Defender of the Empire
Book 1
Cadet
By Catherine Beery
Cover by Andrew Beery
Copyright April 2014
Welcome to the Spectral Empire. A galactic empire enfolding hundreds of colony worlds governed by the Twenty-Five Prime Worlds who are in turn ruled by the Imperial Council and the Emperor. A society of great advancement but broken and under threat…
My name is Rylynn Sinclair of Colony Lenti. I have lived there with my Aunt Sylvia for as long as I can remember. We were by no means rich, but we were happy. We had a roof over our heads and food on the table. So what if the neighbor was a mean drunk and I was often bullied by the resident gang? I had a home.
My simple life had a hole blown into it when I was thirteen. My home was destroyed the day before the mercenary scourge of the Empire came. War, in all but name, began. And because certain interests were left alone, no help was forthcoming from our noble Prime World. Survival became the only playable card. When I saw that my group of hopeful escapees were in danger of being killed by a pair of hunting Telmicks I traded my life for their chance to escape…
And that is when everything… well…went weird. I was saved and given a new life as a cadet in the illustrious Legion Fleet Academy: a position never before held by a mere colonist. Not only that, I became involved in the Admiral’s Competition. And to add to the weirdness that my life had become, I started hearing voices. Many voices. Some helpful. Others just cryptic. And all of this on top of being the only witness to a serial killer…
Chapter 1- Of Sacrifice
Year 2852- Spectral Empire
Medrais System
Her death haunted him once again, just as it always did when he dared to close his eyes.
“AMBER!” He cried when she collapsed. He caught her, holding her close.
Green eyes full of pain and tears of regret looked up at him. “Joseph…I… I love you.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
Anger burned in him. She was giving up. She couldn’t give up. “Don’t. We’ll get through this. You’ll see.” He said in his most convincing voice, trying to get her to believe in the same hope that was driving him. Shouts came close. Joseph looked over his shoulder his breath still. Waiting. The sounds of pursuit faded as their pursuers went too far. They hadn’t yet realized that he had dragged Amber into the tight alley. He turned back to see that Amber was still gazing up at him. There was a sad wonder in her appraisal that made him want to squirm. She could see through his hopeful façade. She knew her wounds were bad. Her body was losing blood too fast for him to stanch, though he had tried. It bathed him and the floor of the alley in a crimson puddle.
“There is nothing Slyth can.” She whispered to him brokenly. A shuddering breath later and he could hear a thread of her renowned courage strengthen her voice. “I am beyond… help. You are not. I will not be the cause of…of your death. GO!” Joseph’s heart spasmed. Here she was bleeding out in his arms and she was trying to save him.
Joseph shook his head. “I’m not leaving you. We’re a team. Remember? And our third member will be here soon.” He said, lightly touching her pregnant form. “For her sake, for mine, don’t give up.” He admonished her. He couldn’t let her go.
His wife smiled weakly at him. It made his heart hurt. “You roguish, selfish man.” Her hand reached shakily for his cheek. He had to lean closer so she could reach it. His hand held hers in place. “I love you.” A shudder coursed through her body. Her gaze grew distant. “Love y…take her with you.” She breathed brokenly.
“Amber…” She trembled in his arms and it took Joseph a moment to realize it was because he was shaking. Her hand went limp in his. Her eyes were empty. If he needed any more proof that his wife was dead he got it when a glowing form slipped from her. It coalesced into a silvery-blue snake. Slyth, Amber’s Spectral. Ripples of light flowed over the Spectral’s body, making it look like it was made of water. Floating in the air above Amber’s shell, he bowed to Joseph in respect before slithering away into the distance. A Spectral would only abandoned its partner if they were truly gone. “No…” grief had thickened Joseph’s voice. With shaking fingers he closed his wife’s faded eyes. “I love you, too.” He whispered to her as his arms cradled her body closer to his and sobbed brokenly for a stolen moment. Anger rose with his grief. He wanted to make the bastards who did this pay.
NOT A GOOD IDEA, FRIEND. NOT NOW. YOU BARELY MADE IT OUT OF THERE. Raj, his raven Spectral counseled softly in his mind. After a moment when he didn’t move the raven continued AND IF YOU DON’T DO SOMETHING FAST, THE BABY WILL DIE.
***
An incessant beeping dragged Joseph from sleep. He peered at the flashing light near his head. The beeping was coming from it. With a sleep burdened hand, he tapped the flashing button hoping it would make the noise stop. “Attention. Coordinates will be reached in five minutes.” The ship’s computer informed Joseph upon his tapping the button. The computer’s electronic voice banished the dregs of the nightmare that filled his sleeping moments constantly for the last few weeks. Sighing he sat up and raked his fingers through his dark hair. At least the infernal beeping has stopped. He thought.
“Thanks Computer.” He muttered. Standing he made his way from the tiny sleeping room to the control room of the small spacecraft. He settled into the pilot’s chair. Looking through the view screen he could see the roiling surface of the star up ahead. They were still far enough away that the radiation wasn’t a problem… Yet. “Do we have our expected audience?” He asked.
“Yes. Hails have been coming sporadically in from the Officers of Order for the last thirteen minutes and twenty seconds.”
“You have ignored them, yes?”
“As you ordered.”
Grunting in acknowledgment Joseph turned to the controls. His mind kept wondering to that night not so long ago. He and Amber had been on a mission for the Order of Spectral Shades. Everything had been working well when suddenly they were attacked. He still didn’t know how the enemy had learned of their true identities. Nor did he know how the enemy had been able to find them. Not even the Shade Commander had known where they had been at the time of the attack, as it had been a spur of the moment outing. It was like the very shadows had spied on them. The thought had him narrowing his gray eyes at the star coming ever closer.
Soul Shadows. They were the dark reflection of the Spectrals. Many who knew of them thought they were a myth. A bad dream the older races muttered about when intoxicated or senile. The Spectrals, however, knew the truth. After all, they were the ones who had imprisoned the dark entities long ago. But some must have been slipping out. They must have allies. Powerful allies. Something had to be done, unfortunately, Joseph couldn’t do that something. Not now. He was a hunted man. It was why he had given his daughter to his wife’s sister who lived on a colony world. Joseph had never understood why the woman had given up her comfortable life on Forestrium, but she had. And to be frank, he was glad for it at this moment.
It had nearly killed him to lose Amber. But a piece of Amber still lived in their daughter. But that daughter was off limits to him. His presence was a threat to her. To keep her safe for a time, Joseph Raven of Prime World Bresol had to die.
A buzz came over the com. Someone wanted to talk to him. “That the Officers of Order again?” He inquired with mild curiosity still plunking in a series of complex code.
“Yes. Would you like to speak to them?”
“Are we in position?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Let’s get this over with then. Go ahead and patch them through. Visual, if you would.” A moment later Joseph was face to face with the fel
ine Officer of Order. “Greetings, sir. Can I help you?” He asked leaning back in his chair.
The cat was not happy. “We have been trying to contact you since you flew past the station. You need to fix your communicator.” He said in irritation.
Joseph smiled slightly. “I’ll get right on that. Anything else?”
In an annoyed tone the officer continued. “Your name and, for your safety, we request that you change your course. In case your viewer is also broken, you are headed right toward the sun.” Joseph could tell the man did not believe that the viewer was broken. High marks for him and his observational skills.
Joseph sat straighter in his chair and smiled at the officer. “I am Lord Joseph Raven of Bresol.” He answered before cutting the transmission on the officer’s surprised face. Then he touched the ignition button and prayed that God would be with him. Prayed that the coding would work. As he settled back in his lowered chair he mentally shrugged. It really didn’t matter at this point. Either way, Joseph Raven, the minor son of the Bresol noble family and Shade would die in a spectacular way. Only God would know if this desperate plan would actually work…
***
Year 2865 Spectral Empire
Lenti-solum System
Colony Lenti
“Get DOWN!!” Her hushed command was like a whiplash that cracked over our heads. The others dropped so fast it was like they had lost all control of their legs. I thought it funny. I guess a gang leader’s humor had rubbed off on me. As the others dropped I saw what they didn’t. Dread whispered. Strangely enough, it didn’t freeze me in place. Instead it heightened my need to do something. Something exceedingly stupid. But I had to do it. I knew what would happen if I didn’t.
I had no desire to be a hero. I knew the group I was with well enough. I would get no praise from them… nor did I want it. At the time, I wasn’t even thinking about any of this. I did the first thing that came to mind. I didn’t have much time to come up with something better.
It was such a stupid plan, but it was the right thing to do.
“Rylynn!” Valencia called, but I ignored her. I hopped up and down to get the Telmicks’ attention. I called them every obscenity I could think of. Even used some that I made up on the spot, so of course they made no sense. But that wasn’t the point. I made noise. They saw me. I had their attention. That was the point.
Without looking at Valencia or any of the others I backed away from the prowling Telmicks, leading them away from the others huddling in the debris and raggedy vegetation. Though I did not look, I did catch the cat like gleam of Valencia’s jade eyes. I couldn’t even spare the time to consider all the horrible things she planned to do to me once I was safe again. If I was safe again. The thought seemed to resonate with something because I was suddenly sure that ‘safe’ was one of those words that depended heavily upon one’s perspective and tended to come in degrees.
The Telmicks are nine foot tall giants with the leg lengths that go with the height. They didn’t look like they were coming toward me that quickly, but they were. I needed to go and go as quickly as physically possible. Perhaps even faster. Shouting one last parting taunt I took off at a run. I was small and I was fast. The question was, would I be fast enough?
Who cares? I thought. I just need to give the others time. It doesn’t matter what happens to me. As fatalistic as that thought might sound, it was incredibly freeing. I didn’t have to worry about complications or relationships. I didn’t have to worry about worrying. All I had to do was run. And I love running.
It’s a phrase used perhaps way too much but perhaps it is the only way humanity can express true running: I was flying. Only touching the ground when I had to. And only for a moment. I leapt over plants and small debris. I dodged around fallen walls and lean-tos. My muscles burned. My lungs stung. My throat was worn raw by the exertion. My heart hurt and if I had one of those fancy Medi-Comps the Primary Citizens enjoyed it would have been screaming at me. Probably better I didn’t have one. That would just be annoying and pointless because none of that mattered. My entire existence narrowed to only one goal: running.
I could hear the thudding of my pursuers. I didn’t look back, that would only throw me off balance and defeat my new found purpose. Blazes of light glittered around me in brilliant displays of red. Huh, they mean to stun me. Lovely. So pretty. I thought inanely. Everything was surreal. I was too focused on my task to find any of it alarming.
What was alarming was the ten foot thick wall that surrounded the city was coming up with no gate in sight. Nor could I see anything I could use to climb up. And being short didn’t matter this time as there was absolutely nothing my taller companions could grab onto, either.
I was at the end.
I closed my eyes thinking that perhaps if I hit the wall hard enough and in just the right way, the Telmicks wouldn’t be able to enjoy the fruits of their hunt.
That is when something I hadn’t expected turned my life into something I couldn’t recognize. Energy sizzled over my skin. Light blazed around me, blinding me. My black hair rose on an unseen wind that I couldn’t figure out. I couldn’t see the wall any more. Did I hit the wall already and somehow just didn’t feel it? Time slowed and I could no longer make sense of anything… anything except for the pain that replaced the energy sizzle.
Everything blacked out eventually.
Chapter 2 Captain Wingstar
Imperial System
The Spectral Empire
Watching Prima Imperium grow out of the darkness of space invoked in me feelings similar to what I imagine a gerbil feels when trapped in a Giant Aracre’s web as the webmaster stalked ever closer. Beautiful but ultimately terrifying. I slouched against the wall near the window and wondered how my life had changed so drastically.
I can’t really explain what had happened a week ago back on Colony Lenti when I had been running to my death. I know that I hadn’t made it to the wall. I know that I had felt trapped. I know that I had been hurting.
I couldn’t tell you anything more than that.
Those moments between one stride and being transported to the LFH starship, the Hail Mary, are beyond my reach. I only know for sure what they told me in the medical bay. Or more accurately, what they didn’t say. Their smiles and scanners couldn’t hide the fact that I had woken a full twenty-four hours later unable to move thanks to field restraints. Eventually they told me that when they had brought me onboard I had been suffering from a seizure. One that, for whatever reason, they couldn’t nullify nor could they identify its cause. I have this feeling that I would have been made into a kind of test subject if it hadn’t been for Valencia stalking in ahead of an LF officer. At the time I had no idea of what his rank was. I just knew the uniform was Legion Fleet. A gold star was on his collar.
“You are an idiot and a coward! Why the hell did you run? Especially since I told you to get down!” Valencia had begun shouting as soon as she saw that I was awake. Thankfully the restraints had been removed and I had been able to put the bed between us. I had only been with Valencia for a few weeks after leaving the gang, but I knew that she had a mean hand when angry. I kept wary eyes on her through my lashes, my head bowed before her tirade.
When she had finally run out of breath I had asked “Are the others with you? Are they safe?”
Valencia had been surprised by the question, but had been quick to recover. “Yes, and no thanks to you. If you had just followed my order the Telmicks would have passed us by. Then we were only a block away from the pick-up point.” She informed me acridly.
I had blinked. I hadn’t know that we were going to be picked up. I had assumed that we had been going to a safe house before slipping out of the city and away from the devastation. Despite that, I knew she had been mistaken about the Telmicks. I know what I saw. The Telmicks had been aware that we were in the area. I had seen the hunting glint in their eyes. They would have searched until they found us. And there would have been no way to sneak past them because they w
ould have sensed it. My running and noise making had focused their entire attention on me. The very fact that Valencia was here and the news that the others were also was a good indication that my plan had worked. There had been such a wonderful sense of relief in knowing that.
None of my thoughts had been given a voice, though. Not with the medical staff and Legion Fleet officer observing. Valencia was a leader. One did not critique a leader before others because that would be embarrassing and they would not listen to what was being said. They would only think about how you had been embarrassed them in front of others. In my, admittedly small, experience retribution was quick to follow. And in the end, nothing would change.
So I had bowed my head and kept my thoughts to myself. Valencia had turned to the officer and murmured something to him before leaving. I had looked up expecting to find myself alone with the medical staff. But I hadn’t been. The officer had stayed behind. His gray eyes had been thoughtful as he considered me. And I had looked down again, aware that compared to his navy blue uniform with its Legion Fleet insignia and gold star I was dingy at best. My clothes had been same ones I had worn since the day my aunt’s house had burned. The exact day before the Telmicks had come. The cloth was worn from the constant wear and attempted washings. My mismatched footwear had been removed at some point leaving me barefoot and feeling very vulnerable. My toes curled into the metal floor.
“Your name is Rylynn, yes?” The dark haired officer had asked. I had nodded managing to add a faint ‘yes sir’ that I’m fairly sure was unintelligible. “I am Captain Braeden Wingstar of this ship, the Hail Mary.” Captain Wingstar introduced himself.
My transparent reflection in the window flickered briefly with my wry smile. Boy, had that introduction caught me completely off guard! I had stood there and stared at him for several moments before my brain shuddered past its shock. It than scrambled for some appropriate response. Eventually the one that fell out was “Thank you, sir, for coming and saving us from the Telmicks.” I was still surprised at how even my voice had been. Surprised that had been the first thing to fall out. Impressed that it hadn’t been a garbled mess. “Can I ask why you even came?” I had continued before I could stop myself. I, like every colonist, knew that Prime Worlds didn’t care about colonies as long as their interests were fine. They wouldn’t send a Legion Fleet starship to save some lowlife colonists. We are not Citizens.
Defender of the Empire: Cadet #1 Page 1