by John Walker
Extinction
Rise Of Mankind
Book 8
John Walker
Copyright © 2017 John Walker
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
DISCLAIMER
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This story contains explicit language and violence.
Blurb
A Freak Mishap
The Behemoth returns from their latest mission only to find themselves tapped again by the Alliance Intelligence Division. A message was received from an unknown part of the galaxy, filtered through dozens of relays before arriving at the home world. An old friend seems to be stranded and needs assistance yet they were unable to convey proper coordinates.
Meanwhile, The Crystal Font finds itself in the middle of nowhere near an alien world emitting a strange, unknown energy field. Stuck with a broken engine and unsure if help is on the way, they’re forced to perform repairs on their own. But as they attempt to rectify their situation, they are attacked by enemy forces.
Racing against time and fighting for survival, The Crystal Font knows they may never make it home but after defying the odds so many times, they refuse to give up. Forced to visit the strange world, they have no idea The Behemoth is looking for them or the bizarre information they may uncover on the idyllic landscape of the planet below.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Epilogue
Prologue
Siva Wih’Faren browsed the incoming traffic from hundreds of intelligence sources across the galaxy. She had operatives stationed in places her government didn’t even know they had a foothold in and they transmitted data constantly. Her people even managed to infiltrate the Earth government, which took a little body modification to avoid detection.
Humans had such a limited set of colors for eyes and hair, after all.
Earth people factionalized easily and it concerned Siva’s superiors. An entire anti-alliance group protested their participation in the galactic theater, pushing that they should remain isolated. Luckily, the government and an overwhelming majority held them at bay but that didn’t mean the alliance wasn’t going to keep an eye on them.
If at some point those irrational fools ever attained enough power to challenge the authority of the majority, then the kielans may have to intervene. That was one of the jobs her operative was responsible for: ensuring they kept tabs on the various leaders of each group and remained close to them.
A little assassination wouldn’t be amiss if absolutely necessary and Siva had plenty of people killed for less. She determined that on her watch, the alliance worlds would remain in check and not cause trouble. Though she wasn’t able to focus solely on the war, she fully expected those without her responsibility to do so.
Patriotism meant a lot at such times.
Her people bustled about her, crunching numbers and looking for clues as to threats which might crop up for the alliance. This went beyond the obvious enemy, the one they’d been at war with and extended to internal and external concerns like the Orion’s Light terrorists. Such fringe groups were dangerous enough to be a credible threat to security, even if they couldn’t necessarily take down the government all on their own.
Each of their chaotic agendas meant they could not be ignored. Siva’s team constantly worked to infiltrate these groups, to destabilize their ability to operate and ultimately, break them down completely. However, in some cases, most notably with Orion’s Light, it was easier said than done. Some of these groups were particularly rough on recruits.
And few operatives wanted to experience permanent physical alteration for the cause.
Trellan En’Dal volunteered for the hardest task and seemed likely to get the job done with Orion’s Light. He’d managed to make contact once and carried something the leadership of that group would desperately want after their last engagement. Luckily, the human vessel Behemoth managed to thwart their overall objective of sowing disorder in an alliance controlled system.
Trellan took advantage of the situation and did his best to prove his worth. If it panned out, he’d be able to get close to their leader and finish them off. All intelligence reports indicated that Krilan Ar’Vax held the group together through sheer will alone. In this case, cutting the head off the snake would certainly leave the body to wither.
The former military commander did not trust anyone enough to be his successor and since his cause seemed purely selfish, he gave his subordinates only enough power to be useful at their tasks. Free thinking, according to reports, was discouraged for the most part. Yes, they were expected to make clever battle decisions but their objectives were handed down by Krilan himself and they were supposed to follow them.
No matter what.
A couple words caught Siva’s attention and she paused the incoming data feed, peering at the phrase on the screen. She had to rewind, sliding back several paragraphs until she saw what she was after. A ship name, one she didn’t expect to ever see again. The Crystal Font. They’d gone to a compromised research facility and hadn’t been heard from since.
One of the buoys picked up a transmission and relayed it back to high command. Apparently, they were asking for some help. But it had been a long time since they were even heard from. What could’ve possibly happened? Were they stranded in some random system out in the middle of nowhere? How did they survive so long?
Siva brought up the ship’s records and looked up the Anthar. Kale Ru’Xin, who had been recently promoted prior to his mission, led the ship. He’d been an exemplary officer and blazed through the ranks. High command considered the loss of him and his crew extremely regrettable and they’d all been listed as Missing in Action.
I guess that’s no longer the case but if they truly do need help after this long, I don’t think a normal military party is going to cut it. I need to intervene.
Siva put in her personal authorization code and claimed responsibility for the transmission, taking the mission away from the military. They’d complain, yes, but she didn’t care. The Crystal Font could be a tremendous intelligence asset. If they managed to escape the attack on the research facility then survive alone out there for so long, she wanted them on her team.
After all, there were plenty of ships to conduct straight combat. She needed thinkers and survivors to conduct missions much like what the Behemoth had done. Those groups beyond the enemies at the gates, the rebels, pirates, terrorists and thugs wanting to bring down their government, those people needed opposition.
The Crystal Font would be perfect. Siva brought up their transmission to see where they were and what assistance they needed. Whatever she had to do to get them out of harm’s way, she would but they sent quite the recording back. As she cued it up, she leaned back in her chair. Her mind began to formulate a plan even as she started up the personal log of Kale Ru’Xin.
Let’s hope I’m not wrong about these folks and they weren’t stuck out there due t
o incompetence. Well, if they were I’ll spin it to say we saved them for the sake of their families and pull some good will for our efforts. Otherwise, I’m hoping we just drafted another ship into our cause. High command will be miffed but I think I can contend with them.
Okay, Kale. Show us what you’ve got. I’m sure this will be more than a little educational.
***
Chapter 1
Earlier…During the Research Facility Battle
Kale Ru’Xin cut the connection with the Behemoth and turned to Wena Fi’Devo, his communication’s officer. He’d committed them to a daring, but possibly foolhardy act. The next phase of his plan involved pushing the young Zanthari’s skills and he approached her station to assist as much as he’d be able.
“The enemy will be monitoring our coms,” Kale explained. “I need you to send a desperate message to the Behemoth, something our ally’s computer will immediately decode but the enemy will need at least a moment. I don’t want it to seem too easy for them. Can you do it and ensure it looks good?”
Wena nodded, her orange eyes wide. “I believe so, sir. Yes.”
“Good.” Kale patted her shoulder. “Thank them for transferring the data from the research facility back to us and let them know we’ll be taking it to another secret research facility on…” He hummed. “Xion Six.”
“Sir?” Wena looked confused.
“What is it?”
“The Xion system is barely charted let alone…” Realization swept over her face. “Oh. I see the plan now.”
“Excellent.” Kale grinned. “Right away, please.” He returned to his seat and directed his attention to Athan Du’Zhatha, the pilot. “I know you’re already pushing the engines but I’m going to need a little more if at all possible. If my plan works, our jump out of here will be…theatrical to say the least.”
“Um…” Athan glanced back, even as he worked. “What exactly does that mean?”
“When I finish talking to engineering, I’ll let you know. For now, I need you to set a course for…Aelat. That’s far enough away from here, and still in the other direction from Earth. When we get there, we’ll redirect so get to working on those calculations.”
Kale turned to Thaina, the weapon’s officer. “Please don’t make it too easy for them to keep up with us, huh?”
Thaina tilted her head and took to her controls, firing their turrets at the pursuing enemies. Kale did a quick check, noting every shot slammed the lead enemy vessel’s bow. Their shields flared as some of the blasts went through, striking their hull and causing sparks to fly. She didn’t let up, continuing to fire throughout.
Kale clicked over to engineering in the meantime. Su-Anthar Meira Di’Erran picked up immediately. “Yes, Anthar? I hope you’re calling to let me know we can slow down now.”
“I’m afraid not. I need you to help me pull off something I theorized about at the academy. A jump method that should get us out of here.” Kale cleared his throat. “Can we expel engine waste and ignite it during a jump?”
Meira scoffed, her voice clearly showing serious disdain for the idea. “It’s possible but beyond dangerous! There’s a good chance it would go up before we left the system and that would disable our engines for sure. I assume that we’re moving fast because we have to be and if that’s the case, then stopping would definitely be detrimental to our survival.”
“We have to pull a trick,” Kale explained. “There’s an entire enemy fleet on us. In fact, I’ve made sure they won’t let up. Plus, I’ve given them a false impression of where we’re going. I need to delay them so when we reappear, we’ll have time to jump again. Believe me, this is a desperate hour so I’m going to need you to be as flexible and creative as you’ve ever been.”
Meira hesitated for a long moment but finally let out a sigh. “Yes, I can do it. It’ll take just a moment to prepare the purge but when I do it, we’ll be ready to go. Do we have a course laid in and ready for the jump?”
Kale turned to Athan who nodded. “Yes, we’re ready to go.”
“Okay, begin the countdown,” Meira said. “Twenty seconds and this will be one of the more spectacular things anyone will see this side of the galaxy.”
“Thaina, I believe we can let up,” Kale said. “Those cannons will spoil our plans if you keep shooting.”
“Yes, sir.” Thaina leaned back. “The lead ship has fallen back. They are firing at us but they’re doing so half heartedly. I guess Wena’s message worked.”
“They want to disable us,” Kale said. “They have no intention of losing what we’ve got. Not if they can help it.”
Kale braced himself for their departure, prepared for the worst. They had to buy the Behemoth time but he had no intention of sacrificing his ship without at least trying to get away. Much as he wanted to stick around and fight, the numbers were overwhelming. The data from the research facility might go a long way toward the war effort but it didn’t have to come at the cost of all the alliance ships in that region.
The enemy started taking additional pot shots at them about half way through the countdown. Kale held his breath, hoping they’d be away before any appreciable damage came their way. Meira’s voice crackled over the speakers near the tech officer, indicating the waste had been expelled. The highly volatile substance would cause a massive explosion the moment they initiated their jump.
If any enemy ships were too close, they’d likely go up but Kale couldn’t hope for taking any of them out. All he wanted was the sensor interference such an event would cause, granting them time to get out of there. The theory earned him top marks in school but he’d never had an opportunity to implement the idea.
The exact right circumstances never came up until that moment. As he throttled the ship toward the dangerous maneuver, he closed his eyes for a moment, asking the fates to be kind. Not only to the Crystal Font but the Behemoth as well. They’d done a lot of great work together and he looked forward to seeing them again.
We made a good team. Please don’t let this be the last time we’re together.
“Initiating jump sequence now,” Athan said. “Hang on, everyone. This will definitely be a little rough.”
Kale held his breath as the ship began to hum. Something shook the entire vessel, nearly tossing him from his seat but it ended as swiftly as it began. A familiar sense of nothingness washed over him but instead of clearing up, it seemed to linger. He tried to inhale but his lungs would not respond. He couldn’t close his eyes, couldn’t divert his focus from the bright, white wall ahead of him.
Sound fled, all sensation lifted and he began to wonder if he’d crossed over. Had the ship exploded? Was he dead? Where was everyone else? Maybe the jump was simply taking longer than expected but they were supposed to be instantaneous. In all his years in space, he’d never spent more than a few, brief moments in such a state.
How long can this possibly last? Forever, I suppose…though it’s not as comforting as I always thought it would be. Why would it be? It became harder to think, harder to cling to his identity, difficult to even be but he knew if he let go, he might never come back. Kale struggled but deep down he recognized the futility of fighting.
I can’t give up…I won’t…no matter what.
***
The Present
Clea An’Tufal sat in her quarters as they approached her home world, excited for an opportunity to relax after their recent mission. Despite her sincere desire to get out and finish the war, having been involved in a major action to stop the civil conflict left her somewhat spent. Her own people had faced such strife in their past and she knew what it could do to a people.
Though she knew they wouldn’t have a lot of down time, the opportunity to put her feet on solid, safe ground sounded like a tremendous luxury. She had reached out to her parents to see if they would be available to see her but she discovered they were both away on their own assignments, away from the capital. Clea wouldn’t have time to visit them but then again, she’d seen them a grea
t deal the last couple times she was there.
A night in her family apartment wouldn’t go amiss, even if it happened to be alone.
She checked the chronometer and saw she had several hours left before they’d dock, plenty to catch a nap. Her shift started when they arrived but Captain Gray Atwell already gave her leave to go planet side. She took a deep breath and started to doze just as her computer started dinging, indicating an incoming message.
“Clea,” Gray said. “I’ve got an incoming transmission from Siva. She needs to talk to you and I directly.”
Really? I was almost asleep! Can’t this wait? All the thoughts drifted through her head but instead of voicing her annoyance, she merely tapped the receive button and said, “I’ll be there momentarily.”
Crawling out of her bunk, she put her uniform back on, straightened her hair the best she could and headed for the Captain’s office. There, they’d find out what the next unreasonable ask intelligence had for them. Clea preferred straight forward action. She hated having to lie to the various crew members about their last mission and they still hadn’t been able to tell those involved what they were really doing there.
Stopping the civil war was a fringe benefit to Siva’s real aim. She probably didn’t really care about the novalat people at all but had to play nice with high command. I don’t like this woman much at all.
Clea knocked at Gray’s door and he called for her to enter. She stepped inside and straightened her jacket before moving to the seat. He looked almost as tired as she felt. Had he tried to catch some rest as well? Wouldn’t surprise her considering what they’d been up to as of late but their duty seemed to be unwilling to give them a reprieve.
Gray started the conversation, “do you have any idea what she might want?”