ZeQuest: A Space Opera Mystery Novella (The Quest Saga Science Fiction Adventure Series Book 2) Read Free Page B

he sighed. “It is not our way of life.”
    “Well, I guess you’re in a spot then.”
    “Yes,” he clutched his cane. “We’re indeed in a spot. But the positive to all this is that they don’t have high quality ships or drones. So as long as we predict their moves we’ll be fine. But even then, a trivial amount of damage always occurs.”
    “How many of their drones have been taken out so far?”
    “This week the number is around ten or so. These frequent attacks are the reason we now have our ships orbiting the planet at all times. Constant surveillance is the sole thing that helps us, but every once in a while we have one of our ships taken out by a Thanonian drone swarm.”
    “You know,” Q said. “If there’s a significant risk involved should you really be on this ship? Aren’t you kinda important on Armorica?”
    As soon as he said it Q realized he hadn’t expressed himself very politely. Frankly, he’d expressed himself in the worst way possible, and Carlos’ subtle glare let him know he was spot on about that.
    He opened his mouth to apologize but was cut off by the High Priest’s hoarse laughter.
    “The youth these days,” he said. “So direct with everything,” he turned to Q. “Well little one, it is as much a risk for you as it is for me. I wanted to safely bring you to the capital and so I boarded the only surveillance craft that intersected with your entry path. Good thing we planned that whole thing out.”
    The door swung open and a younger Getafixian man walked in, “High Priest, we have reached the capital.”
    “Wait, we’re on the ground?!” Elizabeth asked
    Q could see why she was surprised. He hadn’t felt a single jerk the entire time. Heck, he hadn’t even felt the ship slow down.
    And boom, they were on the ground.
    Future tech , he thought.
    Well, it wasn’t exactly future tech. This tech was very much in the present. It was just that most of the Universe didn’t have it. He made a mental note to check out the other tech these people had. If space engine drives were this good their day-to-day tech would probably be insane. The High Priest stood up, and his staff’s base softly thudded into the floor, “Shall we get going then?” he said and led them out the door.
    The young man led them along and turned into the first corridor that branched out towards the left.
    A total maze , Q thought.
    He wondered if these men went through drills just to remember where everything was. Seemed like there was no other way to figure out all these routes.
    “I trust the accommodations have been taken care of?” the High Priest asked the man just as they stopped in front of a tall door that seemed to have popped out of nowhere. Its textured metal spanned the entire height of the corridor, making it look like it was a door to one of those high-security prison cells.
    “The palace is awaiting their arrival, Sire,” he said and placed his palm on a fingerprint scanner on the side of the door. The door hissed and rose up, allowing rays of light to enter the ship and reflect between the metallic walls.
    The High Priest turned around at the doorway and faced them, his hands and staff raised, the light turning him into nothing more than a silhouette.
    “Welcome to Armorica.”
     
    ***

1-5
    Oh. My. God , Q thought.
    The whole planet was basically everything one would want in a fantasy world. Lush greenery, flowers that glowed like jewels, a clear blue sky with the faintest of breezes flowing through it. He stared up at the towering stone castle in front of him, its architecture making it seem like it came straight out of the middle ages.
    “Are you serious?” Elizabeth said. “Alien planets have castles now?”
    “Well, Armorica’s entire culture is sort of medieval,” Carlos said.
    “So we get to do quests for pretty women?” Q chuckled.
    “This isn’t Skyrim or some other fantasy video game,” Elizabeth punched him lightly.
    “Beautiful place is it not?” the High