K. Anderson - The Boy with the Horns

The Boy with the Horns

In the Shadow of Fate, Volume 1

K. Anderson

Published by K. Anderson, 2018.

While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

THE BOY WITH THE HORNS

First edition. June 7, 2018.

Copyright 2018 K. Anderson.

ISBN: 978-1386849414

Written by K. Anderson.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Dune is a fictional work by Frank Herbert. "DUNE" is a registered copyright and trademark which is owned by The Herbert Limited Partnership. Dune movie 1984 Dino de Laurentiis Corporation.

Thank you to my family, who have all supported me and stood behind me every step of the way here. Thank you so much, Natalie, for reading my works time after time and supporting me in whatever crazy new scheme I've come up with. Special thanks to Erika for all your amazing character designs and for being there when I needed to talk through something, to my father for making all of this possible, and to my number one reader, Kee. Finally, thank you so much Leeanne for all your hard editing work and comments along the way. You all mean the world to me

O kay Maverick. I need you to pay attention to me. This is really important, alright?

Maverick could barely focus on his mother. The roar of the starships engine was louder than usual, and rocked dangerously underfoot. There were alarms blaring, and lights flashing, and he didnt like the way his mothers fingers trembled as she secured his backpack to his shoulders, tightening the straps as she went.

Whats going on? He asked, observing the sweat beading on her forehead.

Engine malfunction, she said. There was more to it than that. When there were engine malfunctions, his mother became a spit-fire, cursing and muttering under her breath. This calm was a facade, built to hide the true nature of the crisis.

She strode from the bed to a wall-console. Are you paying attention?

Yeah, he said. The ship lurched to the side and he stumbled as he rose from the bed to meet her. Mama?

The wall behind him slid open. It was the entrance to an escape pod; hed seen it once before when his dad taught him how to operate one. Maverick, therestheres a big problem.

Its not just an engine malfunction, he said.

She choked on a laugh. No. Its not.

What is it? Whats going on?

She bent down and looked him in the eye. Were under attack, and it doesnt look like were going to make it.

He fell silent. Not going to make it? But mom always made it. He didnt understand.

Was the alarm getting louder, or was he finally realizing just how loud it actually was?

The ship lurched again. The flashing red lights cast eerie shadows over his mothers face. Im sending you out in an escape pod before the rest of the armada arrives. Were going to be able to stave this ship off, maybe even sink her, but theres more on the way. I need you long gone before they get here.

No! Maverick insisted. I want to stay here with you, and Dad, and fight!

I wish you could, Mav, but its She swiped at her eyes with the back of her sleeve. Hed never seen his mother cry before, and it scared him. Dont argue with me right now. Not this time.

He stared. O-okay.

Thats my boy. When you get in there, autopilot is going to take over, but youll need to keep a watchful eye, alright? You remember the simulations you practiced?

I remember.

Here. She pulled the little circular pin from off the breast of her shirt, pressing it into his hands.

He looked down at the bronze emblem, which proudly declared his mothers name, rank, and serial number. Hed memorized it all before, but it didnt stop him from reading it again: Jacoba A. Kane, SGM., Engineer, J778A60K4975.

Ive programmed the pod to head towards a Tilwii outpost not far from here, it should only take a couple of hours. When you get there, show them this, and theyll be able to look up our family and send you back to Mars. Grams and Gramps will be waiting for you. Okay? If you need anything, just charge it to my serial numberthe PEP credits will work with the Tilwii. Got it?

He nodded, numbly. Got it.

She bit her lip before pulling him into a tight embrace.

The console above her lit up. Maverick watched as Lieutenant Commander Eloshas face appeared. She was calm, despite it all; blue face composed into a neat blank sheet. Sergeant Major Kane.

Mom hurriedly stood, wiping at her eyes. She kept one hand on Mavs shoulder. Lieutenant Commander.

You are needed in engineering. Govok is dead. Without missing a beat, she said, Congratulations, youve been promoted.

Hed always thought Elosha was weird, no matter how close she and his parents were. She caught his eye and nodded to him. He nodded back. Why did this feel like this could be the last time hed see her?

Understood, his mom said. The console went dark.

Mama?

Go. She kissed him one more time on the forehead. The ship lurched again, and she nearly fell over, just barely holding onto the open doors to the shuttle. She practically pushed him in.

He fell into one of the pods seats. Automatic restraints began winding over his shoulders as the navigation console lit up.

We love you Maverick, she said, teary-eyed. Your father and I both love you so, so much. Never forget that. And with that, she closed the pod, setting it to launch.

Mom! He yelled. The doors sealed closed and his chair turned, pushing him up into the pilots position. Autopilot had already been engaged, but he scrambled to stop it. His mother must have anticipated that hed try to halt the count-down. The controls were all locked out.

The pod shot off. He sucked in a breath and clenched the arms of the seat at the sudden velocity. Space lit up around him, a glittering field of stars and nebulae expanding without end.

He forced himself to keep his eyes open as he was presented with a view of the Planetary Exploration and Protection Starship Visionary from below. There were other pods being ejected from her sides, same as him. Across from her was another shipone he didnt recognize. They were exchanging heavy fire; shots of startling white and yellow light, like small concentrated blasts of stars.

It looked like his mother had been right. The alien ship was adrift, and its attacks werent nearly as frequent as the Visionarys. A part of its hull had been completely ripped off. The Visionary wasnt looking too good, either, though; the shields were down and he was sure he could see a hull breach as he rocketed away. Even as he watched, two more ships came to a sudden stop beside the enemy; same model, same colors.

There was a blinding explosion. He closed his eyes tight and held on to the pods chair, fingers clawing into the armrests in a desperate attempt for purchase. Something hit, and suddenly the pod was spinning wildly.

Computer! he yelled. There was no reply. The viewscreen pinwheeled until the thousand pinpricks of starlight streaked into a blinding wheel. Then the light fractured, space tearing in a rainbow bubble. There was pure darkness, and then, space aligned once more; stars re-appeared as far-off glitters of stationary light.

The pod drifted for a time. Maverick did all he could to gain control, but the vehicle seemed content to pilot itself amongst the cosmos without his aid. He cried when he realized there was no going back, and again when he remembered how the