Chapter One
Jayden Henry Shaw watched the landing spacecraft from his office window. His posture was impeccable as he stood with his hands behind his back. The crystal-clear glass reflected perfection but Jayden was not faultless. Tyranny was a compelling aphrodisiac and that made him dangerous.
Growing up in the capital city of Setares where the Shaw family wielded power long thought extinct in an age of social equality, Jayden Henry Shaw had learned the intricacies of governing, mastering the political game earlier than his counterparts.
Even though egalitarianism had been established after the last world war nearly destroyed the planet, an aristocratic class subtly seized control, and the general public was none the wiser.
A select few held onto their influence while becoming wealthy and were eventually segregated from society as a whole. This group occupied a third of the municipality, creating a sub-city where entry was by written invitation.
After years of exploitation, the lower classes lacked the basic necessities for survival. Tensions were rising, and there was talk of rebellion. How could this have happened? Developing such a hierarchy had to have been pre-meditated. And who was behind this? Could they be stopped? And who are they?
An angry mob stormed the government premises. Its inhabitants barely escaped with their lives. Everyone was safely evacuated to some unknown destination. Everyone that is, except Jayden Henry Shaw.
By age thirty-five, Jayden Henry Shaw became aware of the unrest, after having visited the neighborhoods and developing personal relationships with the lower classes, which gave them hope. He championed the military by providing more than adequate funding to retain a well-trained fighting force. Shaw used his influence while a member of the Planetary Governing Assembly to interact with the armed services of participating members. He procured much-needed financial support for the legions of skilled men, often forgotten when there was peace.
At the onset of the Setares rebellion, Jayden Henry Shaw took control of the city and declared martial law. Within a month, Shaw was the absolute ruler of Terrene, setting his sights on conquering every world in the known universe.
The reign of Jayden Henry Shaw had begun.
***
A firm knock had Jayden turning towards Mason, his second in command, who entered quickly and closed the door. Taking a seat, the executive officer waited until his lifelong friend sat before speaking.
“It’s as we suspected. Vesta maintains a permanent militia whose numbers are swelling with new recruits that are arriving on a daily basis from the outlying planets. The rallying cry is don’t let freedom die, which is now spreading to other occupied territories. We’ve been able to quell the rebels in these locales, except on Vesta. Confirmed intel reports numerous factions reverting to guerrilla tactics with much success. We haven’t been able to penetrate these groups; they appear to be independent of each other. I want to go there myself, but as a traveler, or a merchant, staying a month or longer. Dean is more than capable to handle my responsibilities until I return, but, it’s your call. What do you think?”
Jayden mulled over the idea, foreseeing every outcome before deciding that the plan had merit. Rising, he paced the length of the room while speaking.
“It could work, but I’ll accompany you. I haven’t been down in the trenches, lately, and have lost touch with the people. We need to discover why they’re defiant. The Empire provides what’s needed to survive. Why isn’t that enough?”
Jayden put his hands on Mason’s shoulder and said, “We could use a vacation. How about inviting Dean and Evan? It’ll be the four of us, like old times when we bar-hopped and picked up women. Who knows, I might find the perfect woman to give me an heir.”
***
Vesta was a beautiful planet, sitting at the edge of the universe, alone in the darkness, its nearest neighbor light years away.
The self-sufficient world had evolved naturally and, as the centuries passed, the Vestians became technologically competitive, discovering other life in the vast cosmos.
The populace lived in a lawful society. Their cities beckoned the best and the brightest, but the countryside had its own allure with its laid-back lifestyle that was a far cry from the commotion of a thriving metropolis. The local police kept order in the streets while the military controlled outer space.
Vesta had been compared to a Utopian civilization but war and conquest shattered its innocence and neutrality. The government had not been prepared for such an onslaught when Shaw’s forces appeared out of nowhere, with an ultimatum to surrender or face certain death. The ruling council had refused to capitulate, and Vesta found itself at war with the Empire.
What should have been a straightforward victory for Shaw’s Imperial troops became a humiliating defeat. The commander of the fleet had underestimated the enemy who destroyed half his ships. Ground forces were picked off with precision by an invisible defender blending in with the environment, chameleon-like, and deadly.
Presently, Vesta was safe from annihilation. However, if Vesta fell, enslavement of the survivors was a given, yet if the Vestians were to win the next battle, the victory would be catastrophic to the Empire, threatening Shaw’s control of the galaxy. At the moment, life returned to a semblance of normalcy. The first noticeable change was the strengthening of all fortifications while building new defenses in strategic locations. Another development was the compulsory enlistment of all eligible citizens into the armed forces that included previously exempt vocations, specifically, physicians and surgeons. Recruiting Stations processed hundreds of applications daily, and morale was high.
Being patriots, Doctor Anastasia Dennison and her best friend, Doctor Sophia Loft, were eager to join the Vestian Medical Corps. They specialized in Emergency Medicine and had gained battlefield experience treating the wounded during the first attack. Additionally, both women were researchers, hoping to find a cure for a genetically inherited mutated gene, which plagued five percent of the population that remained incarcerated in a guarded internment camp not far from the city. Living conditions on the unwelcoming part of the planet were shocking. The illegal detainment of citizens was a blight on Vestian society, but this deplorable secret had been kept from the public. Most Vestians believed the riddle of the mutated gene had been solved generations ago, and the anomaly became a mere footnote in the textbooks.
Anastasia and Sophia had been approached by the government to develop a cure, which meant a visit to the hidden site. What they witnessed was appalling. Since the mutated gene affected individuals differently, the degree of intelligence varied as did developmental deformities.
It took a week to document each resident with their specific disorder. The appropriate samples were taken, and a nutritional regimen was to be implemented before the doctors agreed to honor the classified status of the project.
Over the course of a year, Anastasia and Sophia returned to the Rock Bridge facility frequently where they checked on the health of their patients, making sure their dietary requirements were being met. Anastasia built a house close by, which included a medical treatment facility. Chase, her medical robotic A.I., lived on the premises and kept her apprised of the guards’ activities.
“It looks like we’re finally next,” Sophia said. “I hope we get to work in the same place.”
Anastasia nodded in agreement, as she came upon the recruiter. A retinal scan confirmed her identification with CLASSIFIED written across the screen. It was the same for Sophia.
“Follow me,” the recruiter said, as he led them to the back of the building. “Wait here.”
“I hope we didn’t do something wrong,” Sophia said. “I guess being employed by the government means we needed permission to sign up?”
“Both of you have already been commissioned,” a Lieutenant said while joining the women. “There appears to be a communication problem. You should’ve been taken to Control once the enemy was defeated. I apologize for the mix-up. My sergeant can bring you there now.”
“Well, it looks like we’ll be together,” Anastasia said, as the vehicle sped towards the center of the city. “Hope we get decent quarters.”
Within minutes, Anastasia and Sophia were ushered through the check-in and led to the third floor. They were excited as they entered a spacious suite and were seated in front of a large desk facing an officer wearing a Special Forces uniform.
“Sorry for the confusion,” the officer said. “We’re still in the process of finalizing deployments. Both of you have been added to the staff at the Colwich City Medical Center. Your first priority is continuing your research, but you’ll also cover Emergency Medicine. Housing has been arranged in an adjoining apartment complex until the Empire’s threat to conquer Vesta has been neutralized. You report for duty in the morning. Any questions?”
“Can we go home on weekends?” Sophia asked.
“You’re now officially part of the Armed Forces and you must follow orders. If permission is granted, you may leave the premises. Remember, we’re at war.”
“Yes, sir,” Anastasia and Sophia replied in unison before leaving.
The sergeant escorted the women to their respective residences for the evening, returning at dawn to take them to the Colwich City Medical Center. If all went well, their temporary tour of duty would not last very long.
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