The Betrayal of Ka (The Transprophetics Book 1)

by Shea Oliver

  The air went rushing past Kadamba’s face, but he wasn’t moving downward. As his body spun through the air, he realized that Jackos had thrown him. He saw the chairs stacked like dominos against the wall, where he knew was going to hit. The stack erupted and scattered as Kadamba slammed into them.

  Jackos took two steps towards the Kadamba but fell to the floor before reaching him. Jackos, and the men around him, convulsed and shook on the floor as the current flowed through them. Current flowed through Kadamba too, but he didn’t feel it. He didn’t feel a thing.

  Chapter 13

  Turkey on the Beach

  Tim Parnell was at the Cairbre’s dinner table for the fifth Sunday in a row. Joanna and he had been dating now for over six months, and the chemistry was electric between the two of them. Both Dylan and Bjorn were happy to see their mom so relaxed and enjoying herself. For some kids, it is hard to see a parent happy with someone other than their birth parent, but for Dylan and Bjorn, life was not all white picket fences.

  Dylan knew his father’s name, but he hadn’t ever met him. His mom had met him in a coffee shop where she worked when she was in college. He was a little bit older than her, and already out of college. When she found out that he was married and that she was nothing but a fling, she vowed never to have anything to do with him again. When she discovered that she was pregnant, she changed schools and moved across the country.

  Dylan barely remembered Bjorn’s dad. He was a small child when Joanna started dating the guy. He was from Sweden and apparently had swept Joanna off her feet. He lived with them for a few years, and Joanna gave birth to Bjorn during that time. Dylan had vague memories of the fights before he left. The man wanted to travel the world and thought Joanna should go with him. He argued that the brats could just be left with Joanna’s mother. Of course, he eventually took off, and the last anyone heard was that he had been kicked to death by an ostrich somewhere in Africa.

  After the Swede bailed on them, Joanna’s mother had described the situation in the old woman’s typical, crusty manner. “Your man-picker’s done busted.” Grandma was pretty accurate. Joanna dated a few more men, but nothing seemed to click until she met Tim. It had only been six months, but he seemed to be a wonderful guy, and the boys liked him too.

  After they cleared the dinner dishes, Tim high-fived the boys, telling them he would see them soon. He was heading to Seattle to close a deal for his company. He was a salesman or something for some trendy, corporate social media company. The boys didn’t totally understand what he or the company did, but it sounded pretty cool. Plus, he seemed not to worry too much about money.

  Dylan poked his head around the corner and saw exactly what he thought those noises were. His mom and Tim were locked in what was obviously a very passionate kiss. “Gross” was the first thought that flashed through Dylan’s mind, as he headed back into the kitchen to help Bjorn with the dishes. Watching your mom kiss someone was awkward at best, but he was happy she had found a decent guy that was so good to him and Bjorn. Truthfully, he was a little curious. He’d kissed the girlfriend that he had during the last school year, but it wasn’t anything like the kiss that he had just seen.

  “Bjorn and Dylan,” called Joanna after Tim left, “could you guys come in here, please?”

  The boys looked at each other with a knowing glance. That was mom’s “let’s have a talk” voice, which usually ended with additional chores, or some other, less-than-thrilling impact on their lives. She had them sit on the sofa and looked at them for a few moments.

  “So what do you boys think of Tim?” she asked.

  “He seems pretty cool,” Bjorn blurted out, happy that the first words out of her mouth were not about something she needed help with around the house.

  “Dylan?”

  “Mom, he seems like a pretty nice guy.”

  “I agree with you both. He is a nice guy, and he treats us all very well. He’s just made us an offer that I want to talk with you guys about,” she shared and then paused looking at the boys’ faces.

  Dylan first thought was that, of course, he had wanted to move in, or something even more permanent, but something was very coy about the way his mom was approaching this. He could tell that she seemed genuinely excited about something, and was trying to pop some big surprise on them.

  “Okay, Mom! What is it?” Bjorn asked impatiently.

  “This almost seems too real to be true, but … Tim has a condo near Playa del Carmen, and he’s asked us to spend Thanksgiving in Mexico with him!”

  Both boys’ eyes grew wide, and they eagerly listened and discussed plans for the trip. They would both have to miss a couple days of school, but they both absolutely agreed that it would be worth it.

  Chapter 14

  Cogs in the Machine

  Captain Tristanidad Luciano stood a few feet away from the Colonel’s office for a moment, lost in his thoughts. He knew he should say something to the Colonel. It was the right thing to do. In many ways, it would also cover his own ass. As the Captain of the Elite Forces of the Donovackia Corporation’s military, he could never have anyone say that he suspected something, but did nothing.

  “Come in, Captain,” the Colonel declared, without even lifting his eyes from his desk. Captain Luciano walked into the office and crisply saluted.

  “At ease, Captain, please sit down.”

  “Thank you, sir. May I please close the door, sir?”

  The Colonel agreed and bid the Captain to sit again. Colonel Jecamiah Agastya had expected to see the Captain this morning. The morning’s command briefing memo had mentioned gearing up for the next planetary exploration mission. It had been over a decade since Donovackia Corporation had launched a mission, and the Captain would certainly be excited, as he would be assembling and training part of the mission team. However, there was a troubled look on his face.

  “Sir, may I speak off the record and in confidence with you?” asked Captain Luciano.

  “Captain, please, what troubles you?” replied the Colonel.

  “Well, you know that I help as an instructor at the Gorgano Martial Arts Academy when my time allows it.”

  “Yes, I’ve seen your 11-year-old son compete. He’ll be kicking your butt within a few years,” noted the Colonel.

  Both men laughed. It was probably true. The kid was good, but concern was apparent in the Captain’s eyes.

  “Tristanidad, what is it you want to talk about?” inquired Colonel Agastya.

  “I’m not sure exactly how to say this or even bring this up,” began the Captain. “One of the students, and one of my son’s friends, is Mungo Chaldea, the General’s son. Lately, he’s been having some serious trouble with some of the kids his age, at school. His mom recently approached me. She wouldn’t say much, other than there was some trouble at home. She asked me to just be a friend to the boy. She told me he needed a strong, stable, but compassionate, male influence in the boy’s life.”

  “I can certainly see why she would turn to you,” affirmed Colonel Agastya. “You’re a good man, and a fine role model. I’m sure you would be there for the boy regardless of whether or not Camdrin Chaldea had approached you about her son or not.”

  “Well, sir, that’s part of the problem.” The Captain hesitated and then decided to continue, “I know there is some secret or secrets that this family is concealing. I don’t mean to pry into others’ business. It’s just . . . I pulled Mungo aside to just let him know that he had a friend if he needed it. Tears flowed from his eyes like a river. He doesn’t say much. He’s come over to play with my son, and a few times, he has crawled into my arms and just cried. Camdrin has become more and more evasive as I try to talk to her. I don’t know what to do. He’s a good kid, but something is going on.”

  The Colonel released a deep breath. “Tristanidad, I know more than I can say. Please understand this. The boy obviously needs a friend, right now. I don’t believe that he is in any danger. He’s not being abused. Right now, he just needs a friend. P
lease just let him spend as much time as possible with your family. It may be important right now for Mungo to have an emotionally safe place, with a family that functions and to have as much love as yours does. You’re a good man for stepping up, but please, don’t ask any more questions. The issue hopefully will be resolved for the Chaldea family soon.”

  The Colonel maintained his look of calm and compassion as he talked to the Captain, but inside he could feel the frustration rising. How the hell did the General get to his station in life? That pompous, sexist, self-righteous, judgmental idiot should not be in command. The Colonel knew who the General really was, and what he was really like. He was rotten to the core. The Chaldea family absolutely loved the illusion of the perfect General and his perfect family. He portrayed the perfection well, but every bit of it was a façade hiding the truth. This wasn’t the first time there was an issue, and he was afraid it wouldn’t be the last.

  Colonel Jecamiah Agastya was fond of the young Captain. It really wasn’t a surprise that they were having this conversation. They were both military men. Both had been tracked young into command school and elevated at young ages. Colonel Agastya had recognized years ago that Captain Luciano was a man of depth. He was an outstanding officer, an excellent leader, and amazingly cool under pressure. However, unlike so many who were drawn to the military, he was also a man of deep and complex emotion. He hadn’t become cold and emotionally stunted, like so many others in the military. It was about fourteen years ago, when they were both younger and in more forward-combat roles, that he watched Luciano heading down a path he had already tread. While the Colonel couldn’t roll back time and undo his own regret, he had kept Captain Luciano from heading down the same path.

  Tristanidad Luciano had been madly in love. Kalila was a wonderful young woman, full of life and as madly in love with Tristanidad as he was in love with her. When Luciano was scheduled to be deployed on a very dangerous mission, he made the decision to end their relationship. He simply couldn’t ask the woman that he loved to sit by and wait for a potential call about his death. Better that he set her free then, than have her lose him later.

  The night before he planned to let her go, he confided his plans with his superior officer, Jecamiah Agastya. Agastya had done the exact same thing, five years before that, and regretted every moment of it since. The woman he loved with every ounce of his being was gone, and he was afraid that he would never be able to fall in love again. Agastya convinced Luciano not to end the relationship. If they were truly in love, then they should be together. Their union had gone on to produce three wonderful children and, in so many ways, had made Luciano a better man.

  The Colonel’s secretary interrupted the men, reminding them that the General’s briefing was in five minutes. Both officers headed towards the Executive Command Briefing Room with anticipation, joining the other eighteen senior command officers for what was sure to be the announcement of the initial orders to begin preparations for the next planetary exploration mission.

  The room was arranged like a small auditorium. Three long, elegant tables sat, one terraced above the one before it. In the front of the room was a podium, where General Swinton Chaldea stood, waiting for the officers to assemble.

  “Members of the Donovackia Corporation Military Command Staff, welcome on this excellent day,” began the General. “While we have significant, ongoing business to attend to, let me start with the news that all of you already know, as I issued it in this morning’s briefing memo. The Donovackia board of directors has initiated plans for the next planetary exploration mission. Ladies and gentlemen, we have two years to prepare for this mission.”

  A rumble went through the officers, along with questioning looks and perplexed gestures. One of the other officers expressed the sentiment in the room. “General, sir, two years? Every mission I have ever heard of takes at least three to five years of planning. The Donovackia Corporation doesn’t even have a spaceship under construction, and that takes a minimum of three years to build. Could you please clarify and provide details on how this can possibly proceed on a two-year timeline?”

  “Excellent question, and I am afraid I don’t have a clear answer for you,” replied General Chaldea. “I was briefed before this meeting by Chairman Donovackia, himself. He has assured me that there will be a ship ready for us. I do not know how, but he ordered us to initiate planning and preparation.

  “I do know this much. It will be a twelve-man, standard crew, with an estimated travel time of two to three years. The return vessel will also be a standard, unmanned vessel, bringing back only artifacts and crew reports.

  “For the twelve-man crew, the Corporation will be supplying six non-military crew members. There will be two global logistics and trade experts. Their job will be to analyze the planet’s capability to globally move goods around the planet. There will be two infrastructure and technology experts. They will focus on understanding the planet’s technology, and should the planet be close to ready for development, they will work with the other experts to identify a location that has sufficient electrical power for a portal and access to global trade routes. The final two will both be experts on identifying and validating Transprophetics.

  “Our military will supply six crew members. Obviously, we will supply the crew commander and vice-commander. Ultimately, the six men we supply will serve as security for the experts. Each soldier will be assigned to one of the experts.

  “This is a standard mission. The ship will be landed covertly on the planet, and the return vessel hidden. The transport ship will be destroyed, and the crew will deploy across the planet to complete their various tasks and analyses. In six months’ time, they will regroup at the hidden return vessel, complete their final reports, load the return vessel with artifacts and reports, and send it home.

  “As everyone in this room knows, once that ship leaves our solar system, they are on their own. There is no two-way communication capability once they break the light barrier. They are on their own, and they will be stranded on that planet.”

  The meeting continued as all military meetings do, with roles, tasks, and responsibilities assigned and distributed. The Donovackia Military Command was excellent at doing its job, even if Colonel Agastya had significant reservations about the character and capability of the General. Those issues could be managed and dealt with if needed. The meeting was adjourned, with the Donovackia Military machine energized for this major undertaking.

  As he walked back into his palatial office, the General waved his hand, and the doorway disappeared, sealing the man in privacy. He walked to the bookshelf behind his desk. It was made of multiple woods, highly crafted and handsome. He’d commissioned the work himself and worked closely with the artisans as they crafted it. He ran both hands across specific places on two different shelves. Two other shelves shifted, and a secret compartment was revealed.

  General Swinton Chaldea pulled one of the four bottles from the opening and examined the contents. It looked like water. He opened the bottle, holding it to his nose and breathing deeply. It barely smelled at all. Did he love this, or did he hate this? He wondered why someone had ever thought to ferment the bulbous roots of the portano plant and drink it. He chuckled. It really didn’t matter. This was his secret friend. It helped him get through the day.

  Of course, it had been a challenge last year when his wife had discovered his secret. As if it made any difference in the world that he had been drinking a little rodka each day. He could afford it. She didn’t need to know, and no one else needed to know either. It wasn’t a problem. She’d made him take a personal two-week “vacation” to a so-called “spa.” He played the game, pretending that he had a problem and would work to never touch it again.

  Chapter 15

  Dynasty of Power

  Celestina ran her hand across Tomar’s chest. He let out a small moan in his sleep. She found herself drawn passionately to him. He was powerful. His rise to Chairman of one of the Eleven had been meteoric. To
command that type of power so quickly was erotic and sensual. He was handsome and well-built, in every aspect. Their desire was mutual and intense. In bed, their time was volcanic. It was rough and even violent at times, but it satisfied each of their deepest sexual needs and desires. During those times, lying in each other’s arms in pure bliss and absolute exhaustion, they discovered that each of their lusts was beyond just sexual. They both obsessed about power, wealth, and fame, and shared their secret dreams of their own manifest destiny.

  She felt the silky sheets that wrapped around her body, touching her everywhere that she wasn’t touching Tomar. She let herself enjoy the sensations. Soft silk. Warm skin. It was so much better than traveling through those damn portals. Only that morning, she had been encased in one of those coffin-like tubes to be blasted back to Koranth for what would be a historic meeting of the Ministry of Interplanetary Corporate Relations. Everything was about to change.

  After she arrived, she headed straight to Tomar. She needed his touch. She needed release. She needed to dominate and be dominated. As always, he obliged, as he needed and wanted the same. Of course, she also needed to make sure he was ready. Everything was about to change radically. He assured her that his board of directors was ready to make Donovackia Corporation the largest Corporation in history. His military was already quickly expanding and preparing for the next planetary exploration mission. The confidential information she had supplied about this planet called Earth, held by the Stameyerson Corporation, and the fact that the Kathor Corporation already had a ship under construction was perfect. Everything was underway as planned.