Obliteration Read online

  Obliteration

  Precious Galaxy™ Book Four

  Sarah Noffke

  Michael Anderle

  Craig Martelle

  Obliteration (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 © 2018 Sarah Noffke and Michael Anderle

  Cover by Jeff Brown, http://jeffbrowngraphics.com/

  Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing

  A Michael Anderle Production

  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, September 2018

  The Kurtherian Gambit (and what happens within / characters / situations / worlds) are copyright © 2015-2018 by Michael T. Anderle and LMBPN Publishing.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Author Notes - Sarah Noffke

  Author Notes - Michael Anderle

  About Sarah Noffke

  Acknowledgements

  Books By Sarah Noffke

  Books By Michael Anderle

  Connect with The Authors

  Obliteration Team

  Thanks to the JIT Readers

  Mary Morris

  Kelly O’Donnell

  James Caplan

  John Ashmore

  Micky Cocker

  If I’ve missed anyone, please let me know!

  Editor

  Jen McDonnell

  To Suzie for encouraging me.

  To Diane for reminding me.

  To Pavi for celebrating every win with me.

  I owe many a success to the support of my friends.

  -Sarah

  To Family, Friends and

  Those Who Love

  To Read.

  May We All Enjoy Grace

  To Live the Life We Are

  Called.

  -Michael

  Chapter One

  Monstre Corporation Headquarters, Planet Carina, Aurelis System, Precious Galaxy

  The tentative stares of the directors made Solomon Vance’s head cramp with frustration. The fall of Starboards Corp had unnerved them. He wished he didn’t need the two men sitting across the table from him—he wanted to be able to operate without their help, but he knew that every leader had to have an army and people to carry out the general’s orders.

  His eyes rose to read the quote printed over the door to the board room: ‘If you want to shine like the sun, first you want to burn like it. -Adolf Hitler’.

  Yes, every great man needed an army. They needed those who would follow blindly, having been manipulated into total compliance. Dr. Lukas was superb at that, but he was gone, as was everyone at Starboards Corp. Solomon smiled to himself. The timing couldn’t have been better. He’d offloaded the company just in time.

  “This is a logistical nightmare,” Frank said, leaning back and crossing his meaty arms in front of his chest.

  “I agree,” Daniel stated. “Moving the two database locations here will cost a fortune, not to mention that, to do it right, we’re going to have to be extremely careful.”

  “And quick,” Solomon stated. “That rogue squadron knows where the locations of the databases are. They’ve already taken databases from two of the Sutras. I won’t risk them stealing more.”

  “But we can increase security at each location,” Frank argued. “That would make the most sense.”

  Solomon turned, putting his back to the two men, and faced the bank of windows. The evergreen trees of the Chumash Forest stretched on farther than he could see. An ocean of green, swaying like waves in the wind.

  “I’m not going to chance it,” he said to the men.

  He could feel their tension rise. Daniel had the bad habit of breathing through his mouth when he got angry, sounding like a rundown furnace.

  “Sir, if I may—”

  “You may not,” Solomon snapped, cutting Daniel off. “I’ve made the mistake of underestimating this disparate, leftover crew from Ghost Squadron. I won’t do it again. I want the remaining databases moved to this facility immediately.”

  Solomon was certain that the silence that followed was filled with defiant looks from both Daniel and Frank. They’d given their input, but he’d made his decision. These two men might be disappointed, but they weren’t going to argue. They valued their lives too much.

  “Sir?” Dean, the AI, interjected overhead. “There’s a call for you from Melanie Myers.”

  Solomon spun around to face Daniel and Frank, giving them a pointed look. They were already shuffling to their feet before his chair stopped moving.

  He waited until Daniel had closed the large oak door to the board room before speaking. “Go ahead and put her through, Dean.”

  “Yes, of course, sir,” he answered. The large screen on the closest wall sprang to life. The image of Melanie Myers stared back at him. She was a beautiful woman by anyone’s standards, but looks didn’t win any favors from Solomon. He valued intelligence and power above all else, and Melanie had displayed those traits from the beginning. Only a formidable force could have obtained such a large etheric diamond. One that now belonged to him.

  Solomon cleared his throat, unaffected by the scowl that Melanie wore on her face. “Is there something you want? Do you have more you wish to trade with me?”

  Melanie’s dark eyes narrowed as she leaned forward, closer to the camera. “You know damn well that the etheric diamond was all I had to offer, and now I have nothing.”

  Solomon sighed. Drama was not entertaining to him. “You still hold the proprietary licenses on all of Starboards’ patents. That alone is of great worth.”

  “What good does that do me without the infrastructure? It’s obvious that the value was in the Starboards facility, and now that is gone.”

  “It was most unfortunate that nothing could be salvaged from the building,” Solomon said, thinking fondly of one of his first companies.

  Of course, no one knew he owned Starboards Corp. He’d always hidden behind a board of directors or a puppet he employed as the spokesperson for the company. It wasn’t until Melanie approached him that he
considered fully offloading the organization.

  He rose from his chair, shaking his head. “You’ll just have to rebuild.”

  “I was never interested in building a company,” Melanie stated. “The plan was to take over an already thriving corporation.”

  “‘The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry’,” he stated, making for the door.

  “I’m prepared to make you a deal.”

  Solomon paused. He lifted an eyebrow and turned to face the screen once more. “I’m listening.”

  “I do own the patents for all of Starboards’ technologies,” Melanie began. “And I’m guessing you wouldn’t want that falling into just any hands.”

  Solomon shrugged noncommittally. It was better for him to not betray his true feelings on this matter.

  “I will trade you back the patents in exchange for something else,” she stated.

  Solomon’s laugh was cold and lacking any humor. “You want me to buy back my own patents? I have no use for them, or I wouldn’t have sold them to you.”

  Melanie’s ruby red lips pursed. “We traded,” she corrected. “And we both know that the technology is still of use to you, and you’d rather it not fall into Federation hands.”

  He released a long breath. “And what do you want in exchange for this?”

  “A small fleet of combat ships and pilots,” she said with conviction.

  Solomon’s eyes widened with surprise before he could stop himself. “Why does it sound like you’re preparing for a war?”

  “Because that’s exactly what I’m planning.”

  “Wouldn’t you rather trade the patents for money?” he asked, incredibly amused by this woman and the way she operated.

  Melanie shook her head. “I can get money anywhere. What I want is power.”

  “And you plan on taking it by force, is that right?”

  “Yes. Then I’m going to squash those who have wronged me,” Melanie said, her eyes on fire with anger.

  Solomon had to give it to her; she was as hungry for control as he was. And she was crafty and relentless. Even if she failed, it would be worth watching this play out. He exacted his own battles more strategically, but he still liked watching a good bloodbath.

  “Send me over what you require. You might have yourself a deal,” he said, before turning and leaving the office, leaving Melanie staring at his retreating back.

  Chapter Two

  Tueti, Cacama System, Precious Galaxy

  There were few things General Fisk enjoyed more than the smell of wet clay. It reminded him of his childhood, growing up by the eastern river banks that snaked between the coffee plant fields and the Cheseboro mountains.

  General Fisk lowered the bottle spiked with the scent of wet clay he enjoyed so much. This had been a part of the therapy he’d been prescribed to calm his nerves. He squinted from the morning light, looking toward the east. His childhood home was only a short flight away, and yet he was too busy to go back. The constant demands of leading the colony had started to take its toll. He wasn’t as young as he used to be.

  Managing production standards while also ensuring the colony stayed strong wasn’t as easy as it once was. The young Tuetians were different. Their work ethic was lacking. It was a growing problem, and General Fisk no longer wanted to be in charge of instilling discipline. It was time to step down, he feared.

  He sniffed the bottle, suddenly short of breath.

  “General Fisk, sir?” a voice called over the comms.

  He let out a hot breath. “What is it?”

  “Doing patrols in the northeastern quadrant, and I’ve spotted Monstre Corp ships.”

  He narrowed his beady eyes in that direction, but the sun was too bright, making it hard to see much. Besides, from the Lagoon, he was too far away to make out a ship.

  “Are you sure it’s Monstre Corp? It could be those pesky, trespassing humans,” General Fisk said.

  “I’m sure, sir. And wait—”

  A loud explosion echoed over the comm.

  General Fisk froze. “What’s going on?” he demanded.

  “It’s—I—fire—we—surrounded.” The guard’s voice cut in and out.

  General Fisk kept his eyes honed on the northeastern quadrant, looking for the cause of the disturbance. “What’s happening?” he asked again, fear drumming in his head.

  “Sir—we’re—the ships—attack.”

  The General was already off the ground, his wings beating fast, his heart even faster. He was nearly to the border fence when an explosion lit up the horizon. A giant cloud of fire and smoke rose into the air and quickly spread.

  Chapter Three

  Jack Renfro’s Office, Ricky Bobby, Hapeti System, Precious Galaxy

  Raking the sand in the desktop meditation garden was doing little to calm Jack’s nerves. Liesel had recommended it, since his stress mounted higher with each passing day the crew wasn’t returned to Ricky Bobby.

  Though we are closer. They had Knox, and who knew who else was in the database they’d recovered. They’d find out soon, but it wouldn’t be the captain and the commander. He knew that much. Vance was protecting them in one of the more remote databases.

  “Wouldn’t we need a tree in order to make a tree fort?” Lewis asked Bailey as the two entered Jack’s office.

  “I think DJ just wants something like a tree fort,” Bailey answered. “We can improvise.”

  “What’s this about?” Jack asked, pushing the meditation garden to the corner of his desk, knocking some of the sand out. He tensed. So much for relaxing. The mess the garden made was going to make his stress worse.

  “DJ has made a wish list, one item being a tree fort,” Bailey explained.

  “So you have taken her up on her request to be adopted?” Jack inquired.

  The two nodded. “It’s a bit of an untraditional arrangement, but we’re sort of untraditional ourselves,” Lewis said.

  Bailey laughed. “Says the guy wearing a three-piece suit.”

  “Well, my black combat suits are all dirty,” he remarked, waving a hand at her. “Maybe I can borrow one of yours.”

  “No, but if you want one of Pimping Pip’s Apparel T-shirts, I’ll get you one,” she offered, still laughing. “I saw one that would be perfect for you. On the front, it reads, ‘You’re Killin’ Me Smalls’.”

  Lewis grimaced. “I’ll pass.” He turned his attention back to Jack. “We were hoping you’d help us facilitate the adoption paperwork.”

  Jack nodded, trying to keep the smile off his face. “Does that mean you’re sticking around once this mission is over?”

  His nephew released a breath, and absentmindedly checked his watch. “As long as I can clear my name.”

  “Consider it already done,” Bailey said with confidence.

  “And you as well, Lieutenant?” Jack asked, as he thought about how recruiting these two had been one of the smartest decisions he’d made. They worked together seamlessly and exemplified comradery.

  Bailey looked around the office, smiling softly. “Yes, I think this is a good fit for me.”

  He nodded. “I couldn’t agree more.” He motioned to the seats in front of his desk; Bailey stayed standing while Lewis took the seat. “Speaking of DJ, I’m a bit unnerved by your report from Makare. Did she really control the monster?”

  “We’re not absolutely certain what happened,” Lewis admitted, picking a piece of lint from his trousers. “She gave it a speech, trying to empower it, and then she surrendered.”

  “And the monster simply retreated?” Jack asked in disbelief.

  “Yes, but we’re not sure why,” Bailey answered. “DJ says that she could feel the monster’s emotions and felt like it understood her.”

  Jack rubbed his hand over his forehead. “That’s bizarre. I didn’t think the monster could be reasoned with.”

  “Well, as we’re all aware,” Lewis began, “DJ isn’t like the rest of us. I’m guessing if someone else had tried to tell the monster off
, they’d have been uploaded. However, DJ has a strange bond with the thing.”

  Jack pulled the meditation garden back toward himself and again picked up the small rake. “I want to have her tested for a new skill.”

  Lewis gave him a curious look. “Do you think she can talk to nonhumans? Like animals and other unique creatures? She does talk to Harley without the chip.”

  Jack shook his head. “I think she speaks a unique language, one that we all know but rarely understand.”

  “Empathy?” Bailey guessed.

  Jack nodded, pulling the rake through the white sand, making a pattern. “Yes, I believe she’s empathic, which is why she could understand the monster. And understanding it is the first step to controlling it.”

  “There is evidence of that,” Lewis said, his eyes on the garden, as the smooth sand turned to waves. “The monster simply left even though the three of us were standing there. It seemed changed by DJ’s words.”

  Jack sighed. “Which is reason enough for me to authorize her to accompany you on your next mission to the databases on Harsu.” He read the hesitation on Lewis’s face and held up his hand to stop him from interrupting. “I know that it’s not an ideal situation, and you’d both prefer if DJ were not put in danger. However, she has an advantage that could keep you all safe. I suspect that Vance will have the next two databases heavily guarded and will be expecting you. Our cover is blown, since he no longer thinks we’re dead.”