Kingdoms Away 1: Jorian Cluster Archives Read Free Page B

meeting. Have a good time.”
    “Ha ha.” He left her, seeing her cheesy grin,
but raised his voice as he walked away. “Who else is around?”
    “Everyone.”
    He glanced behind him with a smile. His team
had their priorities straight. Animals first. Time second.
    For the sake of simplicity, they had
maintained the same chronological time in space to match that of
Earth. He heard a bark and saw his bush dog bounding up, his tongue
hanging out the side of his mouth. “Charles!” He bent down, taking
his dog in his arms. He heard Sam laughing behind him. “Thanks,
Sam!”
    “You’re welcome.”

Charles

    Three years after take-off they began a dangerous
part of the journey, as they headed for a distant planet. It had
been discovered by a Professor of Astronomy during one of the
searches for a new home. A number of reconnaissance missions had
been made over the last few years, testing the path to freedom.
They set course and prepared for a long sleep. Moments before the
first person was placed in suspended animation they were struck by
a brilliant flash of white. They all collapsed.
    Al was reading in the main lab and reached
down to pat Charles when they both fell. Al’s coffee spilled over
the floor but his last thoughts were of Charles, and in a mental
cry he called out his dog’s name. As he woke, he blinked and tried
to move. Every muscle hurt and felt heavy. He dragged his arm
towards him and pushed himself up, his mind strangely foggy.
     
    Far away in another galaxy a mantra was
sung.
    Charles in danger
    Protect must
    Human serve purpose
    Go must
    Protect now
    Claim Reos
     
    Fear permeated the room.
    Al Reos looked on helplessly as the intruder
laughed cruelly. The sound echoed around the laboratory. The space
vessel Tunuen, with a final jolt, hung in empty space, vulnerable
and alone. And, just like their vessel, Al’s mind refused to work.
They had prepared for every contingency except meeting aliens. His
team, and anyone close to his section, had been herded into his
main lab by handsome, arrogant beings. Al was sure he’d seen
similar faces around, back on Earth. His heart scrunched, seeing
the mass of fur to his far left.
    Charles, his faithful bush dog, was dead. Al
had rescued, healed and raised the pup from a South American drug
dealer. When the intruder had burst through the main doors,
Charles, still confused from waking, had attacked, ignoring Al’s
command. The intruder had swept his arm across the animal, breaking
Charles’s bones; he had yelped in agony, dying within minutes. Al
had rushed forward, only to be backhanded by the tall intruder.
    Al was nauseous with shaking hands and blurry
eyesight as the eerie, sallow green eyes surveyed the three
still-breathing scientists. Two of Al’s comrades were already dead.
The intruder had not used any physical means to kill them.
    “Who is next? You—” the intruder, Jaruen of
the Diminuen, looked at Al “—obey us or die.”
    Al felt pressure build in his head; he knew
if he hesitated any longer, he would crumple to the floor like the
others, dead. The scientists hadn’t spent decades in preparation to
leave the ruined Earth and its regulations to come under someone’s
rule now. Sam whimpered close to where he unsteadily stood. She was
doubled over a work station trying to right herself.
    “Go to hell.” Was all that Al could get out
as the pain increased, his knees weakened and Jaruen forced him to
the cold, hard floor.
    “Actually, that’s what we are trying to
avoid.” Jaruen brushed aside a stray blond curl from his handsome
face. “You scientists are so obstinate; even now, many of you are
dead.”
    The pressure in Al’s head increased.
    Jaruen yawned. “And still you resist.”
    Al’s narrow, freckled face showed pain, but
he could still see that Jaruen was gaining pleasure from the
encounter. A smile appeared on Jaruen’s white, chiseled
features.
    Al looked up and into his eyes and said,
“Well, there you go,