From World Wars to Vietnam, from sacrificial altars to corporate competition - in time, many good people inexplicably turned into monsters. The horrific cause can only be stopped by Hunters of the Cloud.
This is Book IV of a series. Read about the other books HERE.
CHAPTER ONE
“Lock and load,” Wainwright called out. The squad was in a semi-circle, hidden in the dank, soggy jungle. Out front, they watched shadows hunkered in a circle around a radio. Wainwright stifled a snicker as the Beatles hit song, “Hello Goodbye,” blared across Vietnam.
The Chief pointed to something across the way, and the ranger team watched as shadows slithered from the opposite side of the dense jungle. Moving foliage was the only clue that there was someone creeping in from the brush.
Bam! Bam! Bam! Ratta-tatta-tat! The aggressors let loose a spray of bullets that peppered the quiet radio listeners.
“Now!” Wainwright yelled. Boom! Bam-bam-bam! Rapid-fire weapons and grenades shattered the quiet evening for just a few moments, before a cease-fire was called.
Motioning with his hand, Wainwright peered through the smoking haze. He wiped away the sweat and rain before it could drip into his eyes, and sent the front-man out.
The lanky kid covered the ground fast until he disappeared into the brush. Minutes seemed like hours, before Jeremy called his report. “It’s clear Lieutenant! We got eight of ‘em!”
Relieved, Wainwright called the scout back, and turned to the big man next to him. “Go get our radio Chief, might come in handy again.” John turned to the squad, “Everybody go get our ponchos and clothes off those dummies, or we’ll be naked tomorrow!”
Leaning back against a tree, Wainwright took a breather, relieved that his strategy had worked. Of all things, he wanted his troops to get back to their families in one piece.
Wainwright smiled at the thought, Family. Today his tiny son, Jeff, was celebrating his first week of life. I have a family now. A month before he shipped to ‘Nam, Lisa told him the happy news. By the time she was ready to deliver, he was “short”, and couldn’t get a pass to be home.
John sighed. He fantasized about the celebration that would be just for the adults – a little gathering of grandparents in a cool, dry house. They’ll have drinks…with ice. Maybe even a cake with a tiny candle for a one-week birthday. John imagined the delicious homemade strawberry cake, laced with real strawberries, and mounds of whipped cream. His mouth watered.
Dominic, their big German shepherd, would be there to guard the family and slurp up any cake that hit the floor. John envisioned his baby son cuddled in his wife’s arms, as her mother lit the small candle.
KaBoom! The distant mortar-fire snapped him back to reality. Wainwright stood, smiled away the pleasant daydream, and wiped the water from his face. “Okay Ladies – Move Out!”
~ ~ ~
From many worlds, crowds of gentle beings flocked to the Orb of Tol High Command.
Today was a celebration of both, victory and promotions. The congratulatory applause was thunderous. When Kima Rei displayed the sword of her new captaincy to the audience, the ovation rose to deafening.
Off to one side, Chancellor Rico Marcus smiled as Rei noticed that the sword was engraved for Captain Ben Koda.
Marcus watched as she pulled the blade back down, and gaped at it. Standing near her was Senator Darron Koda. The late Captain Ben Koda was his father, and Rei’s grandfather. Until just days ago, Kima Rei hadn’t known that she was Senator Koda’s niece, the only other surviving member of the prestigious line of Tol Hunters.
A few private words were exchanged between the new captain and her famous uncle. After that, Rei turned back to the audience, held up the sword, and beamed a smile that brightened the Assembly Hall.
The Chancellor marveled at the similarity between the two. Stepping to center stage, Marcus put up his hands in a universal bid for quiet. When the crowd was hushed, he ended the ceremony with his own congratulations to Kima Rei, the newest captain of the Hunter ship, Damaloa.
The celebration on the Tol Orb continued for the next few days, as the people of many worlds rejoiced. The threat of the Phoenix on Urdani had ended. Thousands of vessels carrying murderous Beasts had been destroyed or trapped. The Orb and many planets had been saved. However, it was not without cost.
Down in the Medical section of the Orb, Consul Jarmon’s eyes fluttered open. Lurking nearby, was a gray furred creature over three meters tall.
Jarmon cleared his throat, “Rolan - I think I’ll be fine without a guard. You should go home and rest.”
Like a terrifying gargoyle-wolf, the Tersaan’s black eyes were set above a muzzle full of fangs. He folded well-muscled arms across his broad chest, and ruffled dark rubbery wing-folds, “Go back to sleep.”
Jarmon protested. “We’re in the reserved Medical Section on the Tol Orb,” he breathed, “Nothing is going to happen,” he took another breath. “Your people need you.”
“I wasn’t shot in the heart – twice,” Rolan worried about the Consul’s breathlessness. “Go back to sleep Brad.”
With a grunt, Jarmon turned to Rolan. “Premier Rolan,” he accented the title, “Your planet was almost destroyed by Beasts. They need you more than I need a babysitter.”
“Go back to sleep Brad.” Rolan repeated. Jarmon started to argue, when Rolan twisted fast.
“It’s just me!” Dr. Andon held his hands up in mock defense. He’d been drawn by the medical alarm that signaled an aberration in his patient’s status.
The Premier looked down, “Oh.” He hop-stepped aside, and let the physician attend to business.
While Dr. Andon watched monitors, Jarmon asked the Tersaan, “Did you get to the ceremony?”
“Yes.” Rolan flashed a fanged grin. “You should have seen the look on Kima’s face when she realized she was holding a captain’s sword instead of a Tol officer’s blade.”
“It was Ben’s,” Jarmon smiled.
The Premier nodded, “When she noticed the engraving, I thought Senator Koda was going to have to carry her out!” His wings quivered in amusement.
“That would have been something to see,” Jarmon’s eyes closed and he was still.
Rolan tapped him with a claw. “Brad?” He shot Dr. Andon an accusatory glower, “What happened?”
Andon made swift adjustments, “Another small perforation. I had to sedate him.”
Leaning to look at the readings, the Tersaan gave a short growl of remembrance. “The Darian arrows were dipped in some sort of tissue-emulsifier.”
“Yes,” Andon said. “We denatured most of the toxin, but enough remained in the deep heart muscle to be a problem.”
Tol Hunter DNA was engineered to facilitate healing, but still, the balance between cellular regeneration and the rapid tissue degeneration from the toxin was hard to manage. The distinguished doctor finished his tweaking. “The Consul needs to stay still, and at rest.”
Rolan pulled up to his impressive height, “I’ll make sure he does.”
Andon didn’t doubt it. The Tersaans were gentle, but fierce guardians. Rolan’s people had worked with the Tol for many millennia, guarding clans of innocent people against Beasts of the Cloud. While a Tol Hunter eliminated the vile creations, Tersaans perched high on buildings. They used their echo-location to forewarn, and protect the gathered population until the way was clear. The large beings were emulated in the stone statuary on many worlds, and their images still graced the buttresses of community buildings in artificial defense, and silent tribute to the fearsome sentinels.
When Dr. Andon returned to his office, he found a summons from Chancellor Marcus. Taking the nearest transfer pad, he went to the executive chambers off the Assembly Hall. Marcus wasn’t there. Stepping back out to the vast Hall, the doctor spotted the tall silhouette standing in front of the multi-paned panorama of space.
The buffered flooring kept the thunder of footsteps and crowd noise to a minimum during large events, and Andon’s steps were swallowed completely.
Rico Marcus greeted him without turning, “Doctor Andon.”
“Chancellor, I got your message.” Andon said. Since Marcus didn’t change his gaze, Andon stepped up to see what had his attention. Two immense Hunter ships were leaving the Orb.
“Jezzadan and Damaloa?” Andon asked.
“Yes.”
Andon kept his objection silent. It was too soon for either ship to take on a hazardous assignment. In the recent galactic conflagration, Jezzadan was damaged in several critical areas. Damaloa had lost its captain and several key officers.
The gifted individuals that tracked Phoenix Clouds were Hunters, and the captains of Hunter ships. Damaloa was under the command of Kima Rei, appointed just days ago as a captain-in-training, and by Tol standards, a child at twenty-one.
The Hunter ships were small cities carrying thousands of beings for long engagements. The massive vessels looked like silvery black rectangles as they shimmered, hiding their true dimensions to most optical devices. The inhabitants of both ships were in need of emotional rest.
It’s too soon, Andon thought.
As if hearing the doctor’s musings, Marcus said, “Both Senators, Darron Koda, and Sabi Pahl are aboard Damaloa. Should something happen to engage Jezzadan, there’s sufficient experience to help Kima.” His face shadowed, and Andon couldn’t tell if it was concern, or doubt. When the Chancellor turned, it was evident that his smile was forced. “Doctor Andon,” Marcus adjusted his cloak, “I asked you here to catch up on Consul Jarmon’s condition. “Come,” he decided, “Let’s go visit, and see how he’s doing.”
When the ancient malevolence crept into the galaxy, it was a long time before its genocidal attacks were known to the Tol.
A satellite had captured the images as a pink mist darkened to red, and rolled across a planet. Spinning a funnel, the twister grew violent. Colors blazed from orange to angry red hues. The Cloud rose from the fury like a giant bird, spreading its wings above the flames.
Inhabitants breathed the particles, and succumbed to temptations, committing inexplicable atrocities that escalated to horrific. Over time, the society self-destructed.
After the solar system was destroyed, the Cloud disappeared for over five hundred years. It was thought to be a one-time awful anomaly, but it made another gruesome appearance, and another. Soon, it divided. Like a galactic scourge, the thing spread to other worlds.
Tol Sciences labored with their allies to determine the life cycle and origination of the Cloud. It was discovered that the entity was composed of proteins, neural energy, and exotic matter (x-matter). The dubbed acronym of the entity was ‘PHoENIX’ - Protein Helices of Energy and Neural-Infused X-matter.
They called the first Cloud, Titan-202, after the system it decimated. Tol scientists discovered that the formidable Cloud communicated its thoughts through neural energy waveforms, and produced two types of “Beasts”.
The first category of Beast appeared when a being had inhaled the Cloud’s particles. Their neural pathways became a conduit to their brain. The ugliest side of their emotional content was amplified, and the negative energy fed the Phoenix. If beings didn’t fight the evil compulsions, they turned into “Beasts”.
Tol, Tersaans and a few other species were immune, and could withstand the awesome Cloud. Beings that didn’t resist contributed their knowledge, characteristics, and energy to the despicable thing. Over time, the Cloud learned, and accumulated more skill in doing evil, inciting fear, and killing.
The second type of Beast was “Replicated”. It was a manifestation of Cloud particles and energy to form a physical body. The Phoenix used energy transfer devices, like teleporters. With a victim as a physical template, the Cloud contributed its substance, energy, and memories to make a second Beast. The Phoenix made replications until its mass was used up.
The unreal creations would scuttle across the land, and wreak havoc with single-minded coordination. The thoughts of the Phoenix were imbedded in their being, and evil deeds were suggested through energetic transmissions of the horrid entity.
Their high need for energy to sustain a physical structure was expressed as ravenous hunger. They ate everything, and their ruthless slaughters brought terror and fear from the victims that fed more energy to the Cloud.
When Replicated Beasts died, they dissolved to pink-red sludge. The sludge desiccated to wispy dust. The Phoenix collected the particles and energy of Beasts and Replicated Beasts; growing until it became a Cloud again.
Aboard Damaloa, Captain Rei pushed herself back in the command chair and felt it adjust to her form. Stars filled the forward viewscreen, and the quiet business of ship’s operations went on in the foreground.
Rei sighed, conscious of her age and provisional status. Until High Command decided she’d gained enough experience, her ship, Damaloa, was paired with another Hunter ship. She sighed again; At least I’m paired with someone I know.
“Captain,” Salz called out, “We have a communication from Jezzadan.”
Rei tapped her chair console, and smiled at the image of Jezzadan’s captain, and her adopted father, Jon Marrak, her appointed mentor for the next decade.
“Captain Rei,” he started formally, “Our long-range sweeps have picked up a distress call.” He touched a control that forwarded the recording to her.
The gibberish converted to clear concept, as the translator kicked in. “Any vessel – we need help. Our engines have failed. We are losing life support, and request immediate aid.” The message repeated again.
Rei frowned, “Alosian?”
Marrak nodded, and Rei asked, “What are they doing in this sector?”
Alosians were Tol allies. The gray, hairless beings were small, just a little over a meter tall. They were another intelligent species of galactic travelers.
“Most likely, a rescue operation,” Marrak suggested, “After the recent ruckus with the Clouds, there’s plenty of stranded space travelers, and worlds in need of help.”
“Why don’t you let us take care of this one Captain Marrak?” Rei volunteered. “It will give Jezzadan more recovery time, and the Alosians shouldn’t pose any threat.”
Marrak expected her suggestion. “I think that’s a good idea, and we would appreciate that.” He considered asking her to inform Senator Koda, but didn’t want to hinder her growth at command.
Rei added, “Senator Koda is in the Activity Stadium, I’ll ask if he’d like to be briefed.”
Satisfied, Marrak gave her a wink, and terminated the comlink.
Clack-clack-clack! Senator Pahl met each of Koda’s attacks with a solid defense. She turned a circle and brought the staff straight forward. Chasing him with four jabs, she took a swing. Crack! He defended her attack.
“Are you sure you’re feeling well enough?” Sabi was concerned. Like Consul Jarmon, Darron had also been shot with a poisonous arrow. He’d just recovered from his fourth surgical operation.
“I’m fine,” he jabbed back.
Sabi made a move as if to block the jab. Instead, she let loose of her stick, grabbed his weapon, and pulled with his momentum. She rolled backward, and he flipped over her, landing on the deck with a thud.
One more move and Sabi was on top. She disarmed him, and drove her elbow just under his chin. Koda was “dead”.
Worried she’d bested him so easily, her eyes narrowed when she caught the devious gleam in his eye.
“You let me do that.” She leaned closer to his face, and her eyes twinkled. His chest hopped under her in a deep chuckle.
“Excuse me Senators…am I interrupting something?” Rei stood at the entry, arms crossed.
Pahl jumped, Koda turned. He stared, still unaccustomed to Rei’s new rank and uniform.
“Senator Pahl,” Rei worried at Koda’s expression, “Maybe he could use some air?”
Pahl smiled, took her forearm off Koda’s throat, and gave him a hand up.
Rei strolled over to them. “We’ve picked up a distress call from an Alosian ship. I’ve coordinated with Captain Marrak, and Damaloa is going out to investigate.”
“What’s an Alosian ship doing in this sector?” Koda wondered.
Amused by his shared curiosity, Rei echoed Marrak’s response when she’d asked the same question, “Maybe a rescue operation. After the recent bout with the Clouds, there are plenty of space travelers and worlds in need of help.”
Koda stared at her, and Rei felt transparent. “At least,” she admitted, “That’s what Captain Marrak suggested.”
“Oh?” Koda held her gaze, but said nothing more.
Looking between the two, Pahl drilled Rei with emerald eyes, “Is that what you think?”
Self-conscious, the young captain swallowed. “Not really.”
Koda raised an eyebrow, and Rei continued, “Alosian vessels are tiny. Without re-supply, it would be difficult for one to make it this deep into the sector.” She continued her logic, “If it came with a mother-ship, then our rescue wouldn’t be needed.”
Koda finished, “Unless something happened to the mother-ship. Either way, something’s not right.”
Curious, Rei asked, “Did Captain Marrak expect me to contradict his suggestion?”
Pahl cocked her head, “No doubt. Did he ask you to inform us of your plans?”
“No.” Rei paused, “Did he know I’d do that too?”
Their silence was confirmation, and Rei resigned, “I suppose you already know I’m going to invite you to the mission briefing.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Pahl accepted.
~ ~ ~
From the clouds, a steamy drizzle grayed out the horizon and muddied the already soggy grass plain. Wainwright swept the wet from his face, as his team dashed from the helicopter across the air field at Soc Trang.
Raoorrr! The fearsome low growl that scared away bad guys could be heard above the rain falling on metal roofs.
“Tuffy!” Wainwright called. The huge Bengal tiger purred and rubbed against the sides of the building in his fenced pen. He leaned over the short picket rails, and snorted his readiness to play.
John missed Dominic, his German shepherd back home. Tired and wet, he took a moment to tousle the big mascot. “Tuffy – you still watchin’ the place?” The cat rolled over like a dog to get John’s attention. After a few minutes of playful mauling, Tuffy shook off, showering water, grass, and mud on the lieutenant.
“Okay, Okay – I’ll get it.” The tiger paced under his protective overhang, and waited with anticipation. John went to the camp kitchen, found a hot dog, and grabbed out a can of beef stew. He put the stew in Tuffy’s metal pot. As the cat slurped down the hot dog, John scratched the base of the tiger’s tail. After the cat finished his snack, John headed off to get dry, leaving Tuffy stretched happily in the grass.
Back in the barracks, the Chief was in story-telling mode. Joe Dakota claimed Native American heritage and ancient Aztec.
Half the squad was asleep, a few listened with a tired ear, but eighteen year old Jeremy Jones was riveted.
The Chief was sitting on his bunk. “Teotihuacán, nicknamed “Teo,” is one of Earth’s mysteries of structural design. Its advanced architecture was built in the first century.”
“The buildings aligned with the stars and solar system. The people understood math, geometry and astronomy.”
He took a drink. “It was a well-planned city with one of the largest populations in the world, like 200,000 people. It rivaled the size of ancient Rome. Every fifty-seven meters there were street intersections in a grid pattern. Since water was scarce, they had huge underground reservoirs for storing rainwater.”
Jeremy snorted, “Bet that was for secret skinny-dipping.”
“No skinny-dipping…and it would be no secret,” the Chief said. “We don’t wear much.”
Wainwright chuckled. Coming into the barracks, Joe was almost buck-naked. He said he’d just use some of nature’s water before his shower, and save time.
The Chief continued, “Teo was built by the Toltecs, and its name meant ‘The City of the Gods’. The term ‘Toltec’ didn’t define a specific ethnic group; it meant ‘great wise one’.”
“And unlike the art of other primitive cultures, Toltec art had just two gods: the earth goddess and the sky god. Because Toltecs didn’t worship as many gods as most communities did in that time, it was believed that they communicated with those in the stars.”
“Martians?” Jeremy’s interest peaked. He’d heard about the two flying saucers that crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico over twenty years ago.
“Maybe,” the Chief agreed, “Anyway, the carved art and statuary that the native peoples made weren’t monsters of imagination…but real beasts that lived on Earth.”
“Beasts?” Jeremy scowled, and threw a pillow. “Until that – I almost believed you. Your ancient fathers must’ve been smokin’ Mary Jane!”
Joe tossed the pillow back. “No, but they drank peyote.”
“What’s that?” The curious youngster asked.
“A cactus…causes visions for three days.”
Jeremy shot a look of disbelief. “No way!”
“It’s true,” Wainwright entered the conversation. He took off his boots, and set them close by. “Now, everyone get some sleep.”
“Cactus…yeah, right.” Jeremy scoffed. Pulling his M-16 close, he curled up for the night.
The Army team was at the Air Commando’s base to lend support, and rest from field operations.
The Chief pushed gear in a semi-circle near his bunk, and Wainwright flashed a knowing grin. Sometime in the night, Jeremy would “fall out of bed”. When spooked, Jeremy crawled closer to Joe. On any mission, the kid was tougher than nails. At night, he slept like a puppy, and curled next to anything alive. The Chief pushed the rucks around to give the kid a “foxhole”.
“Martians…beasts…and peyote?” Wainwright shook his head. “You tryin’ to scare the bejeezus outta him Chief?”
“No – all true.”
“Martians?”
“Maybe no Martians.”
“Beasts?”
“Yes – beasts.”
“Chief?”
“Yes, Lieutenant?”
“You take first watch…for beasts.” Wainwright rolled over and went to sleep.
After a few days at Soc Trang, Wainwright and his team were moved to support Can Tho Army Airfield. There was an orphanage and school just outside the airfield near Bien Xe Moi. Wainwright was charged with escorting the supply run to the orphanage.
Jeremy was curious. “What’s the big deal about taking stuff out where the VC can get at it? It’s not like a bunch of little kids can defend their property.” He hopped on the truck to help the lieutenant heft crates.
Re-supply was a boring detail sometimes punctuated by hair-raising action. Wainwright pushed another crate into the 5-ton. “We have to help. Combat here is very different than other wars. There’s no front line. We’re competing for hearts and minds of the people…and so are the Viet Cong.”
“So if we don’t give them stuff,” Jeremy understood, “then the VC will get them things, and the people will support them?”
Wainwright nodded. His unit was part of the “Delta” Battalion, the U. S. Army combat battalion supporting the Vietnamese Army in the Mekong Delta. The Delta was a low plain, divided into several sections by arms of the Mekong River.
Loading another box, Wainwright added, “The South Vietnamese are fighting a war to rid their country of the Communist threat, and they’re up against two elements; the local Viet Cong insurgents, and the North Vietnamese that aid and encourage the VC.” He closed the gate of the truck. “At the request of the South Vietnamese Government, the US has been in Vietnam since 1954.”
“So what made the VC concentrate here?” Jeremy asked.
Wainwright looked over the truckload of crates. “The people are where the food is. This area grows about two-thirds of all the food in South Vietnam, and three-quarters of all the rice cultivated. Of the 15 million inhabitants of Vietnam, almost half live in the Delta.”
“Oh,” Jeremy said. He looked past Wainwright, and his face screwed with distaste.
“Hey Lieutenant!” Herndon called out, “I volunteered to help with the orphanage re-supply!” He ambled over.
Jeremy snorted, and rolled his eyes at the oncoming brown-noser. Bill Herndon always volunteered for easy missions, or ones that were in the spotlight. “Whatta waste,” he whispered under his breath.
“Oh!” Herndon feigned surprise, “We’re already loaded up?”
“Yes,” Wainwright ignored Jeremy’s disdain at Herndon’s convenient appearance. “Everybody meet back here, ready to roll in fifteen minutes.” Jeremy and Wainwright walked back to the hut together, and left Herndon standing.
~ ~ ~
The Phoenix was evolving. In the beginning, the chaotic energy of space fed the small wisp. As gamma rays and other elements in space were insinuated, the entity became larger, and more cohesive. It was no longer able to survive in space unprotected, or traverse the cold vacuum without transport.
The malicious one had to rely on the ships of unwary travelers, or dupe greedy ones with suggested promises of wealth, power, or satisfaction. It hinted great things, luring them in. Once the careless ones inhaled the particles, they carried it aboard. After the vessel was underway, the contagion would take hold. The ones that acted on aggressive thoughts and temptation, committed regrettable acts and became Beasts. Anyone else aboard would serve as food for the monsters.
Leaving the two Senators, Rei stopped outside the Stadium to call the Ops officer and ask him to inform key officers of the mission briefing. Afterwards, she stepped on the transfer pad and went to her quarters. Rei was in such deep contemplation of the Alosian problem, that she almost ran into her First Officer.
“Lt. Commander Verran! I was just on my way to Quarters. Did you get the message about the briefing?”
“Yes,” Verran stayed in step with her. “You’re still in Quarters? You know the Captain’s Home has been readied for you?”
Rei looked up at him. “It seems too soon. I don’t think the crew has had a chance to absorb Captain Linden’s death yet. The VIP Quarters are nice enough.”
With understanding, Verran nodded. It was just a few weeks ago, that Damaloa was on a desperate mission to save the Medeena system. Beasts launched a weapon that could have killed millions. Captain Linden, his First Officer, and several other officers were killed during the rescue operation. If Rei hadn’t hijacked a Tol Command ship and taken it out to help, Damaloa would have been destroyed.
The handsome officer seemed lost in thought, and Rei asked, “Is something wrong?”
“No,” Verran hesitated. “You said, ‘It seems too soon’,” he pointed to her collar piping, “You’re a captain now…before most selectees have even been accepted for Training. The tempo of your command is going to be very different.”
Rei smiled, “If you hadn’t talked Captain Marrak into searching those caves on ‘619’, I might still be there, and not a captain.” Her smile broadened, “Of course, almost got your previous captain killed by a child.”
Verran reddened, “Not a stellar start for a junior officer.”
Rei brightened, “Commander – eight seasoned officers were chasing me…only one caught me.”
Verran looked down at her, “Something went right.” He straightened. “And you must have made a good impression with your shot, Captain Marrak and Sara adopted you.”
Rei chuckled, “We’ll see about impressions now that he’s also my appointed mentor.”
Command couldn’t have made a better choice, Verran thought, and gave a tip of his head, “I’ll check the readiness of Mission Ops for the briefing.”
She nodded, and he continued down the corridor. Rei watched his departure, sighed, and then stepped into her quarters. The dark window to space caught her attention.
Rei searched her mind for evidence, the energetic thoughts projected by the galactic menace that would hint its plans or location. It was the special ability of a Hunter to sense that energy.
When the visions and feelings failed to materialize, she scanned the dark void outside. Jezzadan shimmered in the distance, and Rei’s spirits lifted as she jaunted to Mission Ops.
A century ago, a fragment of the Titan-Phoenix struck a populated world. The beautiful planet was named after its crimson auroras, and fire-red color in the sky. It was called Firespray, and back then, Premier Rolan had been captain of StarCruiser….
“Get them aboard any available ship!” Rolan shouted, as he looked over the crowds of panicked children. The beauty of the sky was blemished by hundreds of Beast ships that raced to Firespray. The diverse residents scrambled, as Tersaan ships helped their Tol allies in the frantic rescue. Taking up weapons against the impossible onslaught, the inhabitants of Firespray defended the evacuation of the children.
Gargoyle-like Tersaans scrambled. Their natural flight didn’t suffer from the electrical interference generated by the Phoenix. The large beings flew across the battleground of the surface, and gathered the terrified young.
“Take him – please!” the Tol mother begged. Delia handed off her infant son to the Tersaan captain. Rolan snatched the baby and several other children, half-galloping, half-flying them to safety. Delia returned to the carnage, to cover the Tersaan’s retreat. She was killed on Firespray.
As the last brave defenders fell, the huge gargoyles were forced to depart. In a final act of kindness, the Tersaans detonated broad-range euthanasia for any intelligent life. The weapon initiated a second blast that vaporized higher life-forms.
Days after the toxins dissipated, Beasts returned to take over the planet, and harvest the abandoned technology. The Firespray-Phoenix was born.
Delia Koda had given over one of the most precious resources in the galaxy – her newborn son, Garret Koda. Garret would have been the most powerful Hunter in Tol history, had it not been for another tragedy.
When he was twelve, a misunderstanding led Garret to believe that he would be taken away from his adopted Tersaan family. Garret ran away to a remote outpost called Gromm. He was an adult by the time the Cloud tracked him down. It attacked the outpost with fury, and Garret was killed.
A Hunter ship landed to assist, and a physician was on the scene in minutes. But the rescue was curtailed when it was discovered that Beasts were driving asteroids towards Gromm. Before nightfall, the planet was reduced to space rubble.
Doctor Dako Rei saved many lives that day, including Garret’s orphan newborn. Dr. Rei adopted her. Ten years later, Dako and his family were murdered by Beasts. Again, Kima Rei survived a massacre. She was recovered by Jon Marrak’s team. Captain Marrak and Dr. Sara Marrak adopted her, and took her to live aboard Jezzadan.
Today, Jezzadan’s xeno-psychologist, Dr. Sara Marrak, had been very busy with the insecurities and emotional upheavals of diverse beings caused during the recent galactic conflict.
As captain, Jon Marrak had been even busier, overseeing the ship’s repairs. Sara had asked if he wouldn’t mind taking time off to share dinner. After checking the progress of patches and upgrades to Jezzadan, he headed home.
“Jon – is that you?” She called from the kitchen.
“Yes – do you need any help?” He eyed the warm comfort of the main entry. Decorating one wall was weaponry presented from a dozen worlds, and grateful world leaders. Marrak stood in front of the Tersaan Warrior short-sword that was Kima’s. She had been just ten years old when it was presented for her participation in the rescue of dozens of Tersaans.
“No, I’m almost finished,” Sara called back, “Why don’t you sit, and relax a moment?”
The living area was decorated in soft-colored tones that had a calming effect. Marrak sat in his favorite chair, watching the liquid-variable wall mural change color and form.
The swirling crimson vapors crackled and lit the sky with energy. After breathing the infective molecules, the unlucky ones staggered, choked, and became dizzy.
With stunning speed, brutal creations of the Cloud pounced. Enormous Beasts butchered their victims with knife-sharp talons, and chased the terrified. The unfortunate screamed as they were ripped apart and their children became shared meals. The ground around them was littered with entrails, dismembered limbs, and blood.
A brutish blow hurled brain matter through the air. The Hunter killed that Beast, but another one appeared, and another. More monsters poured from the hills to join the bloodbath. As the Hunter fought to stop the slaughters, sweat poured down his face, and over his lip. It tasted of brains and blood….
“Jon?” Sara smoothed back his hair, and called again.
Marrak swallowed back the recurring phantom taste, and looked at her. “You’re beautiful.”
“What’s wrong?”
He stood from the chair, lifted her at the waist, and gave her a spin. “Not a thing,” he shook off the nightmare. “You’re a beautiful dream.”
Jon’s eyes lit when he kissed her, and Sara’s breath caught. “Dinner’s ready,” she protested.
“Can it wait?”
Kima was just ten when Beasts killed the Rei family on ‘619’. She hid in caves, unaware that a Tol rescue team was on its way. Using her dead brother’s bow, the small orphan shot at the vile creatures that had decimated the entire expeditionary unit.
One of the craftier Beasts made its way past her traps, and into her cavern. She let an arrow fly, and hit it in the chest. It fell, and her rock trap was triggered. The creature’s breaths rasped through its shattered helmet. It held onto the arrow in its chest.
Kima crept up, and snatched away the energy weapon in its holster. Why didn’t it use this to shoot at me?
She wanted to see the creature up close, and pushed away rocks. She removed its helmet, surprised that it didn’t look like the dragon monsters on the surface.
It gasped in fresh air, and the small Tol pulled her knife. “Are you a Beast?”
“I’m Captain Marrak,” it choked. “We’re here to help….”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I’m the Captain of Jezzadan…Did you have visions or nightmares…about this, Kima?” He was coughing, fighting to stay conscious, and couldn’t finish.
It knows my name! Kima was alarmed. Just her brother, Jin, knew about her nightmares. Kima stared at the Beast. It was suffering, and she had to kill it. Checking the sharpness of her knife, she recalled her brother’s sage advice: “You’ll know a Beast by its actions.”
A moment later, Verran heard a small voice over his comlink. “Come get your Beast…I shot it.” Kima dropped Marrak’s helmet, took a flare, and walked past the “monster”. Tossing the device, she lit the opening of the cave so the monster’s companions could find it. After confrontation with the ten-year-old, the captain, and several rescue team members spent recovery time in Medical.
Eventually, the real Beasts were eliminated teams from Jezzadan. Verran trapped the small orphan, and brought her aboard.
Command Senator, and well-decorated Hunter, Darron Koda was sent to evaluate reports of the child’s powerful ability. Until that time, Koda believed he was the last member of his prestigious family line. He never knew that he had a brother, Garret, or that his late brother Garret had a daughter - Kima Rei.
By the time Jon and Sara got to dinner, it was late, and they both laughed. Sara went about re-serving their meal, while Jon got their drinks.
“How are the repairs going?” Sara asked.
“Well ahead of schedule for the Command sections,” Jon replied, “We should have the mess cleaned up in the rest of the Community Section before much longer.”
“That’s good,” Sara said. “That last little battle frayed quite a few nerves. The sooner everything gets back to normal, the better everyone will feel.” She brought food to the table. “I hear Damaloa already has a rescue mission?”
Sara didn’t miss a thing, and Jon smiled. “An Alosian ship has sent out an emergency distress signal. Captain Rei is going out to investigate.”
Sara smiled at their daughter’s new title. “Sounds safe enough,” she paused, “What’s an Alosian ship doing out this far?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out,” Jon took a bite of food.
“We’re?” Sara repeated.
“Jezzadan won’t be too far behind our adventuresome captain.”
Sara was thoughtful. “At least Senator Koda and Senator Pahl are onboard. The last few weeks have been eventful.”
Jon’s eyes flickered at her understatement. “There’s been no sign of Phoenix activity, and it will be some time before the Beasts make it back through the undamaged portals of Firespray.”
Hundreds of Beast ships had gathered for the recent attempt to attack the Tol Orb. In an amazing display of strategy, Rei had led them through space portals back to Firespray. She destroyed the main conduits, leaving them trapped.
“We know that’s temporary,” Sara worried. “It could be sooner, rather than later, that the Phoenix escapes….”
She didn’t want to think about the Cloud’s frightening vendetta. It was fresh news that the Cloud had a genocidal strategy to annihilate the Tol.
To be successful in its galactic conquest, the Phoenix had to eliminate the ones that could receive its vile thoughts, interpret its neural energy, and preempt its plans. It had to kill all Tol Hunters, starting with the most powerful ones. Rei and Koda were at the top of the list.
Jon noticed Sara’s dark distraction, “What is it?”
She pursed her lips, “Whenever Kima and Senator Koda are together - they attract the Cloud.”
Shared concern hung in the air like a shroud. With a carefree front, Jon picked up his drink. “Makes our job easier…we don’t have to hunt the Cloud if it comes to us.”
His casual sip didn’t fool Sara.
Copyright © 2007 L. S. Dusty Miller. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.
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