A Clash of Aliens (The Human Chronicles Book 13) by T.R. Harris Page A
Authors: T.R. Harris
Ads: Link
Lord.”
“Are you a part of my operation?”
“No, I am with the Humans and the Formilian.”
The Overlord leaned to his right as someone off screen spoke to him. He nodded. “You are a deserter. I have rarely heard of this, yet I have never met one in person. I should take custody of you, yet I am informed that since this is such a rare occurrence there are no specific regulations against such an act. I will have to introduce such regulations and then return for you.”
“I will not be available when you do.”
“The Expansion will soon be in control of the entire Kidis Frontier. You will find no place to hide—”
“Who the hell are you?” Riyad finally asked, his impatience and frustration boiling over. “Are you responsible for destroying a Union registered starship?”
“Spare me your indignation, Riyad Tarazi. Yes, I am responsible. I am Overlord Ranor D’inos. I have been pursuing you from Formil. We both know that the mutant outlaw Panur was aboard that ship, and that his sanctioning was approved by both Expansion and Union authority. It is you who are in violation. You have sought to endanger the welfare of the galaxy with your selfish mission.”
“I don’t know what you hope to accomplish. You know he can’t be killed.”
“But he can be neutralized. His body is now a frozen mass of flesh, and soon I will order my ships to engage gravity drives and send all the debris from the wreckage on a path toward the nearby star. In time, the mutant will be absorbed into the inferno, to suffer through eternity in a prison of unimaginable agony. Only fitting for all that he has done.”
Riyad didn’t know what to say. His mission was over; there would be no rescue of Adam Cain. Now he had to worry about himself.
“So what happens next?”
“As far as you are concerned, I will leave your future up to your own people. You may not find a welcome homecoming when you return to Earth, if you have the courage to do so. Now I must take my leave. We still have mopping up to do. And as for you, Benefis Na, I will not forget. Your day of reckoning will come.”
No one had a chance to respond before the link was cut.
Sherri was just now regaining consciousness.
“What did I miss?”
Chapter 10
The four occupants of the Najmah Fayd were in the common room, spread out on the couch and chairs, lost in thought—all except Sherri, who was shaking her head and sticking a finger in her ear.
“What’s wrong with you?” Riyad asked, annoyed by her constant fidgeting at the other end of the couch.
“I still have that damn itch in my brain. I thought that was only because of Lila. Now I think it’s something else.”
“You still feel the sensation?” Arieel asked, sitting up in her chair and taking notice.
“Yeah, just a little, but it’s really beginning to piss me off.”
“It is the same as when you first detected my daughter?”
Sherri stopped poking her finger in her ear. “Yeah, just a little less. You don’t think…”
“She can’t be killed,” Riyad said, also sitting up now.
“What are you speaking of…cannot be killed? Who cannot be killed?” asked Benefis.
“Arieel’s daughter.”
“She cannot be killed?”
“No, she’s a mutant, too. Sorry, Arieel.”
“That is okay, Riyad. I have come to accept it.”
“Two mutants were aboard that ship? I knew Arieel’s daughter was with Panur, but I was not aware she was a mutant. How could that be possible?”
“It’s a long story,” Riyad said as he leaned over toward Sherri. “Could she still be alive…I mean still conscious?”
“What if the outer body freezes but leaves the insides still warm, at least for a while. Eventually the whole body will…you know.” She looked over at Arieel’s troubled face, though it wasn’t looking all that troubled at the moment.
“She is still alive! Maybe we can use Sherri’s
“Are you a part of my operation?”
“No, I am with the Humans and the Formilian.”
The Overlord leaned to his right as someone off screen spoke to him. He nodded. “You are a deserter. I have rarely heard of this, yet I have never met one in person. I should take custody of you, yet I am informed that since this is such a rare occurrence there are no specific regulations against such an act. I will have to introduce such regulations and then return for you.”
“I will not be available when you do.”
“The Expansion will soon be in control of the entire Kidis Frontier. You will find no place to hide—”
“Who the hell are you?” Riyad finally asked, his impatience and frustration boiling over. “Are you responsible for destroying a Union registered starship?”
“Spare me your indignation, Riyad Tarazi. Yes, I am responsible. I am Overlord Ranor D’inos. I have been pursuing you from Formil. We both know that the mutant outlaw Panur was aboard that ship, and that his sanctioning was approved by both Expansion and Union authority. It is you who are in violation. You have sought to endanger the welfare of the galaxy with your selfish mission.”
“I don’t know what you hope to accomplish. You know he can’t be killed.”
“But he can be neutralized. His body is now a frozen mass of flesh, and soon I will order my ships to engage gravity drives and send all the debris from the wreckage on a path toward the nearby star. In time, the mutant will be absorbed into the inferno, to suffer through eternity in a prison of unimaginable agony. Only fitting for all that he has done.”
Riyad didn’t know what to say. His mission was over; there would be no rescue of Adam Cain. Now he had to worry about himself.
“So what happens next?”
“As far as you are concerned, I will leave your future up to your own people. You may not find a welcome homecoming when you return to Earth, if you have the courage to do so. Now I must take my leave. We still have mopping up to do. And as for you, Benefis Na, I will not forget. Your day of reckoning will come.”
No one had a chance to respond before the link was cut.
Sherri was just now regaining consciousness.
“What did I miss?”
Chapter 10
The four occupants of the Najmah Fayd were in the common room, spread out on the couch and chairs, lost in thought—all except Sherri, who was shaking her head and sticking a finger in her ear.
“What’s wrong with you?” Riyad asked, annoyed by her constant fidgeting at the other end of the couch.
“I still have that damn itch in my brain. I thought that was only because of Lila. Now I think it’s something else.”
“You still feel the sensation?” Arieel asked, sitting up in her chair and taking notice.
“Yeah, just a little, but it’s really beginning to piss me off.”
“It is the same as when you first detected my daughter?”
Sherri stopped poking her finger in her ear. “Yeah, just a little less. You don’t think…”
“She can’t be killed,” Riyad said, also sitting up now.
“What are you speaking of…cannot be killed? Who cannot be killed?” asked Benefis.
“Arieel’s daughter.”
“She cannot be killed?”
“No, she’s a mutant, too. Sorry, Arieel.”
“That is okay, Riyad. I have come to accept it.”
“Two mutants were aboard that ship? I knew Arieel’s daughter was with Panur, but I was not aware she was a mutant. How could that be possible?”
“It’s a long story,” Riyad said as he leaned over toward Sherri. “Could she still be alive…I mean still conscious?”
“What if the outer body freezes but leaves the insides still warm, at least for a while. Eventually the whole body will…you know.” She looked over at Arieel’s troubled face, though it wasn’t looking all that troubled at the moment.
“She is still alive! Maybe we can use Sherri’s
Similar Books
