by Steve M.
“All you have to do is say ‘run away with MinKey’ and your PTD will take you to the ship up there,” she said, and pointed up.
“I can’t leave him. I’m sorry.”
“Just in case you change your mind. I’ll wait as long as I can.”
She stepped forward and then kissed his cheek. When she stepped away from him, the golden bubble formed around her and she slowly floated away from him to the door, then she was gone. The tears in her eyes were the last thing he saw before she left.
CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
Neither man wore a PPS. Allor ran across the main cathedral towards the man that had killed his mother, his sword high over his head. When he was less than ten maatars from Pens, the high priest activated his cloaking and disappeared. Allor went past him swinging at empty air and crashed into the wooden pew in the front row.
“Fairness Principle,” yelled Indira. And then she did the most peculiar thing. A woman her age moved as if she were a ballerina, leaping over to Allor and shoving something into his hand. She leaned close to him and whispered to him. A moment later Allor too disappeared. After a few seconds and a scream from some of the worshipers in the corner of the church, nothing changed.
“Gentlemen,” yelled Wingut. “You have reached an impasse that will only get other people killed. If you wish to continue, then you must both agree to turn off shielding.”
“I will,” said Allor.
“I won’t,” said Pens.
“Coward,” yelled Allor.
“Stupid,” replied Pens.
“Come face me,” said Allor, and then he appeared.
“Stupid,” said Pens.
Then Pens stabbed Allor with his sword. The shape of it formed as it was covered with the blood of Allor. And with the shape of the blade came the location of the owner. As he fell forward towards Pens, he shot the blaster that Indira had given him. Pens passed into his composite molecules quickly and fell as black, red, and gray dust onto the floor.
The mechanical feet of Professor Wingut were much faster than naturally developed feet. He was beside Allor an instant after he hit the floor. The remedium was on and he was moving it to the wound when Allor began a large seizure.
“Shit,” said Wingut as he desperately began to find the location of the worst part of the wound and heal it before Allor died. The seizure escalated and found rhythm for a moment as Allor jerked hard three times then collapsed into a motionless state.
“Shit,” said Wingut as he continued to move the remedium over the wound.
Allor lay motionless on the floor. Indira had moved quickly to Allor and was running another remedium directly over his heart.
“Shit,” yelled Wingut.
Third shits are a charm, and it was with this third shit that Allor took a deep breath at last, his first in almost twenty-five tix. Indira quit subconsciously holding her breath along with him.
“Whoa, I got a failure reading for a moment,” said Wingut, and he held up the remedium and shook it as if it might have loose parts inside.
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
The standoff between Allor and Professor Trill was resolved peacefully. After the battle with Pens and his near-death experience, Allor seemed changed, disoriented. There was no more fight left in him. He looked tired.
Allor left the temple to fetch Koven. They both were back in the temple in a few tox.
Then Koven did something most unununhistorian. He ran to his mother and gave her a big hug as soon as he saw her. His father joined them too.
Allor agreed to accept an ambassador on the planet and as much staff as they felt reasonable to provide counsel and assistance.
Trill told the historians that he would not wipe the memory of the planet. They took this to be a satisfactory commitment. Not that they could do anything about it. They were now only observers on a planet sponsored by the Sociology Department. Not their responsibility anymore.
Still, Trill was kind enough to thank them for their assistance. He made a point to let them know that it was them individually that he was thanking, not the organization of the History Department, as led by Professor Longley.
It wasn’t long after the agreement that Koven discovered that his cruiser had been stolen. Within a couple of tox he was able to place it at the edge of the solar system. It would be able to use FTL in a few tox. If he didn’t capture its exact location and direction at the moment of FTL instantiation, finding it would be difficult.
He confirmed a few minutes later that MinKey was missing. Then he turned off his tracking device for the ship and deleted the history.
About twenty tox later they all received a message from Dean Midge. Written only. Professor Longley was retiring at the end of term to focus on writing textbooks. He also intended to complete his ten-volume series on the evolution of the manufacturing processes for making paint.
Professor Wingut got one other message from Dean Midge. She wanted to see him as soon as he returned to Centrum Kath.
When finally asked about giving an unfair advantage during the fight between Allor and Pens, Indira responded that she was a mother and that it was the right of a child to avenge the death of their mother. It was universal, and she didn’t really give a damn what anyone else thought.
It was later that rev. Koven was alone in the comms room in the landing party cruiser. He was completing the stolen-item report. It was just the basic registry information. Nothing more. Fuel levels, cargo, etc. Usual stuff. And a tedious activity. But that was the low drone of life that he was performing when he heard the commands sent from Professor Trill. He couldn’t believe it at first. But after a few seconds he got up and ran out of the comms room as fast as he could.
CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
“What’s the problem, my friend? You know, I really hope you come back to spend time with us. As friends, none of the previous animosity. I like you, Koven.”
“It’s coming. Here, put this on,” said Koven and he slapped the PPS suit onto Allor and jammed the insignia five times really quickly.
“Ouch. Tell me what’s going on.”
“He lied. He fucking lied.”
The cold wind on the balcony gusted for a moment.
“Who lied?” asked Allor.
“Trill. Look.” Koven pointed at the sky. Orange lights appeared in the sky. Tiny little dots at first.
“What is it?”
“Turn your suit on high,” he yelled.
The orange lights in the sky were getting larger.
“What is happening?” Allor demanded to know.
“Come over here,” said Koven, standing by the edge of the balcony.
“Tell me, Koven. I have a wife. She is with child.”
Koven pulled him closer to the edge. The air got colder and they could hear the rushing water far below.
“They are wiping everyone’s memory.”
“I’ve got to get Ova,” Allor pleaded.
“It will bleed through if there are two of you in there,” said Koven.
Then Koven fell on his side, and as he hit the sandstone floor he kicked out as he turned his PPS suit on high. The result was that Allor bounced violently inside of his PPS bubble several times then fell unconscious to the floor.
“They will come looking for you. I’m sorry,” Koven said as he rolled Allor off the balcony and he fell down to the river below.
CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
Koven was still drunk from spice wine the morning of his recertification exam. He had been drunk a lot lately. But he already knew the outcome of his recertification. He would fail. He had known it for a long time. Ever since the debriefing. He withheld information. Worse still, he lied about the missing personal protection suit. Yes, he had failed.
Failed with Tanit too. She wouldn’t answer his calls. Wouldn’t even read his messages. Thirty-seven of them sat unwatched in her queue.
He had spent the last fortrevs telling everyone that would listen that he wa
s a historian that had chosen poorly. He said he hated being a historian. It was a lie. He couldn’t face his own failure and shame for it. So he hated the thing he failed at. Many humans do this, not just you good people of Earth 5. It is a silly response, but it makes a lot of people feel much better and more secure about themselves, even if through illogical means. However, in highly weaponized societies, this may have advantages.
So when Koven stumbled into the testing office, hushed comments were made. Administrators were appalled that someone from such a fine family and a protégé of the new head of the History Department conducted themselves in such a manner.
One of the administrators came over to Koven and smiled. She asked if he wanted a cup of water-enriched brown caffeine liquid with a carbon sugar compound often used to combat a hangover unsuccessfully. Instead, Koven yelled at the very pleasant woman.
“Get it over with. Give me the liberty of rest. Stop my doubler, the Koven narrative that is all lies that I run on a loop in my head. What lie could I tell in this circumstance? The madness of calculating them all is finally over.”
The administrator recognized the telltale signs of a historian in trouble and her smile now came with sickly sweet kindness packed in a voice best reserved for using with children. Children will accept it. Adults will only be insulted.
“You are a special one,” said a nice fat man with white hair and deep black eyebrows. “Here, let me show you to the room.”
The pleasant man lead Koven down a hallway to a room with a large wooden door. It looked strange in a hall of metal doors.
“There you go. The examiner is waiting for you,” said the man, who smiled at him then left.
Koven stood at the door for a long time. It was going to be the last few moments of his fine life. Poverty and desperation were on the horizon and closing fast.
He opened the door and walked in.
Seated at the table in front of him was Professor Wingut.
“Please sit down,” he said to Koven.
“I’m sorry, sir, but I—”
“Stop for a moment. Sit down and let me tell you about Jolen of Circ.”
Koven pulled out the chair and plopped down into a slouch.
“Jolen was a wonderful woman. But she was married to Anders Soil.”
“The Anders Soil?” asked Koven, now curious and less slouched.
“Yes. Sometimes a decisions turns bad over time. Not on the first rev or the first hundred. But over time. Hers did.”
“Sorry. She died married to a criminal.”
“She didn’t die,” said Wingut.
“But the history…” And Koven stopped speaking as he realized what he was being told. “But how did you get through this?” asked an incredulous Koven, motioning his arms all around.
“The same way you will get through it today,” replied Professor Wingut.
“When a Historian lies, pay attention because
you have found the most precious thing in the universe.” —The Final McGee
CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
Allor was walking down the row of vegetables with a basket of freshly picked squash under his arm. At the doorway of the farmhouse stood a very pregnant Ova. She looked out at Allor and waved to him. He walked from the field to the house.
“Ova,” she said proudly when he got to the front porch of the house.
“Good, darling,” he said with a smile. She was learning fast.
“Goo dowlin,” she repeated, and smiled excitedly then laughed.
“Yes. Excellent.”
“Cuddle Allor?” she asked.
“No. Not now, darling.”
She looked sad for a moment.
Allor pointed at the sun then pointed at the horizon.
“When the sun goes there, cuddle,” he said.
“Cuddle,” she said happily.
Starvation had started a few months ago. Allor had helped as many as he could. He taught many to grow their own food, but without a language, they mostly failed. Things learned today are forgotten tomorrow without the reinforcement of repetition.
So he grew as much as he could by himself in the mornings. Then he worked his neighbors’ fields with them for the rest of the day. From sunup to sundown he worked in the fields, fighting against starvation.
And every day he cursed Professor Trill. He swore revenge against the man that was killing most of the people of Earth 7. He hated the man who had taken Ova from him and replaced her with a frightened, pregnant child.
One day he would hold Professor Trill’s head in his hands.
But first he had to learn how to deliver a baby.
Revenge would wait.
Well, that’s the end of the story.
Kinda ended on a bit of a downer. Sorry about that. But it wasn’t really such a sad ending.
Wait, I almost forgot to tell you one last bit.
Two tox before Koven’s stolen cruiser departed orbit above Earth 7, a PTD bubble arrived outside the main airlock. Inside was a man shouting “Run away with MinKey” over and over at the top of his lungs. Inside the cruiser, MinKey was running towards the airlock. She was smiling.
There. Much better.
“Happy endings are only temporary.” —The Final McGee
THE END for now
It is all about to get very weird for Koven. Check out chapter one after the Shameless Self Promotion and other books section below. It is just a little different from Earth Seven….hehehe. Shit is gonna hit the fan back on Centrum Kath.
‘Nobody hurts you harder than yourself’ – Graham Parker
Shameless Self Promotion and other books
Thanks for reading this book. Hope you enjoyed it.
I need your help. I’m an indie writer and that means I have to take care of everything. Not too bad for getting to tell stories. But right now I spend half of my time doing marketing. Mornings I write, afternoons I work to sell what I write. And you know I’d rather take more of the marketing time and convert it to writing time. This is where I could use your help.
A lot of people won’t even look at a book until it has a lot of reviews. Looks like 35 seems to be the number of reviews where the book begins to get more consideration by a larger group of readers. Yes, I’m asking you to help me out by writing a review. If I can get enough reviews, the amount of marketing time goes down and I can write more.
Even if you thought it sucked, be specific and tell me where it sucked and why. It will help me become a better writer. You can find more of my writing on my website: http://www.stevemauthor.com
Find me on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/stevemauthor1/
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevemauthor1
You can hurl abuse via: mailto:[email protected]
BEAT READERS NEEDED: if you want to read my books before they are published in exchange for honest feedback and telling what doesn’t work so I can fix it before publication, please drop me a line at mailto:[email protected] and put BETA READER in the subject line.
Here are the Titles of all of my Books:
Science Fiction:
Earth Seven and the History Department at the University of Centrum Kath
(Sci-fi Satire)
Mortuis Luna and the History Department at the University of Centrum Kath
(Sci-fi Satire)
The Last Believer (Post-apocalyptic, first contact)
420 Action:
Lioness
Forced Entry – The Unravelling (very noir)
Forced Entry – More Mistakes (very noir)
Forced Entry – The Face of Heritage (very noir)
Higher Education
The Mississippi Sativa Cooperative
The Mississippi Sativa Cooperative 2: Bad Seeds
Political-Dystopian:
The Robespierre Conspiracy
The Robespierre Uprising
The Robespierre Utopia
Who t
he fuck?
Steve M escaped from the information cages of Mega Corp after years in the information prison.
He shares stories while trying to avoid recapture.
He stays warm in Florida with a wife, two cats and a dog.
After a long day of thinking.
England 2015
Mortuis Luna and the History Department at the University of Centrum Kath – Chapter One Preview
This is chapter one before the editor and the beta readers get to read it. So please excuse any stupid mistakes. Hopefully this will give you a good sense of what is next for Koven Modi. I wanted an environment and circumstance that he would make him feel very uncomfortable.
Lemme know whatcha think.
The final version will be shorter, tighter and with better worded. But the story will remain the same.
Anyway, enough preamble, lets amble shall we?
CHAPTER ONE
The train ride was as smooth as silk. It only took a couple of tox (minutes) to bring the hundreds of people into Reon, the capital city of Infelos Neso, one of the most populated planets in the galaxy. Bodas Fink was smiling as he looked out of the window of the train. Heuris Carter sat beside him. She was looking at all of the signs that flooded the landscape of Reon. In every direction for as far as the eye could see, which wasn’t very far, were the floaters, as the floating billboards were called. The images changed on them frequently but no less than every two seconds, in accordance with the law against subliminal suggestion. Heuris looked at the advert with the image of a cat. She liked cats and missed hers. But Cretus was being taken care of by her parents while she did her service on Mortuis Luna, one of the two moons of Infelos Neso and the breadbasket for Neso, as everyone called it.