For the Good of All Read online

  For the Good of All

  Marc Stevens

  Text Copyright © Marc Stevens 2018

  All Rights Reserved.

  For the Good of All is a work of fiction. All published material in this book is the product of the author’s imagination. The contents should in no way be interpreted as anything else. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places or events is entirely coincidental.

  To the men and women in uniform, past and present, who protect this great nation. My family and I are forever in your debt.

  For the Good of All, is the sequel to the Amazon First Contact Sci-Fi best seller, First of my Kind.

  Nathan Myers and the crew of the Legacy find themselves at war with the predatory races and murderous corruption so prevalent in the galaxy. The shadowy criminal figures who stand to lose the most from Nathan’s victories, have placed a billion-credit bounty on his head. To make matters worse, the Scrun and Murlaks have assassination squads actively pursuing Nathan and his crew. In order to survive Nathan must find allies willing to stand with them. Finding an ally without ulterior motives is easier said than done. No matter the odds Nathan and his crew will battle their way through hell and back, For the Good of All.

  Table of Contents

  For the Good of All

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  1

  I open my eyes and, for some strange reason, am standing on an outcropping. I do not know why I am here or how I found my way to this place. It is bleak and unbearably hot. Everywhere I look, shimmering waves of heat distort the barren landscape. A stench permeates the stifling atmosphere and offends my senses. The familiarity makes me cringe. Death — this place smells of violent death. I edge forward and look into the abyss spread out before me and my breath catches in my throat. There are beings of every description below me. They infest the dreadful terrain and are fighting or struggling. It is hard to determine from my vantage point what could cause such turmoil. The moaning wail of their anger and despair is audible and its pitch sickening.

  In the distance, I hear a low rumble that is gaining intensity. The anguish below me takes on a new tone and urgency. It is the sound of fear and terror. The rumble is competing with the din of uncontrollable panic. I look to the horizon and whatever is happening is closer now. Dark rolling clouds obscure the sky and I see flashes that look like lightning. The bizarre cyclone is increasing in volume, and it’s now accompanied by concussive thumps I feel through my boots. Each brilliant flash of light stabs tiny spikes of pain into my corneas. The sounds of destruction coming from the hellish storm overcome all others. Anxiety is gripping me; I try to turn away, but I am unable. I try closing my eyes to keep from comprehending what I am seeing, but I cannot. NO! PLEASE NO!

  The storm is close. I see bodies being ripped asunder and thrown about like rag dolls. Huge swaths of aliens are turned into clouds of scarlet mist by bright flashing beams of energy. I can now make out a lone figure, and my legs want to buckle at the sight of the carnage it leaves in its wake. It is the Oolaran beast that resides in my brain and inhabits my body during combat. Two fiery red eyes peer out from the visor of the gore-covered armor. They bore into my soul, rending the bonds that protect and hold my Earthman moralities. I can feel the need to kill, to kill everything that stands against it, infecting me.

  I bolt upright in my bed, covered in sweat. I heard the artificial intelligence of my ship, the Legacy, addressing me.

  “Commander, I have awakened you because I sense your distress. The troubling manifestations of your human mind are the byproduct of the tremendous pressure you endured freeing Tria from her captors. In time, they will pass.”

  Throwing off my cover I sit on the edge of my bed, trying to erase the images from my brain. With the help of my crew, I would rein in the monster trying to possess me. But the beast would now reward my efforts with its revenge. It would take over my dreams and use them to display its deadly prowess. It would demonstrate the proper use of my training. It would give new meaning to the phrase “Be all you can be.”

  “Justice, how is Tria doing?”

  “Commander, her broken limbs are responding well to the nanites I have programmed to repair the fractures. When her bones mend, I shall begin the carbon fiber lamination process of the Oolaran weaponization program.”

  Shaking my head, I went to my shower. Standing under the hot water, I used my implants to reduce the temperature to the point it was brisk and cool. The Oolaran weaponization program was the source of my horrific nightmares. To help insure my survival, I had my ship’s A.I. download the alien training and imprinting to my implants. The program was designed to make hardened soldiers out of the normally passive Oolaran citizens. At the time of development, our galaxy was facing conquest by a race of bio machines: in a feat of mindboggling achievement, the predatory race called the Prule made the intergalactic trip from Andromeda to the fringe of the Milky Way. The Prule’s single-minded purpose was to conquer or destroy a galaxy and recover the resources necessary to expand their empire — they were indifferent to either outcome so long as it accomplished their intended goals. Any species subjugated by the Prule would live out the rest of their short existence gathering resources and suppling biological materials for the enemy of all races.

  Several of the most technologically advanced species in our galaxy formed an alliance and fought the Prule to a standstill. Recently discovered records speculate our galaxy banded together and kicked the Prule out of the Milky Way. Finding records or actual proof to verify this information is an ongoing quest of the few races who have access to the small amount of data available. Until we know for sure what happened, we can only contemplate the outcome. All of these events took place hundreds of years ago. What I know for sure was indoctrinating myself with alien technology, without spending a significant amount of time studying it for possible side effects, was not one of my better choices. Digressing was giving me a headache, so I concentrated on the future.

  “Justice, what is our transition status?”

  “Commander, I have detected no serious faults in the dark matter collection matrix. In eighty-two minutes, I will have sufficient energy to transition back to Alpha Base. I will alert you when all systems are optimal.”

  “Roger that, Justice. I am going to the galley to pick up breakfast for Tria and I. Keep me posted if something unexpected comes up.”

  I queried my implants and found everyone except Tria in their quarters sleeping. I don’t know how I knew Tria was awake, but I did. After swinging by the galley, I went to the med bay. I steeled my emotions to contain the beast. It loves to rear its ugly head when I become angry. It’s easy for me to get that way when I see Tria’s beautiful face battered and bruised. Three of her four arms were broken and in stasis cast. When I enter the room, Tria’s restoration pod was open, and she was trying her best to give me a smile. Her effort quashes the beast’s attempts
at feeding on my anger. It scurries to some hidden, dark corner of my mind like a vampire fleeing the sunrise. I smiled back, and the beast faded from my thoughts.

  “I had a feeling you might be awake. And possibly hungry.”

  Her gorgeous emerald eyes sparkle at me when she speaks.

  “Have you ever considered the possibility I might have summoned you, Nathan Myers?”

  My smile broadens. “I didn’t know Chaalt warriors had such powers. Are you revealing your people’s secrets to a backward-thinking alien?”

  Her laugh was like the musical notes of a favorite song. I would never grow tired of hearing it.

  “I brought you a delicacy from Earth. Justice assured me it would not poison you.”

  She smiled because she had already tasted my adopted family’s blueberry preserves. It was one of the few food items I had brought from Earth that Justice did not throw out the airlock — he found the bacteria count on everything else unsuitable for storage and not to his liking. He knew I would freak out, so the fruit preserves were the bone he threw me in compromise. I prepared two pieces of imitation wheat toast with the last of the jelly, leaving one whole and the other cut into small squares. I brought a cup of Justice’s dishwater coffee and a glass of room temperature water with a straw in it. As I leaned forward to place the meal tray on the side table of the pod, Tria reached up and placed her one good hand on my cheek. It was an intimate Chaalt greeting usually done with two of her four hands. The touch was electrifying. I swallowed down the knot that was forming in my throat. Reaching out with both of my hands, I returned the gesture. She looked a little disappointed until I leaned in and planted an Earthman kiss on her lips. The warm smile and the sparkle in her eyes seemed to warm the whole med bay.

  “My father says your Earth gesture of affection is unsanitary and will infect me with bacteriological contagions.”

  I already knew she was, like me, impervious to disease. Rolling my eyes at her, I open my mouth and let slip what was on my Earth boy mind.

  “That’s not the Earth gesture of affection he should worry about.”

  As soon as I said it, I bit down on my tongue. My face turned crimson with heat. Myers, you idiot, keep your mind out of the gutter! Her laughter was loud and from the heart. It took the sting from the way I was berating myself. She locked me with those beautiful green eyes, and I suddenly felt feverish. A tingling sensation overcame me. Goosebumps covered my body. My legs felt weak. What the hell was going on?

  “Can you feel me, Nathan?”

  Looking at the beautiful battered alien, I could not break eye contact with her. She had a look on her face I had never seen before. At first it was shocked surprise, but then it changed to something else. I tried to speak, but it came out disjointed.

  “I…felt…I mean I feel…different…I…”

  She pulled me close and whispered: “I embrace you with my aura. You are the first not of my species to experience Sha’leen and embrace its touch. To most, it is…toxic.”

  I would not admit it, but I was on the verge of falling to the floor because my legs felt like rubber.

  “I have been aware of your aura emissions since the time you freed me from Drayen’s prison. Females of my species sense those who radiate such energy. It is an extremely rare characteristic, and I am drawn to it. Your aura shines like star light, and it caresses my spirit.”

  Another wave hits me. I grip the edge of the med pod to keep from falling. Tria holds on to my arm and my eyes open wide. I feel like I took the deepest breath of my life and let it out.

  “Can you feel me, Nathan?”

  “YES.”

  Justice must have been going through sensory overload because he broke the spell that was gripping me.

  “Commander?”

  The sensations abruptly stopped.

  “Commander?”

  “Yes Justice, I hear you. Is there a problem?”

  “No Commander, I need to consult with you.”

  Justice did not sound like his normal self, and I had a sneaking suspicion why.

  “Justice, has charging the energy matrix caused a fault in your speech processing?”

  “No Commander, systems will be optimized for transition in twenty minutes. I have calculated all planetary movement around the local star of Alpha base and plotted the target destination.”

  “Wonderful, Justice. Is there anything else you feel the need to tell me?”

  “No Commander, I…yes. The lower rail cannon experienced a minor fluctuation in the number three guide rail during our last engagement. It might be an indication of a misalignment. Aiming errors of point one inch are possible if left unchecked. It will require visual inspection by Engineer Coonts to determine if I am correct.”

  The way Justice was responding might indicate that more than the rail cannon needed looking into. I knew, while aboard the Legacy, the A.I. could interact with my implants and get a good dose of what was going on in my head. He may have gotten a bigger bite of Sha’leen than he could chew. Tria sure rocked my socks with it.

  “If that is all, Justice, call me at T-minus two minutes please.”

  “Yes, of course Commander, I will—”

  “JUSTICE, T-MINUS TWO PLEASE!”

  “Affirmative, Commander!”

  Tria did not say a word, but her smile said all that was necessary. She reached out for one of the small pieces of jelly toast and I batted her hand away. She gave me a questioning look. I took the toast and held it in front of her swollen lips until she opened her mouth. I popped it in. She closed her eyes, chewing slowly, savoring the sweet, fruity taste. Holding the cup of water until the straw touched her lips, she drank. She put her arm around me and we finished our meal in silence.

  2

  Justice had regained his composure and alerted me we were T-Minus two minutes and counting. I checked the crew’s status with my implants. They were all sleeping. There was no point in waking them. Our last mission was a real bitch, and we were all put through the wringer. I reached out and held Tria’s hand. She looked up at me. I thought she was talking but I did not hear her words. Even the Legacy’s usual sounds were muted. I could not hear a single sound. I tried calling to Tria but could hear nothing. Everything around me was shining an almost blinding white. I looked back at Tria and she vanished! Looking down at my feet, I faded away.

  My eyes refocused and it was like nothing had happened. There was no discomfort of any kind. I was a little confused, thinking the transition had failed. My hearing returned and Tria was telling me that, if our molecules scatter, she was glad I was the last being she would ever see. Justice confirmed my uncertainty.

  “Commander, our transition is complete and we are point one light year from Alpha base. I have contacted my subsystem and all is normal. The Grawl are doing well and are researching artifacts. Graf identified the containment vessel for what it was. The scientists discussed its examination but had concerns for what it might contain. They left it untouched and are concentrating on the design characteristics of the nanites you recovered. We will make our approach and landing after I sweep the star system.”

  “Thank you, Justice! Please, carry on.”

  Knowing the Prule containment vessel had not been tampered with was a welcomed relief. I closed my eyes and thanked my maker. I now had a dedicated science and research team. It will be much easier to determine if discovered artifacts could be dangerous. I was considering adding a member of the science team to my crew roster. Having one onboard might prevent me from making a mistake that could have galactic repercussions. I already had a candidate in mind.

  Tria looked up at me. “That was the most uneventful transition I have ever experienced.”

  Tria’s comment was an understatement. She may have knowledge of such things, but I was amazed by what just happened. We had just traversed over three hundred thousand light years in the blink of an eye. Our previous excursions had taken days or weeks. This technology was a golden key capable of opening the door
to the entire galaxy and possibly beyond. The potential was staggering. If we could somehow recover Justice’s deleted star charts, we might have a map and the means to explore the rest of galaxy.

  “That was the most incredible thing this Earthman has ever experienced.”

  Tria gave me another smile and said, “Go Nathan, and make sure that all is well. If I have needs, I will summon you.”

  I could not help but laugh on my way out of the med bay. I did not know if she was kidding me or not; everything about the Chaalt was a mystery. Little by little, Tria was filling me in on many things considered secret by her people.

  I went to the forward lift tubes and made a fast ascent to the bridge. As the huge security doors parted, I came face to face with the Grawl engineer Coonts. He was the first alien species I had come in contact with. He was a little over four feet tall with a gray complexion and a large, bulbous head with large dark eyes. His race was responsible for the most reported sightings of aliens back on Earth. A lot of the facts I learned about his race were not flattering. His species was extremely intelligent, unscrupulous, and highly motivated to increase their technological expertise. The Grawl formula for success was designed to net them the power to do as they please, along with the considerable wealth that comes with that freedom. They did not care how they gained their tech, be it by begging, borrowing, or flat out stealing. The Grawl claimed to be civilized because they demilitarized hundreds of years in the past. In reality, it was a smokescreen to hide the fact they hire mercenaries by the scores to protect their ill-gotten gains. The Grawl’s favorite motto was “We prefer to leave the dying to someone else.” Coonts may have started down that road, but something about me drastically changed his insights. He was now the complete opposite of your standard Grawl template. He has proven to be smart, selfless and courageous. His goal to reform his race for the betterment of all made him a worthy addition to my crew.