by Nick Braker
ESSENCE
Book 1 - Septima
N I C K A B R A K E R
Copyright © 2016 Nick A Braker
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 1530177901
ISBN 13: 9781530177905
CONTENTS
Disclaimer
Dedication
Fate
Chapter 1 Seeing Clearly
Chapter 2 Seeing Green
Chapter 3 Seeing Red
Chapter 4 Septima
Chapter 5 Alta
Chapter 6 Cienna
Chapter 7 Joliza
Chapter 8 Hayden
Chapter 9 Yenthar
Chapter 10 Caiden
Chapter 11 Troy
Chapter 12 Transition
Chapter 13 Ghetti
Chapter 14 Earth
Chapter 15 Kima
Chapter 16 Colonel Anderson
Chapter 17 Horace
Chapter 18 Tohmas
Chapter 19 Agaria
Chapter 20 Kenn
Chapter 21 Reptaurans
Chapter 22 War Hounds
Chapter 23 Skyler
Chapter 24 Geoff
Chapter 25 Alta and Tohmas
Epilogue
Afterword
About the Author
DISCLAIMER
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, 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.
DEDICATION
My first solo endeavor. I am trying my hand at Science Fiction with a different flavor for this series.
The following are my contributors, to whom I owe a great deal of thanks.
Charita Braker: My wife and editor (thank you again for putting up with me during these years).
Paul E. Hicks: My beta-reader and sounding board.
Jerry Moffett: My beta-reader and EXTRA-ordinary contributor to this book!
Bruce Raymond: Lifelong friend and contributor.
Wayne Hurt: Lifelong friend and contributor.
Tom Snipes and Lary Peters: Beta-readers.
FATE
For as long as he could remember, Troy had been told that Fate determined the course of his life. He wouldn’t fathom it. Troy controlled his future, nothing else. It was something he felt he should be able to will into being, though, in reality, on some days he just had to hope. When events would shift into chaos, he felt Fate was fighting him for control. How could he control his destiny? Fate would not be his master and he was determined to find a way.
Fate, however, was about to give his beliefs a real life wakeup call.
-M.
Chapter 1
SEEING CLEARLY
Earth - Present Day - 05:06pm
Troy cringed in fear at the sound of the approaching train. His right hand grabbed the bench’s armrest in a white-knuckled grip trying to prepare himself for the possible doom it brought. He took a deep breath, releasing it. It didn’t help. His left hand clenched into a fist at his side as his fear increased. The train station’s terminal shook with the force of what seemed like hundreds of box-like, steel deathtraps zipping by him. Troy knew there really weren’t that many, but his phobias overrode reality, magnifying dangers around him. The cars would eventually spell disaster because it was all a matter of time and odds.
The engineer blew the train’s whistle of death, causing Troy to jump. His three friends seated near him appeared unconcerned by the danger the speeding train presented, so why was he cowering? Anytime - no - every time he focused on negative things, it increased what he liked to call his healthy paranoia, though his friends and therapist would disagree. They knew him well enough to recognize when his fears manifested. His friends would either candidly confront him with the facts or joke about the absurdity of his behavior hoping to relieve his anxiety. Troy felt they wanted to help but sometimes their help felt cruel.
Troy sat there, semi-paralyzed, waiting for the train to finish its high-speed pass through the station. Troy knew it would kill all of them in a fiery explosion of destruction, leaving only twisted metal and screams from those who still clung to life a few seconds after. Very rarely, his friends would ignore him when he got in this state and Troy was thankful this was one of those times.
It had taken Troy days of mental preparation to decide to board a train of his own volition but, with his three friend’s help, he would do it. Troy would never do something like this on his own, but he trusted them and that was enough to tip the balance. Hell, if it weren’t for them, he’d never leave his home.
The train’s cargo had left pollutants in its wake. Troy grimaced, pulling his shirt collar up, covering his mouth and nose. The smell of animal dung, iron, dust, dirt and engine fumes filled the air, forcing Troy to take shallow breaths. It felt like an eternity waiting for the air to clear, but eventually the rhythmic clinks from the wheels hitting the connecting points of the railway ties faded. The train had passed. The quiet returned, but the toxic smell of the train’s engine lingered, forcing him to hold his breath a bit longer. His friend Lakin eyed him, noticing his state.
“Bro, it’s gonna be okay,” Lakin said.
Troy’s clenched fist released its grip on the armrest. The air cleared, allowing him to take a deep, relaxing breath. The tension eased and Troy’s body followed suit.
“Yeah,” Troy said.
Troy knew his fears were irrational and years of therapy had taught him a few techniques for controlling them. One of them was to focus on other things. He had learned that occupying his mind with benign things around him helped. He noted several metal benches lined the train station’s waiting area, giving prospective passengers a place to sit and endure the long waits. Travel posters along the walls provided a brief distraction. He focused next on the lighting, noticing the station had switched to LEDs. That distraction took a few seconds so Troy switched his attention to the station in general. The facility looked clean, so someone must be doing their job regularly or the place simply wasn’t used much, probably the latter.
Germs.
Troy flinched, pulling his hands away from the bench. Clean or not, there were still germs, and that was something else to worry about. Troy accepted the fact that germs were everywhere, so his only option was to mitigate his exposure. He shuddered thinking about it. He had wanted to wash his hands minutes ago, but his fear of the train had overridden his fear of germs. He sighed. Intellectually, he knew his fears were absurd and that knowledge helped keep him sane.
The enclosed train station was empty except for his three friends sitting next to him and a young woman sitting alone on the opposite end of the platform. She had her back to them, listening to something on her headphones. Troy returned his attention back to the station. He wondered why any train would bother to stop here.
Seriously, who needs to take a train to or from this shit hole?
Their town was a farming community and it barely had enough people to sustain the fields. Troy felt a tap on his arm.
“Hey bro, are you listening to me?” Chance asked, crossing his arms.
Troy resisted the urge to shake his head as if clearing his thoughts.
“To you? Do I really have to answer that question?” Troy quipped, laughing.
“Hell, bruthah, you know you keep a notebook full of my pearls o’ wisdom,” Chance volleyed back.
“You’ve been listening to Geoff too much, but to answer your question... yes, I do listen,” Troy said. “I’m recording them in a book I’m writing on what not to say under any circumstance. It’s called A Fool and his Mouth.”
“Kiss my ass,” Chance said, fl
ipping him off. They all laughed again.
Chance was one of blondest people Troy had ever met. He wasn’t an albino, but Chance’s hair was white with hints of amber. His square jaw and perfect teeth accented his muscular frame. The girls found him attractive, but Troy couldn’t see why. Chance was dressed casually with a dark blue tee-shirt and worn tennis shoes. He smelled of aftershave that always nauseated Troy. Chance loved to test his strength and wit against others. It was constant and annoying, but at least he kept things interesting. Chance liked to drink, too, but that could go good or bad depending on his mood.
“Geoff, when is our train due?” Troy asked, trying to change the subject and hoping Chance’s attention would get diverted to someone else.
“Bro, you asked me that ten minutes ago,” Geoff replied. “It will be here in fifteen minutes.”
They were all in their late teens, with Geoff being the oldest. Geoff’s dark hair and mustache matched his black jeans. His eyes were blue with a slight hazel outline around the irises. Geoff’s shirt displayed a rock band logo that Troy didn’t recognize. It was blood red with several small, dark-colored skulls. Troy’s thoughts drifted back to their vacation. He sighed, looking up.
Why did I agree to this?
Troy’s excitement for the trip had died early. He and his three friends were heading to New Orleans for a week-long excursion. They had decided to take the train because Lakin had won a contest that included his train fare. When Lakin had formed the plan, it seemed like a great idea. Now, it reeked of danger, excessive costs and a lot of wasted time - like sitting around, for example, waiting for a train derailment or toxic fumes to kill them. Troy’s shoulders slumped.
Why do I worry about these kinds of things?
“Troy, you have got to cheer up, man,” Lakin said, trying to change his mood. “This is going to be a great trip. Buck up, bruthah. I’m personally going to make you have fun this weekend. That’s what friends are for.”
Lakin wore a solid red shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans. His curly brown hair was intentionally kept tousled, giving him a boyish charm. Lakin’s blue eyes always had a hint of a sparkle in them. He had a kind spirit and everyone that knew him liked him for it. He was someone who’d do anything for anyone, especially his friends.
“This is about as cheerful as I’m going to get. I could be-”
“Bro,” Chance interrupted, “How about I make you a bet?”
Troy winced.
“What now, Mr. Wisdom?”
Chance slid closer to him, forcing Troy to resist the urge to inch away.
“See the chick over there sitting alone?” Chance asked him in a quieter voice.
“Uh, let me see... is she the one with the tablet on her lap?” Troy said, his voice dripping in sarcasm.
“Asshole. Yeah, that one. You go over there, strike up a conversation and get her to give you her phone number. If you can do that, I’m buying your drinks for the rest of the trip. If you fail, you buy mine.”
The girl was plain. Her shoulder-length, brunette hair was uncombed and tucked behind her ears. She wore a frayed and dingy red winter cap. She had it pulled down to her eyes and, considering the state of her clothes, Troy got the impression she was homeless. The tablet in her lap, though, indicated otherwise.
Troy loved the opposite sex, but that desire warred against his natural shyness and fears. His fears usually won.
“Fine,” Troy said. “I’m bored, you’re annoying and I’m actually considering stepping out onto the tracks right now just to get away from you. Deal.”
They laughed.
Watch this, Fate.
Troy shook his shoulders, squaring them as he walked over and stood behind the young woman. The screen on the tablet showed she was listening to the theme song from M.A.S.H., Suicide is Painless, on her headphones. He tapped her on the shoulder. She jerked away from him, spun around on the bench and yanked the headphones off her ears.
“What do you want?” she said, her voice quavering.
Her lips trembled as she wiped her eyes quickly with both hands. Troy put his hands up reassuringly, pretending not to notice her tears.
“Sorry. You look like you could use some company while we wait for that damn train.”
He grinned, hoping to put her at ease.
“You think I need company?” she asked, shifting farther away from him.
Think quickly. This isn’t starting out well. Find something she can talk about.
“My name is Troy. It is a pleasure to meet you. Is that the new quad-core tablet?”
“Uh, yeah,” she said, cautiously. “Came out last week.”
Her eyes opened slightly but the dim sparkle that escaped winked out.
Talk about the tablet. Ask her questions. Keep her talking.
“I’d kill to have a tablet like--”
“You’re not one of those crazy people are you?” she said, sliding hard to the other side of the bench. “I’ll scream.”
“Wait,” he said, putting his hands out in front of him. “I mean I’ve really wanted one like that. I didn’t mean I’d actually...”
Troy felt his face flush. She clutched the tablet to her chest and her shoulders nearly touched her ears as she tried to retreat farther along the bench.
“Look,” Troy continued. “I’m sorry. That started out really badly. I was just wanting to chat with someone and you looked like good company.”
Troy beamed a cheesy smile at her. A long pause of silence stretched out between them as they stared at each other. He saw the tension in her ease as her shoulders lowered and her body relaxed. The young woman shrugged her shoulders slightly, looking down at the tablet.
“Want to see it in action?” she asked.
“Yes, I would like that,” he said, nodding.
“My name’s Maria.”
Troy quietly breathed a sigh of relief and sat down next to her. She gave him an introduction to the device. He spoke with her at length, enjoying their time together. Troy gathered that between the tears, the song she had been listening to, and some of the comments she made during their conversation, her life was not a happy one. In the short time they shared, Troy realized he liked her a lot. She had a quick wit and a knack for electronics. They talked for over thirty minutes before the train arrived.
“Thank you for sitting with me. I really, really needed that,” she said, smiling weakly at him. “You’re a nice guy, Troy.”
“You too,” he said. “Well, not a guy of course,” he laughed. “You know what I mean.”
Maria giggled at him, nodding.
“Maybe I’ll see you on the train?” she asked.
“I would love that, Maria,” he replied.
She blushed, gathering her things. Maria waved goodbye and boarded the train.
____
Earth - Present Day - 05:52pm
The prospect of the train ride had turned around, frightening when it had started, but now Troy felt excitement. Even the late arrival of the train hadn’t bothered him as it had given him more time with Maria. The young, homely girl from the train station had been one of the nicest people he had ever met. What had started out as Chance’s adolescent bet, turned into the beginnings of a friendship. Maria told him she worked for the train station but was currently off duty. Troy planned to catch up with Maria later and find out more about her. He had wanted to ask about her crying, but the moment never felt right. She had seemed to enjoy his company as much as he had enjoyed hers.
Troy and his friends gathered their things and started toward the train. Their assigned seats were three cars ahead of Maria’s.
Train car...
Troy’s hands trembled. He was no longer thinking of Maria and his fears exploded as he approached the car.
Odds of dying? Astronomically high, but only after a slow and agonizingly painful death.
Troy froze, standing there at the edge of the doorway. He stared at the bright lights on the ceiling inside the passenger car’s entrance. Troy
struggled to breathe. Lakin must have known what was going on in Troy’s mind because he moved to stand next to him. Troy’s legs quivered.
“You can do it, bro,” he said, putting his arm around Troy’s shoulders.
Lakin smiled at him, hugging him tighter. Troy took deep breaths, letting them help settle his nerves.
I can die anywhere. What difference does it make if I’m on a train? I trust Lakin. Focus.
Another trick he had learned was to use logic on himself. Troy never truly suppressed his phobias but he could usually mitigate them. The trembling eased some and they both stepped onto the train. Lakin stayed with him.
“Thanks,” Troy said, taking another breath.
Focus.
Lakin nodded, shaking Troy’s shoulder. Lakin’s presence reassured Troy. Trust meant everything to Troy and he knew Lakin would never let him down. Troy’s breathing relaxed and the trembling subsided.
Each of them took their assigned seats as the train started to pull away.
Focus. It’s simply moving to the next station. Find something else to think about.
The interior, whitewashed walls were smooth and clean. Large windows lined both sides of the car, giving every section a clear view outside. The vinyl covered seats were brown and deeply padded. Troy snarled.
I hope they clean these things regularly.
A middle aisle divided the car in half with two seats in each row on both sides. Troy took an aisle seat on the left side near the front of the car, facing the back of the train. Geoff sat next to him near the window with Chance across from Geoff. Lakin took the seat across from Troy as Troy pulled a book out of his bag. Troy needed another distraction from the train ride and a new book would go a long way toward keeping his mind off the train and his fears. Chance grabbed his own backpack but he pulled out a small bottle of Tequila. Troy rolled his eyes.
“Bro, what the hell?” Troy asked, looking around.
Chance flipped him off.
“Getting the party started,” Chance said. “Drop it, unless you want some.”
Troy shook his head, ignoring Chance and returned to reading his book.