by Andrew Beery
The GCP had previously petitioned the Agur for access but been denied. Cat had instructed Commodore Ruck to speak with the Agur elders one more time once it was learned the Syndicate had learned of the archive. Cat’s instructions were simple. Let the Agur know that the GCP would offer their protection if for no other reason than to ensure the Modos did not gain access to the Agur database. The GCP required nothing in return but if the Agur were willing the GCP would very much be interested in a simple list.
Cat had become convinced that the worlds being brought forward in time by the Heshe were in fact not random. She believed that each race fulfilled a critical need that the GCP would need in order to prevail in the coming conflict. The list Cat wanted was a list of deceased civilizations and their major technological and cultural achievements. It was Cat’s hope that by piecing together why each specific race was being saved and why in the specific order they were appearing she would be able to better predict what would be necessary to ultimately win… not against the Modos Syndicate but against the Uruk.
“So they will provide the limited information we’ve requested?”
“In a manner of speaking… yes” Jason said cryptically.
Cat leaned forward.“And?”
“Admiral I’m having a problem gaging the Agur response. They seem to want to help us but…”
“But what Commodore?”
“Admiral, I believe the Agur want to meet you personally to deliver the information you are requesting.” He paused before continuing. “Further they have asked that your father accompany you.”
Cat was taken back.“Jason you know damn well my father is dead and has been since before I came out of stasis… surely you explained this to them.”
“Indeed I did Admiral. Their reply was your father is to come with you or they will not share the information.”
***
Captain Nicked-Tail stood on the gangway of the main fighter bay aboard the Syndicate Dreadnaught Tsunami. The MS Tsunami was three hundred thousand metric tons of pure killing machine. It sported twenty eight high-capacity railguns each capable of accelerating a depleted uranium shell at a sizeable fraction of the speed of light in under a second. In addition there were forward and rear mounted plasma weapons that were powered by independent high capacity fusion reactors. Each of the beams could generate energies that dwarfed the surface temperature of most suns. None of these weapons systems were as impressive however as what the captain was looking at right now.
Below him stood eighty-six cybernetically enhanced Modos pilots and the most advanced Syndicate fighters ever produced. These ships were being test deployed for the very first time on the Tsunami and Captain Nicked-Tail was determined that those tests would prove decisive.
He crossed his Bearephant’s arms behind its back. In a loud clear voice he addressed the pilots below.
“You have today the greatest privilege bestowed upon a soldier… You have an opportunity to show the universe what you are made of.” He paused to let his words echo in the vast room.“The battle you go to fight today is bigger than your individual lives. You fight today for our fundamental right to dominate others. To impose our will on others. Failure to dominate is to be dominated in turn. Failure to dominate is to have others impose their will on us. That is not a future I choose for myself or my progeny.”
He leaned slightly forward.“Today you go into battle to secure a world that may end this war for us. You will not fail because you are Syndicate soldiers… Make the Chairman proud. That is all… happy hunting!”
A few minutes later eighty-six prototype fighters streamed out of the launch bays of the massive dreadnaught on their way to a small world fractionally larger than Mars… A world populated by a curious race called the Agur. The jump-capable fighters lined up on their leader in a pristine formation and as a tight group disappeared into a single massive hyperfold.
***
Commander Ben padded into the Captain’s mess on four of his six legs. He had received the invitation to dine in the Captain’s mess during his normal duty shift on the bridge and was instructed that the Admiral sought the pleasure of his company as soon as his shift was done.
The D’rlalu power systems engineer was looking forward to a top-notch dinner. Ben’s friend Lt. Rebecca Ann Kirkland was the Yorktown’s Executive Chef and coincidentally the captain’s wife. She was widely considered the best cook in the fleet and had a Michelin Star to attest to her skill.
Much to his surprise the small dining room was empty save for the single woman sitting at the head of the table. As he went to salute Admiral Kimbridge she waved him off and instead motioned for him to accept a seat near her.
“I’ve asked the others to give us a few minutes” Cat said without preamble.
Ben took the offered seat. His curiosity was fully engaged. “Admiral?” He asked.
She shook her head and spoke haltingly.“For this… I’m just‘Cat’… Ben… I need my father.”
***** End of Preview *****
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Thank you for reading this novel. Positive (4 or 5 star) reviews on Amazon are very important. Reviews drive sales. Please consider clicking HERE to leave a favorable review. Finally, if you find a typo; the wrong word used; or an awkward sentence that negatively impacts the story telling... I want to know about it– so I can correct it for the next reader. Post additional comments or correction suggestions to my Facebook Author's page
Blessings, beloved of the Creator… Andrew Beery
Other Books
by Andrew Beery
(Click on titles to jump to order page)
The Catherine Kimbridge Chronicles
Inception, #1 - July 2012
Redemption, #2 - January 2013
Exploration, #3 - 2013
Retribution, #4 – 2014
Liberation, #5 – 2014 (Summer/Fall)*
The Ways of Mages (with Catherine Beery)
The Ways of Mages, #1 -Revised July 2012
The Ways of Mages: Two Worlds, #2 - Aug 2012
The Ways of Mages: Starfire, #3 January 2013
The Ways of Mages: Three Swords, #4 - 2013
Defender of the Empire
Book 1: Cadet - 2014*
* Coming Soon
As promised... there are two special SCI-FI treats included in this edition of Catherine Kimbridge... They are both exciting sneak-peeks of things you will see more of in the very near future.
SPECIAL #1
“...stand by for exciting news coming out later in the summer of 2014! Working with a team in Texas and California, ...
SPECIAL #2
Cadet
Book 1 of the Defender of the Empire Series
By Catherine Beery
Welcome to the Spectral Empire: a galactic empire enfolding hundreds of colony worlds governed by the Twenty-Five Prime Worlds, which are in turn ruled by the Imperial Council and the Emperor. A society of great advancement… but broken and under threat…
My name is Rylynn Sinclair, of Colony Lenti. I have lived there with my Aunt Sylvia for as long as I can remember. We were by no means rich, but we were happy. We had a roof over our heads and food on the table. So what if the neighbor was a mean drunk and I was often bullied by the resident gang? I had a home.
My simple life had a hole blown into it when I was thirteen. My home was destroyed the day before the mercenary scourge of the Empire came. War began, in all but name, and because certain interests were left alone, no help was forthcoming from our noble Prime World. Survival became the only playable card. When I saw that my group of hopeful escapees were in danger of being killed by a pair of hunting Telmicks, I traded my life for their chance to escape…
That is when everything… well…went weird. I was saved and given a new life as a cadet in the illustrious Legion Fleet Academy—a position never before held by a mere colonist. Not only that, I became involved in the Admiral’s Competition. To add to the weirdness that my life had be
come, I started hearing voices…many voices. Some helpful. Others just cryptic. All of this on top of being the only witness to a serial killer…
Chapter 1- Of Sacrifice
Year 2852- Spectral Empire
Medrais System
Her death haunted him once again, just as it always did when he dared to close his eyes.
“Amber!” He cried when she collapsed. He caught her, holding her close.
Green eyes full of pain and tears of regret looked up at him. “Joseph…I… I love you.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
Anger burned in him. She was giving up. She couldn’t give up. “Don’t. We’ll get through this. You’ll see,” he said, in his most convincing voice, trying to get her to believe in the same hope that was driving him. Shouts came close. Joseph looked over his shoulder, his breath still. Waiting. The sounds of pursuit faded as their pursuers went too far. They hadn’t yet realized that he had dragged Amber into the tight alley. He turned back to see that Amber was still gazing up at him. There was a sad wonder in her appraisal that made him want to squirm. She could see through his hopeful façade. She knew her wounds were bad. Her body was losing blood too fast for him to stanch it, though he had tried. It bathed him and the floor of the alley in a crimson puddle.
“There is nothing Slyth can do,” she whispered to him, brokenly. A thread of her renowned courage strengthened her voice. “I am beyond… help. You are not. I will not be the cause of…of your death. Go!” Joseph’s heart spasmed. Here she was, bleeding out in his arms, and she was trying to save him.
Joseph shook his head. “I’m not leaving you. We’re a team. Remember? And our third member will be here soon,” he said, lightly touching her pregnant form. “For her sake, for mine, don’t give up,” he admonished her. He couldn’t let her go.
His wife smiled weakly at him. It made his heart hurt. “You roguish, selfish man.” Her hand reached shakily for his cheek. He had to lean closer so she could reach it. His hand held hers in place. “I love you.” A shudder coursed through her body. Her gaze grew distant. “Love y…take her with you.” She breathed brokenly.
“Amber…” She trembled in his arms, and it took Joseph a moment to realize it was because he was shaking. Her hand went limp in his. Her eyes were empty. If he needed any more proof that his wife was dead, he got it when a glowing form slipped from her. It coalesced into a silvery-blue snake. Slyth, Amber’s Spectral. Ripples of light flowed over the Spectral’s body, making it look like it was made of water. Floating in the air above Amber’s shell, he bowed to Joseph in respect before slithering away into the distance. A spectral would only abandoned its partner if they were truly gone. “No…” Grief had thickened Joseph’s voice. With shaking fingers he closed his wife’s faded eyes. “I love you, too,” he whispered to her, as his arms cradled her body closer to his, and he sobbed brokenly for a stolen moment. Anger rose with his grief. He wanted to make the bastards who did this pay.
Not a good idea, friend. Not now. You barely made it out of there as it is, Raj, his raven spectral, counseled softly in his mind. After a moment when he didn’t move, the raven continued And if you don’t do something fast, the baby will die.
***
An incessant beeping dragged Joseph from sleep. He peered at the flashing light near his head. The beeping was coming from it. With a sleep-burdened hand, he tapped the flashing button, hoping it would make the noise stop.
“Attention. Coordinates will be reached in five minutes,” the ship’s computer informed Joseph, upon his tapping the button. The computer’s electronic voice banished the dregs of the nightmare that filled his sleeping moments constantly for the last few weeks. Sighing, he sat up and raked his fingers through his dark hair. At least the infernal beeping has stopped, he thought.
“Thanks, Computer,” he muttered. Standing, he made his way from the tiny sleeping room to the control room of the small spacecraft. He settled into the pilot’s chair. Looking through the view screen, he could see the roiling surface of the star up ahead. They were still far enough away that the radiation wasn’t a problem… Yet… “Do we have our expected audience?” he asked.
“Yes. Hails have been coming in sporadically from the Officers of Order for the last thirteen minuets and twenty seconds.”
“You have ignored them, yes?”
“As you ordered.”
Grunting in acknowledgment, Joseph turned to the controls. His mind kept wandering to that night not so long ago. He and Amber had been on a mission for the Order of Spectral Shades. Everything had been working well, when suddenly they were attacked. He still didn’t know how the enemy had learned of their true identities, nor did he know how the enemy had been able to find them. Not even the Shade Commander had known where they had been at the time of the attack, as it had been a spur-of-the-moment outing. It was as though the very shadows had spied on them. The thought had him narrowing his gray eyes at the star coming ever closer.
Soul Shadows. They were the dark reflection of the Spectrals. Many who knew of them thought they were a myth—a bad dream the older races muttered about when intoxicated or senile. The Spectrals, however, knew the truth. After all, they were the ones who had imprisoned the dark entities long ago—but some must have been slipping out. They must have allies. Powerful allies. Something had to be done. Unfortunately, Joseph couldn’t do that something. Not now. He was a hunted man. It was why he had given his daughter to his wife’s sister, who lived on a colony world. Joseph had never understood why the woman had given up her comfortable life on Forestrium, but she had. He was glad for it at this moment.
It had nearly killed him to lose Amber, but a piece of Amber still lived in their daughter. That daughter was off limits to him; his presence was a threat to her. To keep her safe for a time, Joseph Raven of Prime World Bresol had to die.
A buzz came over the com. Someone wanted to talk to him.
“That the Officers of Order again?” he inquired, with mild curiosity, still plunking in a series of complex codes.
“Yes. Would you like to speak to them?”
“Are we in position?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Let’s get this over with then. Go ahead and patch them through. Visual, if you would.” A moment later Joseph was face to face with the feline Officer of Order. “Greetings, sir. Can I help you?” he asked, leaning back in his chair.
The cat was not happy. “We have been trying to contact you since you flew past the station. You need to fix your communicator,” he said, in irritation.
Joseph smiled slightly. “I’ll get right on that. Anything else?”
In an annoyed tone, the officer continued. “Your name—and, for your safety, we request that you change your course. In case your viewer is also broken, you are headed right toward the sun.” Joseph could tell the man did not believe that the viewer was broken. High marks for him and his observational skills.
Joseph sat straighter in his chair and smiled at the officer. “I am Lord Joseph Raven of Bresol,” he answered, before cutting the transmission on the officer’s surprised face. Then he touched the ignition button and prayed that God would be with him; prayed that the coding would work. As he settled back in his lowered chair, he mentally shrugged. It really didn’t matter at this point. Either way, Joseph Raven, the minor son of the Bresol noble family, a Shade, would die in a spectacular way. Only God would know if this desperate plan would actually work.
***
Year 2865 Spectral Empire
Lenti-solum System
Colony Lenti
“Get down!!” Her hushed command was a whiplash that cracked over our heads. The others dropped so fast it was like they had lost all control of their legs. I thought it funny. I guess a gang leader’s humor had rubbed off on me. As the others dropped, I saw what they didn’t. Dread whispered. Strangely, it heightened my need to do something. Something exceedingly stupid. But I had to do it. I knew what would happen if I didn’t.
I had no desire to b
e a hero. I knew the group I was with well enough. I would get no praise from them… nor did I want it. At the time, I wasn’t even thinking about any of this. I did the first thing that came to mind. I didn’t have much time to come up with something better.
It was such a stupid plan, but it was the right thing to do.
“Rylynn!” Valencia called, but I ignored her. I hopped up and down to get the Telmicks’ attention. I called them every obscenity I could think of. Even used some that I made up on the spot, so of course they made no sense. But that wasn’t the point. I made noise. They saw me. I had their attention. That was the point.
Without looking at Valencia or any of the others, I backed away from the prowling Telmicks, leading them away from the others huddling in the debris and raggedy vegetation. Though I did not look, I did catch the cat-like gleam of Valencia’s jade eyes. I couldn’t even spare the time to consider all the horrible things she planned to do to me once I was safe again. If I was safe again. The thought seemed to resonate with something, because I was suddenly sure that ‘safe’ was one of those words that depended heavily upon one’s perspective.
The Telmicks are nine-foot-tall giants with the leg lengths that go with the height. They didn’t look like they were coming toward me that quickly, but they were. I needed to go and go as quickly as physically possible. Perhaps even faster. Shouting one last parting taunt, I took off at a run. I was small and I was fast. The question was, would I be fast enough?