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Young Ensign Ilid has some concerns about his sanity after the away team returns to his spyship after a trip to Bi'is. Has he gone space crazy...or is something strange happening to his crewmates?
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Spyship orbiting Bi’is
Ensign Dramok Ilid watched from his control podium as the away team’s shuttles returned from Bi’is. The three vessels docked in the spyship, and he closed the bay doors. Captain Abgi and Weapons Commander Suta stepped forward to greet the commander at the head of the disembarking team, Weapons Subcommander Ved.
“Report, Subcommander,” Suta ordered, his creased face as unsmiling as ever.
Ilid always felt more at ease when the old Nobek wasn’t looking at him. He bet Nobek Ved did too, despite his occasional lover’s resolute toughness, which kept him from admitting to any intimidation.
“The labs of Bi’is were quiet, Captain, Weapons Commander. We found no sign of the Sector C secret research facility the previous spyship suspected.”
Captain Abgi, almost as old and weathered and tough as Suta, frowned. “Neither did the Galactic Council inspectors, according to the files we intercepted a few hours ago. The captain I spoke to from the other spyship seemed so sure. What of the communications suggesting there might be such facilities?”
“The last of the suspicious messages between Bi’is scientists occurred just prior to the previous spyship’s leaving. Similar dialogue has ceased since then.”
Ilid glanced from his computer podium’s readings. Ved sounded…off. His deep voice had a wooden quality Ilid hadn’t heard from him before.
The subcommander’s features showed no emotion. Typical for reporting in, but even Ved’s natural Nobek ferocity, a quality which excited Ilid more than he’d admit out loud, had a tamped-down trait uncharacteristic of him.
Keeping his fingers moving over the keypad of his computer, Ilid swept his gaze over the team grouped behind Ved, wondering if they’d noticed anything off. If they did, their bland faces showed no hint.
Funny. The scouts, mostly Nobeks and a smattering of Dramoks, somehow looked alike with their flat expressions. Those at the corners of his eyes seemed to have strange smudges, like shadows, hovering over them. When he gazed directly at them, there was no darkness, however. Disquiet wormed its way in Ilid’s gut.
It’s too soon to be antsy from an extended assignment. Get a grip.
It was true Ilid wasn’t looking forward to a year’s detail surveilling Bi’is. Despite ten-day leaves every six weeks, the deployment was shaping up to be a grind. It was rumored the previous spyship had orbited Kalquor’s enemy for five years, since the end of the war. He couldn’t imagine how the previous crew had kept from killing each other from the boredom.
Suta’s gruff voice was disappointed. “What of signs of those shadow entities that were reported? Was anything off regarding your assignment?”
“No, Weapons Commander. We saw nothing suggesting an alien presence beyond the Tragoom slaves the Bi’isils keep. No entity we saw matched what was recorded by the previous spyship.”
Ancestors, what was it in Ved’s tone that sounded wrong? It was driving Ilid crazy.
He returned his attention to his readouts, setting aside the anxious feeling that was beneath a Dramok. He was only twenty-two, but his breed admitted no nonsense. He was born to eventually lead, and he was determined to live up to what was expected of him.
An alert beeped politely on his podium. He tapped his earpiece and listened before reporting.
“Excuse me, Captain. The first officer reports the Galactic Council vessel is leaving orbit and heading back to their space.”
Abgi snapped a nod to Ilid. “All right, team, good job. Be ready to assemble and resume on-planet surveillance in two days, unless advised to the contrary. Dismissed.”
He and Suta left ahead of the team. Ilid used the opportunity to get Ved’s attention. “Hey. Was it really so quiet on the planet?”
Ved regarded him for several seconds. Long seconds. For a moment, Ilid wondered if the Nobek recognized him. There was no spark of familiarity in his gaze.
Then the corner of his lips twitched, a hint of a smile. “We considered cutting each other’s throats for something to do. You can’t get more boring than Bi’is.”
Ilid laughed, partly out of relief. It was a typical Ved response, and if he maintained a wooden quality of speech, it was doubtless because the assignment had been wearying. “Hopefully, it was just an off week for the little gray bastards. You’ll find something devious worth cracking their huge skulls over next time.”
“A man can hope.” Ved looked him over. “Shall we get together later tonight, Ilid? Maybe you can offer the excitement Bi’is was missing.”
Usually, such an invitation would have thrilled Ilid. Ved was his favorite bedmate on the spyship, the sexiest crewman on board, in his opinion.
This time, a chill ran down his spine. Ved’s gaze remained as flat as his voice, and Ilid thought about conjuring an excuse of why he wasn’t available.
He was being ridiculous. What kind of Dramok was weirded out by a bored and tired Nobek? He grinned widely at Ved. “Tonight would be great.”
“My quarters at the end of your shift then?”
“Sure. I’ll be there.”
Ved left him still wearing a half-smile. Had he ever seen him smile that way?
Enough. It’s too soon to go space crazy.
* * * *
A new planet. A new enemy. Is the end coming for the Kalquorian Empire?
In the aftermath of the Kalquorian civil war and the defeat of the Bi’is invasion fleet, the empire has enjoyed peace. A new Earth has been born. A Kalquorian leads the Galactic Council of Planets. An era of harmony seems assured.
However, new dangers arrive on the horizon. Governor Stacy Nichols finds herself at odds with powerful opponents who want Earth II to return to the old ways that led to the demise of their original planet. They’ll do anything to stop her, especially when they discover her newfound romance with Clan Rihep of Kalquor.
After five years and a terrifying encounter with an unknown entity, Clan Piras is finally leaving their spy duties in Bi’is space. Now they must face enemies closer to home: the families of those they sacrificed while on a secret mission during the Kalquorian civil war.
A new threat to the
existence of Kalquor and the entire Galactic Council of Planets arrives in the
midst of these challenges, a dark menace unlike anything faced before. One
young, inexperienced spyship ensign is all that stands between the galaxy and
utter destruction. Can he warn the empire in time…or is it already too late?
Dark Empire 1: Shadows Approach is now on sale at Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and print.
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