The Euclidian: Alien Hitman
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Alien Hitman
The Euclidian: Alien Hitman
Jay Cannon
The Euclidian: Alien Hitman
Copyright © 2017 Jay Cannon (JC) and Morgan Gendel
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used, reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever or stored in a database retrieval system without written permission except in those cases of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Editing: Joel David Palmer
Writing consultant: Rose Ragsdale
Cover art: Illustration © 2017, Milan “Shebushei“ Mrdjenovic
Book design and formatting: Cheryl Perez
Final edit: Verlene Kelsey-McKee
For more information, contact the author at: EuclidianBook@gmail.com JayCannonAuthor.com @TheEuclidian
First edition: June 2017
For my niece Erica Cage and all those grappling with writing their first book. Just do it!
Prologue
As he strode through the portal leading to the sports arena deep in the bowels of the resource extraction vessel, Andrea, Captain Chaell Shisal took in the crowds that filled the stands ringing the open space. Seated near the captain’s personal box, a bunch of regulars alternately cheered and jeered the combatants battling on the arena floor in contests of skill and aggression. They stood to salute the captain with warm smiles as he passed their seats, and he returned the same.
Tall for a Euclidian, Shisal had the muscular body, tough beige skin and bony skull ridges typical of his race. His rugged features, marred by only a few battle scars, and towering frame drew every eye when he entered a room.
Shisal and his bodyguard, Pheebee, climbed the steps to the booth and slipped effortlessly into a couple of comfortable armchairs. A pair of stewards waited patiently to take their orders for refreshments.
Old habits died hard for Shisal, who ran the Andrea like a military vessel. A native of the planet Euclidia, which was the head of the Euclidian alliance of planets, Shisal once led a space fighter squadron for the military. But having to send every major decision up his chain of command to get it validated before being allowed to act pushed him to the limits of his patience. The one time he acted on his own initiative, he was hailed as a hero by the populace. But his senior officers did not sanction Shisal’s actions, so they set out to make him pay for his insubordination. He finally resigned his command to take the helm of the Andrea, a Euclidian mineral resource extraction vessel.
Though the Andrea was a civilian operation, Shisal adhered to military protocol in running the ship, except in the off-duty complex, where crewmembers could indulge their needs for entertainment and recreation. The ship’s designers placed the arena at the heart of the entertainment venues on the Andrea, in close proximity to the most populated areas of the ship.
Wearing a specially designed uniform, Shisal also required the ship’s personnel to don uniforms when they reported for duty. Though even his casual jumpsuits bore the distinctive insignia of a ship’s captain, Shisal’s subordinates only wore patches with the Andrea’s logo, embossed with special icons denoting the wearer’s occupation and department aboard the vessel when they were off duty.
At the helm of the Andrea, Shisal was free to rule the ship as he saw fit, including disciplining and even executing members of his crew. Though he was a tough captain, Shisal had never abused his power; instead, he worked hard to treat everyone equitably, regardless of their race or origin.
Most of the Andrea’s crew was Euclidian, like Shisal, but the ship also employed individuals from other planets in the alliance. Two members of Shisal’s elite security force, for example, hailed from the Ossuary System and his personal bodyguard came from the Delta quadrant.
As Shisal relaxed after ordering his usual, Marnician hinsar juice, one for himself and one for Pheebee, he noticed Adar, his favorite fighter and one of the two Ossies in his crew, engaged in a match across the sand. The captain had watched Adar, a seasoned fighter and wily combatant, overcome his opponents numerous times, both in the arena and in actual combat against space pirates.
While the Ossie could come across as a loose cannon, he also exhibited the loyalty and ruthlessness that Shisal needed in an enforcer.
The arena’s sports commentator announced the captain’s arrival over a loudspeaker, and Shisal stood to wave to the crowd in a tradition handed down from the captains of ancient sailing vessels that once roamed Euclidia’s vast seas.
***
A giant digital roof covered the space, displaying a daytime view of a sun arcing across a wide expanse of sky dotted with scattered clouds that broke up the direct, simulated sunlight.
High wooden walls bordered the arena’s large, round space, making it difficult for a combatant to escape an overpowering opponent. Various nonlethal weapons hung on the interior walls of the compound. Combatants used the weapons at their discretion to pummel or maim an opponent into submission.
But no fighter was allowed to kill another, under the ship’s rules. Sickbay attendants tended to the arena’s casualties, nursing them to recovery as quickly as possible. This allowed both the victors and the vanquished to hone their fighting skills without fear of dire consequences.
To mimic the esthetics of similar ancient venues on the home planet, the arena’s floor was covered with a mix of dirt and sand. Lit torches in wall sconces broke up any shadows created by fighters. Most of the spectators watched the contests from wooden benches perched on risers above the walls.
Sweat, blood and urine stained the arena floor, a visual patchwork that matched the stench rising in the air. Though unpleasant, the smells ratcheted up the excitement spectators felt watching the fighting. Hawkers added to the carnival atmosphere, offering all manner of drinks, food and narcotics in the stands.
***
In the middle of the arena three figures engaged in an intense contest drew the attention of the crowd. Two large males pounded away on a smaller one with rigid fists, drawing a cacophony of cheers and jeers from the people packing the stands.
Dust swirled upward from the floor of the arena, sticking to the sweaty bodies of the combatants, filling the air with a gritty closeness that added to the reality of the spectacle. In the stands, the audience ate, drank, placed bets, and interacted with others via an interstellar social media system.
Just when the smaller combatant, Adar, looked to be down for the count, he leapt up, grabbed one of the larger fighters by an arm and flung him against the wall of the arena, knocking him out.
***
In the captain’s box, Pheebee sat on the edge of her seat, flexing her muscles in reaction to each blow as it landed. Clearly, she wanted nothing more than to join the fighters in the arena.
Pheebee, a tall, slender, former soldier, devoted her free time away from the ship to arena fighting. Still, she exuded a femininity that, along with her striking features, invariably attracted males of several species until they ran head-first into her abrasive attitude. The only times she allowed a male to get close to her was when she brutalized her challengers in an arena.
“I don’t see why I can’t have time in the arena every once in a while,” she complained to Shisal.
“Because you are supposed to be protecting me, which you can’t do if you’re in the midst of a fight,” he patiently explained for the umpteenth time.
“You are well-protected up here away from the crowd, with the ship’s security system monitoring your every move,” Pheebee argued.
“Tell that to my predecessor, may he rest in peace,” Shisal retorted. “Fortune and power are great motivators. You certainly aren’t here for your health,” he reminded her.
“I earn what I make, and I’m not with you for the power. It’s just a job for me,” Pheebee insisted, her temper rising at what Shisal implied.
Ironically, base compensation for the Andrea’s crew was little more than a pittance. However, currency or credits of any kind were unnecessary aboard the ship, as crewmembers had every need met by the mining company as part of their pay. In addition to dining, exercise and sleeping quarters, the ship maintained the entertainment venues, which enabled the crewmembers to relax onboard during downtimes. Still, most of the Andrea’s vast interior was devoted to the storage of various minerals in the all-important cargo bays.
Off the ship, a worker’s base pay didn’t stretch far enough to provide even a modest livelihood. But when the Andrea successfully delivered large quantities of high-quality minerals to market, every crewmember received a generous share of profits lucrative enough to provide them with a comfortable life, and in some cases, even allow them to retire.
The mining missions, however, were dangerous. It hadn’t happened often, but members of the Andrea’s crew had been killed in accidents and in skirmishes with pirates seeking to raid the vessel. The entire ship could conceivably be lost in space. Still, individuals from across Euclidian space regularly applied for available berths aboard the Andrea. The low wages and inherent dangers of the job failed to deter these eager prospects, who considered resource mining in space a promising path to adventure and great wealth.
“But Pheebee, you benefit from your position with me, nonetheless. The contacts you make, the invitations to events and offers of gifts would not happen otherwise.” Shisal gave her a knowing wink, hoping to soothe her growing irritation.
“I’d leave tomorrow if something more advantageous came my way,” she replied, pouting. She jumped to her feet, almost daring Shisal to object and give her an excuse to quit.
Pheebee presented a defiant front, but inside, she was mindful of the debt she owed the captain for saving her life and giving her a job. She wouldn’t really leave him unless she was seriously provoked.
Still, the Deltan remained aloof, knowing she eventually would have to leave Shisal to return to her planet to join the resistance fighting against the Alphas, who occupied Delta.
“Look at that!” barked Shisal, his attention returning to Adar’s fight.
In the arena, his remaining opponent charged the Ossie. Adar quickly launched himself into the air, executing a spinning kick that planted a foot squarely in the oncoming attacker’s chest, knocking him to the ground. He then grabbed the larger fighter’s foot and wielded his leg like a club to repeatedly slam the fellow’s body against the floor of the arena with no more apparent effort than it took to toss a sack of grain.
Before long, he dropped the fellow, leaving him a bloody mess with cuts and abrasions all over his body. The defeated fighter rolled to his knees, gasping for air and tapped out. The crowd gasped in shock, and then erupted in applause and cheers.
“You didn’t have to be so brutal with me,” the combatant growled, glaring up at Adar.
“If you don’t like being banged up, stay out of the arena,” the cocky little fighter replied, extending his hand with his thumb downward toward the kneeling figure. “You don’t see Goron complaining.”
Goron was the fighter Adar took out earlier in the match, by slamming him against the arena wall.
“That’s because I’m a Euclidian soldier, and he’s a communications officer.” Goron laughed, still struggling to recover his breath from his earlier defeat by Adar.
Goron and Adar had opposed each other in several arena fights and fought side by side on past missions. The arena gave them a way to maintain battle readiness, while the third combatant in today’s contest was merely fulfilling a fantasy of going toe-to-toe with real soldiers without risking his life. Adar had little respect for such wannabes. He longed for true battle, where life and death hung in the balance.
All three combatants, two of them Euclidian, had served aboard the Andrea for years. Adar belonged to a race of warriors with a fierce tradition of fighting among themselves. Still, the Ossies banded together to oppose the Euclidian when the invaders arrived on their planet. Eventually, the Euclidian signed a truce with the Ossies. The little aliens typically exhibited great strength relative to their small body mass. That, along with exceptional fighting abilities, made the Ossuarians formidable foes and nearly invincible in arena fights. For that reason, Adar often chose to fight multiple opponents at one time.
After the match, Adar joined the captain in his booth.
“Good job in the arena, as usual. You have amazing fighting ability, Adar,” Shisal praised the Ossie, striking him in the chest with his fist.
“So far, I’ve been unbeatable,” Adar bragged, mimicking the gesture by pounding his own chest. “I don’t think anyone on this ship can beat me.”
“I’d love to get into the arena with you to disprove that boast,” interjected Pheebee, thinking back to the time she defeated another Ossie in a battle of honor for the captain. That contest became legend across the mining fleet.
“Why do you have this Delta guarding you and not an Ossie?” Adar inquired, his misogynistic upbringing showing.
Adar grew up on a planet where females led lives mostly subservient to their mates. Pheebee’s home, however, was a planet where society mimicked the life of spiders. The female was the stronger member of the Delta species and fought to defend her home, while the frailer Deltan male typically stayed home and cared for the young.
“I’m quite up to the challenge, and less violent,” Pheebee retorted, itching to prove that her legendary win against an Ossie wasn’t a fluke. “Your fighting skills are pretty impressive, Ossie, but I could beat you blindfolded.”
That likely was no hollow boast. Deltans, who grew up in the dark conditions on the island of Arubia where Pheebee was born and raised, had uncommonly keen senses, giving them the ability to perceive details of their surroundings with their eyes closed. She often fought blindfolded to ensure that she retained this ability.
Adar turned to face Pheebee. What is it with these Delta women? They just don’t know their place? Adar considered this, silently. Just because females are the dominant gender on her planet, doesn’t give Pheebee the right to challenge me. Does she think she can beat me like she did my other countryman? Chuckling inwardly, he thought, She’s in for a rude surprise.
“I’ve got time right now, if you’d like to jump into the arena,” he said, eager to deliver the comeuppance he believed the Deltan female deserved.
“I’d love to, shorty,” hissed Pheebee, leaning toward Adar as if straining against an invisible leash.
Shisal watched the exchange between Adar and Pheebee without comment. He liked to let crewmembers settle their own differences, but the feud between these two might have gone too far. If he didn’t find both of them extremely beneficial to the mission, he would kick one of them off the ship.
The Andrea followed a strict schedule and had more mining stops planned for this mission. The captain also made commitments for contracted deliveries once the Andrea returned to port on Euclidia.
Shisal was focused on completing the current mining operation. His mining officers performed their jobs with care and precision, reflecting both long years of experience and an awareness of the significance of only collecting the highest possible quality of minerals and only those in high demand.
***
As the Euclidian expanded their presence across the galaxy, they encountered other sentient beings. Most were fairly primitive, like the humans who lived on the Sol-orbiting planet called Earth, their next mining target, and posed no threat to the invaders. The Euclidian typically mined a planet and then established an outpost on the planet’s surface before moving on to their next target.
Some
years ago, the Euclidian encountered societies of advanced sentient beings in the Alpha and Delta systems. These alien races had developed space travel, though not to the technical proficiency of the Euclidian. Thanks to exceptional diplomacy, the three races managed to co-exist peacefully for more than two years, until the Alphas launched a surprise attack against the Euclidian in an effort to destroy the invaders and seize control of their technology.
During the short war that ensued, Alphas killed millions of Euclidian, while suffering only minimal casualties. Shisal lost several close comrades in his squadron during the war. Eventually, the two sides reached a truce. Years later, Shisal led a surprise attack against the Alphas, and destroyed their home planet. The action made him a hero back home, but also a target of surviving Alphas seeking revenge. The Alphas, nonetheless, remained in the alliance to avoid being isolated and to retain access to the Euclidian markets.
Returning his attention to his two antagonistic crewmembers, Shisal wondered whether he should send Adar away on an assignment where he could let off some steam.
“That’s not going to happen, you two,” the captain said, stepping between the Ossie and the Deltan. “I need Pheebee to keep me secure, and you need to prepare for our next stop, Adar. I want you down on the planet during the handoff of the prisoners.”
Adar dreaded boring assignments like that, but still favored the work over being stuck on the ship.
“I guess you got lucky this time, Ossie,” said Pheebee, as she moved away from Adar and returned to the captain’s side.
“Captain, the mining is completed.” The XO’s voice came over the captain’s communicator, breaking into the tense exchange. “All of the mining vehicles have been stowed, and we are ready to leave orbit.”
“Great, set aside 50 kilograms of gold ore to be transferred to the prison and open a portal to the Alpha prison planet. Adar, prepare for departure and meet me on the bridge.”