman Corporal James ‘Speedy’ Swift
Fire Team ‘2’ Leader Sergeant John ‘Mr.’ Jones
Laserman Sergeant Jamal ‘Bad Twin’ Gordon
Laserman Sergeant Austin ‘Good Twin’ Gordon
Laserman Corporal Irina ‘Spook’ Rozhkov
Laserman Sergeant Darrin ‘Homey’ Lancaster
Fire Team ‘3’ Leader Sergeant Kostyantyn ‘Shank’ Tereshchenko
Laserman Sergeant Ismail Al-Sabani
Laserman Sergeant Paul ‘Missionary’ Hiley
Laserman Corporal Pat ‘Ostrich’ Burke
Medic Corporal Michael ‘Gooch’ Higuchi
Ground Force
Ground Force Leader Master Gunnery Sergeant Bill Hendrick
Squad ‘B’ Leader Gunnery Sergeant Bob ‘Mongo’ Bryant
Fire Team ‘1’ Leader Staff Sergeant Alka ‘Z-Man’ Zoromski
Laserman Sergeant George ‘Floppy’ Nelson
Laserman Corporal Steve ‘Range’ Holm
Laserman Corporal Patrick ‘Tanker’ Harris
Laserman Corporal Riley ‘Scratch’ Dunn
Fire Team ‘2’ Leader Sergeant John ‘Black Cat’ Rowntree
Laserman Sergeant Rajesh ‘Mouse’ Patel
Laserman Corporal ‘Bob’ Bobellisssissolliss
Laserman Corporal ‘Doug’ Dugelllisssollisssesss
Laserman Corporal Sergio ‘Garcia’ Lopez
Fire Team ‘3’ Leader Staff Sergeant Rainer ‘Hoofer’ Koppenhoefer
Sniper Sergeant Rick ‘Happy’ Day
Spotter Sergeant Milissa ‘Milly’ Story
Ninja Sergeant Hattori ‘Yokaze’ Hanzo
Medic Sergeant Burt ‘Yank’ Yankiver
Space Fighter Squadron-1
CO Lieutenant Commander Shawn ‘Calvin’ Hobbs
XO Lieutenant Commander Sarah ‘Lights’ Brighton
Pilot Lieutenant Carl ‘Guns’ Simpson
Pilot Lieutenant Bryan ‘Hooty’ Hooten
Pilot Lieutenant Samuel ‘Sammy’ Jakande
Pilot Lieutenant Hans ‘Schnitzel’ Hohenstaufen
Pilot Lieutenant ‘Tex’ Teksssellisssiniss
Pilot Lieutenant John ‘Mack’ McCarter
Pilot Lieutenant Danny L. ‘Brick’ Walling
Pilot Lieutenant Jiang ‘Tooth’ Fang
Pilot Lieutenant Pete ‘Rock’ Ayre
Pilot Lieutenant Pablo ‘Bob’ Acosta
Pilot Lieutenant Jeff ‘Canuck’ Canada
Pilot Lieutenant Tatyana ‘Khan’ Khanilov
Pilot Lieutenant Kenneth ‘Primo’ Miller
Pilot Lieutenant Denise ‘Frenchie’ Michel
Pilot Lieutenant Miguel ‘Ghost’ Carvalho
Pilot Lieutenant William “Vincenzo” Santiago
Pilot Lieutenant Phil ‘Oscar’ Meyer
NFO Lieutenant Tobias ‘Toby’ Eppler
NFO Lieutenant Neil ‘Trouble’ Watson
NFO Lieutenant Vernon ‘Collie’ Shepherd
NFO Lieutenant Dan ‘K-Mart’ Knaus
NFO Lieutenant ‘Olly’ Ollisssellissess
NFO Lieutenant Faith ‘Bore’ Ibori
NFO Lieutenant Erika ‘Jones’ Smith
NFO Lieutenant Mark ‘Chomper’ Melanson
NFO Lieutenant Sasaki ‘Supidi’ Akio
NFO Lieutenant Gwon ‘Happy’ Min-jun
NFO Lieutenant Larry ‘Grocer’ Albertson
NFO Lieutenant Keith ‘Pool’ Dodd
NFO Lieutenant Hakan ‘Mays’ Yilmaz
NFO Lieutenant Ira ‘Rocket’ Hensley
NFO Lieutenant Ali Ahmed ‘Sandy’ Al-Amri
NFO Lieutenant Reyne ‘Rafe’ Rafaeli
NFO Lieutenant Aharsi ‘Swammi’ Goswami
The following is an
Excerpt from Book 2 of the Codex Regius:
Beyond The Shroud of the Universe
___________________
Chris Kennedy
Available from Chris Kennedy Publishing
Fall, 2015
eBook, Paperback and Audio
Excerpt from “Beyond the Shroud of the Universe:”
“The control rod only lets me take two other people,” said Captain Nightsong. “We really don’t want to take any more at one time, anyway, because the room where we’re going is very small, and no one wants to transport into a wall. Since we can’t go in with enough people to make a difference at the start, we should go in with just a small group, so there is less of a chance of them seeing us. They may have some kind of monitor or sensor which lets them know how many people are around; three is a lot less suspicious than 10. While three could be friends going for a walk, they’re going to know 10 people are conspirators up to no good.”
“I agree,” said Calvin. “Okay, here’s the plan. I’m going to jump in first with Captain Nightsong and K-Mart because he has the most experience with the Sila. We will take a quick look to make sure everything is still the way Captain Nightsong remembers, then we’ll come back and get the rest of the platoon.”
“Do you really think that�
�s wise, sir?” asked Master Chief.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean every time you go somewhere without me, you always seem to get into some sort of trouble that I have to pull you out of. Wouldn’t it be smarter and save us all a lot of time and trouble if I just went with you now?”
“I’ll be fine, Master Chief,” said Calvin. “Captain Nightsong has been here before and knows the lay of the land. We’ll just take a quick look and be back to get everyone else. That way, we’ll also know whether we can wear our suits or not.”
“You know sir, I’ve been thinking,” said Master Chief after a pause.
“Damn,” said Calvin. “Master Chief’s been thinking? Now I am scared.”
“That’s really funny, sir,” Master Chief replied. “Seriously, though, what if the damn Psiclopes got it all wrong? What if I’m actually the hero, and you’re just one of my sidekicks? Have you ever thought of that? I seem to have to save the day all the time; wouldn’t that make me the hero? Perhaps you should let me lead this one. I’ve got a bad feeling about it.”
“Now Master Chief, if you were the hero, you’d have to go to all the press conferences and do all the media interviews. Is that what you want? To be in front of the cameras all the time?”
“Screw that,” said Master Chief. “Okay, you win. You can go, but please be careful for a change, won’t you?”
“I will,” said Calvin with a smile.
“Don’t worry about it,” said Captain Nightsong. “He’ll be with me. What could go wrong?”
* * * * *
About the Author
A bestselling science fiction/fantasy author and speaker, Chris Kennedy is a former aviator with over 3,000 hours flying attack and reconnaissance aircraft for the United States Navy. Chris is currently working as an Instructional Systems Designer for the Navy and is an Advisory Board member of Hampton Roads Writers.
Chris' full length novels include the "Occupied Seattle" military fiction duology, "The Theogony" science fiction trilogy and the "War for Dominance" fantasy trilogy. Chris is currently working on "Beyond the Shroud of the Universe," the fifth book set in the Theogony universe.
Titles by Chris Kennedy
“Red Tide: The Chinese Invasion of Seattle” – Available Now
“Occupied Seattle” – Available Now
“Janissaries: Book One of The Theogony” – Available Now
“When the Gods Aren’t Gods: Book Two of The Theogony” – Available Now
“Terra Stands Alone: Book Three of The Theogony” – Available Now
“Can’t Look Back: Book One of the War for Dominance” – Available Now
“Beyond the Shroud of the Universe: Book Five of The Theogony” – Available Soon
“Chasing the Past: Book Two of the War for Dominance” – Available Soon
* * * * *
Connect with Chris Kennedy Online
Website: http://chriskennedypublishing.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chriskennedypublishing.biz
Twitter: @ChrisKennedy110
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The following is an
Excerpt from Book 11 of the The Empire’s Corps:
First to Fight
___________________
Christopher G. Nuttall
Available in eBook Now from Christopher G. Nuttall
Excerpt from “First to Fight” by Christopher G. Nuttall:
Prologue
The Empire did not believe in heroes.
This may seem odd to us, but the Grand Senate was very keen to promote the idea that no one - absolutely no one - stood head and shoulders above everyone else. The idea that someone might be deserving of extra praise was alien to it, an attitude that makes no sense unless you realise that a popular hero might serve as a rallying point for resistance to the Grand Senate and the government. Indeed, when someone did become a hero, their positions were quietly undermined; their reputations were called into question, their failures were promoted while their successes were quietly ignored and - if they failed to get the hint - they were often reassigned to somewhere nicely isolated.
The careers of Admiral Stockholm and Admiral Valentine serve, alas, as examples of the vicious jealousy shown by the Grand Senate towards anyone who dared to win unsanctioned admiration. Admiral Stockholm, who saved an entire sector from an insurgency that threatened to drag it out of the Empire’s clutches, was punished for daring to succeed where others failed. Tame reporters were encouraged to ask questions about the disposition of the loot - with the obvious implication the Admiral had been looting himself - while his failure to achieve an impossible degree of perfection was held against him. By the time he resigned from the service, he was a broken man, worn down by fighting against a foe he could neither understand nor defeat.
Admiral Valentine, by contrast, knew very well which side his bread was buttered on. He served the Grand Senate loyally and, despite a lacklustre performance on Han, found himself assigned to Earth just prior to the Empire’s collapse. Valentine was no hero; he may have been promoted as a military genius, but he commanded no loyalty from anyone outside his own family. He posed no threat to the Grand Senate, while Admiral Stockholm, given the right opportunity, could easily have become a rogue warlord, followed by his loyal officers.
Heroes, the Empire claimed, simply did not exist. The stars of stage and screen were not heroes; they were either promoted as figureheads for their staffs or portrayed as fools, cowards or criminals. Heroes from the past were deconstructed until their warts came to overshadow their successes. Captain Ian Macpherson, a noted naval hero during the Unification Wars, fought in seventy-one battles and won sixty-nine of them, a record unmatched before or since. However, most portrayals of Macpherson in the Empire focus on his relationship with his wife, including a strong allegation that he cheated on her. The simple fact that theirs was an arranged marriage, that they both had extra-marital partners, that they knew and understood what they were doing is simply ignored. Macpherson, dead and gone, is branded a villain in the eyes of the Empire’s public.
It is easy, of course, to see why the Grand Senate was so distrusting of heroes. The Grand Senators lacked charisma, let alone the common touch that would allow them to win the love and admiration of the people they ruled. They were so detached from their subjects that they might as well have lived in another universe. A hero, on the other hand, who commanded respect and loyalty from his followers, was a deadly threat. Might Admiral Stockholm have taken his fleet to Earth and overthrown the Grand Senate? The Grand Senate did not command the loyalty it needed to secure its position - how could it? All it could do was systematically undermine anyone who might have posed a threat.
Like so much else, it was a policy that proved disastrous. As the Empire neared the point of final collapse, military officers in high places were paralysed by the fear of showing any independent volition of their own, or so resentful of the lack of appreciation that they were scheming to take advantage of the fall to establish their own empires. The emotional ties between the Empire and its military officers were broken, allowing room for strong-minded officers to forge ties of their own. In many ways, the post-Empire universe was a return to the age of heroes - and villains. A strong man in the right place, at the right time, could make the difference between the survival of civilisation or a collapse into barbarism.
Colonel Edward Stalker is one such hero.
I first met the Colonel when I was exiled from Earth, bare months before the Fall. He was and remains an impressive man, a Captain of Marines exiled himself (along with his marines) for daring to tell the Grand Senate the truth. In short order, Captain Stalker not only reasserted control over Avalon, but forged a lasting peace that laid the groundwork for the Commonwealth. Avalon may have been abandoned by the Empire - the message warning us
that we were being left to our own devices arrived long after Earth itself had fallen - but Captain (now Colonel) Stalker never gave up. He led the growing power of Avalon against interstellar pirates, the military dictatorship of Admiral Singh and the threatening empire of Wolfbane. His life was not free of warts - no one is free of warts - but they never overshadowed his success.
It took me years to convince Colonel Stalker to write his autobiography. He was not enthusiastic about the project, if only because he didn't see himself as a hero or anything other than a marine trying to do his duty. I pushed as hard as I dared, reminding him that his story was an inspiration to the children of Avalon, to the men and women who lived in safety because of him and his marines. Even so, it was not until recently that I was able to convince him to put hand to keyboard and start outlining his early life and career.
I have changed none of the essence of this document, beyond inserting a handful of quotes and notes about the final days of the Empire. There are aspects, for various reasons, he chose to gloss over. As many of these aspects are covered in other works, I have not pressed the issue.
This, then, is the story of the forging of a Terran Marine - and a hero, even if he doesn't want the title. And it is that, I think, that makes him a true hero.