Excerpt from Zandara
Chapter 1: Leader
“Goddammit, Teran!” Lonin screamed. She had just completed a long-range teleportation of Teran Vinson. He was shaking and confused. “If I didn’t have your pattern in the files, we would have lost you. Dumbass.” She said more calmly.
Lonin Paine was a spy, assassin, and freedom fighter. She was on her way back to the love of her life, when her ship, the Jariadne, notified her of Teran Vinson’s flyer on the verge of destruction. She was able to pull him away from his flyer as it self-destructed. Only two of the six ships were able to leave the area. Two Antaran, one Martradite, and Teran’s flyer were completely destroyed in the blast.
“There is a foreign body in Mr. Vinson’s stomach.” The Jariadne spoke to Lonin. The Jariadne, was Lonin’s ship. It was known as the Ariadne, but her ship, which was a living being, merged with Jack. Lonin had taken Jack, Jarek’s demon essence, on her mission. Thus, forming the Jariadne.
“Get it out of him, it could be a piece of metal. I tried to distinguish his body from the debris, but I may have missed a piece of junk or two.” Lonin ordered. She was turning her ship back to Coalition space. It had been a long trip gathering information, sabotaging Reptaran weapons and ships. She wanted to get back to the Zandaran Warship, Mastema.
“It’s a, it’s a, it’s a.” Teran was finding it hard to think, let alone speak.
“Sit.” Lonin told Teran. He plopped in the chair beside her.
“I have extracted the foreign body from Mr. Vinson. I will place it on the console.” The Jariadne said.
“Is he healthy?” Lonin asked.
“He is in shock, but otherwise there are no injuries.” The Jariadne answered.
A whirl of energy later a long semi-clear object was placed on the console. A data chip was inside the clear object. Lonin picked it up and knew immediately what it was, and she placed it back down. Lonin groaned. The data chip was inside a tied condom.
“How’s your power level, Jari?” Lonin asked. She wondered if they could do a trans-dimensional jump.
“My levels are low. I suggest that I get you and Mr. Vinson into enviro-suits. We will be able to make the trip much faster that way.” The Jariadne said.
“You need get back and fuck big man.” Jack’s distinctively irritating voice announced. Lonin exhaled sharply. Jack had only one thing on his mind, most of the time, and it was sex.
“Go ahead, Jari. Then let’s at least get back into safe space and find some fuel.” Lonin said. She looked at Teran who was sitting in the chair staring. She said to him, “It’s going to be okay.” He didn’t respond. A whirl of energy surrounded them, and they were dressed in black enviro-suits. Lonin piloted her ship back towards Coalition space.
Dreekta was returning from her daily walk around the imperial forest on Dargora. She loved her morning walks. It was quiet and it allowed her to think without worrying about everything else that had changed in her life. The moment that she was to step back in the palace, she knew that her time in peace would be over and the noise of leadership would come crashing down on her. Sure enough, as soon as she stepped in the palace her secretary, Amerandee, came to her.
“Madame Dreekta, I have your itinerary for today.” Amerandee said.
Dreekta took the data pad and looked over her schedule. It started with a communication with her mother. “When did my mother set up a communication?” Dreekta asked.
“I was notified while you were out exercising.” Amerandee stated. “She expects your reply as soon as possible.”
“I will go now. When does the cabinet meeting start? There was no time on it.” Dreekta asked as she pulled off her coat. A servant took her coat from her and waited for her hat and gloves.
“When you have finished with the Empress. The cabinet is assembled now, but they are working on individual projects at the moment.” She answered.
Dreekta nodded and gave her hat and gloves to the servant, who bowed and left. “I will inform you when I have completed my conversation with my mother.” Dreekta stated and walked through the corridors to her office. Opening the door, the room was warmer than the hallway, the fireplace had been started earlier in the morning. By now, the room was very comfortable. Dreekta smiled. She went to the communications console on her desk and communicated with Chada Patara, the empress’s secretary. “Chada, my mother wishes to speak with me.” Dreekta said as soon as Chada answered the communication.
“I will put you through.” She articulated.
“Dreekta, my darling daughter, how was your stroll this morning?” Empress Lameada asked.
“It was very peaceful, mother.” Dreekta answered dreamily.
“It seems that all of the Kelosian sector is now backing you. My informants have spoken to me. You father has angered many of our people especially now that he has been in league with the Reptarans. His loyal followers have been leaving his side and coming home. When will your talks with the coalition forces resume?” Lameada asked.
“Their King was injured at a failed abduction attempt by Reptarans and my father. I am waiting until he is healed. If we are to make a treaty with the coalition, I want no excuses why the treaty would not be valid.” Dreekta stated.
“Spoken like a true leader. I am so proud of you.” Lameada’s face was filled with satisfaction.
“I have learned that from you.” Dreekta smiled.
Her mother smiled back, and then turned serious, “Dreekta, you know that you cannot be a full empress until you are wed. I wish to speak to you about potential husbands.”
Dreekta’s happiness dropped, “Mother, we have plenty of time for that.”
“No, we don’t. I’m sorry, my child, but I can feel my energies start to wane. It will soon be time for my crossing over. You must officially take my place.” Lameada said, suddenly she looked tired and old. Dreekta shuddered.
“Mother, I’m not ready. I’m not even sure I want a husband.” Dreekta stated.
“Ready or not, it is almost time.” Lameada stated, she heard her daughter sniff. “Do not be sad my daughter, it is the way of things. My time has passed, your time will be near. Think about what I have said.”
“What if I don’t want to love a man?” Dreekta asked.
“I didn’t love your father; you just need a man for his seed. Then spend your time with whomever you want. In this day and age, you don’t even have to let him touch you. I never touched your father. I spent my time with my women on Seman. It can be the same for you. I hope you have more than one child. You need to find a man who is receptive to father children, and not one looking for power in only one child. We need daughters to continue the matriarchal lineage.”
“This is not giving me comfort, mother.” Dreekta sighed.
“Carrying the weight of your people shouldn’t be comfortable. Please let me see you wed and be empress. It needs to be done soon. I love you, daughter.” Lameada stated and the screen went dark.
Dreekta sat still for a few minutes, trying to absorb what her mother had told her. She would need some guidance for something this huge. “Amerandee, please come in here.” She communicated.
“Yes, my sovereign?” she asked.
“My mother has ordered me to wed. Her health is declining. I need to be prepared to be the Empress.” She stated without emotion, then she slumped down, and her face fell, “And, I don’t know what to do.”
“Why does my son need another surgery?” Rysala Mils asked the doctor. Her son, Brentson Mils was injured on a rescue mission to save the King of Zandara. The injury cut him from under his right ear, across his face nicking the corner of his mouth. The slice continued cutting his left nostril up to his left temple missing his eye.
“We have a doctor who is transferring to this hospital. He has been doing micro-surgeries on Bronda for quite some time. He is Zandaran and has decided to come home. His technique could join some of the nerve endings that we may have missed. He is an extremely skilled surgeon.” Doctor Mwem Krondin told her and her husband, Lorgan.
“Will it create more scar tissue?” Lorgan asked.
“He will be able to tell you more about his techniques when he gets here. I feel, as well as all Brentson’s surgeons, that this will be the most effective way of treatment. His scars will not be any worse in the long run.” The doctor tried to calm Brentson’s parents.
“Can we wait to speak to the new doctor? What’s his name?” Rysala asked.
“Yes, Doctor Pedor Zondran will be here tomorrow. Today we are getting scans of Brentson, so that Doctor Zondran will have a specific plan for the surgery.” He explained.
“I understand, and we will be here to talk to Doctor Zondran when he gets here.” Rysala added. The doctor left. Rysala went to her husband, “What do you think, Lorgan?”
“Whatever you feel is best, will be best for our boy.” He answered. She smiled. Brentson was taken for internal micro scans that would take hours. He was sedated so he wouldn’t move in the deep scan machines.
“So, those are the parents?” Pedor asked.
“Yes, hopefully they will be the parents of your newest patient.” Mwem answered.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been on Zandara, I think I forgot how people act.” Pedor stated.
“What do you mean?” Mwem asked.
“It’s just different than on Bronda.” He stood crossing his arms.
“Well, your grandfather is advancing treatments all across the sector. He’s getting famous.” Mwem said.
“Yes, I don’t know how he’s doing it, but his many advances in the past few months are really taking the medical world up a notch. Every medical researcher is chomping at the bit to replicate and improve his findings. They still haven’t figured out how the human females are becoming compatible with our species. It will be an interesting conversation once the warship arrives.”
“They should be here in a couple of days. I bet you can’t wait to see him. Do you have other family on Zandara?” Mwem asked.
“No, most of the family moved to Bronda when I became a doctor. I wanted to come back. My sisters have settled down and a couple of cousins, aunts, and uncles have their lives set on Bronda. My parents might come back, but I’m not sure they are going to leave the grandkids. I’m pretty close to my grandfather. He’s the reason why I became a doctor. He has a medical student that he wants me to let observe the surgery. As far as I know, my grandfather has never taken a medical student. He must be pretty talented for my grandfather to take notice.” Pedor answered.
“He must be the luckiest med student alive to get Doctor Bondra Zondran and you to guide him.” Mwem sounded slightly jealous.
“I wonder where he found his med student, usually he talks about the medtechs and the doctors on the Mastema as competent, but nothing special. They must have picked up some new crew, or he dug one up. He’s really good at spotting talent.” Pedor expressed.
“Was your father a doctor?” Mwem asked.
“No, my father was an electrician.” Pedor didn’t mention that his mother, who was his grandfather’s daughter, was a doctor. That was the main reason why they moved to Bronda. He knew that the Zandaran doctors wouldn’t understand. “Well, let me get down to the scanner and see what I’m up against. I want to be ready for Ms. and Mr. Mils tomorrow.”
“It will be an honor to assist your surgery, Doctor Zondran.” Mwem said. Pedor smiled and nodded.