by Neal Jones
It began as a slow, dull burn in her chest, as if indigestion, and then the pain slowly expanded, growing in intensity as it spread to her stomach and extremities. She gritted her teeth, steeling herself against the excruciating fire that raged beneath her skin. Flesh and bone rearranged themselves, her face widening and stretching, her hair shortening, her arms and legs thickening. Her chest expanded as her breasts shrunk and then hardened. The slit between her legs closed and reformed, extending outward and down.
The Jha'Drok man stood, naked, and rummaged in the locker for the uniform hidden beneath a pile of folded clothes. As soon as he was dressed he examined himself in the mirror, ensuring that every detail of his new appearance was correct. He was a third krin now, a junior officer in the engineering section. If all had gone according to plan, a virus planted in the ship's computer would register him as a new addition to the crew. It would show him as a transfer from the military base on the planet below. He was scheduled to report for duty in less than an hour. Satisfied with his appearance, he turned and disengaged the privacy lock. As he walked the corridor, he nodded to the officers he passed.
The lord emperor's flagship left orbit, its engines blooming with emerald backwash as it leapt into stardrive. A flash of thunder and then it was gone.
TO BE CONTINUED. . .
Afterword
Well, here I am again. The end of another journey. This one was much shorter than the last one, thank the gods. In fact, compared to Emissary, Acts of Peace and War was a fucking dream to write. There were only a couple places where I got snagged with writer's block – mainly with Grax's storyline – but those threads untangled themselves rather quickly.
One the more enjoyable elements of this story that I had to put together from scratch was the technology of the cardon fields. Initially, I had intended to gloss over the details of Kiran's kidnapping. Number one, I'm not a fan of techno-babble. It's one of the Star Trek hallmarks that I've always never been able to take seriously. Number two, I didn't want to take up unnecessary time and pages on some minor detail that really didn't matter in the long run. What's important here is that Kiran has been kidnapped. Exactly how he was transported off the station doesn't really matter, right?
Well…yes and no.
I'm also a nitpicker. My friends and family hate going to movies or watching TV with me. I'm always nitpicking the details. I hate it when writers gloss over – or completely ignore – important technical details for the sake of the story. In my opinion, it's the minor, technical details that often lend a note of much-needed authenticity to whatever universe has been created by the writers.
Long story short, I debated this issue back and forth with myself for almost a month. I finally decided that it was important for the reader – and the crew of Exxar-One – to know exactly how Kiran was transported off the station without getting mired in five pages of techno-babble. I was actually surprised in the end at how easy it was to balance the technical details with brevity of expositional dialogue, and, in the end, I think that whole bit turned out quite nicely.
I hadn't intended on this book being part one of two until I arrived at the last two chapters. I poked my head up, took a look around, and realized that I was nowhere near the end of the story. I had originally planned to divide Acts of Peace and War into four parts. However, at the end of part three, as I jotted notes for the outline of part four, I realized that I had way too much material to squeeze into seven or eight chapters. I then looked back over the first three parts, and I decided that a good, old fashioned cliffhanger was a great way to end this book.
My favorite storyline involved the Jha'Drok. It was the one that evolved the most during the writing process, and I hadn't intended to have Erengaar die at the end. (There was another major death planned, but now that won't happen until the end of book 5 or 6.) This is also the storyline that I'm most excited to continue in book 6.
And FYI, I'm not sure at all what direction the Varis and Garrett storylines are headed. Those are the two that I'm most terrified to continue in the next book.
Happy trails, dear readers.
Until next time…
February 2012 – March 2013
Appendix 1
Cast of Characters
Listed below is a dramatis personae of the characters from Acts of Peace and War. For further background detail on the senior staff of Exxar-One, as well as more info on other worlds and species of the Federation, please consult the appendices of The Erayan or visit www.exxar1.com.
EXXAR-ONE:
Commodore Marcus Gabriel: commanding officer
Major Kralin Saveck: first officer
Commander Mariah Decev: chief science officer
Lieutenant Commander Christine Navarr: chief of security, ex-wife of Lieutenant Ritano
Lieutenant Grynel Sikandra: chief tactical officer
Lieutenant Commander Kiran Garrett: chief engineer
Lieutenant Shyler Endari: Chrisarii; engineer
Doctor Benjamin Rosenberg: chief medical officer
Brantar J'Soran Varis: strategic operations officer
Captain Barnes: EarthCorps; agent of ISD
Ilkara: the Erayan guardian
Jennifer Rosenberg: Ben's wife; they have a daughter, Emalie
Doctor Samuel Eppler: EarthCorps
Doctor Thomas Rayburne: EarthCorps
Doctor Kaden McMullen: EarthCorps
Doctor Si'Kora: Chrisarii
Lieutenant Dana Scarvo: EarthCorps security officer
Lieutenant Jeff Ritano: EarthCorps security officer
Staff Sergeant Michael Frakes: Marine Corps infantry officer
Thalor Grax: Orethian; owner of the bar/restaurant that bears his name
Doctor Amelia Garrett: Kiran's mother
Ambassador Taelon Zar: represents the Federation in the new peace talks
Ambassador Cenharrd Morryn: represents the Chrisarii in the new peace talks
THE PEOPLE'S UNION OF Mykahr:
Kravis Roanok: Kiran's uncle
Kiirs Roanok: Kravis' brother; Kiran's father.
Keltor Jisaad: anvar of the ship on which Kravis and Negara are crew members; he's also the leader of their resistance cell
Negara Prees: Another crew member on Jisaad's ship
Sarvok Thrale: current dictator and leader of the People's Union; his proper title is Dakr'o.
The Tarkalys Ulno'n: the official military of the People's Union; the eyes and ears of Thrale's government.
THE RALORIAN CONFEDERACY:
Vasik Prill: the anteri who investigated Doctor Moru's disappearance five years ago; also an old friend of J'Soran Varis
Swyn M'Harri: Doctor Moru's assistant at the Bri'Nai Institute in Anjisald
Korik Moru: a bio-geneticist who worked for many years at various universities and research institutes in the Ralorian home system. He once knew Varis' mother.
Shaundra Moru: someone else on Anjisald that has ties to Doctor Moru and a genetics project that he oversaw fifty years ago
Avyrem: a man of unknown identity who shadows Varis during her investigation of Moru's disappearance
Doctor Ojin Reldun: a retired colleague of Moru's; lives on the Ralorian homeworld
THE NEVALA SECTOR:
Sesrin Grax: Thalor's younger sister
Draussen Ghyl: mob lord
">Gaetin: another mob lord; member of the Xornh, a rival organization of the Rykon League
">Solomon Gunn: an old friend of Thalor's; fellow smuggler
">Tilura Shrane: another old friend of Thalor's; also a fellow smuggler
">The Xornh: a organized crime ring; rival to the Rykon League
THE JHA'DROK EMPERIUM:
The royal palace:
Lord Emperor Erengaar Valayne: fourth of his name, ruler of the Emperium.
Lady Empress Larewyn Valayne (Tannit): wife of Erengaar
Lady Marija Tannit: Larewyn's mother
Lord Gyan Tannit: Larewyn's father
Lady Pe
rsys Kepthah: Larewyn's close friend and confidant
Lady Katriel Kepthah: Persys' mother
K'Sana: handmaid to Larewyn
Sierik Grel: Vatra's cousin and secret lover
Lyka Grel: Sierik's wife
Doctor Grund: chief physician to the royal family
Erengaar's private council:
Dakkahr Broen: the Lord's Hand
First Lovar N'Ro Ryomekk: head of the Talik'Jhor
First Lovar Teon Ranunt: head of the Imperial Armed Forces
Prisura Ephelia: chief of staff
Orris Praevo: public relations coordinator (the equivalent of a press secretary)
A few senators:
Farran Tulas
Saan V'Ruk
R'Mot Ossias
Nyrix L'Non
Kiprec Vishal
Molsis K'Ntar
Tasitan Kephas
Lansa Y'Shaya
P'Vane Ackden
Zheth Saerdan (Voice of the Senate)
J'Vel Sonri:
Lady Princess Vatra Inehl: half sister of Erengaar Valayne
First Lovar Prokal R'Daak: Vatra's new husband and commandant of the 26th legion
Jharek: Vatra's son
Kelitreth A'Sha: another military wife and new friend to Vatra
Other miscellaneous cast:
Lizella V'Ruk: wife of Saan
Tyriqq: grandson of Saan and Lizella
Jedzaia: daughter of Saan and Lizella, mother of Tyriqq
Em'rik and Alenza Litha'n: husband and wife living in Garbane, a city on the Jha'Drok homeworld
Vuil'SN: The D'Yori liaison, representing the Ko'Mar to the Jha'Drok
Appendix 2
Places, Food, & Drink
This is a concordance of the names of various alien places, food and drink mentioned throughout this story.
The Jha'Drok:
Places:
Museum of Ther'gh: on homeworld, in the capital city of Gtheldron
The Orina'tt Library: another notable location in Gtheldron
L'loun Omeress University: also in Gtheldron
Temple of Sh'allis: in Gtheldron; Vatra's wedding to R'Daak was held here
J'Vel Sonri: a small colony in one of the Emperium's outer systems; it's where Vatra and Jharek are sent to live after her marriage to R'Daak
Food:
Acko: a green, leafy vegetable; something like spinach
Aneesto: an exotic game bird, similar to duck
Cayrd: a wild animal on the Jha'Drok homeworld, similar to boar
Dabe: a type of herb, often used in tea
Dryn: a type of wild berry
Elmr't: fruit juice
K'ime: another vegetable, similar to cucumber or celery
Krelian: another type of herb, often used as a natural sedative; most commonly mixed with tea
Omus: a whipped dessert, similar to mousse
Phen'an: another game bird, similar to quail or pheasant
Vynt: a vegetable similar to eggplant
Xofo: a grain, similar to wheat or barley; used in the creation of breads and pastas
Yerl: a hard, earthy vegetable, like an onion or turnip; its roots are often boiled or fried and served as a side dish
The Ralorian Confederacy:
Places:
Anjisald: a colony in the home system; Doctor Moru's last known location
Trabb City: on homeworld; where Lykenshy University is located
Najjim: the other colony in the Ralorian home system
Bri'Nai Institute: a scientific and medical research facility on Anjisald. It was Moru's place of employment at the time of his disappearance in 2374.
Lykenshy University: where Doctor Moru was employed prior to his disappearance in 2627
Athdan's College: where Doctor Moru worked from 2638 – 2663. He left there to serve as senior key for the genetics research program at the Bri'Nai Institute.
The Nevala Sector:
Places:
Shel'Belard: one of the larger and more densely populated worlds in the Nevala sector. It's the last known location of Sesrin Grax.
Mr'gss-Gl'nn: the homeworld of the Sr'gg'nss. Their royal family's Crown of Az'Nn'rkk was stolen by Grax and Tilura seventeen years earlier.
The Vault of Fl'nnd: where the Crown of Az'Nn'rkk was stored