Prophesies
This short story takes place before The Last Christmas on Earth – Prequel Novella of the A New Frontier series.
A Far Away Galaxy
Year 2169
Kaliedro Space Station
Rinz ran along the catwalk that led to the space station’s shuttle hanger. The heels of his boots caused the metal plating to sound out every footfall, broadcasting his exact location to his pursuers. He reached the staircase, grabbed the railing, and leapt over the side, swinging in the air until he had enough momentum to reach the next landing. His acrobatics bought him a little time, but not much. Above him a blast from a plasma pistol struck the rail. He ran down the stairs, hoping to repeat the maneuver at the next switchback.
“Dane!” He yelled into the communicator on his wrist. “Get the shuttle ready.”
Angry voices sounded on the stairs above him. This would be another close one. Only two more flights until he reached the main floor of the hangar. From there, he would have to make a mad dash through men, machines, and freight. It had been a risk to show his face in the Nebula bar, but well worth it. The conversations he’d overheard had given him and his crew several new targets. One in particular held the promise of being exceptionally profitable. All he needed to do now was evade his pursuers and reach the shuttle.
At the bottom of the stairs, he slowed his pace and headed for a group of dockworkers. As soon as he reached them, he pulled his jacket off while keeping a quick and steady pace like a man late for his shift. He ducked behind a large crate, turned his jacket inside out, and slipped it on. The black leather was cool against his skin, and the exposed lining matched the uniforms of the dockworkers. This clever little trick had never failed.
A commotion behind him drew his attention, and he turned. His pursuers had reached the workers and were attempting to push them out of the way. Time to quicken his pace. He slipped behind a loader that was moving cargo into a large shuttle belonging to a Volton freighter and ran. He scanned the area, hoping to catch sight of his own transport. They’d parked it in Slip 24, a spot close to the exit in case they needed a quick getaway. Now Slip 24 stood empty.
Rinz’s temper rose. Dane was a good friend as well as his first mate, but he often showed a serious lack of judgement. He’d expected the ship to be sitting there prepped, not missing. Rinz stopped, surveyed the area, and spotted his ship being pulled by a pilot car toward the exit runway. A loader, only partially full, was coming his way and heading in the direction of his transport. He ran to it, hopped on the back, and clung to the freight straps for balance. The loader brought him nearly to the shuttle before it turned and he was forced to jump.
“Open the side door!” He yelled into his communicator while heading to the shuttle at a dead run. The side door slowly rolled up, and the retractable stairs partially extended. He jumped and grabbed for the railing, pulling himself up and rolling over the top. As soon as he was inside the craft, he hit the button to retract the stairs and secure the door before making his way to the cockpit.
Dane sat in the copilot’s seat, monitoring the view screen. He looked up as Rinz dropped into the pilot’s chair. “There’s quite a ruckus going on behind us, captain. Who’d you manage to piss off this time?”
Rinz grinned. “Anyone and everyone.”
Dane snorted. “Figures. Any luck?”
Rinz checked the view screen and then the console. “How soon can we get out of here?”
“I bribed the pilot car driver to take us to the front of the line. We should be free of the hanger and in open space in about ten minutes.”
Rinz nodded. “Good. I have our next target, but we have to hurry. We won’t be the only ones after the cargo.”
A Far Away Galaxy
Year 2169
Council chamber
Planet Ador
Vendinor made one last desperate pitch to the councilors in an effort to save his family.
“My daughter has a right to refuse this. Our laws do not allow slavery and that is what she will become, a slave.” He threw his arms up in the air.
Councilor Jarden, a large man with a rapidly receding hairline and protruding belly, tried to find a more comfortable position in his seat.
“Now, Vendinor that statement is not true.” Jarden said with more vehemence than necessary. “Your daughter will live in lavish apartments, and her every need will be provided for. All the planetary ambassadors are very well cared for at the Dome. There are regular receptions and entertainments scheduled when the assembly is not in session. She will lack nothing.”
Vendinor shook his head. “That may be so, but she will not be allowed to leave the Dome,” he said, sorrow deepening his tone. “None of the other ambassadors we have sent have ever returned. She will live out her life there away from her people. I will never see her again except maybe in videos, if they allow her to send them.”
“I know, old friend. I wish things were different, but our hands are tied.” Jarden glanced to either side. His fellow council members nodded in agreement. “She is our most gifted seer. We pledged to send our very best as an ambassador, to prophesy for members of the Dome. All our trading contracts depend on this agreement.”
Vaedra leaned against the back wall, shoulders slumped and head bowed. Her father was putting up a valiant fight to preserve her freedom, but it was a futile effort. If only she’d kept quiet about her vision of the attack on the Ador village by Harzen raiders. The accuracy and detail of her vision had been duly noted by the council. She sighed. There was no way she could have allowed all those people to die to guard her own freedom. That was part of the curse of being a seer, watching your own fate approach and being powerless to stop it.
She took a deep breath. If only her mother had lived, so many things would be different. All Ador women of her family were gifted. They were known to possess “true sight,” but like any other talent, each Ador woman had it to a different degree. At an early age, they were taught to hide their talents, giving minimal information if lives were at stake and remaining quiet about other visions. The elders sought out gifted women and sent them to the capitol, where they served in the temple. Talented seers were always in demand by the governments of the other planets, as well as by the wealthy. Any who took an assignment to another world never came back.
To be good enough to be sent to the temple was considered an honor. Many citizens of the other planets came there to hear the words of the seers, and they paid well for the privilege. This was a form of servitude, but at least it helped the Ador people, and the time was limited, only three years. Being coveted as a prize was another component of the curse of “true sight.”
“How long before she must leave for the Dome?” Her father’s voice cracked on the last word.
Jarden frowned, studying the floor. “The Dome has sent a ship for her. It will arrive in two days.”
“Two days?”
The grief in Vendinor’s voice made Jarden wince. His eyes moved from the floor to the door.
“Because there is no other business today, the council stands adjourned.” Jarden hurried from the room.
A Far Away Galaxy
Year 2169
Starship Haydemir
Rinz followed the landing lights on the deck, and maneuvered the shuttle into Cargo Bay 2 of his ship, Haydemir. When the transport was secured and powered down, he turned to Dane. “Set course for the Embar System and tell the crew I want them to assemble on the bridge.” He had an undercurrent of excitement in his voice. “I will tell them what I found out, and we’ll make plans to acquire the cargo.”
Dane nodded. “Aye, aye, Captain.”
Rinz rolled his eyes as his friend entered the lift and closed the door behind him. He leaned back in the pilot’s chair. Sleep. He desperately needed sleep, but they had to get underway if they wanted to intercept the cargo before anyone else got there. If the cargo was as valuable as the conversation he’d overheard led him to believe, his crew would make enough to be buried in drinks and women for six months. He closed his eyes and pictured a pretty woman with long yellow hair. Yes, he had a thing for blondes. He smiled and stretched in his chair. Time to tell everyone the details.
A Far Away Galaxy
Year 2169
Vaedra’s Home
Planet Ador
Vaedra sat in her favorite place in front of the hearth when a sharp pain flashed down the back of her neck and her stomach cramped. She was having another vision. She loosened the ribbon that held back her honey-colored hair and leaned forward, letting the long tendrils cover her face. Maybe she could fool her father into thinking she was just resting. She clenched her fingers as the world tilted.
****
She stood in a small room. A bed, an end table, a dresser, and one chair were the only furnishings. Vaedra shivered. There were no decorations on the walls. Someone had carelessly tossed a black leather belt with a holster on the end table, and a pair of tall leather boots stood next to the chair. The room was clearly a man’s sleeping quarters and gave no clue to the identity of its occupant.
A door closed behind her, but before she could turn, a strong arm slid around her waist and pulled her against a man’s chest, a muscular well-formed chest. A hand reached up and slid her hair aside, exposing her ear. The man leaned forward and nibbled her delicate ear lobe. Her nerves tingled, and she closed her eyes, basking in the arousing sensation.
A smooth baritone voice whispered. “We’ll reach Maltier station in about two hours. There is a man there who will buy our cargo, no questions asked. We’ll pick up a few supplies, and then we’ll move into the Orthern Alliance’s territory. I want you to stay on the ship and not show yourself. The Dome will have people searching for you, and the bounty offered is quite tempting. I can’t risk anyone seeing you.”
He turned her around and she got a brief glimpse of his face before his lips claimed hers.
****
“Vaedra. Vaedra can you hear me?”
Vaedra stirred, and her eyes fluttered open. She found herself staring into the worried eyes of her father.
“What did you see?”
She frowned. Her attempt to fool him hadn’t worked. “I’ll be fine, father. Give me a moment. The visions always leave me a little disoriented.”
“I’ll bring you some water.”
“Thank you, father.” Vaedra closed her eyes. She couldn’t tell him the truth, but she’d have to give him some sort of explanation.
He returned quickly and handed her the glass. She nodded her thanks.
He shifted his weight from foot to foot. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t stop the council from taking you.”
She set the glass down. “It’s not your fault; don’t ever think that it is. I’ve known for a while that the council would come for me. I was hoping I’d be able to serve in the temple, but I had a vision last year, and I saw myself on a fancy starship. I knew it was only a matter of time before I’d be sent away.” Vaedra reached out and took her father’s hands. “Father, no matter what you hear, know that I am safe and will contact you again.”
He gave her an odd look. “The Dome will never let you leave, and the last seer was not allowed to contact anyone for fear of her disclosing something from a vision to someone outside the Dome.”
“That’s true; I can’t explain more. It’s better if you don’t know, so your reaction to any news is genuine. Have faith, father, I will be all right, and I will see you again.”
He still looked puzzled, but after a moment he nodded. “You should get some sleep. They will be here early to escort you to the ship.”
A Far Away Galaxy
Year 2169
Aboard the Dome’s star cruiser
Her quarters aboard the Dome’s star cruiser were spacious and well appointed. She had her own sitting room complete with a video screen, stocked refrigerator, and a wet bar. The sleeping chamber held a large bed with two nightstands, a dresser, and a walk-in closet. The bathroom even had a shower with hot and cold running water. Jarden’s comment about lavish accommodations was no idle promise. The Dome made sure that all its ambassadors were pampered while they were away from their home worlds.
The flight steward had been polite but distant as he led her to her quarters. She’d passed several other crew members along the way. Everyone acknowledged her with great politeness but the same detachment. It promised to be a lonely flight.
Vaedra unpacked the few items she’d brought with her and went out to the sitting room. With nothing else to do, she examined the video screen to see what information she could acquire. All she found were entertainment clips, all of them available in the various languages of the Dome’s member planets. In the middle of a documentary on the inhabitants of Tresed, sharp pain flashed down the back of her neck and her stomach cramped. She lay back in the chair, closed her eyes, and let the vision come.
****
She was back in the sleeping quarters of her mystery man. The room looked similar to the last time with one important exception; the miniature of her parents was sitting on the nightstand. She took a step toward it when the door opened behind her. She turned to see him enter the room. He was handsome with thick wavy dark hair. He walked straight up to her threw his arms around her. Oddly it was comforting to be held by him. She wanted nothing more than to stay in his arms. With one hand he lifted her chin. He slowly lowered his mouth to hers….
****
A pounding sound woke her from her trance.
“Ambassador. Ambassador, are you all right? Ambassador, please answer.”
Vaedra shook her head trying to clear it. The man kept pounding on the door and calling out. She recognized his voice. It was the steward. She cautiously got to her feet and stumbled to the door. “What is the matter?” she asked as she fumbled with the lock.
The steward stepped back when she opened the door. She looked up at his face, he was frowning. “Madame Ambassador, are you all right?”
She put her hand on her cheek. The man must think she was ill with her flushed skin and wobbly stance. “I’m fine, sir. You woke me from a deep sleep.”
“I apologize, ma’am. I came to tell you that we have an unidentified ship heading toward us with great speed. It may be nothing, but it is not responding to our hails. The captain asks that you lock your door and stay in your room, no matter what you hear.”
“Yes, yes, of course. I’ll do that. Thank you.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” He stepped back farther and turned away.
Vaedra closed the door, locked it, and headed to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror, water running down her skin and dripping into the sink. Her body still tingled from the intensity of her vision. Who was this man? Clearly not an ambassador from one of the other member planets. His room appeared to be on a ship and, judging by her current accommodations, it wasn’t a Dome ship. Who was he, and when and where would she meet him?
The deck beneath her feet suddenly lurched to the side, and she had to grab onto the counter to keep her balance. Alarm sirens went off. The ship groaned, and tilted to one side. Vaedra lost her grip and fell into the shower door. Thank the stars it was made of heavy plastic. She crept on all fours into the bedroom. The furniture had moved, and the dresser now lay across the bed.
Shouting and laser fire came from the hallway. The Dome ship was being boarded. She crawled to the closet and pulled a coat from the floor. She tried to stand, but the angle of the floor made it impossible. She made her way back to the night stand and pulled out her bag. From it, she removed the miniature of her parents, her mother’s brooch, and a book of prayers. She stuffed these in the pockets of the coat and waited for fate to find her.
A Far Away Galaxy
Year 2169
Aboard the Starship Haydemir
“Captain, sensors are picking up two ships near the coordinates for the cargo.” Flynn, the ship’s second officer, leaned over his video screen. “One of them looks like a Dome cruiser.”
“What?” Rinz straightened up in his chair. That didn’t make sense. Neither man in the conversation said anything about Dome involvement. “Can you identify the second ship?”
“Not unless we get closer.”
Aiden, the ship’s gunner, swiveled in his seat. “I don’t like this, Captain. Attack on a Dome ship is an automatic death sentence. With the alliance as fragile as it is, the Dome doesn’t take any chances with its security.”
Rinz frowned. “They can’t spot us yet. Our jammers will keep their sensors from locking on. For now, we’re just a dark spot in space, but if we get much closer, they won’t be any protection. Flynn, is there anything we can use as cover?”
“There’s some space debris a few clicks to our left. It looks like rocks, probably pieces from an asteroid. We can hide behind them and use them as a partial shield.”
“Do it and quickly. I want to see what’s going on without being spotted.
****
Vaedra peered over her bed as a man the size of her father’s prize boar broke down the door to her quarters. She huddled on the floor hoping not to provoke him. He went straight to her and dragged her out of the room. He half dragged and half carried her to shuttle bay of the cruiser. She was hustled onto a Harzen raider and taken to its cargo bay. She almost had a heart attack when she saw the Etomer warrior step out of the small freight hauler and head toward her. She’d never seen one before but had read a description in a book. The easiest way to describe it was a large, intelligent insect. Sort of like a cockroach that walked up right. The warrior reached out a pincer and clasped her arm then dragged her onto the small ship and locked her in a metal cage. If she stood up she could take two paces in any direction and run into the steel bars. She sat down on the floor and pulled her coat tight around her. Only the knowledge that her visions gave her kept her from screaming out her terror.
****
Dane maneuvered the ship behind the debris and cut power to the engines. “If we drift with the stones, we’ll be harder to spot.”
Rinz stared at the video screen, but the images were too small to make out what was going on.
“Captain,” Flynn called from his station, “The second ship is a Harzen raider.”
Rinz swore. The Harzens had beaten them to the prize. “Expand the field of vision on the main viewer. I want to see what they’re doing.”
Flynn pushed buttons, and a few moments later, the image of the Dome ship and its attacker came into view. The images were still small, but the ships were clearly visible. The Harzen raider had crippled the Dome cruiser. There was no heat signature from its engines. The Harzen raider moved away from the cruiser, and a small ship left its cargo hold.
“Focus on that ship,” Rinz yelled.
“What is it?” Aiden asked.
Rinz shook his head. “I’m not sure. It looks like a lite cargo hauler.”
As they watched, the small ship headed off in the direction of the outer rim. In the meantime, the Harzen raider moved away from the cruiser, and, when it reached a safe distance, its laser canons fired, destroying the Dome ship.
Aiden’s eyes went wide. “The Harzens just committed an act of war.”
The Harzen ship engaged its faster-than-light engines and the ship vanished in hyperspace.
“What do we do, Captain?” Dane asked.
“Wake up Rob and the twins, and follow the smaller ship. It’s carrying the cargo.”
****
The chase was not an easy one. Twice the smaller ship disappeared from their sensors. The first time they picked him up quickly. The second time, Rinz was sure they had lost him near a small moon. They set their sensors on maximum and flew a polar orbit instead of around the center.
“There he goes. Don’t lose him, Dane.” Rinz shouted.
“What do you think I’ve been doing? The bastard has much better maneuverability than we do.”
Their ship shuddered and swung to one side.
“The son of a bitch is firing at us. Where did he hit us?”
“Down the left side, Captain,” answered Aiden. “It felt like a plasma bolt; a ship that size isn’t supposed to have that kind of firepower.”
Rinz leaned forward in this chair. “I told you the cargo was something valuable. If you want it, gentlemen, we have to stop that ship.”
The screen showed their prey bobbing and weaving to avoid their laser cannons. Dane swung their ship high and to the right of their prey. “Now, Aiden.”
The gunner fired, and the right engine cell of the smaller craft exploded.
“Careful. Cripple him; don’t destroy him. We can’t afford damage to the cargo.”
“Don’t worry, Captain. I’ll get him.” Aiden grinned.
Rinz nodded. He definitely had the best crew. “I want you three to stay with The Haydemir. When you’ve stopped our prey, I’ll board her with Rob and the twins. Once we’ve taken out the crew, we’ll transfer the cargo to our hold and destroy that ship.” Rinz got up and left the bridge heading for their shuttle craft.
A Far Away Galaxy
Year 2169
Aboard a cargo hauler
Vaedra sat on the floor, clasping her arms around her knees in an effort to stay warm in the freezing cargo bay. For the hundredth time, she thanked her stars for grabbing the coat. She was afraid they’d try to take it from her, but no one seemed interested in what she wore. She closed her eyes, where was the man from her vision?
****
Rinz and his three crew members ran to their shuttle. It took a few minutes to fly over to the crippled ship and attach to its hull. From here the twins could hack the door mechanism and get them on board.
The ship was cold and only had low level lights in its hallways. Each man took a different hallway and searched for the ship’s crew. Rinz turned a corner and saw glowing eyes at the far end of the hall. “Oh, shit.” He pointed his pistol and fired. The laser fire hit the creature then bounced off and into the wall. The beast ran forward and Rinz found himself face to face with an Etomer warrior. He jammed his pistol into his holster and pulled out his long knife. The skin, or rather, shell of an Etomer was so hard, it could deflect laser fire from a hand gun. Rinz pivoted back and forth on his feet. It had been years since he was in a good knife fight and his skills were a little rusty. The creature swung its arms trying to strike its foe with the razor sharp scales on the back of its pincers. Rinz jumped back but not fast enough. A pincer caught him in the left arm, slashing through his shirt and deep into his skin. His blood dripped onto the floor.
The creature swung again missing this time. Rob came running down the hall. “Captain.”
The momentary distraction was all Rinz needed. He lunged forward, finding the soft spot on the creature’s under belly, and disemboweled it. The stench nearly knocked him over and he backed away leaving his knife still stuck in his foe as it fell to the floor.
“Thanks, Rob. Go find the twins and make sure there is no one else aboard this ship.”
Rob nodded and ran back up the hall.
Rinz tore a piece off his shirt and wrapped it around the cut on his arm then made his way down the hall to the cargo bay. He opened the door and stopped in his tracks. He wasn’t sure what type of cargo he was expecting, but it wasn’t a beautiful woman locked in a cage.
She looked at him as he stood there and her face broke out in a smile. “It’s you,” she said before, Rob and the twins burst into the room.
****
Vaedra stood between two men on the bridge of The Haydemir, listening to the others argue about her fate. The seven men had introduced themselves. The captain’s name was Rinz. He remained silent while the others spoke.
“Lots of people steal cargo; its fair game, but every planet in the alliance has laws against selling sentient beings,” Aiden said for the second time.
“I still don’t understand why the Harzens took her. She’s just a woman.” Flynn shook his head.
Dane looked down his nose at the smaller man. “She was on board a Dome ship. That means she was an ambassador of some sort.”
“Well, it doesn’t mean she has any value to us,” Aiden piped in.
“The Harzens gave her to an Etomer warrior for a reason,” Rob said. “Maybe she has ransom value?” The twins both nodded in agreement.
Vaedra opened her mouth to speak but a sharp pain flashed down her neck and her stomach cramped. She dropped to her knees and the vision began.
A few minutes later she shook her head and opened her eyes. Seven men stood staring at her.
****
Rinz couldn’t believe his eyes. “She’s an Ador.”
“A what?” Dane looked puzzled.
“An Ador, a seer. They must have been taking her to the Dome to replace the one who died.” Rinz tilted his head. “She just had a vision.”
He turned to Vaedra. “What did you see?”
“Two ships. One is a Sandoval freighter carrying a load of gold ore. It’s coming from the Orthern Alliance territory and will stop at Maltier station in three days.”
The men all looked at each other.
“What was the second ship?” Dane asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen markings like that before. It came from a great distance and was full of strange people. The ship was in trouble and heading for the planet Kao in the Bultan system. I couldn’t see much more, but I know when it arrives, everything we know will change.”
Rinz looked at her. “What’s your name?”
“Vaedra.”
“Well, gentlemen. Meet Vaedra of Ador, the newest member of our crew.”
“What?” Flynn’s eyebrows shot up nearly to his hair line.
Dane answered before Rinz could speak. “She’s a seer, dim wit. With her visions, we don’t have to gather intel in bars or brothels; she can give us rich targets, and we can take them before anyone knows what happened.”
Dane turned to her. “Welcome aboard, Vaedra.”
Rinz pointed to a chair next to his. “This will be your place.”
She smiled and took the seat beside him, knowing this was the beginning of their new life together.
It didn’t take a seer to envision long nights of exquisite passion in his arms and long days filled with adventure.
She looked at the large video screen and the star field it displayed. She didn’t tell them everything about her vision. There was a war coming and this ship and its crew would play a vital role in its outcome.