by T. R. Harris
Galactic Vortex
Book 4 of The Adam Cain Saga
T.R. Harris
Set in The Human Chronicles Universe
THC
Tom Harris Creations
Copyright 2020
by Tom Harris Creations, LLC
All rights reserved.*
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Novels by T.R. Harris
The Adam Cain Saga
The Dead Worlds
Empires
Battle Plan
Galactic Vortex
Dark Energy (Coming April 23, 2020)
The Human Chronicles
The Fringe Worlds
Alien Assassin
The War of Pawns
The Tactics of Revenge
The Legend of Earth
Cain’s Crusaders
The Apex Predator
A Galaxy to Conquer
The Masters of War
Prelude to War
The Unreachable Stars
When Earth Reigned Supreme
A Clash of Aliens
Battlelines
The Copernicus Deception
Scorched Earth
Alien Games
The Cain Legacy
The Andromeda Mission
Last Species Standing
Invasion Force
Force of Gravity
Mission Critical
The Lost Universe
The Immortal War
Destroyer of Worlds
Phantoms
Terminus Rising
The Last Aris
The Human Chronicles Box Set Series
Box Set #1 – Books 1-5 in the series
Box Set #2 – Books 6-10 in the series
Box Set #3 – Books 11-15 in the series
Box Set #4 – Books 16-20 in the series
Box Set #5—Books 21-25 in the series
REV Warriors Series
Rev
REV: Renegades
REV: Rebirth
REV: Revolution
REV: Retribution
REV: Revelations (coming soon)
REV Warriors Box Set #1 – Books 1-3 in the series
Jason King – Agent to the Stars Series
The Enclaves of Sylox
Treasure of the Galactic Lights
The Drone Wars Series
Day of the Drone
In collaboration with Co-Author George Wier…
The Liberation Series
Captains Malicious
Available exclusively on Amazon.com and FREE to members of Kindle Unlimited.
Contents
The alien with an attitude is back!
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
Next Up - Dark Energy
Author’s Notes
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Novels by T.R. Harris
The alien with an attitude is back!
The Adam Cain Saga
Moving to the tropical paradise world of Liave-3 was supposed to be a reward for twenty years of saving the galaxy from a variety of aliens with evil intent. But for Adam Cain, Sherri Valentine and Riyad Tarazi, it’s turning out to be anything but a reward. It’s turning into a disaster.
Besieged by deadly aliens, killer AI’s and political considerations, the Humans are learning they’ll need all their skills and natural abilities to survive.
In this latest adventure…
Adam and his friends are now the top dogs in the Dead Zone. But with their new jobs come added responsibility. Now politics begin to play a larger role, requiring Adam to risk his life on behalf of the Dead Zone refugee groups. Not only that, but a trail of unlikely events leads to the discovery of the most-deadly threat to face the galaxy in a long time.
To save the day, Adam will receive help from the most unexpected sources. Even still, will it be enough?
Adam Cain and friends are back! Let the alien ass-kicking commence!
Prologue
“You give Humans a license to kill and soon they will be killing everything in sight.”
Dal Divisen shook his head, looking at the outspoken, green-skinned alien seated across from him. His name was Anarac Sivad and he owned the largest lumber mill on Liave-3. His facilities operated around the clock providing building materials for the dozens of growing communities sprouting up in the area. His wealth bought him a seat at the table, even if his decorum was lacking.
“Then who better than a Human?” Dal asked.
“The Rigorians, for one,” Anarac answered. “They are accomplished warriors and skilled with weapons.”
“And in the past they have been bested by Humans on numerous occasions,” Dal countered. “Tell us, Anarac, what is your real concern with the Humans?”
The alien looked nervously up the table to where Adam Cain sat with his two friends, Sherri Valentine and Riyad Tarazi.
“I will tell you,” he began defiantly. “They terrify me; just looking at them does so. They may be small and unassuming; however, they harbor a deadly secret, a savageness that has cost countless lives throughout the galaxy.”
“They have also saved many more,” offered another alien at the table.
Dal waved his hand impatiently. “Perhaps that is what we need in these critical times; someone who can evoke terror with their very presence. As we embark on the establishment of laws and attempt to enforce them throughout the Zone, intimidation is an admirable trait to possess. And yes, we all know the history of the Humans; however, there is no denying their abilities, especially the accomplishments of the three seated here with us today. Their participation in the new police force will produce significant benefits in the years to come.”
“A point of order, my friend,” said Lion/El. “Sherri Valentine cannot be part of the proposed police force. She is my Vice-Minister. She cannot add magistrate to her duties; it would be a conflict of interest.”
“And I don’t want to be a part of it, either,” Sherri said forcefully. “I have businesses to run. This VM job is supposed to be part-time, and if it becomes too much work, I’m out. I told you that before.”
“That is understandable,” Lion/El said. “But we all know the position is mostly ceremonial, designed to appease the concerns of the Orion-Cygnus Union and its Human masters. As my good friend Dal Divisen has often pointed out, the Union is upset because the unified refugee groups chose to side with the Expansion over them in the recent vote, while defining the Zone as a Protectorate rather than joining the Expansion as a full member. They also elected to revisit this decision every two years, at which time a new vote will take place. This surprising turn of events has served to keep the status quo in place—at least to a degree—while at the same time giving the refugees legal title to their respective homeworlds, which is what they have wanted all along.
“This arrangement also allows the Union to still roam freely within the Zone and attempt to spread its influence, while the Expansion mu
st serve at the will of the refugees, yet without any overriding authority. They are only to act if the region is threatened by overt force from outside. All internal affairs—including the enforcement of laws and property rights—becomes the responsibility of the newly formed government on Navarus—the world formerly known as Liave-3—as the designated capital of the region. We are free to act in our best interests, since the major refugee groups have no wish to resettle their lost homeworlds, but rather to use them simply as a means of generating enormous wealth, which they can then transfer to other parts of the galaxy. The refugees who escaped moments before Kracion’s attack on their homeworlds were the wealthy and politically connected, and as such, they have no interest in returning to their planets to become farmers and laborers. They have imported colonists for that, who now work to strip the planets of their wealth and prepare them for shipment to other parts of the galaxy. That was the primary reason the refugee groups chose the Expansion over the Union. There are seven thousand worlds in the Expansion, compared to only seventy-eight in the Union. The wealthy refugees can find more hospitable locations for them to spend their new-found wealth within the Expansion. We should rejoice in this attitude, since it has left us, those of the newly named planet Navarus, with an inordinate amount of power to decide the fate of the Zone. Therefore, we must take great care to use this competitiveness between the empires to our highest advantage.”
“I know all that,” Sherri said sourly. “I understand the politics, Lion/El. I’m just saying, as the token Human on the Council, I don’t want it to take too much of my time. I’m not interested in milking the situation for a boatload of personal power, unlike some people in this room.”
“And I never said I wanted the job of top cop, either,” Adam spoke up.
“We appreciate your concerns,” Dal said. “But what we need is a figurehead. To use a term I adopted from you, we need a Marshal, a supervisor with authority over the entire region, even into the Dead Zone. Your name has been placed in consideration to fill that position based upon your aforementioned reputation.”
“As I said, I didn’t ask for it. And just like Sherri, I also have a business to run. I can’t do both.”
Lion/El—the newly elected Minister of the planet Navarus—looked to a datapad he had in his hand. “Please, Adam Cain, allow me to fill in more details as to what we are offering this new Marshal. Since the coffers of the new government of Navarus are overflowing with credits, the position would not go unpaid. The merchant tax we have recently imposed will be used primarily to fund government operations, with a sizeable allocation to law enforcement. Seeing that curbing the lawlessness on the planet and supporting the property rights of the refugees is our primary concern, you will have an adequate budget to hire deputies and agents. You need only to oversee the operation. And a stipend has been approved to help cover a portion of the operating expenses of your various businesses, including those of Riyad Tarazi and Sherri Valentine.”
“No kidding?” Adam asked, raising his eyebrows. This was the first he’d heard of that.
“It was a proposal from my friend Dal Divisen.”
Adam looked at the brightly dressed, silver-haired alien kingpin, the founder and near-dictator of the nearby town of Kanac. The offer was generous, which made Adam suspicious. He and Divisen were anything but friends.
“You question my motives?” Dal asked, reading Adam’s body language. “These are critical times for our planet, and indeed, for the Zone as a whole. With our new-found autonomy and political influence, it is important that we prove we are up to the task of governing the Zone. Also, we have the opportunity—as Sherri Valentine so aptly observed—to acquire tremendous wealth and influence for our newly designated world of Navarus. We wish to become the hub of all activity in the Zone, which will attract commerce and revenue. You originally came to Liave-3 seeking a better life for you and your friends. We are on the verge of turning this world into the paradise you once hoped it would become.”
“By encouraging out-of-control growth and population explosion, like you did with Kanac?”
“That is what the government will be tasked to avoid, the out-of-control aspect of your comment. But none of that can be achieved without first eliminating the criminal element from our population.”
Adam buried his chin in his chest and smirked. “That’s funny, especially coming from you.”
Dal nodded. “Yes, I know I have employed certain provocative methods in the past, as I was building the infrastructure on the planet that has allowed us to reach this point in time. But times have changed, and with them, my role as once defined. And this shift in perspective is why Sherri Valentine sits in the number two position on the Council, as a demonstration of our universal appeal to all parties. And as for you, Adam Cain, you are a name recognized—even feared—throughout the galaxy. Having you as the head of our police force will have significant influence, providing credibility to our efforts, even if your role—similar to that of Sherri Valentine—is mainly ceremonial. And for that, we find it worthwhile to make our offer something you cannot easily refuse.”
Adam chuckled. If there was anyone on the planet Navarus who could fill the role of Don Corleone in the Godfather, it was Dal Divisen. And now the flamboyant alien had just made Adam an offer he couldn’t refuse. Business at Cain’s Bar & Grill was adequate, but not phenomenal. It was the same for Sherri’s hotel and even more for Riyad’s failing outfitting business. With the refugees gaining legal right to their homeworlds—and with the pending enforcement of those rights—renegade salvage operations within the Zone had essentially come to a halt. Certain underground activities were still underway, but soon they would be ferreted out, leaving only the refugees themselves to rape their respective planets. As a result, Riyad’s business was dying on the vine. The bottom line was that the Big Three Partnership was bleeding money, and with no reserves to speak of. And now Dal and his cohorts were throwing enough money at them to make a difference.
“I must again lodge my protest,” said a now brown-faced Anarac Sivad. When the red of his anger mixed with the green of his skin, it made brown. “The payment of taxes is new for us, and now you propose to subsidize the business ventures of the Humans while also handing them authority over life and death on L-3.”
“Do not be so dramatic, Anarac,” Dal said dismissively. “We have established a system of justice, although it has not been tested as of yet. It is from that branch of government where punishment will be dispensed. But until we have a police force in place, we have no criminals to adjudicate. Consider, Anarac: Do you wish to continue employing a large and expensive security force at your various worksites, or would you rather have established and effective law enforcement serve the same purpose? That is where your tax credits will go, saving you much in return. And with the increase in commerce that will come from a more peaceful society, there will be even more call for your products and services.”
Sivad huffed. “I find this all so confusing, that a person such as you would be an advocate for the changes taking place on L-3. And furthermore, I refuse to call Liave-3 by this new name. It does not seem right. How can that be helpful?”
“It is self-preservation, Anarac. We could not continue as we were going, as simply a navigational designation on a star chart, as the third world in the Liave star system. By assigning a name custom to us, we have become a sovereign world within the Zone, just as the others. This has allowed us to gain authority and a right to exist while governing ourselves. I strongly suggest you accept the situation as it is, Anarac,” Dal said, focusing a laser-like stare at the other alien. “The alternative is not acceptable to me, as it should not be for you.”
Anarac slumped in his chair, drained of his argument and intimidated by Dal’s not-so-subtle warning. Besides, the subject had already been decided by the majority of the Governing Council. All that remained was to see if Adam Cain would take the job.
Sherri leaned over toward Adam. “We could sure use the
money,” she whispered. “Just hire a shitload of deputies and let them do all the work. Besides, you’ll be the head honcho, so you could run everything out of the bar if you want, or even Riyad’s warehouse if he does close down. It shouldn’t take too much of your time.”
Adam looked at her dumbfounded. “You really think that’s how this is going to play out? Have you not been paying attention these past twenty years? Nothing works out for us the way it was originally intended.”
Sherri smiled. “That may be true, but if it doesn’t work out, then you can quit, just like me. But first, get a signing bonus. Like I said, we could use the money.”
Adam sighed deeply before turning once again to the amazing array of waiting alien faces. In the past, Adam would work with the native species of a particular planet. But Liave-3—Navarus—was different. There was no native species, just a mixture of every imaginable alien from across the galaxy, each having come here from somewhere else. The scene was disconcerting to say the least.
“I want six months’ of the stipend in advance,” he stated firmly. “I need the credits to help cover operations at the bar while I set up the police force. That’s going to take more of my time during the early stages. And the subsidy for our businesses needs to be twenty-five percent of our operating expenses. And the headquarters for the police force will be out of Cain’s, or somewhere nearby along Lan Road in Balamar. And I want Riyad as my Deputy Marshal.”