Christiaan Hile - Annals of the Keepers - Deception

ANNALS

OF THE

KEEPERS

CHRISTIAAN C. HILE

&

BENJAMIN J. HALKETT

Book Two

Deception

Prologue

After the retaking of Earth and the Sol System by the Ordinance Forces, Commander Shenta Parejas holds Humanitys future together while opposing forces look to tear mankind apart.

The Kryth Mahr Domain has not forgotten about the demeaning loss to their reborn adversary, Humans. Lintorth Sol will stop at nothing to gain all knowledge about this race that brought disgrace upon his beloved empire and his honored family name.

The Reavers must recover from a lost mission and heavy casualties. Kason Bender faces trial for his actions at the conference which led to the death of his dear friend and mentor, Keeper Alon Renske.

One dust, one star. The mysterious Gashnee prophecies have linked both Human and Kryth alike to each others past. They will hunt for the Gashnees secrets, which will not only bring them into battle; but, may very well drag the whole galaxy into war. Soon, their pasts will collide with devastating consequences.

The Annals continue

DATA CELL 1

The moon was just a shell of its former self. Gone was the previous sphere, replaced now with a deformed, oblong object. The abnormal rock had holes and open-ended caverns strewn across its topography. It had been mined to the point of becoming unrecognizable.

Orbiting the mined mass was an old and rusted mining platform. It was once used to crush, filter, and sort the precious ores torn from the moons surface by giant machinery, now absent from the cratered landscape. Long ore-chutes angled away from the aging structure. Each one had once awaited cargo haulers as they had loaded the mined product aboard to be taken to market. What now docked at two of the six converted ports were Kryth Exendoth destroyers.

The inside of the platform matched its exterior, in dire need of maintenance. Most of the light that streamed inside came through gouged openings in the structures plating, allowing the systems star rays to enter. The hallways and rooms were a wasteland of lifelessness. On occasion, a piece of floating debris would disrupt the rust-coated walls.

A shallow noise emanated from deep within the dead structure. The bowls of the complex began to moan and come alive, as if a dormant hibernating beast awoke from its slumber.

A cavernous, circular, sealed room opened up within the platforms center. Steam rose from the bottom of a huge shaft, wafting upward around dangling chains. Below, various metal cages and prison cells lined the floor of the chamber.

A Human scream pierced the silence, bouncing off the hull of the circular room, reverberating and mingling with the steamed air. The long chains from the ceiling ran down the center to a yellow sludge pit near the bottom, the fluid bubbling and oozing over the sides.

Coming out of the goo was a figure wrapped in thick chains. The metal links clanked together as they raised the large form from the muck.

It was Ramek.

Move him over the floor, the Comondons deep voice rumbled.

The Comondons were not listed in the Domain as a truly intelligent race. Although bipedal and sentient, the Kryth used them as muscle around their territories. The bovine creature with reptilian skin dwarfed his assistant as he ordered their captive to the floor, Drop him.

His small Tiwil lackey, a rodent-like creature, sat up on a corroded console. Gladly, Mortok. He pulled a lever, ratcheting gears high above the room.

The chains holding Rameks naked body released and rolled out, dropping him to the metal floor.

Ramek let out a grunt, spasming in pain.

The one called Mortok approached, You tough, much tougher than others of your kind. The creature motioned towards some smaller cages, which held Human remains from the shuttle crash and then to the arms and head stacked on a table next to his ratty assistant. Now, what we do next with you? the bull-torturer asked.

The Tiwil hopped up onto a table and scampered across to the other end of the room. Here! Here! the little, excited creature squeaked, pointing to a boulder in the corner of the room.

The Comondon turned from Ramek and walked over to the large rock, harrumphing, Slagworms will work.

Let me! Let me! the Tiwil asked with jubilance.

Mortok snorted his acceptance. His rodent lackey grabbed a pair of large pinchers and approached the rock. The pinchers reached out to a slug-like creature attached to the boulder. The body of this parasitic organism was about a foot long with camouflaged skin, blending into the rocky surroundings. Its head was round and flat with a diameter larger than its body.

The pinchers snagged it.

The slagworm let out a hiss at being wrenched loose from the rock. When the head came off the rock, particles broke off, filtering down to the floor. A circular cut-out was left in the wall where the creatures mouth had been.

The Tiwil approached Rameks prone body with parasite in tow. The little rodent looked up to Mortok for direction.

Place over his heart, the bull snorted.

The mouth of the slagworm was round with multiple rows of jagged teeth; each tooth receded into the center toward a beak-like orifice.

The Tiwil placed the worm on Ramek's chest.

The creature hissed again and withered as it began to bite into Rameks flesh.

Ramek arched his back in pain, screaming as blood coated around the worms mouth before pouring off and down the side of his body.

Get other one, said the Comondon.

The rodent ran back to the rock, grapping a second slagworm. He approached. Where this one go?

Place on forehead.

Just as the rodent reached to place the worm, a bang sounded and a rusted door whined open against the hull to the room.

In stepped Sontar Jal.

I see I have interrupted your work. Sontar sneered at the sight of the slagworm.

Not done. You come too soon, the Comondon replied.

Two other Kryth soldiers followed Sontar into the cavern. They moved around the cages and over to where Ramek lay, I have come for any intel you may have Sontar stopped mid-sentence to look at the slug on Rameks bloody chest, Any intel you have garnered from our guest here.

I have little information. He is hard one. We break him and he heals. I want to see how he heals.

No. I want him alive. His internal biology specifics can wait. I need his knowledge of his race and their whereabouts and I need it now! Sontar demanded.

Mortok reached down and snatched the second worm from the Tiwils grasp, I use this to take answers. He will tell me what I want to know soon, the bull snorted.

Slagworms were a nasty parasite. Although typically feeding off mineral deposits and smaller vermin that lived in porous rock, the acid in their saliva attacked certain enzymes and acted similar to a narcotic agent, inducing the afflicted into a semiconscious state and removing any conscious suppression. The victim was left in a stupor and would answer any question without even realizing it. The only thing the slagworm venom did not inhibit was pain.

Sontar turned at the sight of the mucus running out the flared nostrils of the towering beast before he spoke, I want what you have now. I will return in several cycles for the rest, and to take him. Gain the knowledge by that time and your reward doubles. Fail, and that slagworm will be placed on your head instead.

I gain what you seek, Mortok grunted.

Good. I will leave you to your work.

Sontar flinched at the sight of the Tiwil who was now on a crate next to him. The rodent was feeling Sontars white cape with its clawed hands. Sontar pulled the cape from the creatures grasp with disgust, I will leave a regiment of soldiers and a destroyer at this facility until my return.

Why? Mortok asked.

You do not ask why. You just do as I say. Sontar spun and exited the shafted room. The soldiers backed outside and closed the door behind them.