The screen saver was a picture of a blackened sky with dozens of vessels shaped like diamonds, whitish-blue hue glowing off of them. They were dropping what looked like red energy balls on a city. The city was on fire, the buildings crumbling apart, people running, dying. Was that New York?
“That’s London,” came Anderle. “Those things are appearing over hot spots, mainly older ancient sites, like pyramids. This one materialized over Stonehenge, and then moved on, attacking everything in sight.”
Drew walked to the Range Rover, then picked up his pace, finding himself in a full out run. He didn’t know how to feel about any of this. First China was taking over. Now another damn monster was on the loose in the form of alien spacecraft, killing everything. Mya has superpowers? “We have to find Mya.” He didn’t know about this so-called superpower Anderle claimed she had. All he saw her do was heal a guy’s nose.
He reached the Range Rover, placing his hand on the door handle.
An explosion rocked the area and Drew hit the ground. The tunnel shuddered, a ball of flames erupted somewhere past the lip of the tunnel and on the gravel road. He stood, feeling the heat blast against him. He bolted to the edge of the tunnel and looked out. A Range Rover was on fire a short distance away, the front completely blown to shreds, the back intact, but wasting away in an inferno of flames.
No one survived that. They couldn’t have.
He took a step backward when the Rover’s back door opened. And out walked Mya, crying loudly, walking toward the tunnel, her face contorted in a spasm of sobs. Her hands shook. Her legs wobbled. She fell to her knees and collapsed.
Drew carried his feet as fast as they could, pumping his arms up and down, his breath coming heavy. Rocks kicked up with every step.
He slowed when he came up to Mya and bent down. She was asleep, breathing slowly, but not a single scratch on her, or any burn mark. “What the hell?” He went to pick her up. His hand singed and he pulled it back. She was as hot as a campfire.
23
Edge of M-Quadrant, Nearing Jupiter - Starship Atlantis
Ken pushed the storage room’s door open, leading them out into the Starship Atlantis’s lowest deck. “Go, go.”
More than four dozen politicians, dressed in their best business attire and wearing helmets, burst through the door and ran down the hall.
Everyone on Deck 7, the deck they were currently on, was asleep, including half the starship soldier’s stationed down in the lower bunks.
The politicians rushed the hall and lined up two per room, one holding a holographic display device.
Ken stood in front of a military barrack’s door with Governor Boz Brown, a large African American man, known for his dedication to the Constitution and the people, always making it difficult for congress to pass any erroneous laws and bills the government tried to backslide past the American people back on Earth.
Boz, like Ken, was a hound when it came to protecting the people.
Boz held an HDC device in hand.
Ken held up his hand, his heart pumping too many beats to count. He had never done such a thing, but who had? But he had to do this.
He dropped his hand, his mouth close to the helmet mic that linked to all the politicians’ helmets who volunteered for this mission: Troop Grab. A shitty name, but who cared. “Open the doors now.”
Boz inserted the swipe card in the control box next to the door.
Phhst!
The door slid open.
Ken rushed in, Boz right behind. He imagined the rest of his band of mutineers were doing the same. “This is the United States government! This is not a drill!”
Each bunk room had exactly twenty-six troops. Every sleeping soldier in the room bolted upright, woken from a dead sleep, their eyes wild.
“I’m Ken Furr, Senator. We’re taking control of the ship, under Universal Starship Laws, code two.” The Constitution had provisions for replacing a corrupt President, but this was a military ship, in space. Those rules apparently didn’t apply. They hadn’t gotten around to making Constitutional Law in Space. Ken was flying by the seat of his pants, making it up as he went along. “We’re changing your status. You’re no longer working for President Craig Martelle. He has broken Law Pact Nine-Zero-Nine.” Another made-up law. Whatever. As long as they complied, who cared? They could write the law into statute after the fact. “You’re working for your United States Government now.”
Several troops pushed out of their bunks, some in their underwear, others in boxers or sweats. Commotion filled the room.
A holographic video shot out from Boz’ HDC device, the vid hovering toward the ceiling.
“What’s going on?” said a soldier.
A few took a few steps forward, their eyes betraying their usual steady expressions.
It was a video of every communication stream that the President of the United States of America and Colonel Slade Roberson had with Kajka Okbak, the supreme leader of the Kelhoon. They watched as their President setup the troops and every person on the starship.
They were going to be farmed like animals.
They were going to be used as food throughout the Kelhoon planetary systems.
The strongest would be used as slaves, until it was time for them to land on a Kelhoon plate.
“So,” said President Martelle on the vid stream. “You’ll have us set up nicely on Callisto. That’s our deal. Slade and I will be the head of the slave trade.”
“Koonja kanga.”
Slade grinned. “You’ll be compensating us more than our world’s richest.”
“Oojkana.”
Slade and Craig both dipped their heads. “Agreed.”
Boz turned the holographic screen off.
A Marine, big, built and buff, walked up to Ken, fury in his eyes. “Reporting for duty, Sir.”
24
Unknown, Callisto - J-Quadrant, Solar System
Hot flames kicked up, crackling brush and sticks echoed against the crags, and yellowish-red light flickered on the rocks. A warmth touched the side of Rivkah’s face, a cold tinged the other side.
She touched her face and took a breath. She was alive. No, it couldn’t be. Fire? Was she in Hell?
She shook her head, whispering, “No such thing.” Death was death. Nothing more. Once you’re gone, you’re out of here; blackness. Nothingness.
She sat and gathered herself. She rolled her neck. She was in a cave. A deep cave. She couldn’t see an opening, no exit, no entrance. Perhaps it was around the corner, but no draft meant an opening wasn’t near.
A rock fell from some place high. She pushed herself into a crouch, almost falling over from dizziness. “Who’s there?” She massaged her temples, doing her best to keep herself awake and to tame the spinning world around her.
Another rock fell and boots crunched against gravel. Someone was walking toward her, though it came deep from within the shadows.
Rivkah went to grab her gun.
It wasn’t there. “Damn you, Fox.” He’d taken it from her. He left her vulnerable. Hell, he shot her. But if he did, then why wasn’t she dead? And since she was most certainly shot by the coward—she touched her chest, pressing on her collar bones and sternum—then why wasn’t there a hole?
He stunned her. But why?
“Because he saw me, Rivkah. And those Kelhoon wanted one of you dead. A fake death, but regardless, it worked.”
Rivkah moved behind the fire, using it as a barrier between herself and whoever was coming from behind the shadows. “Who are you?”
A black boot stepped into the light, then blue pants, and finally a woman in a blue Secret Space Program jump suit.
“Bogle?” Rivkah let down her guard. “How did you know what I was thinking?” She remembered. They were connected somehow through that network, through that Lady of Atlantis statue seemingly guarding the pyramids of Atlantis Alta’s capital city, Flood of Dawn. “Fox didn’t want me dead?”
“Oh, he wants you dead, but apparently
not today. On the other hand, the Kelhoon think he did a very fine job of ending your life. He not only saved your life with that attempt, he saved his own.” Bogle tapped her noggin’. “He’s a smart cat, no if’s, and’s, or but’s about it.”
Rivkah narrowed her eyes, moving a step to the side, farther away from Bogle. “You’re different.”
Bogle sat on a rock outcropping, resting her back against the cave wall. “I’ve changed, yes. I’m not that much different. Just a little less afraid. And I don’t care anymore, Rivkah. Not a bit.”
“Care about what?”
Her shirt crinkled when she shrugged. “Everything. I’ve done what I thought I was supposed to do. I thought God planted me here to kill Grenik.”
Rivkah cocked her head to the side. What an intriguing answer. “Grenik was a good man. He did nothing to harm you. In fact, from what I heard, he caught you with his craft after Star Warden blew up just above Callisto’s exosphere. He saved your life. You repaid him by leading him to his death.”
Bogle looked down. “That was my error.”
“That’s not the only error. You left us all to die. You led us into a trap.”
“Do you know what Grenik means? Do you know the significance of that name?”
Rivkah stared into the fire, thinking.
“Don’t worry. You won’t be able to answer, Riv. Grenik translates to Morning Star. The devil was named Morning Star before he fell from grace. I thought I’d killed the devil. I thought I was doing right by God.” She shook her head. “No, I did wrong by him. Morning Star was the devil’s name when he was good. Morning Star was good, not yet broken by the evils of jealousy, of envy, of lust, and greed.” She paused for a moment, looking up at Rivkah. “I broke a commandment: thou shall not kill.”
“Are you—”
Bogle put her hand up, interrupting Rivkah. “I know what you’re going to say. And, yes, I was dumb, naive, bull-headed, and I am that word you were going to use—stupid. But I have changed. I ran, I learned, and I gained strength in the process. Psychic strength through our God Almighty. And, this...” She stood and closed her eyes, concentrating. The fire hissed as if water had been thrown onto it, then vanished. The cave was pitch black. A moment later, the fire rose to an enormous height, beating against the rocky ceiling, then died down to where it was before it flickered out.
Bogle opened her eyes. “Did you see that?”
“Well, hell yes, I did. You’re turning into Jaxx, but I haven’t seen him do that before.” Rivkah moved another few steps away. “You’re not going to do that to me, are you? I’ve already been burned to the bone. I don’t want to experience that again.” Chills ran through her body. The memory was still vivid in her mind.
“I’m not going to harm another hair on anyone ever again. That’s not the Christian way.”
Rivkah wanted to giggle. What another lame-ball idea posed by a religious freak. “Well, you do your thing and I’ll do mine. Anyone tries to kill me? They get killed first. That’s my motto, sister.” She inched her way toward a corner of the cave. “By the way, you need to come with me. We’re going to get Jaxx back.”
“I know where their camp is.”
“Whose camp?”
“The Kelhoon. The leader who took Fox. They’ve been moving closer to Flood of Dawn. They aren’t far away from this spot.”
“How close are we to Flood of Dawn?”
“Three klicks north.”
Rivkah caught her breath. That was too close. By morning, they could invade and kill off everyone inside the city. “We have to warn them.”
Bogle slowly shook her head. “Let’s get the Kelhoon from inside their own camp.”
“One against thousands?” Bogle had really lost her marbles. “I’ll pass.”
Bogle clapped her hands together and armor clamored as heavy steps came from the shadows. Men and women in Atlantean armor stepped forward, tridents in their hands, revenge in their eyes.
“Welcome the warriors of North Light, here to surprise the Kelhoon. They are the followers of the Law of One, but I won’t judge them for that. They come from the city north of Flood of Dawn. They know me and will follow me because they are told, in the prophecies, that I am their leader.”
Rivkah shrugged. “Okay, where exactly is the Kelhoon camp?”
“We’re in a passageway between North Light and Flood of Dawn. The Kelhoon are directly above us.”
Rivkah looked up. This was, undoubtedly, the weirdest conversation of her life. She gestured at the ceiling. “Right there?”
Bogle nodded. “It’s time to fight.”
“Wait, now? This very instant?”
Bogle closed her eyes and a blue light beamed from the fire. The ceiling where the beam penetrated began to smoke and small grains of sandy rock fell from the beam’s impact. The cave started to shake, then a blast from the fire shot through the ceiling, exposing the sky.
Bogle, eyes closed, lowered her hands, then raised them in one fast motion. Instantly, three soldiers burst up through the hole and above ground. Bogle continued her odd movement, pushing more and more soldiers through the hole.
Cannons began roaring across the sky accompanied with small explosions. A fresh battle was underway and by the time Rivkah had caught her breath, Bogle had magically lifted the last soldier out of the passageway to the battle ensuing above.
Rivkah puffed out her cheeks. “Well, it looks like you have everything handled.” She turned to leave, but her feet wouldn’t move, wouldn’t budge an inch. She was planted in place.
“Rivkah, they need you. We all need you.”
“Uh...I have no weapons.”
“You have the greatest weapon of all. Your Chi.”
And like that, in a flash, somehow Rivkah stood next to Bogle. “What the hell?”
Bogle closed her eyes and lifted Rivkah above the lip of the tunnel and into the open.
Bombs and plasma charges detonated everywhere, tracer fire hit trees, slamming against armored Atlanteans, and bloody screams from both sides filled the combat zone.
Rivkah went for her weapon. Still not there. Off in the distance, she heard a scream—a child’s scream, a little girl’s pleas for help.
“Not again.” She charged forward, heading toward the Kelhoon camp. Up ahead, Leaping Lizard starfighters, KH1 heavy tanks, and KH29 rocket barrages lined the camp’s perimeters.
She pulled up every emotion she could muster as she ran toward the encampment walls. Her hands burned hot, her central nervous system went into overdrive, and her mind cleared. Her sight was now like an eagle, her instincts like a cat.
She was ready to kick ass and take names. On second thought, names wouldn’t be needed.
25
Edge of M-Quadrant, Nearing Jupiter - Starship Atlantis
Shaughnessy took the control panel—the box that allowed access in and out of the room, complete with a hologram interface—off the inside wall next to his door.
He looked to his right, staring at the bathroom mirror, seeing a clammy, short man with a receding hairline glaring back at him, his lips trembling, his shirt stained in sweat. He wasn’t proud of what he had done—accidentally killing thousands of people on a ship he never meant to blow up.
He had been set up. He just hoped he wasn’t going to be the fall guy, the patsy.
Red, white, and yellow wires stuck out where his control panel had been. He slid the chip out of its expansion slot and put a new one in its place, one he had enhanced. Normally, patsies were killed shortly after being setup. He didn’t want to be killed. No one would be able to change the code to get in. The only way in was to blast the door open.
He put the control panel back on and twisted the screws, tightening the panel in place.
He wiped his forehead. “Change code on my voice command only.”
“Affirmative,” replied the control panel.
“Code is 1-1-4-5-1. Please confirm.”
“New code is 1-1-4-5-1. Confirmed.”
/> He walked to his bed. It was covered in food, enough food to last him weeks. He slipped his hand in an opened a bag of barbecue chips and shoved some in his mouth.
He chewed.
His phone rang.
He swallowed.
Caller ID: Craig Martelle.
It rang again. He didn’t want to answer, but by now the entire starship, as well as the entire fleet, knew that a ship was DAWD; Dead as a White Dwarf.
And Shaughnessy had agreed to change the fleet’s and the starship’s coordinates, performing the first acts of sabotage. In fact, several acts of sabotage. Two of his own knowledge, diverting the fleet. The other without his consent or knowledge, ending The Gladstone and the lives of all who lived on it.
The phone rang a third time and his hand hovered over the answer icon.
President Craig Martelle always seemed like a good, non-violent individual. If he answered the phone, then more than likely, he could explain everything to Craig and he would understand. He would have his back when Slade caught wind.
It rang again.
Shaughnessy pressed on the icon.
He froze.
“Hello? Is this Jon?”
“Yes...yes, Sir.” Jon sat on his bed, head in his hands.
“I’m going to keep this short. We have a saboteur or several saboteurs on our ship. You’re the most experienced and best-information technologist and hardware specialist on Starship Atlantis. Our course, along with the course of the entire Secret Space Program fleet, has been re-routed. We need you to fix that for us and we need you to find out who destroyed an entire ship in the space fleet.”
Shaughnessy needed to play dumb. “Wait, a ship has gone down?” He closed his eyes, squeezing his eyelids tightly, touching the bridge of his nose.
“Yes, sir. We need you to fix navigation. We can’t seem to figure out how to change the ship’s trajectory back to its original course. And you’re the man for the job, Jon.”
Shaughnessy shook his head, not wanting to be involved in anything...anymore. “I will figure it out, Mr. President.”
Ascendant Saga Collection: Sci-Fi Fantasy Techno Thriller Page 60
