Michael shifted in his seat. “You all know what the Ookens are capable of. What we don’t know is how many the Seven have in reserve, or how many millions more they’re going to make in the time it takes us to prepare for this incursion.”
“How long do we expect it to take?” Lance asked. “I can guarantee that as shit-hot as Federation troops are, they haven’t encountered anything as nasty as the Ookens.”
Bethany Anne’s mouth curled at the corner. “That’s not strictly true, is it? I have Terry Henry’s group in mind. They’ve seen some hairy shit since we picked them up from Earth.”
That raised eyebrows around the room.
Bethany Anne waved a hand. “We’ll get to them. I’ve decided to formally ally the Interdiction planets with the Federation, since my intention is to take the ArchAngel on a tour of the Federation, and I’m guessing the Federation council will freak at the thought of me setting foot there unofficially.”
Lance sat back in shock. “You’re sure about that?” he asked. “That would give the council room to place political pressure on you.”
Bethany Anne raised an eyebrow. “In what way? I’m suggesting a simple military alliance, most of the details of which were already agreed to when we met on Red Rock. The only question, is where the hell do we station all of the troops?”
Tina jumped to her feet. “That’s what I was missing!” she exclaimed. She shook her head when everyone turned to stare at her. “Let me tell you about our security blanket.”
Epilogue
Bethany Anne and Michael made their way from the bridge to Demon’s den after the meeting had broken up.
“What did you think of Tina’s idea?” Bethany Anne asked as they turned into the corridor Demon’s room was off.
Michael shrugged. “I think if it works, then we have a viable system for keeping everyone inside the Federation safe. I won’t pretend I understood how they intend to repurpose Tabitha’s NARCS drones for boosting CEREBRO’s ability to communicate over long distances, but it certainly sounds like they can make it work for us.”
Bethany Anne nodded. “That’s my hope. Jean seems to be close to getting the formula for the Etheric-capable metals down.”
“I think that woman lives for being under pressure that would make most people run screaming,” Michael told her with a dry chuckle. “Has she even slept since she received the bodies of Sean’s group?”
“Who knows?” Bethany Anne replied. “I’ve never seen it happen.” She flashed a grin at Michael. “Hey. Maybe she’s a vampire.”
Michael remained silent as they entered Demon’s room. There were dark times ahead of them, and he for one was grateful for the light of new birth to give them hope.
Demon and Sam were nestled on the boxed-in sleeping pallet, their bodies pressed together like yin and yang to protect their kittens while the four of them slept.
Sam raised his head when they walked in. He noted who had arrived, then laid back down and closed his eyes.
“Lazy cat,” Bethany Anne teased.
Demon made a sound of contentment as she flowed to her feet to come and greet Bethany Anne and Michael. What brings you here? she inquired.
“No reason,” Bethany Anne replied, accepting the face bump Demon offered. “We just got out of a long meeting and wanted to spend some time with you all.”
Michael offered his hand for Demon to rub her face along. “How are the kittens doing? They should be opening their eyes soon, right?”
Demon sat back on her haunches and nodded. Eve says ten days to two weeks is usual for earthborn felines, but also that my kittens have a mixture of genetics from Sam and me, and it may be longer if their nanocytes have altered the natural course of development.
Bethany Anne wasn’t too surprised to hear that might be a factor. “So, any day now, right?”
Demon inclined her head. It is my hope.
Bethany Anne peered into the nest. “They’ve grown. They’ve almost doubled their birth weight, I’m guessing.”
Demon’s reply was forestalled by a shift in the atmosphere of the room.
Bethany Anne manifested an energy ball in each hand to match the fiery blade that appeared in Michael’s grip. “Izanami!”
“It’s not the Kurtherians,” Izanami informed them. She appeared in full armor by the pallet. “It’s the exotic energy again. The one Loralei picked up. Whoever the invader is, they’re not getting aboard this ship.”
Michael noted that Sam had woken up.
Contrary to the male cat’s usual defensive reaction to anything new that occurred near his young, he was purring.
Michael nudged Bethany Anne. “Why isn’t he more bothered?”
Bethany Anne couldn’t have guessed.
The air in the room crackled, and suddenly there was a redheaded human woman standing in the room with them. She ignored the energy ball Bethany Anne was ready to throw at her.
She looked around until her eyes landed on Sam. “There you are! She crouched and pulled Sam in for a hug.
Bethany Anne recognized that voice. “Who the fuck are you, and what are you doing on my ship?”
The woman tipped a wink at Bethany Anne. “Sure, and that’s a fine welcome from an old friend.” She put a hand on her hip and pouted at Bethany Anne. “Now I know exactly why I’ve had the devil’s own time locating my lost familiar. Thanks for keeping my Samhain safe, Bethany Anne.”
Michael eyed Bethany Anne. “You know this woman?”
“I… Yessss.” Bethany Anne blinked as the cognitive dissonance she was experiencing melted and the woman’s name surfaced in her memory. “Amanda, right?”
“You got me,” Amanda replied, flashing a saucy grin. “So this is your universe, huh?”
The missing piece of the puzzle fell into place for Bethany Anne. “Bob’s Bar, right? Until now, I’d believed those memories were nothing more than a dimensional dream.”
Amanda chuckled. “It was as real as can be.” Amanda chuckled, cuddling Sam again before standing up.
Bethany Anne had an idea something was up when Amanda put her hands on her hips and faced her and Michael with a look she’d seen too many times before. What do you think? she asked Michael. She needs help, or she thinks I need help?
My money’s on the former, Michael replied. Bonus if she brings the cat into it.
Amanda faced Bethany Anne with sincerity. “Bethany Anne, I’m here to warn you about an imminent danger to your life!”
Bethany Anne waved the energy ball away as Michael’s fiery blade disappeared.
“Amanda,” Michael sounded more exasperated than annoyed at her sudden appearance. “That’s a normal Tuesday around here.”
FINIS
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
November 13, 2019
Thank you for reading our stories!
Right now, I’m in the middle of the 3rd 20Booksto50K® Las Vegas convention and trying to wake up with lots of sugar and caffeine as I’m talking story with Chrishaun Keller Hanna and Natalie Roberts.
Yesterday, I celebrated the adulthood (if you will) of this group of Indie authors when IngramSpark and Publishers Weekly joined us in Las Vegas and are supporting and recognizing 20Books in an awesome way.
Further, Amazon brought fourteen people! (That is AWESOME.)
Google Play brought six people and so many other companies are here helping us learn how to work our business interests and (I suspect) will allow us to bring our stories to more locations around the world.
Ok, that’s enough of the business side, let’s chat STORY.
We receive a lot of questions of ‘where did XYZ go? Will we see this character again’ and we want to answer them, but sometimes we don’t always get the how and why and implement it in a way all readers appreciate.
For example, some readers love nothing but explosions, and others are happy when I provide popcorn watching scenes with the ladies talking.
I happen to love both types of scenes.
As we
draw to the conclusion of The Kurtherian Endgame, we will have a lot of antagonistic conversations ending in aggressive throwing of lead and lasers to decide who wins the conversation.
Now THAT is what I call adult conversation!
Thank you, again, for reading and loving Bethany Anne and her cohort of crazy friends working to save the Universe.
One ass-kicking at a time.
Ad Aeternitatem,
Michael
P.S. – I would LOVE to thank fellow Author Marc Stiegler for taking time to talk through some of the tech stuff with us! If you love well crafted stories that integrate the science into your stories, please check out some of Marc’s books on Amazon!
Preview of A Bitch of a Paradox
By Andrew Dobell & Michael Anderle
Amanda appeared in her suite. She stood in the middle of the spacious living area and sighed. It was the end of another long day of meetings, and frankly, she felt shattered.
The formation of the Terran Foundation had fractured the Nexus and war with the Accord had begun, which in turn had led to countless problems the fledgling Foundation had to deal with.
Luckily, Amanda was spared most of the tedium, leaving the majority of it to Elden, Trevelyan, and the others, but during these quieter days, she did what she could to help out.
Nearby, Sam lay in front of the sleek fireplace in the center of the room, enjoying its heat.
Amanda walked over to her familiar and rubbed the big cat’s head, enjoying the feel of his soft, honey-colored fur. “No, no, don’t get up,” she muttered.
Sam lifted his head, his golden eyes peering up at her as the light from the fire danced along his huge saber teeth. He grunted and laid his head back down.
“Smart arse,” she replied.
Amanda stood up and walked to the kitchen. She pulled the plate with the half-eaten baked vanilla cheesecake from the fridge, cut herself a slice and moved it to a separate plate, then put the rest back in the cooler.
She picked it up and turned to see that Sam had sat up and was looking at her with his head cocked to one side. “Don’t you look at me like that. It’s been a long day.”
Sam grunted again.
“Shut it, you,” Amanda replied good-naturedly.
Sam didn’t talk, but she always knew what he was saying with his chuffs, coughs, and grunts due to her close relationship with her familiar. He’d been her companion for over eight hundred years now, ever since she’d first created him, and she loved him dearly.
She walked back into the living space of her suite and dropped into the welcoming embrace of the sofa, then carved off a bite of the cheesecake with her fork.
Essentia flared in the room just meters from her.
Amanda jumped up from the sofa and dropped the plate and loaded fork to the coffee table with a clatter as she turned to face the surging energy.
Her suite was protected by a powerful Aegis, so no one should be able to Port into the room. However, just a few meters from her, three figures snapped into existence inside her Aegis, which, she noted, was still intact.
Backing up from the figures, Amanda dumped more Essentia into her personal Aegis.
Sam rose from the rug he’d been lying on, his hair standing on end as he growled at the intruders.
Amanda recognized the lead figure. He wore a black trench coat and had long dark hair that was slicked back behind his ears. The man’s blue eyes swept the scene from beneath his heavy brows before he focused on Amanda.
“Morden,” Amanda muttered the man’s name.
Morden looked at her and smiled. “At least you recognize me.”
Amanda pressed her lips together in consternation. She knew now why they’d been able to bypass her Aegis. They’d Ported in from outside the universe and could appear anywhere, even inside shields as powerful as Amanda’s. She’d need to see if there was a way to stop that from happening, but now wasn’t the time.
“Come for another ass-whupping?” Amanda asked.
Morden smiled. “Cute. It’s one against three, though. Are you sure it will go the same way as last time?”
Amanda remembered the fight she, Jessica, and Cheeky’d had with Morden on board Sabrina when Morden and the other Reavers had attempted to steal their Stasis Shield tech. He’d been a slippery foe that day, but she was on her home turf now, and had a few new tricks up her sleeve.
“Why are you here?” Amanda asked, bored with the back and forth.
“Why do you think? I’m not going to stand for some trumped-up witch like you messing with my missions,” he answered, stepping forward.
Sam growled deeper at the implied threat.
“Oh, really? Well, you just might have to, because I’m not going anywhere.”
The two Magi who flanked Morden stepped sideways, spreading out.
With her Aetheric Sight, Amanda could see the Magical energies they were pulling in as they readied themselves for a fight.
Amanda smiled. She’d already split her mind using the multitasking effect and boosted her Aegis.
Apparently, Morden had also tired of the witty repartee. Essentia surged around him and he released the bloom of energy, lashing out at Amanda.
Amanda Ported several meters to her right, dodging the Essentia strike before releasing a flash of electrical and explosive energy. Lightning lashed out at the three Magi, backed up by Kinetic rams that slammed into them.
The one on the far left staggered when Sam leapt on him, clawing at the Reaver as he knocked the man to the floor.
Morden weathered the blast from Amanda, but his Aegis was badly damaged from the strike. On Amanda’s right, the third Magus, a woman in dark similar clothing to Morden’s, had been sent sprawling to the ground.
Essentia lanced out from both of them and crashed against Amanda’s Aegis. The energy in the attacks hit her Aegis hard. It felt like Morden was letting loose and hitting her with everything he had. Amanda landed on her feet in a crouch but steadied herself with one hand, looking up at Morden, who was staring at her with a mix of fury and frustration.
Standing, Amanda allowed a grin to play over her face. “Regretting coming here?”
Morden stood up a little straighter and puffed his chest out. “No,” he answered, and with a flick of his fingers, an invisible force knocked Sam off his companion.
Sam hit the wall with a whimper, but was back on his feet and looking more pissed than ever a second later.
Amanda could see he was merely bruised.
“My curiosity is satisfied,” Morden replied.
Morden’s companion rose from where Sam had pinned him, his wounds Magically healing, and scowled at Sam. “Mangy shit,” he muttered and spat at the cat.
Sam charged forward and slammed into the Reaver as Morden Ported.
Amanda worked her own Magic and reached out, trying to pull Sam back.
The air snapped as the Magic ran its course. Essentia flashed, and the Reavers were gone.
So was Sam.
Amanda stood staring at the spot where the Reavers had been, shock and disbelief washing over her. “Sam?” Amanda called. She looked around, but he was nowhere to be seen. “Sam, don’t be an idiot now. Where are you?”
Essentia flared in her suite once more.
“What the… What now?” Amanda asked.
Amanda spotted the floating chrome figure that had just appeared.
She was surrounded by silver fractals that warped reality around her.
“Void,” Amanda exclaimed.
Void’s echoing, strangely-pitched voice filled the room. “Reavers?”
“They took Sam.” Amanda felt a little lost without her familiar.
“I saw,” Void replied.
“I have to find him,” Amanda insisted.
“I know. Let me see what I can find,” Void told her, and with another snap, she was gone.
Amanda frowned. She needed to be ready. Concentrating, she worked her Magic and Ported out of the universe and into her Quantum Realm,
appearing on the main deck of her ship, the Arkady Mark II.
“Jesus,” Matt exclaimed, clutching his chest. “Don’t do that.”
“Sorry,” Amanda apologized with a conciliatory smile. “But I’m going to need the ship.”
Matt was sitting beside Liz on the nearby sofas. “Oh?” he asked. “Where are you headed?”
“Another mission for Void,” Amanda answered.
“For Void? You mean, you’re going to another universe again?”
Amanda nodded. “I was just attacked by Reavers in my suite at the Union Spire.”
“Are you all right?” Liz asked.
Amanda nodded. “I’m fine, but they took Sam.”
“What?” Matt asked, coming up off the sofa.
“No!” Liz added.
“I’ll get him back come hell or high water,” Amanda stated. Essentia flared behind her. She recognized the Magical signature and turned to face Void. “Any news?”
“He’s alive,” Void answered.
“And you couldn’t get him?” Amanda asked.
“There are Magi who even I would struggle to stand against, Amanda. Some of those are within the Reavers. But I believe I know where he’s going. There’s a Reaver operation going on, and he stowed away on a scouting ship. If you focus on him, I believe you might find him, and be able to foil it.”
“All right, good. I’m going.”
“Me, too,” Liz called.
“I’ll come too,” Matt added. “If you’ll allow me to join you.”
Amanda shrugged. “Sure, why not? The more the merrier.”
“I will take my leave of you,” Void said, fading from view.
“So, what happens now?” Matt asked.
“Follow me,” Amanda instructed. She led the pair through the main deck and onto the bridge, where she took her place in the command chair. “Be ready for anything.”
The Valkyrie Returns (The Kurtherian Endgame Book 7) Page 27