by Amy DuBoff
Wil was silent for a few minutes. “Thank you for taking me here. I needed some time away before we face all the changes back home.”
Cris took a moment to respond. “Of course. You know I’d do anything for you.”
“I know you would.” Wil paused. “It’ll be okay, dad.”
“I have no doubt.”
They were silent for a long time.
“There’s one thing that’s still unclear,” Wil said, breaking the silence.
“What’s that?”
“Who are the Bakzen, really?”
Cris smiled. “Oh, Wil… Someone knows, but they have gone to great lengths to keep it from us.”
Wil paused in thought. “I can’t help but wonder why.” He stared up at the moons again.
“Right now, you just need to concern yourself with healing and completing your training.” Cris looked his son over. He’ll be grown up the rest of the way before I know it.
“That’s just the beginning. There’s still much more to come after that.”
More than any of us anticipate, I’m sure. “You’re strong and have good morals, Wil. As long as you don’t lose sight of yourself, everything will work out.”
Wil gazed at the star-speckled sky. “I’ll try. I’m part of something bigger than myself, and I have to succeed. I have no other choice. There’s too much at stake.”
* * *
General Carzen stared back, unflinching under the furious gaze of his subordinate. “So it’s confirmed? The Primus Elite recovered?”
“Yes. And it’s time I do what I should have done long ago. You’re not fit to lead us,” Tek replied.
“Is that so?” Carzen leaned forward in his chair.
Tek’s eyes narrowed. “First your ill-conceived ‘plan’ to turn the Primus Elite to our side, and then you let him escape… Now he grows stronger on Tararia as we speak.”
“The potential value of his military alliance was worth the risks. We’re in no different a place now than if we’d never captured him.”
“Except now he’s seen our forces! You were always too narrow-minded to see his real value,” sneered Tek. “We could have used him to rip the rift wide open, and we wouldn’t even need his cooperation. Just throw him out into space and let his instincts take over as he tried to cling to life.”
“Which is precisely what I was going to do after he made it clear he wasn’t going to cooperate,” Carzen countered. “I tried to recapture him for that very reason.”
“A failure, just like all your other ventures. It needed to be done carefully and in the right place, but you rushed things and all our preparations have gone to waste. Now it will take the sacrifice of thousands of our drones to tear the space in the way we could have with his singular destruction.”
“That was the only way you ever saw it,” continued Carzen. “I had other hopes.”
Tek was appalled. “Your diplomatic solution? We should have just killed him while we had the chance.”
Carzen sighed. “I had to try another approach first. I’m tired of all this fighting. It needs to end.”
“I was trying to end it!” Tek spat at his superior officer. “Everything was in place to create the final rift pathways we need to take out the Taran colonies. What could have been done already if you’d just let me use him…” His face twisted with rage. “How can you even stand to be in a room with one of them after what they did to us? We have worked far too long to free ourselves from them only to let it all go to waste. We cannot let them taste such an immoral victory!”
Carzen was stoic. “Is it really our right to rebel against our creators? Perhaps we should have listened to them before it came to this.”
Tek shook his head with disgust. “Just give up? It would go against our very genetic programming to deny ourselves life. Tarans must acknowledge their actions and live with the ramifications. Passing laws to disallow our existence—the Priesthood started this conflict. Making a creation suffer for its creators’ mistakes is the most unjust action of all.”
“They will never admit they were wrong. We are superior to them and should not stoop to their level,” replied Carzen despondently. “The way they see it, the only way this will ever end is with our destruction.”
“Which is why we must destroy them first,” Tek insisted
“Then we are no different.”
Tek scoffed. “They made us to be the vessels of their evolution. We are only fulfilling our destiny.”
“What kind of future would that be? Genocide is not the act of an evolved race.”
Tek reached inside his uniform. “I’m afraid you are the only one left who feels that way.” He pulled out a compact blast gun and pointed it at the general’s head.
“Do you mean to eliminate me?” Carzen folded his hands on his desktop.
“You are weak, Carzen. You do not live up to the Bakzen name, and you will be the last of your line. I’ve erased your genetic code from the archive.”
Carzen stared levelly at Tek. “You were the greatest failed experiment of them all. We let you grow up and learn on your own. All the genetic memory of the Imperial Director at your disposal and you still see violence as the only solution. No wonder Tararia abandoned us, if these are our ideals.” He hung his head, looking at Tek from under his heavy brow. “You will face Dragon one day. It will all come down to you two—whose side will be victorious. He is your equal, created through different means. Only one of you will be left in the end.”
“And then this will all be over.” Tek charged his weapon. “Goodbye, General.” He pulled the trigger.
Next in the Cadicle series
Volume 3: Bonds of Resolve
A year after his encounter with the Bakzen, Wil is still grappling with his upcoming role in the war. Weighed down by his sense of duty and a grim vision of his fate, he has withdrawn from friends and family—focusing only on his official assignments. However, Wil finds unexpected support when he befriends a new TSS trainee from Earth, Saera. Through their budding relationship, Wil comes to terms with the purpose he was born to fulfill and gains comfort in the knowledge that he won’t have to face the future alone.
This novel follows Wil as he completes his training to become the youngest and most powerful Agent the TSS has ever known.
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Acknowledgements
This book has been a long time in the making. I wrote the opening chapters for what is now Veil of Reality when I was in middle school. Without saying, I’ve made significant revisions since then. But, the initial draft of those opening chapters was a decisive moment in my writing life—I had an idea, and I wanted to see it through.
I remember nervously handing over a hardcopy draft of the first few chapters to my friend Jess when we were in 7th grade. She gave it back to me a few days later with “Good Job!!” written in pink ink on the top margin of the first page. That early encouragement meant the world to me, and I am eternally grateful.
Over the next few years, I continued to write more of the story. Things really started to come together when I befriended a brother and sister, Jan and Maika, in high school. They helped me find my voice and set me on this path. I appreciate all of their thoughtful critiques and for helping me brainstorm.
The book sat on a digital shelf for years, and I am so thankful to again be surrounded by amazing people to help me bring this project to market. In particular, I owe my beta readers—John, Eric, Bryan, and Bethany—a huge thank you for seei
ng what I couldn’t. Their feedback got me where I needed to go. In addition, thank you to Tom for his amazing artistic eye. I also want to thank my mom for lending another set of eyes and for helping me keep everything in perspective.
Finally, I would like to thank my soon-to-be-husband, Nick, for putting up with all the late-night work and for understanding when I cancel plans with our friends so I can write. I couldn’t have finished this book without his love and support.
Glossary
Agent - A class of officer within the TSS reserved for those with telekinetic and telepathic gifts. There are three levels of Agent based on level of ability: Primus, Sacon and Trion.
Bakzen - A militaristic race living beyond the outer colonies. Little is known about the Bakzen, other than they are alien in customs and appearance compared to Tarans.
Cadicle - The definition of individual perfection in the Priesthood’s founding ideology, with emergence of the Cadicle heralding the start to the next stage of evolution for the Taran race.
Course Rank (CR) - The official measurement of an Agent’s ability level, taken at the end of their training immediately before graduation from Junior Agent to Agent. The Course Rank Test is a multi-phase examination, including direct focusing of telekinetic energy into a testing sphere. The magnitude of energy focused during the exercise is the primary factor dictating the Agent’s CR.
Earth - A planet occupied by Humans, a divergent race of Tarans. Considered a “lost colony,” Earth is not recognized as part of the Taran government.
High Commander - The officer responsible for the administration of the TSS. Always an Agent from the Primus class.
High Dynasties - Six families on Tararia that control the corporations critical to the functioning of Taran society. The “Big Six” each have a designated Region on Tararia, which is the seat of their power. The Dynasties in aggregate form an oligarchical government for the Taran colonies.
Initiate - The second stage of the TSS training program for Agents. A trainee will typically remain at the Initiate stage for two or three years.
Jump Drive - The engine system for travel through subspace. Conventional jump drives require an interface with the SiNavTech navigation system and subspace navigation beacons.
Junior Agent - The third stage of the TSS training program for Agents. A trainee will typically remain at the Junior Agent stage for three to five years.
Lead Agent - The highest ranking Agent and second in command to the High Commander. The Lead Agent is responsible for overseeing the Agent training program and frequently serves as a liaison for TSS business with Taran colonies.
Lower Dynasties - There are 247 recognized Lower Dynasties in Taran society. Many of these families have a presence on Tararia, but some are residents of the other inner colonies.
Sacon - The middle tier of TSS Agents. Typically, Sacon Agents will score a CR between 6 and 7.9.
Tarans - The general term for all individuals with genetic relation to Tararian ancestry. Several divergent races are recognized by their planet or system.
Tararia - The home planet for the Taran race and seat of the central government.
Tararian Selective Service (TSS) - A military organization with two divisions: (1) Agent Class, and (2) Militia Class. Agents possess telekinetic and telepathic abilities; the TSS is the only place where individuals with such gifts can gain official training. The Militia class offers a formal training program for those without telekinetic abilities, providing tactical and administrative support to Agents. The Headquarters is located inside the moon of the planet Earth. Additional Militia training facilities are located throughout the Taran colonies.
Trainee - The generic term for a student of the TSS, and also the term for first year Agent students (when capitalized Trainee). Students are not fully “initiated” into the TSS until their second year.
Trion - The lowest tier of TSS Agents. Typically, Trion Agents will score a CR below 5.9.
Priesthood of the Cadicle - A formerly theological institution responsible for oversight of all governmental affairs and the flow of information throughout the Taran colonies. The Priesthood has jurisdiction over even the High Dynasties and provides a tiebreaking vote on new initiatives proposed by the High Dynasty oligarchy.
Primus - The highest of three Agent classes within the TSS, reserved for those with the strongest telekinetic abilities. Typically, Primus Agents will score a CR above 8.
About the Author
Amy has always loved science fiction—books, movies, shows and games. After devouring some of the classics like Dune and Ender’s Game in her tween years, she began writing short stories.
In the ensuing years, Amy attended the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics in Vancouver, Washington, where she studied creative writing. She eventually became a Psychology major at Portland State University, but also pursued a minor in Professional Writing. After graduating, she stumbled into a career as a proposal manager.
Amy currently lives in Portland, Oregon. When she’s not writing, she enjoys travel, wine tasting, binge-watching TV series and playing epic strategy board games.