Evolution: Age of Expansion - A Kurtherian Gambit Series (The Ghost Squadron Book 3) Read online

  CONTENTS

  LMBPN Publishing

  Dedication

  Legal

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Epilogue

  Author Notes - Sarah Noffke

  Sarah's Sci-fi Paranormal Series

  Author Notes - J.N. Chaney

  J.N. Chaney’s Space Opera Series

  Author Notes - Michael Anderle

  Sneak Peak - Denigration, Book 4

  Acknowledgements

  About Sarah Noffke

  About J.N. Chaney

  Michael Anderle Series List

  Michael Anderle Social

  EVOLUTION

  The Ghost Squadron Book 3

  By Sarah Noffke, J.N. Chaney and Michael Anderle

  A part of

  The Kurtherian Gambit Universe

  Written and Created

  by Michael Anderle

  DEDICATION

  For Lydia. My greatest treasure in the universe.

  -Sarah

  For Mom and Dad. Thanks for the telescope.

  -J.N.

  To Family, Friends and

  Those Who Love

  To Read.

  May We All Enjoy Grace

  To Live the Life We Are

  Called.

  - Michael

  EVOLUTION

  Team Includes

  JIT Beta Readers - From all of us, our deepest gratitude!

  James Caplan

  Joshua Ahles

  John Ashmore

  Kelly O’Donnell

  Paul Westman

  Micky Cocker

  Larry Omans

  Kimberly Boyer

  Peter Manis

  Sarah Weir

  If we missed anyone, please let us know!

  Editor

  Jen McDonnell

  EVOLUTION (this book) is a work of fiction.

  All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.

  Copyright © 2017 JN Chaney, Sarah Noffke, Michael T. Anderle and Craig Martelle

  Cover by Andrew Dobell, www.creativeedgestudios.co.uk

  Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing

  LMBPN Publishing supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

  The distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  LMBPN Publishing

  PMB 196, 2540 South Maryland Pkwy

  Las Vegas, NV 89109

  First US edition, December 2017

  The Kurtherian Gambit (and what happens within / characters / situations / worlds) are copyright © 2015 - 2017 by Michael T. Anderle.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Defiance Trading Company Headquarters, Planet L2SCQ-6 in Frontier space.

  Felix Castile listened to the loud breathing of the Kezzin behind him. Commander Lytes had to have a deviated septum. It was the only plausible reason for his constant sniffling, which was always interrupting the silence.

  Or maybe it was just a physical trait of the Kezzin. Felix hadn’t taken much time to learn about the species. He knew these lizard-type aliens could stop breathing for an extended period, but that was about it.

  Felix prided himself on his ability to accumulate and use information, but only when it was useful. If it didn’t earn him additional power or prestige, he didn’t seek the data out. His current relationship with Commander Lytes existed solely to further his plan, which was the complete and absolute destruction of General Lance Reynolds. The moment the Kezzin stopped being useful was the moment Felix would cut him loose.

  All that Felix Castile did was for the goal. Every action, every day.

  And that was exactly why he was here in this awful place, staring at a group of black market merchants.

  The leader of the Defiance Trading Company, a rogue operation that stockpiled weapons and sold them on the black market, looked up from the pad in his hand. “We have loaded everything that you requested into your ship, but I have yet to see the funds come over though,” said the man. His voice was raspy, probably from years of smoking or hanging out in filthy warehouses like this one. The trader, Mateo, had a thick scar that ran over his left eye and down his cheek. Living outside of Federation space hadn’t been kind to him—that much was clear.

  Felix surveyed Mateo’s crew. There were roughly a dozen men stationed around the warehouse, most of them with their guns at the ready and grimaces on their greasy faces. Felix was flanked by Brotherhood soldiers, but they were outnumbered by Mateo’s guards. No doubt the arms dealer felt safe with all these people to protect him.

  He was wrong, though. Only fools underestimated Felix, and the arms merchant would soon understand that.

  Felix cleared his throat. “You sold me three nukes. How many more do you have here?”

  Mateo’s scar moved when he lifted his eyebrow. “Not sure why my inventory is any business of yours. I supplied you with what you asked for.”

  “That you did,” Felix said, pulling his hat down over his eyes and taking a step backward.

  Mateo eyed the pad again. “Like I mentioned, the transfer hasn’t come through. We can’t let you leave until it does. It’s simple business—I’m sure you understand.”

  Felix smiled darkly. “About that…”

  He took a few more steps back, and his soldiers stepped in to shield him.

  “Didn’t you hear me?” asked Mateo. “Hey, I’m talking to—”

  Shots were fired from above, and Mateo’s men yelled. Some tried to return fire, but they were quickly silenced.

  Felix turned in time to watch Mateo clutch his chest as the bullet pierced the arms dealer’s flesh. Disbelief and betrayal rang out in the man’s eyes as he fell to his knees, then collapsed forward.

  Each of the men stationed around the warehouse lay in similar positions, blood puddling around them. None had stood a chance.

  Stationed overhead were a dozen Brotherhood soldiers, each assigned to take out a specified target on the ground. Their timing had been perfect.

  Felix glanced up to the rafters with a proud look in his eyes. “Have your people load the remaining weapons into my ship.”

  “Yes, sir,” said Commander Lytes, his eyes lingering on one of the dead bodies for a moment. He hadn’t liked the plan and said there had to be another way, but Lytes had been wrong—surely he had seen that by now. Perhaps next time he would trust Felix’s plans from the beginning.

  The exit door swung open in front of them, and a man with a short black Mohawk and a le
ather jacket that had seen better days froze on the threshold. He scanned the warehouse, his eyes falling first on Mateo’s dead body and then the others that were strewn all over the facility. His gaze snapped to Felix, who was standing roughly ten meters away.

  They’d missed one of Mateo’s men. “Get him!” barked Felix.

  The soldiers darted forward, right as the strange man reversed, heading back the way he came. Gun shots rang out from the hallway, echoing loudly in the warehouse.

  Felix looked at Commander Lytes. “Have your soldiers search the building. I don’t want anyone left alive, do you understand? No witnesses.”

  Commander Lytes nodded and hurried off to where his people were gathering in the middle of the facility after climbing down from the rafters in which they had been stationed.

  Felix’s eyes briefly rested on Mateo’s dead body. Perhaps he would have been happy to know that his weapons would be used to end a long-standing feud, in a fight that would shake the very foundations of the galaxy. What better use could a man like Mateo have than to aid Felix’s mission? What better purpose could there be than to alter the status quo? Had Mateo not come to this warehouse today, he might never have realized his true destiny. He would have gone on living his life, worthless as it was, and died without ever truly mattering.

  But Felix would make him matter. Felix would give Mateo’s life purpose. That would be his gift to him, albeit a posthumous one.

  Soon everything would be in place to make General Reynolds pay. Felix had figured out the best way to punish him for what he’d done all those years ago.

  Break the Federation, and General Reynolds would be broken, too.

  ~~~

  As Knox Gunnerson sprinted down the hallway he thought about what he’d seen. They were dead. All of them. That was Mateo’s body at the front. They’d killed him. They’d killed all of them.

  He could hear soldiers pounding, drawing closer to him. Knox’s feet weren’t moving fast enough, and the hallway was too long. There was nowhere to hide. What was he going to do?

  The noise behind him stopped, but he didn’t dare turn around or slow down. Instead, he pushed forward faster. Only fifteen meters to the exit. He was almost—

  A bullet whizzed by his skull and struck the door ahead. He turned to see two Brotherhood soldiers, each holding a rapid-fire rifle.

  Knox ducked as the next round was fired, dropping to the ground and rolling to get out of the way.

  He pulled his pistol as he rounded the corner, and then halted and took a steadying breath. Pausing to breathe seemed dumb right now, but missing would be fatal.

  He racked the gun's slide and released it to load a round into the chamber, then paused to listen to the footsteps of the soldiers as they continued through the hall. He had to wait until they were close enough. Until the moment was perfect.

  Knox fired at the Brotherhood soldier in the lead and the male fell back, the hit to his shoulder knocking him down. Knox let out a breath as he released the trigger and prepared for the next shot.

  The other soldier had stopped and raised his gun as he tried to find the target, and again Knox pulled the trigger, letting two successive shots fly. The first bullet missed, but the second went straight through the Kezzin’s leg and he fell forward onto his hands and knees.

  The male stared up at Knox, a desperate look in his eyes. The soldier behind him, still alive, had crawled over to his gun and managed to grasp it.

  Knox whipped around and sprinted for the exit, with both these males disabled there was no reason to stay and fight. He didn’t have to kill them, as long as he could get away.

  Besides, more soldiers would be here soon. He didn’t have long.

  He managed to get to his ship and open the hatch. It was an old Black Eagle that had seen better days—too many days, actually.

  Knox had salvaged this bird a few years back and fixed her up as best he could. Mateo had taught him how to fly back when he had first gotten the old ship working. That skill was going to hopefully save his life now. He dropped into his chair, not even strapping in as he started the engines.

  “Gonna be a fast takeoff,” he said to himself. The engine stalled briefly, but that was normal. Knox slammed his hand onto the controls. “No, you don’t. Don’t fuck with me today. This isn’t the time.”

  From the side window he saw multiple Brotherhood soldiers spilling out of the ship they’d arrived on, the vessel known as the Unsurpassed. Knox had never seen anything quite like it. Massive and smooth by design, it had more guns and weaponry than any single ship should have.

  The soldiers fired at his ship just as the booster kicked in and the Black Eagle rose, shots ricocheting off his craft with a series of clangs.

  Knox fixed his eyes on the clouds as he rocketed away. “You’ve taken worse. Hang in there, ol’ girl,” he told his ship, pulling back on the controls and lifting her nose.

  He took several potentially fatal hits before the bird managed to soar into space. If he were lucky, he’d make it out of the system. He already knew those guys would follow him—people like that never left survivors—but if he could get far enough away then maybe they wouldn’t find him. Maybe he could stay alive.

  There were very few things Knox was actually good at, but one of them was hiding.

  He’d been doing it all his life.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Officers Lounge, QBS ArchAngel, Lorialis System

  “You’re kidding me,” said Eddie, pulling back his arm and launching the dart. It whirred through the air and stuck hard into the board a few centimeters from the bullseye.

  Lars replaced Eddie at the line. “I’m not kidding you! Marilla says these aliens are telepathic. Isn’t that bizarre?” He threw his own dart, and it pierced one of the numbers that bordered the target.

  “I definitely don’t want to meet any of those guys,” remarked Eddie. “I don’t need some alien in my thoughts.” He picked up another dart and twirled it in his fingers. The idea of having someone in his head—like Julianna had Pip—was a bit strange. Sure, there were the obvious perks to it depending on the circumstances, but Eddie wasn’t sure how he’d feel about an AI listening to the things that went on in his mind let alone an alien.

  Maybe that was why Julianna had gotten rid of her last AI, Ricky Bobby. Eddie had been silently investigating the whole thing for a while now, ever since Pip had become sentient. Julianna acted happy about the evolution, but there was something else going on. He could sense it in little ways. It wasn’t so much what she said, but what she didn’t say. When Eddie had discovered Ricky Bobby’s existence, it had come as a shock. He knew her well now, but Julianna had never spoken about her former AI companion, despite how long she and Ricky Bobby had worked together.

  Eddie wanted to approach her about this, but had yet to do so. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe he just didn’t know if it was his place.

  “Yeah, I know,” said Lars. “One or two telepaths is one thing, but an entire species boggles my mind.” The Kezzin soldier watched as Eddie took his second shot and again narrowly missed the bullseye.

  Lars didn’t bother lining up for his next shot, just threw the dart haphazardly. It didn’t even make it to the board.

  Eddie whistled through his teeth. “Damn! I’m glad you fly better than you shoot, or you’d have been wasted by now.”

  Lars shook his head. He realized he was being sloppy. It had been like this in recent weeks during his down time. That was the only opportunity he had to let his mind wander, and it always shot back to the Brotherhood. The idea of the army Commander Lytes had put together overwhelmed Lars whenever he thought about it, but he couldn’t help but dwell on it. Maybe he didn’t know those soldiers, but they were still fellow Kezzin. They were his brothers.

  He wondered about his family too. Had his brother been required to join once Lars had left? He didn’t like to think about that, but it was difficult to control where his mind went. Doubts and fears were tricky things to control—the mo
ment you thought you had a handle on them, they consumed you.

  The screen on an adjacent wall flickered on and Chester’s pale face peered at Eddie and Lars. “There you are, Captain,” he said, beaming. “There’s something I think you should take a look at.”

  Eddie, unflustered, pulled back his arm and released his third dart, which went straight into the bullseye this time. Casually, as though he had planned it, he turned to the monitor. “I’ll be right over. Have you paged Commander Fregin yet?”

  “Yes, she’s on her way,” said Chester, running his hands through his spiky blond hair.

  “Very well.” Eddie slapped Lars on the shoulder as he turned to leave. “Keep practicing, brother. One of these days you’ll be able to beat me.”

  Lars smirked, showing his razor-sharp teeth. “Challenge accepted.”

  Intelligence Center, QBS ArchAngel, Lorialis System

  Julianna was already in the Intelligence Center when Eddie arrived.

  Harley ran over and wagged his tail at him, tongue hanging limply from his mouth. Eddie knelt and tousled the dog's head.

  “Hey there, Jules. Saw the list of new recruits you brought in. We’re starting to fill out a bit, aren’t we?” Eddie smiled at Marilla, who was hunched over her desk as usual.

  “Not as fast as I’d like, but we’re making progress,” said Julianna. She gave Chester a nod to let him know to proceed with the briefing.

  Chester smiled. “Thanks for coming so fast. I only just picked up on this, but I thought you both might want to see it,” he said, blowing up the image on the largest screen above his desk. “This shot was taken from Federation Border Station 7.”

  He zoomed in on the image until a small ship came into view, and Eddie raised his brow. It was a Black Eagle, albeit heavily modified. It seemed to be painted light gray, unlike the standard charcoal color Eddie was used to seeing. There were black streaks on the nose that looked almost like whiskers, and something on the side that resembled a fin.