Lunara: The Original Trilogy

by Wyatt Davenport

  "Tell Eamonn to be happy." Madelyn’s grip on Chloe’s hands weakened, and Seth noticed that tears were falling down his cheeks.

  Seth didn’t want to watch her die. Tilting his head up, he glared at the chancellor. If Chloe weren’t in danger, he would have jumped across the room and killed him where he stood. His fists tightened harder each time the arrogant chancellor smirked at him. His fingernails dug into his palms, and his blood mixed with Madelyn’s and dripped to the floor.

  "She is gone," Chloe murmured. She took Madelyn’s arms and placed them neatly on her chest. "I will do my best to tell Eamonn your words and your bravery."

  The chancellor’s pompous smile got bigger. He was enjoying the spectacle.

  Seth was more appalled than ever.

  "The time has come now," the chancellor called out to the room. "These men and women lined up before us have led Mars in the wrong direction. They have become an obstacle toward our perfection. I will not stand idle while another meteor destroys our home. Where will we turn next? Back to Earth? Toward Io? Neither is suitable for humans. We need to control our own destiny, and the first action will be to clear all the unnecessary bumps in our road."

  He motioned for several of his troops to move in behind the lined up prisoners. He moved to the side of the line and raised his right arm. "Today, we begin our goal to attain perfection." He lowered his arm.

  BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

  The dining hall echoed the thunderous claps. One by one, the line fell, the people dying instantly from a bullet to the head: the consuls, the minister’s wife, Kyle Cortez, and finally, the minister. The crowd gasped. Several women fainted or slumped to the ground.

  The chancellor’s final words were a sharp order to Samantha. "Bring them to Hans Bauer." He pointed toward Chloe and Seth.

  Before his bodyguards could escort the chancellor out of the room, Chloe screamed out, "Justice will fall upon you, Chancellor."

  Seth didn’t know what to feel. He was angry with those who had perpetrated the conspiracy, he was mournful for the death of the woman whose head was still in his lap, and he was terrified of what might happen to Chloe in the custody of Hans Bauer. Mostly, though, embarrassment pained his heart. He had betrayed humanity to an evil Mars.

  He tilted his head toward the glass roof above, searching the sky for an answer, but a layer of dark clouds shrouded the planet.

  Mars had attacked him again.

  Part III

  Chapter 32

  Gwen turned off the holotube and tossed the remote onto the table. She let out a long sigh. All in one motion, she swung her feet on the couch and wedged a pillow under her head. Her eyes closed.

  Not able to sleep since early the previous day, her body was exhausted, but her mind still raced with yesterday’s events. She had watched the holotube nonstop, looking for any information from the gala after she had left. Her father had restricted communications, and only snippets of propaganda were released to the public, including his infamous speech. For some reason, unbeknownst to her, yet not surprising given her father’s popularity with the people, the public accepted his vision and his new government. She suspected that the minister’s lies, combined with her father’s swift action in uncovering and eliminating the plot, were the main reason. Plus, it didn’t help that so many within the Aethpisian government backed his position. They were the rival government, and if they concurred with her father’s statements, those statements must be true. Yet to her, her father had acted uncharacteristically in a terrifying manner. The newscast said the minister’s treachery had been too great, and he had received revolutionary-style justice. Her father had executed him and the others on the spot, leaving them no opportUnity to defend themselves, as if they were raiders. It made no sense. In the ten years since the revolution, society had moved past that swift, emotion-driven justice.

  She rubbed her temples. Why has Samantha shirked all loyalty to me? What were they thinking? They had to have a sane reason. She didn’t like the conflict between her trust in them and her gut instinct that they acted for control of Mars. It left her with sourness in the back of her mouth.

  "Samantha," she whispered. "What happened to you after I left for Lunara?"

  Since Gwen had arrived back on Mars, Samantha had been distant and preoccupied. The old Samantha would have told her everything happening in her life. Now, she said nothing while she planned the takeover of the Aethpisian government. Gwen couldn’t get Samantha’s last words out of her head, "Seth and Chloe are vital to our cause." What was the cause?

  She punched the cushion of the couch and grunted in frustration. "Think, Gwendolyn, think," she screamed. All the news reports indicated a deception in the ranks of Aethpis. According to the newspapers, Thomas Cross discovered a plot by the minister to control the meteor stone production on Lunara. Cross went to her father and told him about the plot.

  Then . . .

  In an act of rebellion, he and Cross conspired to stop the minister and his attempt to take over Lunara and the meteor stones. Concurrently, Seth’s report at the gala stated that the minister had been misusing metalor and wasting it on unnecessary and unknown projects. Had my father already known about this report? If so, why would he wait for Seth or someone else to find it? He could have taken the evidence to the council right away.

  Jinx. Even if he decided to be patient and hold it back, he had already decided that force was needed to take back Lunara. She was on Lunara. Why didn’t he involve me in trying to stop the invasion from within the colony itself? She would be an invaluable informant. Her father didn’t use her, though, and that meant he didn’t trust her anymore. Someone else had to be on Lunara. Who?

  She pursed her lips. Something was missing, because none of the conjecture answered the question of why he would need Seth and Chloe, especially if their stated goal was to stop Aethpis from controlling Mars. Samantha stated they were important . . . and so did Hans Bauer . . .

  She moved over to her computer terminal, hoping to find some nugget of information. She slid her card into the authentication slot.

  The terminal buzzed.

 

  She smacked the side of the terminal. Another system had locked her out—first her apartment door and now her communications systems. Her father had trapped her in her apartment with no way of finding her fellow crew members.

  The crew probably thought she had betrayed them by spying on Lunara for Zephyria. Her father’s actions were driving her crazy. Usually she agreed with him, and she did as he advised, but the shroud he placed over her undermined the confidence she had in him.

  Out of the window, the Zephyrian domes seemed content. Dome 4 was where her life had changed—a reckless decision that had forced her father to send her to Lunara . . . to learn how to be a diplomat. More than ever, she wanted to go back two years and erase the mistake that had sent her to Lunara. Then she would be on Mars and able to stop her father’s actions. She turned away from the window. The memories disgusted her.

  She entered the bathroom, ran the water to her sink, and splashed it against her face. As she looked into the mirror, she focused on her eyes. Her makeup ran down her cheek, splitting into multiple lines. Frustrated, she grabbed a towel and wiped her face clear of the makeup and the tears. "Time to be strong, Gwen. No crying, no emotion."

  The door to the apartment clicked open, and heavy boots hit the ground of the marbled foyer at the main entrance. She straightened herself and looked at her face one last time. It was clear, and her eyes showed no signs of tears.

  "My food was supposed to be ready three hours ago," she said as she shot out of the bathroom door toward the main area. But she stopped abruptly when she saw who was standing in front of her. "Father, what is happening? I expected word from you long ago. I had almost given up hope."

  "I’ve been busy. I came to see you."

  "Busy doing what?" She snapped her tone short, beginning to reclaim the anger she had felt when they had dragged her
out of the gala. "I’m an important diplomat for you. I don’t like to be escorted out like a child, and I definitely don’t like to be left out of essential developments on Lunara. You assigned me to represent the Zephyrian people. Where was the explanation for either of those embarrassments for me?"

  "I removed you for your own safety. The situation was becoming volatile. You’re a diplomat, and you don’t fight battles."

  "You are right. I don’t fight battles. I talk to people and work the problem out, peacefully. The holotube shows the biggest battle since the revolutionary days," she said. "Zephyria reconciles differences with diplomatic solutions. Why are we starting a fight when all the Aethpisians did was hide resources? That seems extreme."

  "The entire story isn’t clear to you, and the people have heard all they need to hear. The Aethpisians were wasting the resources and using them to build a secret fleet."

  "You should have brought this to the council." She eyed him, looking for any reaction that would indicate the truth. He gave none. "They’ll want proof, aside from the circumstantial evidence Seth showed us."

  "The council is no more. They dissolved themselves in a unanimous vote. They gave me absolute power to find and bring Mars to full glory. The administrators can no longer be trusted, and I convinced them of this."

  "This isn’t how Mars is supposed to be," she said. "We formed a two-government system so a single leader wouldn’t control us. Now you are the absolute leader with no checks or balances. Didn’t the past ten years mean anything to you?"

  "Gwen, this is only until we straighten out the mess. Aethpis and Zephyria will vote on its own. This crisis is more complex than you might believe."

  She looked into his eyes; a hollowness removed all emotion in them. He could not focus on her. "Then tell me what you know," she said.

  "I can’t." He walked to the window. "If your mother were here, she would probably be acting that same way you are. One day, I promise to tell you what happened, but I can’t now. You will have to trust me."

  "I want to help. Why can’t I leave my apartment? Surely, Zephyria is safe from the fighting."

  "I fear for your safety. I’ll send Samantha to keep you company."

  "No. I think we will be mad with one another for a while." Gwen frowned. "I want Seth and Chloe. Send them to me."

  "My people are debriefing them," he said, a finality resounding in his tone. "Did you need food?"

  She decided it was better to leave it alone. "Don’t worry about it. I’m not hungry. I just needed someone to yell at."

  "I understand. This is frustrating for us." Her father moved up to her and put his arms around her. "Your mother would be proud of your commitment."

  "It is good to be back on Mars. Home is always kind, even in such dire circumstances." She put her arms around him. She needed to gain his trust again. "If you need my help, you know where to find me."

  "You are the best daughter in the whole solar system."

  "Not the universe?" She smiled back at him.

  "There was this daughter on Beta Pictoris Six . . ."

  "Oh, shut up," she smirked. "Go back to your meetings. I’ll be fine here."

  She paused, making sure his eyes were looking into hers. "Father, I’ll always support you."

  His eyes softened, but she knew his fake political explanations and the hollowness from the gala remained. He had tricked her then, but she would never forget that look again.

  "Thank you for understanding. It means a lot to me." He kissed her on the forehead and straightened her jacket. "You should shower and change. These clothes are wrinkled. You’re too beautiful for that."

  "I’ll fix myself after you leave. I have all the time in the world." She escorted her father to the door. He gave her one last kiss, and she closed it.

  Chapter 33

  "And the alien says, ‘That’s not a saucer, it’s a plate,’" Parker said in Sarah Cortez’s quarters aboard the Unity.

  Sarah giggled. She smiled at Parker. Her face turned red, and she smiled broadly. Her clear skin, flowing hair, and high-stretched cheeks enchanted Parker.

  But as fast as she smiled, she shifted back to her familiar solemn expression. "I shouldn’t be laughing at your jokes."

  "Why not?" He moved across the couch to get close to her sweet and fruity aroma.

  "They murdered my parent and destroyed my life. I shouldn’t be enjoying our dinner so much."

  "Your beautiful face should enjoy every opportUnity it can to smile and laugh. You honor them with both your tears and your laughter."

  "Such eloquent words from a mechanic," she said. "I’m glad you came to apologize."

  He smiled slightly.

  She quickly said, "You showed courage to come to my quarters and apologize after what I accused you of."

  "I would have concluded the same thing in your shoes." He turned to the bay window overlooking the trailing ships. "I’m sorry again. I did it for Lunara."

  "I know," she said. "You don’t have to keep apologizing."

  Parker stared at her for a long moment.

  She kept her eyes on him.

  "Did you read over all the transmissions from the FSTAT system?" he said.

  "Yes. It was my father’s code."

  "Really?" Her admission surprised him. He had not expected her ever to confirm it. "Your father’s?"

  "My father was set up, so it had to be his codes used to convince Mars he was behind the invasion. Reading those transmissions pained me . . . those MSA soldiers pretending to be loyal to my father, giving orders in his name when it was clearly not him. I’m convinced more than ever that fate sent you to break into our security center, thus saving my life. You’ll allow me to recapture my family’s reputation."

  "We wanted to save Lunara." Fate had been a faith on Mars for a long time. Jan told him she believed in fate and would probably agree with Sarah. He had doubts that his intentions controlled Sarah’s future. "But after our capture, Jan trusted you would help us."

  "I understand and am honored," she said. "I invited you here tonight because you will be the point man for the task force entering Lunara. The mission is dangerous."

  "Eamonn already went over the mission specs with me." He stood up and moved to the bay window. "Did I miss something he didn’t tell me about?"

  "No, you have a high probability of not even getting on Lunara. The two transport ships assigned to you will likely be shot down."

  "You really know how to motivate your fleet." He spied the faint red glow of Mars over the portside engine mount. Two days, according to Sarah, is all he had left to live. He would never see Mars again. "I hope you don’t close your battle speech with that tone."

  "You misunderstand." She rose to her feet and stood beside him. "Eamonn made me realize this battle is almost hopeless for the fleet. I don’t expect any of us to come out of this alive, but it is—fate prevailing—our only hope."

  Parker could hardly believe her pessimism. "Why are you sending us there if you believe we will all die?"

  "Because we are at war, and this is our best shot at victory. Mars is polluted and corrupt. We can trust no one. With the meteor cluster targeting Earth, Lunara is the single most important sector of real estate in the solar system."

  "You don’t need to convince me. Why are you telling me this? Surely your advisors and Eamonn convinced you."

  She moved closer to him. "Again, you don’t understand—"

  "No, I don’t think so." He pulled her in close and pressed his lips against hers.

  Her body trembled. She pushed back and looked at him, narrowing one eye.

  "I’m sorry . . . I thought you wanted me to . . ." He couldn’t muster any more words through his embarrassment.

  Instead of running away, she moved in and pressed her lips harder against his. He closed his eyes and wanted the moment to last for a lifetime. He moved his lips around hers, and she let him have his way with the kiss.

  "Lady Cortez," the computer sounded. "A transmission
request is waiting at your terminal."

  They parted, and Sarah mumbled a few words, then finally was able to speak. "I . . . I must take this." She swallowed the last of the words.

  He bit his lower lip. "Jan has returned."

  In the cold dark vacuum of space, the Alliance fleet rested, consisting of four light cruisers, a war-retrofitted Protector, a minimal complement of fighters, and two shielded transport boats. At the head, Unity, the flagship, rested three hundred thousand kilometers from the moon. Out of their view, Lunara faced the Earth.

  For the moment, Eamonn had the fleet hiding from Lunara’s radar. He, Jan Falloom, Sarah Cortez, and the captains from the four cruisers were present in the war room for the battle briefing. They sat around a circular table. In the middle, a lighted display screen projected a holophoto of the Earth’s system; the moon, with three battle cruisers stationed around Lunara in a triangular pattern, was visible as the presentation started.

  Eamonn hammered his fist on the table. The chatter died. "An hour ago, Lead Pilot Jan Falloom returned with a detailed reconnaissance of Lunara and its defensive system. We’ll go over her findings. However, first, Lady Cortez has good news from Mars."

  Sarah cleared her throat. "On Mars, Trivium Port and Zephyria Colony are in control of the Martian Supremacy Authority, the MSA."

  "MSA is a figurehead title," said the captain of the Sheriff, Nathan Terry. "I call them Zephyria!"

  "No," snapped Sarah. "Many Zephyrians risked their lives for us. This is a new organization made up of Zephyrians, Outer Colony members, Trivium Port personnel, and even Aethpisians. The Martian Supremacy Authority is real, Captain, and you better accept them as reality."

  Captain Terry visibly swallowed and remained quiet.

  Eamonn understood Terry’s frustrations with the former chancellor, but many Aethpisians had orchestrated the conspiracy against Mars and labeling them anything other than MSA did an injustice to the Alliance members from both Aethpis and Zephyria.

  Sarah shifted in her seat and surveyed everyone at the table. "Let me detail our support and our adversaries, before we make judgments. As I was saying, Trivium Port and Zephyria were overrun with MSA troops. They took control of those colonies within twelve hours of . . . the incident. The attack split Aethpis down the middle, and the colony is the most heavily contested sector.