Storm of Arranon

by R. E. Sheahan

  Storm of Arranon

  R E Sheahan

  This book is a work of fiction.

  Names, character, places, and incidents either are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  This book is Self Published By

  Rule of Three Press

  Storm of Arranon

  Smashwords Edition

  Copyright © 2011 by Robynn E Sheahan

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the author.

  The author can be contacted at: RESheahan.com

  ISBN -13: 978-1466234970

  ISBN -10: 1466234970

  In loving memory

  Carolyn Williams

  Acknowledgements

  Without the patient assistance of my writing group, RAG (oregonrag.com) Kate, Jodi, April, Russell, Bob, Ruth, Cynthia, and Linda, I wouldn’t be about to send this manuscript off to become a book.

  Without the help of my sister, Karen, editing for me, I wouldn’t have felt confident in the finished product being as perfect as I can get it.

  Dan Long is the creator of the amazing cover art.

  Thank you.

  A forbidden birth.

  A remarkable young woman.

  A marauding alien society.

  The battle begins.

  Chapter 1

  THE BEST PART WAS WATCHING the eyes. The moment life left them. Death was always such a fleeting climax. Pity.

  Major Birk sighed. A slight smile flitted across his lips. He removed the long needle from the back of Colonel Rennek’s neck with a smooth fluid motion.

  A tiny drop of blood oozed from the hole at the base of Rennek’s skull. The red speck was barely visible under the blunt cut of gray hair. Rennek’s blue eyes widened beneath raised bushy eyebrows. Black pupils dilated, eclipsing the colored irises. The slack O of his mouth twisted in a disfigured, right-sided grimace.

  Birk’s grip on the lapel of Rennek’s uniform jacket loosened. “Thanks for the information, Colonel.”

  Rennek’s knees buckled and he slid down the smooth wall of the dimly lighted parking garage.

  Birk watched Rennek, savoring these final moments. He enjoyed his work when it was this intimate, this personal. His prey’s terror rushed out, the scent of fear invigorating, driving an intense resolve. Panic fumbled with icy fingers, grasping at life, only to slip away.

  Birk’s smile widened and his stomach churned with an anticipation of pleasure. By tomorrow morning, General Cale Athru of Arranon would be dead and the invasion of this world, Korin, will have begun. The abundant resources of Korin and Arranon would soon be unprotected and accessible.

  Rennek’s body toppled to the left. His head struck the hard surface of the tarmac with a loud thud.

  This little diversion was over.

  A tall, heavily muscled man in black emerged from the shadows behind Birk and stared down at Rennek’s body. “Major Birk, what about the girl?”

  Birk glanced back at Captain Marris. “Rennek didn’t have any information as to why Athru’s requested to meet with her.” He glared down at the body, taking one last look. “Starting tomorrow there’ll be no need for disguises, for a tactful approach. If we have questions, we’ll get answers.” Birk searched the silent, empty space, his gaze focusing on the exit. “The pretense of being citizens of these worlds will end.” He chuckled softly. “One step closer to the domination of Korin.” Birk tipped his head and nodded. “And to some degree, the real prize—Arranon.”

  Birk retracted the needle and pulled off his dark gloves. He stuffed them into the pocket of his black jacket along with the thin cylinder of the injector. If searched, the murder weapon would appear to be a small light source common on this world. A smirk twisted Birk’s lips and colored his voice. “I got what I needed.” He turned from Rennek’s body and hurried to the exit.

  Marris followed.

  Their footsteps echoed off the thick walls and low ceiling with a hollow, staccato cadence.

  “Athru will be at security headquarters tomorrow morning. The girl too.” Birk slowed, turned his attention to Marris, and frowned. “Could Athru’s interest only be due to who her father is?”

  Marris trotted to Birk’s side. “Must be the reason, Major.” They emerged onto a quiet street. Marris shrugged, his head swiveling, scanning the dark. “Why else would someone of Athru’s position bother with her?” His tone conveyed contempt.

  A balmy breeze stirred the open flaps of Birk’s jacket. Stars shimmered high above in the early-morning sky. Different stars. It was always other worlds and different stars. His gaze drifted down from the twinkling points of light. Birk’s scowl deepened. “I’m not so sure.” He glanced left, down the street, and then swung to the right walking with a quick pace up the gentle slope. “There has to be a reason.” An underlying urgency wound through his words. “Why her?”

  A transport whirred past. Headlights arced through what remained of the night, reflecting off dark windows in the lower levels of the tall structures. Morning approached. The flow of vehicles would soon increase.

  “A gesture of courtesy toward the girl’s father?” Marris offered. “Protocol?”

  Birk shook his head. “Athru’s not the type. If he wants something he coerces, or just takes.” They reached an intersection under pale yellow lights. “Athru’s aggressive, powerful. That’s what’s made him a problem.” He stepped back into the concealing shadows of a building’s alcove.

  Marris joined him.

  “There’s more to Athru’s visit than he’s revealed. His attraction to the girl is not just diplomatic niceties.” Birk’s lips turned in a sneer, his body tensed. He wanted Athru dead, to put an end to his meddling. “Tomorrow, Athru will die.” Birk relaxed at the pleasant image that flashed in his mind.

  “What about the girl?” Marris’s gaze remained fixed down the street at an approaching transport. The whirring of the engine slowed. The sleek, dark vehicle lurched quietly to a stop at the curb in front of them.

  “I’ll take care of her. After Athru.” Birk’s smile returned.

  “You’ll kill her, too?”

  “Not yet. I want to find out more about her. I’m curious why Athru’s interested.” Birk turned to Marris. The door to the transport slid open with a whoosh. “She’s pretty, for an alien I mean.” He pulled in a slow, deep breath. “Would you consider her attractive, Captain?”

  Marris laughed. “I like her type—high ordnance in a small package.” He stepped out of the shadows. “Still, she’s willful, a handful. Those kind are always dangerous.” Marris shook his head, grinning. Dark hair flitted across his broad brow, aided by a sudden gust of icy wind. His breath fogged out between pursed lips. He hunched his shoulders and gazed up at the sky.

  Birk shivered. A cold hand wrapped him in a momentary grip. He studied the night, searching for a cause in the sudden temperature drop. The breeze softened, warming, and his tremor passed. “I’ve never found any woman dangerous.” Birk’s lips stretched, exposing his teeth, more snarl than grin. He looked forward to the following morning.

  Chapter 2

  TENDRILS OF BLUE STATIC FOLLOWED Lieutenant Erynn Yager’s fingers over the keyscreen.

  She entered her response to the equation presented on the large overhead at the front of the cramped room. Her answer was correct.

  Delicate currents reached out and wrapped around her hands with a faint tingling sensation.

  In a breath Erynn whispered, “Com avlash.” She turned her attention from the keyboard and brushed at dappled shadows that danced across the pool of sunligh
t on her desk. The wispy blue filaments traced her movements. They flowed like a lazy stream, trailing the path her fingertips traveled before the energy faded. When the static disappeared, she glanced around to make sure no one noticed.

  No one ever had.

  She smiled.

  The buzz of winged centinents drifted in on the warm breeze through the open window.

  She sighed and fingered the collar of her white uniform shirt, aware of the rising temperature.

  From the front of the classroom, the instructor, Major Kendal asked, “Does anyone need more time?” He scanned the faces in the room. When no one responded he continued, explaining the variables they should factor in to allow for accuracy. “I hope you took into account gravitational pull divided by speed before multiplying…”

  Erynn tried to listen, but his incessant drone soon matched the hum from outside.

  Static crackled over her. With a sinking heaviness, the air thickened. The temperature plunged to an icy chill. A sweet, spicy aroma replaced the electronic scent of computers and sour sweat of bodies pressed into a tight space for too long. She glanced out the window and frowned.

  What—

  Her vision blurred. She stiffened and squeezed her eyes shut. Images played like a silent vid in fast-forward on a screen in her mind.

  Flash—a brilliant city nestled in a deep green forest.

  Flash—majestic spires of trees surrounding a clearing, the sentinel woods tossed in a violent windstorm.

  Flash—mountain peaks covered by snow and ice.

  More impressions swirled and sped by, eclipsing her thoughts, taking control.

  From her earliest memories, strange abilities had plagued her. If anyone besides her father knew of these peculiarities, her life would change with swift and dramatic certainty. Her very birth was forbidden by decree from the governments of the two worlds.

  Bright points of purple, blue, and green swarmed under her closed lids. The high-pitched sound of a hundred musical instruments in discord screamed in her ears. The syrupy aroma intensified. She caught two words through the cacophony—a plea, and a warning.

  “Cadjoo. Mabrath.”

  Her chest constricted, unable to expand.

  Help. Death.

  The meaning of this language she’d made up as a child took her breath. Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs. Her eyes flew open. At the periphery of her vision, the sparkling colors blinked out. The shrieking voices diminished. Erynn’s ears popped. Sudden quiet made her believe the shrill proclamation had left her deaf.

  She pushed recognition away, refusing the insistent vision that pried at the corners of her mind seeking purchase.

  Prophecy.

  The word slithered across her nerves like a dry whisper.

  Erynn jumped up, knocking her chair back and ramming the desk into the seat in front of her. “No!” Her shout rang out in the small room. The floor seemed to undulate, rolling waves on water. She leaned against the desk to steady herself. The nauseating sensation of motion stopped. She hissed quick breaths through clamped teeth.

  The ten other students in her weapons-and-tactics class stared at her. Ridicule and resentment came as a barrage of stinging barbs digging under her skin. Concentrated emotions bombarded against her attempt to focus, to gain control.

  With proficiency, Erynn envisioned a wide tunnel of white brightness spiraling into a tiny point of light. This technique narrowed her exposure to the emotions of others. The reactions assailing her all but disappeared.

  Sean shifted in his seat behind her. The brush of his arm against the desktop scraped like a stone pulled across a rocky surface.

  Chair legs scuffed the floor with a rasping bark. Two seats ahead and to the left, Tam twisted around, her brow furrowed.

  Erynn grimaced and took a quick peek over her shoulder.

  Mikal slumped in the farthest seat back. He gazed at her, grinned, and held his thumb up behind his arm.

  She turned away. Heat flooded her cheeks.

  “Lieutenant Yager, is there a problem with my calculation?” Major Kendal’s harsh tone resounded through the silence. He glared at her with tiny gray eyes made smaller by his pinched expression.

  The equation on the large overhead screen sharpened into a well-defined clarity.

  “No, sir. It’s correct.” Her voice was little more than a tremulous whisper.

  “Thank you, Lieutenant.” A chuckle spread through the room. “If you would take your seat, I’d like to continue.”

  Erynn cleared her throat. She mustered discipline, driving strength into her tone. “Yes, sir. I’m sorry, Major Kendal.” Erynn unlocked her knees and dropped into her chair. She wrinkled her nose. The last of the spicy fragrance faded. She wiped at the film of perspiration on her forehead.

  Erynn had adjusted to living with these episodes of foresight, and the other odd talents. She kept them hidden, a secret, but not always under control. She’d given up hope of outgrowing her affliction. The best she could expect was to keep these abnormal abilities in check. But this experience was unlike her other glimpses into the future. Shrill voices in the other language, bright points of color, a disharmony of sounds, and the spicy scent—none of that had ever happened before.

  Sean leaned in from behind. “You okay?” he whispered, tugging lightly on her long braid.

  Erynn nodded. She remained facing forward, watching Major Kendal. He kept his attention and irritation directed at her. Luckily, class was nearly over.

  When the major dismissed them, she closed her small computer, shoved it in her pack, and rushed from the room. Tam, Mikal, and Sean caught up with her outside the door.

  “Wait, Erynn. We can walk together.” Tam glided up to Erynn with a fluid grace.

  Others in the hall around them stared, mouths gaping. The source of this appreciation was Tam—her exotic appearance, wide expressive brown eyes, and silky voice. Everyone noticed Tam, but in a good way.

  Erynn stopped and dropped her gaze. She was short, awkward, and plain next to Tam.

  Mikal cuffed Erynn on the shoulder. “That was great, Erynn. I loved the expression on Kendal’s face when you jumped up and yelled.” Mikal smiled, showing perfect white teeth. “I’m sure he considered running from the room.” He chuckled. “Wish I’d done it.” His blue eyes gleamed with amusement.

  Now there’s more reason to discuss me—besides being the youngest in class and having a politically powerful father. Aren’t I talked about enough without a bizarre outburst?

  “Mikal, shut up.” Tam pushed at his arm. Short black hair brushed her cheeks as she shook her head in exasperation. “Leave Erynn alone.”

  “It’s okay, Tam,” Erynn grumbled. She frowned and turned her head to watch the open door of the classroom they’d exited. Major Kendal’s irritation rushed from the small space like a swarm of agitated hornacts. He wasn’t finished with her.

  What does he want with me? He’s still angry. This can’t be good.

  Major Kendal appeared, standing sideways in the gap. “Lieutenant Yager.” He motioned to her.

  Erynn glared at Mikal. He shrugged, flashing more of his teeth. She spun, walked to the major, and saluted. “Sir?”

  “Report to General Brayton’s office, ASAP.” He saluted in her direction and twisted away. He marched down the hall, his annoyance evident in his heavy footsteps.

  She tipped her head back, closed her eyes, and sighed.

  Oh yeah, I’m in trouble.

  Erynn straightened and wheeled around, bumping into Sean. “Sorry.” She stepped back, but only a little. The calming effect of his presence flowed to her, strong and reassuring. She opened the tunnel of light to this sensation, allowing Sean’s quiet composure to settle over her rattled nerves.

  “What’s up?” He gazed at her from under thick dark lashes that accentuated his green eyes.

  She glanced away, started to bite her lip, and stopped. She worked at controlling this nervous habit. “General Brayton called me to his office
. Must be the base commander’s turn to give me the speech.” She lowered the pitch of her voice, her brow wrinkled. “You shouldn’t expect special treatment just because you’re Commanding General Damon Yager’s daughter.”

  Adopted daughter. Yeah, well, no one knows that and never will.

  Sean grinned at her impersonation of Brayton. “Maybe.” He chuckled. “We—Tam, Mikal, and I—don’t hold your parentage against you. But what happened earlier, in there?” He nodded toward the empty classroom, his eyes narrowed, the grin gone.

  Erynn attempted a smile. The effort made her lip twitch. “Nothing.” She shook her head. “Nothing.” Her gaze darted around the clearing hallway. “I gotta go.”

  He stared at her for a long moment. His dark hair shone in the sunlight from the open door. “I bet I know.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. “You do?”

  “Yes.” He tipped his head and scrutinized her face. “You finally broke under Kendal’s unending lecturing and fell asleep, dreaming you were chained to the desk.” A smile threatened at the corners of his mouth. “Come on. Am I right?”

  “Okay. That’s it. You caught me.” She forced a small nervous laugh.

  He shook his head. “You’re faking normal.”

  I’m good at pretense. I get lots of practice. I try to remain invisible—hidden under the cloak of my secrets. I’m a ghost, an actor playing an illusory part in my own life. I have no choice but to accept this.

  “What’s wrong, Erynn? Maybe I can help.”

  Erynn lowered her voice when an instructor advanced and walked past them. “Drop it, please.” She studied the patterns in the dark, polished floor.

  “Sorry. Consider the subject dropped.” Sean sighed. “Don’t worry about Brayton. He hasn’t eaten a student in days.”

  Erynn stared at him. “That’s supposed to make me feel better?” Her smile stiffened, pulling at her face in an unnatural manner. She gave up the facade and gazed down the empty hall. “He must be starving,” she whispered, “craving the blood of the innocent.”