Shades of Learning (The Athena Lee Universe Book 1)

by T S Paul

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Let's get a plan of action prepared, shall we?”

  The SO troops pulled up building plans and conferred with security. The plan was to hit the man from all sides. He was a total unknown for what weapons he may have been carrying. If they could afford a drop ship, they could have any sort of weapon down there.

  The assault went down by the numbers. Flash bang grenades were dropped into the hall from the ventilation tubes above. The flashes of light, sound, and smoke left the armed man blinking and confused when the main attack tackled him from behind and knocked him to the floor. When he was secured and removed to upstairs, they allowed me to approach the big door. Like before, I pressed the doorbell alerting Lina to our presence.

  When the doorbell rang Lina jumped as she was not expecting it. She checked the cameras and saw the Special Operations team and me standing in front of the door. She hit the big blue button that opened the door.

  Two SO troops ran into the vault as soon as the door began to open. They covered both sides and yelled “Clear” as they did not find any conscious bad guys. Cries of “Medic” replaced clear. Two of the men on the floor were bleeding out. Lina came over to me and gave me a big hug. “The next time I have a bright idea to play decoy, kick me in the ass please!”

  “Like there will be a next time?”

  We left the scene of the crime and went outside to breathe some fresh air. We had stopped several Cabal agents but several questions still remained. Who sent the troops? Who planted the bugs? Who hacked the government system? It had to be someone here on campus. But who?

  Chapter 20

  When you see a cockroach step on it. That was the policy of the Hong Kong Militia when it comes to the Cabal. Real Militia forces descended on the Academy after the impostor drop ship was captured. That Cabal agents tried to steal something from the Labs was the talk of the school. So far, the decoy story was holding. All everyone knew was that there was something in there worth their trouble. Maybe it was enough the lure out the inside man.

  Continuing with the charade Lina stuck with her schedule. Our only deviation from the plan was to eliminate the listening devices. Artemis took care of that for us. The guards on the building were now active duty Militia and there were more of them. Special Operations were still around but keeping it low key. Lina continued to send bogus progress reports to the Militia and to the directors as usual. Something had to happen soon.

  According to her last report she was hooking up the now clean Positronic Tactical module to a battle simulator to check for effectiveness. Faking that would be an issue. Lina’s solution was to attach the module to one of the computers and run graphical and waveform diagnostics from the school fusion plant on the screen. Only an Engineer would know what the squiggly lines and arcs meant. It looked real to me, but what do I know. She added lights and low sounds to the fake module so it resembled everyone’s idea of a secret prototype.

  The new security commander notified Lina that his staff and some others would be touring the facility. Lina tried to explain that much of what was done in the basement was need-to-know and that he and whoever he brought with him didn’t need to know. That did not stop him. His attitude was that he was in charge and she would do as he commanded. Since he was unaware of the charade, his visit would not be much of an issue. His superiors were notified of his arrogance. They did know about the charade and were interested to see if he was the mole. “Let it play out”, was the answer to our query. Ugh, politics.

  Captain Kent didn’t just come alone. He brought his entire staff with him along with the staff photographer and two local town politico’s. Commandant Yannos tried to stop the civilians from entering the building. It was a top secret facility after all. The Captain refused to restrict his friends from seeing the great work that he was doing. The Kent family had a perceived power with local officials. They, like the Lee’s and the Tisiphone’s, were one of the primary founders of the colony. They were the most flamboyant of the bunch. They were known for their: big house, big farm, big family, and big egos, and like many before him, this Kent was out to make a big name for himself. Ignoring the Commandant, the Captain pushed his people through the security cordon and entered the laboratory building. Waiting for him inside was the Lab’s Director, Professor Hollyfeld. This was his first appearance since this project had begun.

  Hollyfeld was a secretive man who had very little trust for those with authority. The fact that he was here to escort the Captain through the building was very interesting to me. I was worried for Lina, all she had to protect herself with was Artemis and her wits.

  ~~~

  Visitors and not even authorized ones at that. Lena bowed her head and said a little prayer to the Saints of the Republic. Hopefully none of these officials were Cabal. That little voice that most people have, told her differently. Some part of this circus just had to be Cabal it really was the only way into the building and her lab.

  The door chimed. It was time to let the important people in. She checked the cameras and was surprised to see the Lab Director. He had never checked up on her before. Before she opened the door, Lina turned on the diagnostic machine and configured the module’s light system. Director Hollyfeld was a chemical specialist not an Engineer. The screens should fool him like the others. The door chimed again and then again. Someone was impatient. Lina hit the big blue button that opened the door.

  The big door swung open and a man in a Captain's uniform pushed past her and stormed in. “Did you not hear the bell Cadet? We were waiting! If you expect to get anywhere in this military, you will respect those better than you and do as you are told!” His toadies and the director entered after him and were waiting on her answer.

  What an arrogant ass! Lina thought of a way to undercut him. “I’m not in YOUR military so you can’t order me around, Sir. This is my lab and my project. I will answer the door when I like.”

  The Captain was not used to anyone of lower rank talking back to him. He turned to Director Hollyfeld and said. “She is under your authority, fix it!”

  “Cadet you may not be in our military but you are in ‘My’ lab. You are relieved of your position! Get out of the building now!”

  The Captain now had a smug look on his face. As Lina was about to leave he realized something. “Cadet! Where is the Old Earth device?”

  “What Old Earth device would that be Captain?” Lina turned toward him. Game-set-match. Gotcha sucker.

  “The one that has caused all of this trouble. The one the Cabal is after. I believe that it is called a Positronic Tactical module. Where is it?” That was really interesting. Not a single document or file gave the name of the device anywhere. The only way that he could have heard the name was to have heard it from the Cabal. The staged conversation in front of the cafeteria was the only place it was ever mentioned.

  “It is attached to the computer on the workstation. The diagnostic is running up on the screen at the moment.” The big screen was lit with flashing lights and graphics.

  The Captain glanced at it. He looked at his group of followers and pointed them at the workstation. “Go check it out. Be careful when disconnecting it. Those things are fragile.”

  “Why are you stealing the device Captain? Does the military not pay you enough credits?”

  The Captain began to laugh. “Pay? You think this is about Credits? Get real. This is about power! A new power is rising in the universe. What was old is now new! My family has worked in the shadows for over a century waiting for the new dawn. That gizmo over there will guarantee my place in the regime.”

  “Interesting. So you and your entire family are secretly a part of this fanatical religion? Is that what you are saying?”

  “Religion? The Cabal is not a religion. It’s a way of life, a return to original values only the true…” He shook his head. “Smart of you. Too smart. What is your game here?” He turned and looked at the monitors and his people. Professor Hollyfeld was carefully disconnecting t
he device. His other people were opening boxes and taking pictures of large tools and scientific equipment. Much of what was in the lab was too heavy to steal.

  “I should ask that question of you too. I’d like to know how you intend to get out of here with that device?” Lina was stalling for time. Since the first incident, Special Operations put cameras in the vault to monitor it. They should be watching at this moment.

  “I think we need to have a conversation young lady!” He reached for Lina and jerked back in surprise as Artemis hit him with a million volts of electricity. There was a blue flash, and the captain writhed in pain on the floor. Lina hit the button to close the door. The door began to swing closed just as the Captain’s men began to react. Lina jumped through the closing door to safety.

  “Artemis? Are you here?”

  “Meow.”

  She heard the stomping of feet and looked up. The SO team was running down the hall toward her.

  “It’s about time you got here! They almost caught me.”

  Sergeant Zorba looked at the small Cadet. “You did really well Cadet. All the rats in one trap! I’m sorry we were delayed. The Militia security force balked and would not allow us to enter the building. They are on their way to interrogation. How long before they can reopen the door?”

  “Maybe thirty more seconds. It cycles pretty fast.” Just as she said it the door began to open. Lina got behind it so she would not be seen. The SO team arrayed themselves in front of the door and waited.

  When they saw the force in the entrance most of the Captain’s team surrendered. Professor Hollyfeld removed the device from the case and smashed it on the floor ensuring that it was unusable to anyone. Too bad it was a fake.

  Chapter 21

  Major Lee called us personally to congratulate us. We had caught the enemy agents on campus and exposed a secret cabal financier and supporter. Teams of Intelligence agents and Territorial police descended upon the Kent estate. Arrests were made and secrets were exposed. The founder of the Kent family and former council leader Jonathan Kent was really a UN agent and spy. His original orders were to embed his family into our society and plan for the future. For over a hundred years the Kent family worked behind the scenes to build up the planet's resources and prepare it for takeover by the United Nations. The Cabal was somehow linked to Old Earth.

  Only those with the highest of clearances were told this information. We only knew because we have a nosy CATT. The arrest of an entire family for treason sent shock waves across the planet. Those with personal or professional ties to the Kent family ran for cover. When it hits the fan don’t get sprayed. Lina and I were told to forget about our charade and to never speak of it again. New security protocols were put into place at the Lab and on Campus as a result of the arrests. Opposition to Yannos in the Assembly dried up after the arrests.

  Final exams were this week so Lina and I payed little attention to the news and to the scandal. Passing our classes was too important.

  The day before the exam results were released Major Minerva Lee and Merlin paid us a visit.

  ~~~

  “You two still present us with a problem. According to my friend here, Artemis still insists upon staying with you. She claims that it’s fun. So I have three beings that know entirely too much and are not under my direct control. My father and I believe that a summer internship on board Freedom Station is just the thing to keep you out of trouble. It is ultimately up to you. Neither one of you are officially in the Militia. Especially you Cadet Eberly. I think we can find a few projects that will keep the both of you busy. I know that my sister Athena’s engineering department could use the help and we have a large group Special Operations trainers looking for something to do. Think about it. And let me know.”

  She was turned to leave when the CATT in her arms and Artemis both let out a very loud MEOW. Merlin jumped down from her arms and jumped up on the computer console. He inserted his tail into a data port and a Martian Vid report came on the screen.

  “This just in from the very edge of the line! Naval photographers and astronomers have detected a massive ship in Old Earth orbit. The course and heading is Mars. More information when it becomes available.”

  Minerva looked over at Merlin. “How is it that You always know about these things before me? Don’t answer that! Talking cats, I get all of my information from talking cats these days. I blame Wilson for this. If you speak to him tell him that please. I blame him!”

  She turned back to us and smiled. “Please consider my offer. I don’t know what is going to happen with all of that.” She pointed at the screen on the wall. “But we should have an interesting summer together.” She opened our door and left.

  Lina and I looked at each other and laughed. We could get into a lot of trouble up there too. Sounds like fun. My family had invited us back for the summer solstice too. They were being more friendly and really wanted to spend more time with us. Personally I thought they must have found more for Lina to repair. It was going to be a great summer we could not wait for it to begin.

  Wow! Another book completed. I hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. As you may have guessed this new series runs parallel to the Main storyline. Shades of Learning will follow the education and adventures of two Navy officers. We have seen Tisiphone before in Book 5 of the Main series, Insurrection. It that story she was an Imperial Ensign who was captured by pirates. She is much stronger now.

  This series will allow me to expand on some of Wilson’s creations and give them their own personalities. The entire concept of the CATTs and how they think have come from a very long and ongoing discussion I have had with both my wife and the double D’s. The D’s are characters in my book but also real people that help me to edit the books. Without them I would be lost in the wilderness of despair like many authors before me. I can’t say thank you to them enough.

  Art plays an important part in my books too. I use two different digital artists for my book covers. Their names are Scott Richards and Marcus Voigt. Both do excellent work and have extensive galleries on Deviant Art go check them out sometime.

  What will the future hold for the series? For this one expect it to follow a step behind regular events in the main series. Book 2 will take place on Freedom Station. With any luck it will still be there when Athena returns to it.

  The new Main series book 9 will be out soon too. Expect it in three weeks this time. Lots of things to do. The Cabal, Earth, the Civil war and Wilson lots more Wilson. Plus, Sam 0256 from the Lost Pilot will be returning as he visits both Mars and Athena. So lots of things are happening in the upcoming New book.

  The distant future is in play too. I have already contracted out a series of Covers for a Paranormal series that will debut in October of this year. I will talk more about that as we get closer to October. It will be more than one book so think series for sure. My wife does not read Sci Fi, but she does read Paranormal. As the saying goes “Happy wife, Happy Life.” It really is for my own protection.

  Wilson’s Wednesday will still be with us. Expect to be introduced to lots of new characters and a few of the old and forgotten. I am already plotting and planning the next Wilson story. If you like the character and wish his to so something diabolical or new drop me a line at tspaulauthor@gmail.com or catch me on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ForgottenEngineer

  I have lots of new home pages now too. There is always the Blog https://tspaul.blogspot.com/

  Find me on BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/t-s-paul

  Find me on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15054219.T_S_Paul

  Copyrights

  This book is a work of fiction, All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.

  Copyright (c) 2016 T S Paul

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any f
orm or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Cover designed by Michael T. Anderle

  Artwork is by Digital Artist Scott Richards

  Editing by Diane Velasquez, Dorene Johnson, David Brims

  And ProWriter Aid.

  All writing was done on Scrivener and Google Docs

  Special thanks to Michael and to my wife Heather who keeps me grounded and to Merlin the Cat, we are his minions.

  Very special thanks to the Group at 20bks to 50k

  The Series until now.

  This is the Prequel for the Athena Lee Chronicles.

  Before Athena Lee and the worlds that she knew there was an embattled Earth.