Phoenix Rising: The Covenant (Phoenix Rising Infinitology Book 1)

by Angela Timms

  I have amassed an army and we have access to ships and people are joining us daily. There are many on different worlds who do not want to fall under the Follower’s rule. They are flocking to us bringing with them technology, expertise and manpower. The army has grown, my Generals are some of the best in the galaxy or shall I say galaxies. We have many races amongst our army and they too have a great interest in ensuring that other races survive so that they can build again once this war is over.

  I would return with you to your Mission Command if this can be arranged. I trust this will be acceptable to you.” He smiled at Kyla who blushed slightly. She felt it again, that warm, tingling feeling. She couldn’t take her eyes off of the Prince. Then she looked down at his wrist and recognized Joniel’s hologram device and a rush of relief flowed over her. She smiled and bowed her head. “I am sure this will be acceptable.”

  Kel looked at Rennon, his expression quizzical. “Well if the Commander is willing to set up an audience who are we to stand in your way.”

  Anathorn looked suddenly serious. “We will make the arrangements to speak with your Commander. I will arrange for a message to be delivered before the day is over. This will give you some time to speak with Shantara and to enjoy this beautiful city. After all, if we do not appreciate the beauty of what is around us then we will lose the passion we need to succeed. We are few, they are many but history has recorded many such situations. If the gods are willing, it will again. I must take my leave of you now.” He turned to the Emperor. “I thank you for the opportunity to speak with your guests and I look forward to speaking with you again.”

  He turned to Kyla. “My lady, it has been delightful to meet you. I trust that we will be able to speak again soon.”

  He turned to Rennon. “Sir, it has been a pleasure.”

  He turned to Kel. “Sir, I trust we will meet

  again soon.” He turned to Samson. “It was a pleasure.”

  He stood up and strode out of the room leaving those present in silence. The Emperor turned to his guests. “Now, I trust you found that a worthwhile meeting. There will be food available for you and you are welcome to enjoy our wonderful City. To speak with Shantara all you need to do is present yourself at the Great Library and you will be shown to where she works. Now I am afraid I must take my leave also, last night has left a lot of necessary work to do.” He stood up and they followed his lead, standing up and leaving in silence.

  They were escorted back to their rooms by the guard who was waiting outside. They walked in silence. Once back they sat in Kyla and Kel’s room and looked at each other for a moment. Then they started searching the room for listening devices. They found a few.

  Later that day Kyla and Kel made their way out into the City. It was teeming with people. Traders hawked their brightly coloured goods from handmade carts and their cries filled the air. Smells of cooking food, herbs, and spices created an indecipherable cacophony of scents that filled the senses. It was hard to move, people were pressed shoulder to shoulder as they passed along the main street. The smell of sweaty bodies and animal dung was overpowering.

  Kyla leant close to Kel and he bent down to hear what she wanted to say. “You would think with all this technology and beautiful buildings that they would discover soap.”

  He smiled and put his arm around her as she was buffeted by the passing crowd. “Don’t worry, we’re nearly there. So, do you fancy doing any shopping or shall we join Rennon and Dr Samson at the Library. Do you think they have had enough time to speak to her yet?”

  She looked up at him, her eyes bright with expectation. “Not yet, I’d like to look around a bit.”

  Kel looked down at her and smiled. He was a lot less tense than he had been for a long time. Then he tensed and she jumped slightly as he gripped her a little too tightly. She looked up at him trying to be casual but he could see the fear in her eyes. “We are being followed. I saw him when we had just left the Palace and I wasn’t comfortable about him then.”

  Kyla wriggled slightly so that he loosened his grip. “Thank you. I would normally speculate that it was the Emperor keeping an eye on us but he can do that with cameras. Then again there are politics here and that can always make things difficult. We are making alliances and there are going to be those who aren’t happy about that. There are likely to be Followers amongst the people here. Let’s see if we can get hold of that one and find out what he wants. Do you fancy a bit of shopping down that side road?” Kel stepped back and laughed then pointed down the side road. Kyla looked where he was pointing and nodded then turned to face him almost walking backwards out of the street, laughing and trying to look light hearted and as if they were just playing. They ran down the street to a shop and ducked into the doorway.

  The individual who was tailing them followed them almost straight away. He stopped just before their doorway and looked at the goods displayed. He was a middle aged man, about five foot eight with sandy coloured hair and a worried expression on his face. His cloak and hood were pulled closely around him and no weapons were visible. Now he was nearer they could see that he wore Imperial Armour under his disguise as his cloak slipped momentarily.

  He cast the merest sideways glance when he spoke to them. “I needed an opportunity to speak with you. Things aren’t how they seem. Yes I know you are here hiding and I’d really appreciate it if you don’t ambush me, beat me up or generally cause me harm. I’m trying to help you. Look around you and you see opulence, well up there in the palace you do. Down here there are people forced into the army while other people starve. They claim they have free slaves but they are in a worse position than the indentured ones. They have no money and as many are slaves who were thrown out because their owners couldn’t afford them or they were useless it is hard to know the difference. There is little paid work as the slaves do the work so there is little hope for them. That is their “freedom” they claim to have. How many has the Emperor taken from the streets to fight in that Amphitheatre? Mostly from these “free people” who are slaughtered by the would declare himself a god again. only ended in his grandfather’s time and he would reinstate it. That would be hell on earth for his people. He is petitioning the Senate to restore the old ways. If they do he will have supreme power. With the army he has amassed and if the Prince is out of the way he would have supreme command. If it was an accident when the Prince dies then he will step in to take his place, his army and his firepower.”

  Kel stared at him intently. “Why are you telling us this? What is your part in all this? We are merely tradespeople visiting your planet.”

  The man bowed his head slightly. “I am Leitath De’Mari, right hand to Joniel. He, I and the rest of his men are in hiding. This is as you will now guess not my uniform. Earlier today My Lord was called to the Emperor. The Emperor ordered My Lord put to death on the spot claiming he was there to assassinate the Prince. Thankfully he still had one charge in his teleport for the day and we have him, he is safe. He was injured as he did take one blaster bolt before he could get away. He commanded me to warn you to leave this place as soon as you can. I must return to my lord now. Now that the Emperor has changed his tactics Joniel fears that he will attempt to try something using his own man or men and put the blame on Kel. As a murderer that would be the same as you being a widow. My lord cannot command you but he would ask that you leave, immediately.” He turned and strode down the alleyway before disappearing into general populace moving up and down the street.

  dozens every day in his arena. He That is what the people fear. That

  7

  Kel and Kyla moved as quickly as they could through the crowds while trying not to arouse suspicion. Now they were ever more conscious that there were people following them. A few quick visits to random shops confirmed this. The same three people kept turning up.

  Kel bent down and make it look like he was playing with Kyla’s hair. “I don’t know what we are worried about; we are expected to go to the Library. We might as well walk st
raight there.”

  Kyla grinned. “I know but I object to being followed.” Then in a louder voice she added. “Kel, we’ll have to stop messing about and get to see Shantara. Come on, we can shop another day or on the way back.”

  He smiled at her and they began pushing their way faster through the crowd, following the central flow up the middle of what looked like the main street. They couldn’t read the signs but Kel had a fairly good idea where the Library was from looking at Rennon’s city guide.

  The streets were crowded with people and animals going about their daily business. There seemed no order and people pushed their way up and down the street. Kel grabbed Kyla’s arm after they were nearly separated for a second time and pulled her behind him. He then used his bulk to get through the crowd, gently maneuvering around the others in the street. Some were not so gracious. Again and again he was struck by packages, people or animals as they pushed their way through the crowd.

  Kyla was tiring. Her already white skin was drained of all colour and she stumbled. She fell against Kel who put an arm around her and pushed her forwards.

  Progress was slow through the crowd but quicker than it had been now that they were in the main thoroughfare. A chariot ahead was having particular trouble as it had become wedged against a trading cart and a donkey carrying a punnet of fruit was being unwillingly pulled past it by its frustrated owner. The grey bearded donkey owner wasn’t helping matters by shouting at his donkey which made it dig its heels in even more tenaciously. The horse pulling the chariot seemed to react in sympathy, laid its ears back and flatly refused to go forwards. The crowd of people who were nervous of the animals formed a solid barrier which prohibited any movement on both sides of the stand-off.

  The stallholder stood with his arms folded and surveyed the situation as the armoured charioteer and be-robed donkey owner gave up shouting at their animals and started shouting at each other. The donkey looked at his owner, totally bemused and wandered off through the crowd to where a small boy eating an apple began stroking him. The donkey seized his opportunity and stole the apple, followed by screams and tears from the small boy. This alerted the owner to his animal’s escape and he swiftly grabbed the beast and made his way through the gap the crowd had made for him. He reached into his punnet as he passed the small boy and gave him a couple of apples which immediately turned tears to smiles. The donkey reached for an apple and the owner reluctantly took one from the punnet and gave it to the donkey that crunched it thankfully.

  The charioteer managed to get his horse to back away and this released the wheel from the stall and he was then able to jump on board and be on his way slowly.

  They followed the flow up the central arterial street which led to the central Plaza which was packed tight with people. Movement in the Plaza itself was even more difficult. It was surrounded by magnificent porticos, Council Buildings and one side of it was the Great Library. This was a feat of engineering in itself. It towered above all other buildings and its spires threw shadows over the crowd below. It was further raised up as it sat at the top of a huge flight of stone steps which were also crowded with people.

  In the Plaza entertainers and street speakers had little circles of space in which to perform and the crowds around them formed a near impenetrable barrier. Kel and Kyla negotiated their way around these islands and pushed on through the crowd. They were nearing the steps when an enthusiastic juggler lost control of his flaming batons. The crowd stepped back to avoid the flaming brands and Kyla was caught in the ribs by the elbow of a young man who had lost his footing in the chaos. She gasped as the air was knocked out of her lungs and the searing pain rushed from her ribs to her back. Her legs gave out under her and Kel held her like a rag doll as she nearly hit the floor as the crowd closed in around them.

  He almost carried her the last few hundred yards across the Plaza. She walked as much as she could but the pain was almost unbearable. Kel tried to hold her gently but with the buffeting crowd it was impossible to keep her safe from the elbows and bodies that crushed around them. He felt the first step by nearly tripping over it. The jolt made Kyla gasp. He looked down at her and she managed a smile. “I’m sorry, but we are at the steps, not far to go now and we’ll be out of this crowd.” He almost dragged her up the steps. Step by step they got closer but the crowd got thicker. By the time they almost got to the top of the stairs he physically had to push his way through. Some objected, most saw the size of him and tried to give him space. Eventually he got to the top and the crowd was almost impenetrable. All he could do was try to shield Kyla from being hurt more than was necessary and push forwards. He stretched to his full height and tried to see over the crowd.

  There was a cordon around the Library. The Emperor’s Peacekeepers as they were known to the general populace were keeping the crowd back and more of them marched about accompanying white robed official looking old men and women. The Peacekeeper’s uniform was distinctive. Their breastplates bearing the Emperor’s Eagle shone like glass, polished to perfection, matching scarlet capes fluttered in the wind. Their helmets were similarly well polished and adorned by a scarlet plume. They formed an impenetrable line and beyond that line the balcony outside the Library was almost empty.

  Onlookers craned their necks to see what was going on. There was a man to Kel’s right, dressed in brown robes. He took a wrong step and elbowed Kel. “I’m sorry, please forgive me.”

  Kyla put a hand on Kel’s chest. “It is quite alright, you cannot help it. What is going on?”

  The man smiled. “I don’t know the details but a couple of slaves have escaped. They were working at the Library until this morning. When the Librarian came to let them out both of their rooms were empty. This is an outrage. What if all our slaves got the same idea? Where would we be then? The guard is looking for them to make an example of them. Then again you can’t trust these aliens can you? They say they had lilac skin and hair. Well that shouldn’t be too difficult to find. It will be quite a spectacle when they do find them.”

  Kel grunted. “When?”

  The man laughed. “Oh they always find them. All slaves are marked and tagged. If they step out of their controlled zone they will be located. If we are lucky they will be captured. If not then the guards will activate the chip in them and it will blow a major artery. Either way they won’t last long. There is a long range on that transmitter. I know, my family has been making them for generations.”

  Kyla looked worried. “What happens if they are caught?”

  The man smiled. “Then there will be a public gathering and they will be beheaded. That is the tradition and the Law. It hasn’t changed for hundreds of years. You are new here are you?”

  Kyla tensed up. “Traders, we thought there might be a market for our goods here. What is business like?”

  The man looked serious. “Fair to middling, depends on what you have on offer. Luxury goods are hard to move at the moment as money is tight. Essentials on the other hand are commanding a very good price. It’s a seller’s market here so far as most goods are brought in. So many things which are really quite mundane are seen as exotic. With so little money around people are concentrating on essentials. There’s a lot to be made if you are careful. What do you trade in?”

  Kyla smiled. “Unfortunately luxury goods so I think we may well be shipping out.”

  The man smiled back. “Very wise. Come back in a few months and no doubt it will all be different. Once this lull is over people will need to splash out and spend more. Get the elections over and we’ll see.”

  Kyla looked puzzled. “Elections?”

  The man’s eyes brightened. “You haven’t heard. The Emperor has called Elections next month. Every Government Official has to put in a petition for re-election. It should cause a huge shake up here. Out with the old, in with the new and we’ll do better.”

  Kel felt someone pushing through the crowd behind him and looked over his shoulder, preparing to push the person away. He looked down on Ren
non and Samson who had come through the crowd behind them. He turned slightly. “Good to see you two. We were just talking to this gentleman here about our trade arrangements. It seems that this is not the time for us to sell our luxury goods. May I suggest that we make a move out of here and return home?”

  Rennon looked tired. “A very wise decision I would think.”

  Kel pushed Kyla into the middle of them and they moved slowly down the stairway and joined the milling crowd below. Once in the anonymity of the crowd they made their way along the main street. Now more than ever they noticed the number of cameras that were set up. There was no chance of talking without someone seeing or hearing them.

  Kel whispered in Kyla’s ear. “I wish we had some of Joniel’s technology now. Where does he get that stuff?”

  Kyla looked thoughtful and smiled as she whispered to him. “You really don’t know who he is? Have you heard of the Rel’ha’asshin? Don’t worry, the sound of the crowd will block out any chance of hearing what we say. Just don’t look up. Remember the Emperor’s lip readers.”

  Kel frowned. “I have no idea who he is. He’s a tall enigmatic stranger with useful technology. It explains why he has such good equipment. So what do we do now?”

  Kyla thought and then smiled and looked up at him as if playfully reaching up to give him a kiss on the cheek. “You can take Rennon and Samson and get to the Hopper. I’m going to go to the Prince and tell him.” Kel caught her around the wrist hard. “That is madness.”

  Kyla pulled her hand free. “Ouch. No, it isn’t. While the Emperor thinks I’m going back to the Palace he’s going to make sure I get there. Once I’m there he may make a move but I’m going straight to the Prince. You and the others would be safer on board ship. While you are safe and more importantly alive I am of no use to the Emperor. I’ll get there as quickly as I can so that nothing happens to the ship. Whatever you do don’t try to take off in case he has it wired to explode.”