Shenili: Chains of Fear, Book 1
Page 12
An occasional chirp broke the silence that lasted for several minutes. The scent of nyem trees, and the sweet spicy fragrance of the flowering vines intertwined high in the branches over them was heady. Gary searched his mind for a solution that wouldn't backfire on them. He looked up when John cleared his throat.
John pulled a blade of briloa, chewed it thoughtfully. "Maybe we could take over. You know, take their weapons away from them and make them our slaves."
"All of them?" Henry Russell laughed shortly, echoing Gary's sentiments. "We might, with a lot of luck, be able to take over Waelni City, but we'd still have to fight the rest of the Ladies. It's a big planet. I don't think the Thali would like us conquering their capital."
"What about stealing a starship and going to another planet? Maybe even Earth?" asked Alfred.
They were all quiet for a while, thinking of the possibilities of returning home. Gary's low voice brought their hopeless dreams crashing down. "Anyone here know how to fly one?"
He studied their gloomy expressions, and sighed for their shared wish to return to their home world. "I want to go home as much as anyone else, but we have to face facts. We can't fly a starship, don't know the first thing about them. Whatever we do, we have to do it right here."
Billy shrugged. Dejection settled into his voice as he asked, "Why not just suicide? If we have to die, let's do it ourselves, and deny them the pleasure of watching us bleed."
"No, Billy," reproved Henry, before Gary could speak. "Might not do much good, but I'll die with a blade in my hand, before I'll kill myself."
Leon leaned back, stared at the stars peeking through the branches overhead. "Be impressive, though. They get up one morning, and we're all dead. They'd probably get so mad, they'd kill us again, just for spite."
Henry snickered. "Yeah, and they'd find some way to make it hurt, too."
Gary's soft chuckle joined in with the others rippling through the group. High over his head, a light breeze whispered through the leaves. In the distance, the hunting cry of the grey lemprad screeched, then screeched again. Thomas Greg lit a cigarette, offered the pack to Gary. Gary took one, passed them on.
"What about the forest?" asked Thomas. "We know how to hunt. There are some caves, oh, eighty, maybe ninety driez west of here. We could live in them for a while."
"Could you find them?" asked Gary.
"Uh huh. I could if I stole a map from the development office next time Lady Heldi wants me to copy them for her."
Gary shook his head uncertainly. "I don't know. Eighty driez is a long way to try to walk. Especially with the little ones." He chewed his lip. "I suppose we could try, if that's the best we come up with."
Alfred idly slapped his left arm, then scratched. Only then did Gary realize sting bugs had begun to swarm in the clearing. "The sentinel would come after us," said Alfred. "We're only going to have one chance, whatever we do. We mess up, they'll kill us all, and bring in a new group from Earth to take our place."
"Choit," said Pete. "Our best option is to do nothing. Things would stay the same, but at least some of us would live."
"Some of us would live," said Gary quietly, “but the question is how, and for how long? We have to do something."
Billy groaned. "The more we talk, the more hopeless it seems. We find more problems than we do answers."
Gary sighed. There must be a way, he thought. There must!
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This is the end of your preview of Revolt, Chains of Fear, Book 2.
The story continues in Revolt, Chains of Fear, Book 2.
Note from the Author
Thank you very much for reading Shenili, Chains of Fear, Book 1!
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Jacey Jenson
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Coming Soon on Amazon.com!
Revolt, Chains of Fear, Book 2
Escape, Chains of Fear, Book 3