Redemption: Sci Fi Romance (Far Hope Series Book 2)

by E. A. James

  “We’re tired,” Kira said, keeping her back to Artanis. She let out a long sigh, before continuing. “But, hell, we’ve been tired since this damn thing started.”

  She turned around and crossed her arms over her chest, assuming her familiar air of determination and authority.

  “We’re in.”

  “I’m very glad to hear it,” Artanis said, once again turning his attention to the tablet in front of him.

  Dario stepped forward and nudged Kira in the back, forcing her forward a little more.

  “There’s something else,” Kira said, quickly.

  Artanis placed the tablet down on the table in front of him and regarded Kira closely, seeming to note the gravity of Kira’s tone.

  “It’s only an assumption. There’s no certainty in it,” Kira began.

  “Is it worth saying? You seem unsure,” Artanis replied, leaning back in his chair.

  “It is,” Dario spoke for her.

  Kira quickly spat out what she knew about Grimm's past with the Arkadians. She recounted their mission to find and destroy the Empyrean's laboratory, and her fear that Grimm may be working with them now to create the super weapon they once worked together to ensure would never come into existence.

  “If there’s one thing I know about Grimm, sir,” she finished, “it’s that he won’t stop until he gets what he wants. He’s willing to burn the whole galaxy down.”

  “He believes he’s doing what’s best,” Kira continued. “He’s weeding out the weak; he’s building a super army and putting himself in charge of it. He’ll do whatever it takes to come out victorious.”

  “Victorious?” Dario asked.

  “The Terran High Command,” she answered. “The governing body he believes to be too weak to do what needs to be done to protect us. He thinks himself the only person capable of leading the Terrans to greatness. As far as he’s concerned, the only way to ensure Earth’s safety is to make us the strongest, most feared race in the galaxy, with him as our leader.”

  Artanis’ eyes narrowed as he listened. He waited to reply once he was sure that Kira had said all she needed to. But, a sudden, blaring whine erupted out of the tablet, stopping the words before they could escape his lips and drawing everyone’s attention to it.

  Artanis sat up quickly. “An emergency message is coming through on the Galactic News Network,” he said, entering a code into the device and sitting back.

  Out of the device pored a holographic image of the news report. Except, it wasn’t a news report at all.

  Kira let out a muted gasp as Grimm’s face filled the space hovering over the table. His eyes, as cold and piercing as she remembered them, stared out at them.

  “I am Colonel Baron Grimm,” his icy voice filled the room, bouncing off the walls and sending chills down Kira’s spine. “Undoubtedly, the news of my rebellion against the TAF has been echoing through the corrupt and despicable media channels across the Terran Alliance. This message is a warning—a warning for the Terran Alliance Forces. Surrender the remaining TAF personnel and turn over control of your forces to me, or there will be dire consequences. As you have seen, my actions have been calculated with precision. Do not make the mistake of believing I have not thought further ahead.”

  The image remained suspended in the air for a second, or two, or ten. Kira wasn’t sure. It felt like an eternity. Finally, the broadcast ended and the light sucked back into the tablet.

  “Oh,” Kira said, looking back to Artanis, “and that, we forgot to mention that. He’s planning on attacking soon.”

  “Maybe you should have started with that,” Artanis said, standing up quickly and collecting his tablet. Tucking it under his arm he extended his hand to her. “It’s good to have you back, Captain Winter. Now, you and your crew need to begin preparing for war.”

  ***THE END***

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  WINTER’S EDGE

  CHAPTER ONE

  “You have to act fast, Captain. They’re gaining.”

  The voice coming through the speaker wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know. Did he think she was blind? She could see the dots on her sensor array growing bigger and bigger.

  Pushing down hard on the intercom, she glared at the displays in front of her, daring her enemies to get within her reach. “Are the missiles lowered?”

  “Did you ask me to lower them?” the calm, cool voice replied.

  “Lower them!” Kira snapped, not worrying about her forceful tone or abrupt order.

  Just as she released the intercom button, an enemy ship came into view on her starboard camera feed. The enemy vessel had locked in on her position, and sensors were beeping wildly around her.

  Inhaling sharply, she pushed down on the controls, sending her ship into a quick free-fall, guiding it out of the enemy’s line of sight. As she continued to descend, she scanned the screens, checking the monitors with quick, swift glances. Surely there was more than one of them out there.

  The sensors began to beep again. The first ship had begun to dive after her. Her eyes quickly shifted to the monitor to her right, the one connected to her ship’s rear camera. She saw the large, metallic body of the ship growing closer, inching up on her position as its large turrets swiveled in her direction.

  Just as the image rippled with the explosion of the projectile weapon being fired from its heavy barrel, Kira pulled the ship up. The torpedo zipped past her vessel, just missing it. As she ascended once again, she spun the ship around, positioning the crosshairs on the belly of the ship as it turned to continue its pursuit.

  Just as her target came clearly into view, the sensors once again began their high-pitched chorus.

  “There’s another one, Captain,” the voice came over the intercom again.

  As she had anticipated, another ship warped in on her location, appearing suddenly behind her. The ship in front of her, visible now through the viewscreen locked in on her position as the newcomers did the same from behind.

  As the beeping grew louder, her heart beat faster. She moved her hand from the launch switch and grabbed hold of the ship’s controls once again. Her eyes darted back and forth between the monitor linked to the rear camera and the viewscreen sprawling out in front of her.

  “Come on,” she whispered slowly, holding her breath. “Come on.”

  Simultaneously, the two vessels let their weapons fly—the two torpedoes hurled through the air, their paths aimed directly at her. She pulled up on the controls forcefully, sending her ship on a quick ascent, just as the two projectiles collided into each other.

  As the ripple effect of the explosion shook through the air, she spun her ship around, locking her targets once again on the first ship. Both of the enemy vessels were caught in the aftershock, and she needed to act fast before they were able to regain complete control.

  Just as the crosshairs of her missile guns covered the hull of the first ship, she hit the launch, letting her own weapon fly. It was a direct hit, disabling the vessel immediately upon impact.

  “One down, one to go,” she mumbled, turning her ship around to set her sights on the other.

  To her surprise, the second ship wasn’t where she expected it to be. She tightened her grip on the controls, watching the monitors carefully. The sensors were chirping loudly, letting her know that the enemy was somewhere nearby, and was locked in on her location.

  “Where is he, Captain?” the voice came over the intercom. “You have to find him.”

  “You don’t think I know that?!” Kira snapped.

  The front, rear, starboard, and port cameras were showing no signs of the ship that was causing her sensors to go crazy. That only left one option.

  "I’ve got you," Kir
a said under her breath, pulling her ship up suddenly and repositioning it quickly to the side. Just as she did, the ship came into view. The vessel had taken evasive action of its own, diving down quickly, positioning itself below her, out of view of her cameras. It had then locked on her position and began to climb, its guns pointed at her ship's underbelly.

  She steered the ship out of the line of fire just as a projectile went hurtling past her. The ship, now clearly in the line of sight of her port camera, was spinning around to square off with her.

  “I don’t think so,” Kira said, quickly finding the ship in her crosshairs.

  Before the enemy vessel had the chance to lock its guns in on her position again, she slammed her hand down on the launch button, sending a missile flying directly into the front of the ship. Just as the air filled with the orange glow of the explosion, her monitors switched off and the viewscreen went blank, encasing her in darkness.

  As the ship shuddered to a halt and the lights came on around her, Kira let out a sigh of relief. Her hands still gripping the controls, she leaned her head back against the headrest as the ceiling of the makeshift cockpit popped open.

  “I don’t usually give out perfect scores,” her Field Training Officer’s voice rang out over the intercom, “but I would be hard-pressed to find something to criticize about that performance, Cadet. Although, I could have done without the snappy tone.”

  Pushing herself up out of the seat, she shot a confident smile in his direction. “You taught me to be a strong, confident leader, sir. I was just showing that I could do that,” she replied. Although she couldn’t see him, she knew where he was—seated in his usual spot just behind the one-way mirrors lining the far wall of the simulation room.

  “I don’t think anyone had to teach you how to be strong or confident,” he replied.

  “So,” she said, not ready to begin celebrating just yet. “Does that mean…?”

  “It means you’ve officially passed your last test, Cadet—or should I say—Captain Winter,” he said, his voice booming with pride.

  “Hell yes!” she exclaimed as she jumped down from the large, white, boxy flight simulator.

  Just as her feet hit the floor, the heavy metal door in the corner of the room went flying open, slamming back against the wall forcefully. In the blink of an eye, the room filled with the bustle of excited bodies, all crowding in towards her. They had been watching her last simulated flight on the monitors hanging just outside the simulation room. It was common practice that a public audience was allowed to attend a cadet's final test. That way, the celebration could start immediately upon receiving her final mark.

  She scanned the faces, recognizing most of them as her fellow Academy cadets. Her parents were there, mixed in with the crowd, trying to push their way towards her, with her sister close on their heels.

  “If I can have your attention,” her Field Training Officer’s voice rang out, causing an anxious calm to fall over the crowd.

  He was no longer behind the glass. Now, he stood in the doorway, his tall frame easily hovering over the mass of people. Everyone turned to look at him as he walked into the room. The crowd parted as he made his way towards Kira, a satisfied grin spread across his face.

  “Kira Winter,” he said when he reached her. “It has been my honor to train you these last four years. You have always been an exemplary student, going above and beyond what was asked of you. You are a quick learner and a great pilot. I have no doubt that you will make the Terran Alliance Forces proud with your service.”

  Reaching into his pocket, he revealed a small, golden pin. Although it wasn’t large in size, it was immense in meaning, especially for her. It was her badge, her title, the symbol of her first official ranking in the T.A.F.—it was everything she had ever wanted and everything she had worked so hard for.

  She beamed with pride as he fastened the golden wings to the collar of her uniform. Her eyes once again flitted around the room, scanning the faces in the crowd. They were the faces of people who had supported her through the grueling training process, the faces of all the people who had stood by her from start to finish.

  As her Field Training Officer pulled back, patting her firmly on her shoulder, her eyes landed on one specific face in the crowd—Ryker Dune’s. Lieutenant Dune was her Combat Training Officer, specializing in hand-to-hand combat. He had previously served as a member of the Terran Alliance Special Forces, the most prestigious of all the T.A.F. units. He began working at the Academy during her second year in training when an injury he sustained while out on a mission left him "temporarily unfit for battle."

  There had always been a sort of unspoken tension between them. Kira felt it from the beginning and she knew that he did, too. But, the fact that he was her superior had always overshadowed them. Now, though, as she watched him walk confidently in her direction, she had a feeling that that divide was growing smaller as the distance between them lessened.

  “Captain,” Ryker said, pushing his way through the crowd and extending his hand to her.

  “Lieutenant Dune,” she replied, slipping her hand into his.

  Although he was 28-years old, six years older than her, he had a boyish look about him. If it weren’t for the faint ripple of scars etched his right temple and cheek from the accident that had taken him temporarily out of the Special Forces, there would be no trace of age or experience on his face. Even his large frame and muscular build didn’t make-up for his childlike features. His thick, dark black hair was always messy, and there was a hint of mischief buried beneath his stern, serious countenance.

  “You did it,” he said with a crooked smile. “You trained, worked your ass off, and rose to the top of your class. And, I’m proud to say that I got to be a part of what I know will be an amazing success story for the Terran Alliance Forces.”

  “Someone is full of compliments today,” she replied quickly. “That’s a nice change.”

  Although there had been some level of attraction passed between them during her training, Ryker had always been exceptionally hard on her. She didn’t mind, though. She took it as a challenge; it drove her and pushed her to work and train harder.

  “That’s not the only thing that’s changed,” he said. “Your status has changed as well. You’re no longer a cadet in the Academy.”

  “Oh,” she said, with a sarcastic gasp, “is that why all these people are here staring at me?”

  Ryker smiled and ran his fingers through his hair. He kept his eyes focused on hers as he continued, “I mean, you’re no longer my student. And, that means, that there’s nothing standing in the way of my asking you out.”

  “Except maybe this extremely awkward situation,” she said, looking over his shoulder at the mass of faces lining up to congratulate her. “Everyone is looking at us.”

  His gaze didn’t follow hers; it remained glued to her face. “Are they? I hadn’t noticed.”

  “Well, they are.”

  “Then why don’t we continue this conversation later tonight, in a more private setting—I’ll prepare dinner for us in my quarters.”

  The thought of being in a Training Officer’s private quarters made Kira’s pulse quicken. Just five minutes before, it would have been breaking the first cardinal rule of the Academy—no relationships between officers and cadets.

  But, she wasn’t a cadet anymore. She was a captain in the Terran Alliance Forces. The realization quickly pushed all doubt and insecurity from her mind, replacing those feelings with pride and confidence.

  “If that will keep you from holding up the line, I guess I’ll accept,” she said playfully, not letting the rush of excitement she was feeling come through in her voice.

  Ryker cocked his head to the side, smiled, and nodded. “I’ll see you at 1800 hours then, Captain Winter.”

  She nodded quickly as he turned to walk away. Watching him go, she couldn’t keep the smile from her lips. Everything seemed to be coming together. Her career was on track and clearly, she was crossin
g the chasm between cadet and captain seamlessly.

  Her gaze followed him as he turned the corner, leaving the room. Just as she was about to turn to search for her family in the crowd and continue letting the moment of celebration wash over her, something caught her eye. Something that made the smile quickly fall from her lips.

  She didn’t need to see the ranks sewn into his uniform to know who he was. What he was doing at her pinning ceremony, though, was what confused her. Colonel Baron Grimm was the Special Forces’ most well-known commander. She had seen his face on broadcasts, his icy stare piercing through the holographic images with an intensity that demanded instant respect. And now, those glassy eyes were fixed on her.

  A chill ran up her spine as he pushed through the crowd, making a beeline in her direction.