Zein: The Homecoming Read online

  In the meantime, General Corder, who had brushed aside the canteen fracas as “high spirits” and not an issue, was not going to be dictated to by Kabel. ‘I was placed in overall charge of the military operations of this expeditionary force and I made the decision based on the data from the head of the science team, Dr Moore, and so the decision stands.’ The force of the last words hit Tyson hard and he felt the temper within him rising which he desperately tried to control.

  Kabel stood his ground. ‘I am warning you, Corder, don’t overstep yourself.’ A number of the US Marines stationed in the Command and Control Centre and who had sanction to carry weapons lifted their guns menacing at Kabel’s change in tone.

  ‘Any problems, bro?’ Tyson edged forward to stand close behind Kabel, in control of his anger bubbling away inside him…for the moment, he thought wryly. General Corder’s eyes immediately flicked to him, as did the soldiers. There were no armed Zeinonians in the room but everyone knew what Tyson was capable of. A couple of the soldiers licked their dry lips in concern.

  Walter Moore had seen enough. ‘Kabel, until we find what raw materials are remaining on Zein we need to be careful not to unduly deplete our store of zinithium.’

  Kabel tore his gaze from the US General and stared at Walter, torn between his respect for the scientist and keen not to give in to the human in front of him. The likeable Walter seized his opportunity to calm the situation down further. ‘I have devised, with members of the Tyther clan, a couple of probes that we can launch into the atmosphere before we land. These probes will beam signals to Elanda as an early warning of any ship coming within any threatening distance of Zein.’

  Kabel glanced at the soldiers on the deck, nervously holding their weapons ready, and then asked Walter, ‘Will we have time to launch the destroyers?’

  ‘The early warning should provide sufficient time to send at least one of the destroyers into orbit,’ replied Walter.

  Kabel pulled his gaze back to General Corder. ‘General, I accept your decision this time but please do not make the mistake of not involving me in a key order again.’

  Tyson, fired up with the aggression in the room, was disappointed that nothing had escalated. He decided to have a little fun anyway, pushing his head forward aggressively and snarling at the US Marines, who held their weapons even more tightly. Tensions were running high and Tyson was in no mood to lower the friction, the magics licked at his senses feeding on the aggression and need for a challenge. The tension was only lightened when Kabel, pulled him away to prepare for the landing.

  Nikolai saw the conflicts happening within the team and caught the eye of Tyson when he and Kabel were strapping themselves in, as Elanda prepared to enter the Zein atmosphere. Tyson saw that the Zeinonians had a supporter in the experienced Russian officer. Nikolai had no love for the Americans, especially since he was responsible for the twenty thousand Russian soldiers making up a sizable proportion of the military force. He remembered the time prior to the launch when he was selected. He said no, his mistrust of the Western political apparatus running deep within his veins. He remembered the Cold War and the underhand tricks the Western intelligence agencies employed one which caused the death of his father, during an extraction of a scientist from Minsk by the CIA. He knew he was selected not for his ability to work effectively with the Allies but for his stubborn, almost protective manner for his country. The Russian senior command rationalised that it was this that would protect their interests during the quest coupled with his vast experience gained in Chechen and as a young soldier in Afghanistan.

  Useful to know, Tyson thought. He touched his forehead in acknowledgment, which generated a curt nod back from Nikolai, before turning his attention to the approaching planet.

  ‘General, the two probes are ready to launch,’ said Walter, in a business-like tone. General Corder pulled his attention away from Kabel and issued the order to launch. The two probes shot from the Elanda and went spinning away in opposite directions until they settled in their pre-programmed orbit. Walter checked the tracking figures and then straightened from the console. ‘The probes are fully operational.’ General Corder switched on the Expeditionary Force intercom that connected all three ships. His voice boomed out across all decks.

  ‘We will be landing all three ships on the surface of Zein shortly. Our target is the capital city, Reinan, where the last messages were sent from some twenty years ago.’ General Corder motioned to Kabel to address the communication link. ‘I would like to pass this moment to Lord Blackstone on what is a historic date for all of us but especially for every Zeinonian.’

  Kabel accepted the offer, clearing his throat, unexpectedly feeling the pressure of the occasion and wishing Malkin were here with him on this historic day. ‘Colleagues of this First Joint Expeditionary Force, this is a momentous occasion. We do not know what we will find. There could be tremendous danger in store. All I would ask is for your commitment and strength of character and as one of Earth’s heroic figures once said “One small step for man” when stepping onto Earth’s moon, I say now that this is a great leap of faith and achievement for both human and Zeinonian alike.’ The speech went down well with cheering breaking out in the Command and Control Centre and echoing throughout the ship.

  General Corder gave an impressed look to Kabel and then he commanded the pilots of the three ships to take them in.

  The ships headed towards the planet. They broke through into the Zein atmosphere with the zinithium acting as the thermal protection system, keeping the hull of the ships cool on re-entry. The planet in front of them grew larger until they could make out numerous settlements. Kabel, held his breath trying to quell the excitement and anticipation rising within him; a feeling many on the ship were experiencing. Travelling closer to the settlements that sprawled the valleys, he now could make out individual buildings as they roared over the villages on the way to the capital, Reinan. His excitement changed to horror. Every village they flew over was wrecked. Buildings with walls and roofs partially demolished, empty streets strewn with rubbish, no sign of life, wild animals wandering through the once beautiful and mosaic streets with the bright white stone of the villages dirty and dishevelled. The villages were surrounded by plush gardens and acres of grass fields, blue in colour to the Zeinonians and green to the humans. They could see many strange and beautiful animals running away from the new noise, some galloping away with great speed. You could make out a waterfall on the outskirts of each village, contained within the once perfectly sculptured gardens.

  Kabel surveyed the wreckage silently, his disquiet increasing as the destruction grew. The ships flew over a mountain range and then ducked down to the wide plain where the capital of Zein was situated. They approached the outskirts of the city. Reinan was sprawled over many acres and there was no sign of life, with buildings covered in vines and vegetation. You could make out the now common wheel structure of the city with the spokes of the streets leading to the central main buildings hub. They followed the spokes of the wheel for some distance until they hovered over the huge central circle that housed the Grand Zein Central Transportation hub next to the regal and intricately designed Royal Council. Both buildings showing considerable signs of distress but they still carried an awe-inspiring hold on human and Zeinonian alike.

  The ships hovered for a moment taking the spectacle in and then all sped away until they reached the outskirts of the city that once held five hundred thousand Zeinonians. The ships landed in a wide valley near a fresh water river. Near to them was a vast ornamental park which was a huge version of the Falls in Livescale, the principle city village in the Zein Earth Colony Western Quadrant, where Kabel had grown up. The destroyers settled down on either side of the Elanda with their hulls to the river. They were positioned a reasonable distance away so they could provide adequate cover for the enormous ship.

  ‘Lord Blackstone, I will need your assistance to set up the defences,’ said General Corder. Both left the Command and Control Ce
ntre, leaving Admiral Koshkov in charge.

  The setting up of the outer defences took the rest of the day. Beacons were hammered into the ground around the three ships forming a temporary Outer Perimeter Barrier powered by zinithium, the beacons passing the beams between each other preventing any animal or person from breaching the defence. The force-field was projected to a beacon on the top of each ship, which meant that no attack from land or air could be made and the crew could walk within the perimeter freely without fear of attack. They offloaded a number of the levitation tanks and armoured cars, placing the tanks at strategic positions near the Outer Perimeter Barrier. Enjoying the exercise, Hechkle and Bronstorm busily moved crates from the ramp to the tented areas set up for training and research.

  Gemma was taking in the fresh air after the staleness of the recycled oxygen that was pumped round on-board the ship. She saw Bronstorm and Hechkle exchange jibes at each other and marvelled at how they got on when Hechkle was some number of years older than the youthful Bronstorm. She had witnessed the closeness of the two over their many adventures and was intrigued to hear more about how they met.

  Bronstorm took a breather, sipping some water as Hechkle continued, his strength undiminished by the demanding work. Gemma saw her chance and casually went to stand next to him. They exchanged warm greetings. Bronstorm wiped a bead of sweat off his brow and took another swig of his water.

  ‘I see the big man is still going?’ said Gemma, as Hechkle launched a huge crate at three of the US Army men to catch and they struggled to hold it, cursing the big Fathom man in the process.

  ‘Yep, nothing tires out old Hechkle.’ Bronstorm’s pride in his voice was clearly noticeable.

  ‘You think highly of him, he is special to you, isn’t he?’ Bronstorm nodded and took another swig. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I think Hechkle is brilliant and we are all very fond of him, but what is your story, how did you meet? You have never said.’

  Bronstorm, at first, flashed a look at Gemma and she saw protectiveness in his eyes. He then let his eyes fall to the ground as he scuffed the ground with his boots. Gemma waited patiently. Seemingly to make a decision, Bronstorm replaced the cap onto the water bottle with a loud click.

  ‘I was an eight year old kid and my family were travellers, not wanting to be cooped up in the Core.’ Gemma held her breath, seeing the deep feelings this story was already dragging from the young soldier’s memories. ‘There was my Mama and Pa and my older brother, Jeb, and we were close you know, really close,’ said Bronstorm, with a faraway look. Gemma let out her breath slowly not wanting to disrupt the story. ‘We sold fine clothes, beads and the like and we were in the Eastern Quadrant visiting this pretty large settlement when it was attacked by the Ilsid.’ Bronstorm’s voice carried pain and Gemma began to regret bringing the story up. ‘When they attacked we were near a well in the main plaza and Jeb told me to climb into the bucket and then he and my Pa lowered me down, before wedging the handle to keep me from going into the water.’

  Gemma, seeing the tears in his eyes and now feeling guilty, placed her hand into his. Bronstorm squeezed her hand in thanks. ‘I heard the screams of not just my family but the hundred or so other inhabitants as they were tortured, then killed,’ said Bronstorm, his voice low and pained. ‘They killed every man, woman and child in the settlement and no one died easily. They coldly wounded the men and tied them up and systematically made them watch their wives and children be cut up in every imaginable way before killing them all.’ Gemma felt sick and it was Bronstorm who squeezed her hand, realising he had gone into too much detail.

  ‘I must have been in the well for over two days, too petrified to move and then I heard angry voices and soon someone decided they needed some water,’ said Bronstorm. His voice grew lighter. ‘The person who winched me up was Hechkle, his face was like thunder and if I was an Ilsid warrior then I would have run away and not stopped,’ said Bronstorm, with a glimmer of a smile. ‘They wanted to give me to a family in the Core but he wouldn’t let them, he took me in, taught me how to defend myself and the big lug has been there ever since,’ said Bronstorm with much affection.

  ‘He is a special guy, Bronny,’ said Gemma, using her pet name for him.

  ‘Aye and I best get back to helping him before he kills any of these soft humans for not working hard enough,’ he said, with a snigger. Gemma smiled and gave him a quick hug before he sauntered across to work with his comrade, surrogate father.

  Gemma, touched by the story, left them to it. She passed other soldiers as she walked up the ramp into the bowels of the Elanda who were setting out to take up their sentry duties. Bronstorm’s story had affected her in more ways than one. She had regretted her kiss with Tyson almost immediately and had only started to realise that he was not the same Tyson she had grown up with. Something was wrong inside him and she felt that she was taking advantage of his confusion. Bronstorm’s story of loyalty and friendship had rocked her and for the first time she began to see her folly. If the friends were to retain that same loyalty she knew it was time to back off.

  Chastened, Gemma sought out her quarters and waited for Kabel. When he arrived tired and spent from the day’s activities, climbing wearily into the bed, Gemma hugged him hard, taking him by surprise. Touched, he hugged her back and they drifted off to sleep holding each other tightly.

  As night closed in all activity ceased and the Joint Expeditionary Force slept safe in the knowledge of the ring of steel around them. In the deep gloom they did not see the bright eyes of the watchers. The eyes flickered over the three ships, marvelling at the size and boldness of the newcomers. They saw the aliens and the returning Zeinonians. The scouts of the Pod made their mental notes and fled back to the safety of the breeding ground with a full report.

  Chapter 10: Reinan

  The morning came slowly for those waiting for the first exploration of this new and enticing planet. The Zein suns rose early in a splendid dawn, their pleasant glow bathing the planet in warm sunlight. Inside Elanda the team chosen to explore the empty city were completing their final preparations. The plan was to travel into the centre of Reinan to the principal community buildings and establish control of the area and seek information to assist the search for any survivors.

  ‘Sleep okay, Bronstorm?’ Amelia asked the Fathom warrior, while arranging her figure hugging Blackstone armour.

  ‘Not really, too excited,’ he said as he sharpened his dagger on a hand held tool.

  ‘What’s this, you don’t sleep anyway,’ said Hechkle, listening in. Bronstorm shrugged aside his friend’s snide remark.

  ‘I know you were sleeping, your snores could be heard across the barracks,’ Bronstorm retorted, good-naturedly. Heckle grunted, not rising to the bait, and disappeared to search for other weapons to take on the expedition.

  Amelia turned away from Bronstorm and sought out Tyson. She found him sitting pensively on one of the stools beside the armoured truck they would be driving into the city, seemingly lost within another dimension well away from where they were. She slipped an arm round his broad shoulders and rested her chin on one of them. ‘You were very restless last night honey?’ said Amelia, softly. She had not slept well, kept awake by Tyson’s tossing and turning. Amelia did what she could only do; she wrapped her body around him providing comfort trying to calm down his internal demons.

  ‘Not the best of nights,’ he replied.

  ‘Was it your mum again?’ Tyson didn’t answer, not wanting to talk about it. The vision had grown. He saw crying young women and his mother comforting them. He had seen a baby surrounded in darkness and the worry and despair on his mother’s face

  ‘Team, we need to go over our plans for the expedition,’ said Kabel, rescuing Tyson from more difficult questions. Kabel went through the approach and plan which they had already heard a dozen times. The size of the expedition was impressive.

  They would be escorted by two, M1117 Armoured Security Vehicles or the ASV as popularly known. Each ASV carri
ed an Mk Grenade launcher and M2HB Browning machine gun mounted in the turret. The ASVs were flanked by four levitation tanks, two at each end of the column. In between all this protection were the main Armoured Personnel Carriers or APCs, which were over thirty tons and could carry up to fifteen individuals each in addition to the crew. In the five APCs there would be a mixture of soldiers and civilians.

  Kabel and his companions were in the first APC supported by Sean Lambert and some of Remo’s newly trained Blackstone clan troops. More Blackstone troops were in the second APC. Walter would also be accompanying them, but Zebulon had decided to stay on-board Elanda. Kabel didn’t ask why. The Changeling had become withdrawn and frequently disappeared for long periods. They didn’t need him anyway, he reasoned, as the firepower the expedition had at their disposal was immense.

  It was already late morning when the brief was concluded and they all piled into their respective vehicles, eager to enter the city village. The expedition waited patiently for the security perimeter to be switched off briefly at the part of the shield facing the capital. The order was given and the convoy headed out towards Reinan.

  Kabel looked around him in the APC, sensing the nervousness of the group. It was not hard to notice, their faces displayed the conflict of emotions, fluctuating from fear to excitement.