The Chronicles Of Jenson Quest: The Realms Of Jurrii

By J Bryden Lloyd

Having accepted the mantle and responsibilities of Wing Commander, young Jenson Quest once again leaves his normal life on Earth, as he is called back by the Keepers to face a new threat from the evil Zyll Va’kaar, who has stolen a fleet of old warships and is now in search of crews.

With a new interceptor and no time to get proper defences in place, the Keepers and the Drak warriors steer Va’kaar and his fleet to a world where former Zyll prisoners of war have now settled peacefully, offering a target he cannot ignore.

While Va’kaar continues to battle against the revolutionists within his own ranks, an old alliance is renewed as the threat looms in orbit around the binary planet that makes up the Realms of Jurrii, but which side will the Zyll of Jurrii really join?

Join Jenson and his friends as they embark on a new battle to try and stop the evil Va’kaar.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J Bryden Lloyd
• Release date: Jul 14, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476216683

J Bryden Lloyd

John Bryden Lloyd was born in the village of Llay near Wrexham in North Wales in 1969. Now in his 40's, and married with 6 children and a couple of dogs, he still works as a contracting CAD designer. In 2011, The Rise Of Va'kaar was the first of the series of Chronicles involving Jenson Quest and the Great Drak. It took 18 months to write and although it was originally planned to be a stand-alone novel, the ideas and directions it inspired have spawned a possible 9-book series, the first trilogy of which is already available. Book 2, The Realms Of Jurrii, was published in November 2011 and book 3, The Cause, in June 2012. Along with the Jenson Quest series, he has also written The Zubot Master; a sci-fi series for younger readers. Part 1, Time Slip, was released in January 2012, and the second instalment, The New Age, is due out soon. For those who prefer shorter works, Meet My Shorts! (a Series of Short Stories) was issued in February 2012, and Meet My Other Shorts! (a Series of Short Stories), in March 2012. You can join the author at his blog http://bryvstheworld.blogspot.com/ or on Twitter : @JQChronicles or on Facebook : J Bryden Lloyd (Author) There are more projects on the horizon, including two further Zubot Master books and two further Jenson Quest trilogies.

Book preview

The Chronicles Of Jenson Quest

The Realms Of Jurrii

by J Bryden Lloyd

Smashwords Edition

© J Bryden Lloyd 2012

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an addition copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

For Sue, Trystan, Tabithe,

Francesca, Philippa, Morganne

And Hermione.

To Toby

Thank you for the character. I hope you like him.

To Trystan

We didn’t really try out any of these things with Mylo… honest!

Acknowledgements

To Barbara Ivie Green – a superlative author in her own right – and all the contributors at The Writer’s Pad, thank you for your outstanding help with the new covers for the Jenson Quest series. You took these simple ideas and turned them into something I would never have considered. Froggies Forever!

To Kristen Beltz, may your red pen never run dry. I wish you great health and happiness, and the knowledge that you have made a huge difference to these books.

To Linell Jeppsen (by the way, you’ve just gotta go and read her stuff!). You are a rare and wonderful talent and a remarkable support.

To my family and my friends here in the UK, this is a longer journey than I had hoped, and it will never be done without you.

Contents

Chapter 1 No Normal Life

Chapter 2 Warriors Bequest

Chapter 3 Something Old, Something New

Chapter 4 Station Three

Chapter 5 Defence Of The Realm

Chapter 6 Forgive Us Our Debtors

Chapter 7 End Of Transmission

Chapter 8 Unwelcome

Chapter 9 Piranzite

Chapter 10 A Friend In Need

Chapter 11 Self-Preservation

Chapter 12 Selection

Chapter 13 Warrior Down

Chapter 14 Hunters

Chapter 15 Splitting Heirs

Chapter 16 Once A Zyll…

Chapter 17 Remembrance Day

Chapter 18 Aftermath

Chapter 19 Shadowed

Chapter 20 A Question Of Trust

Chapter 21 Matters Of Fact

Chapter 22 Patrols

Chapter 23 Into The Darkness

Chapter 24 Progress

Chapter 25 The Advance Party

Chapter 26 Preparations

Chapter 27 Loyalty

Chapter 28 Battle Lines

Chapter 29 Close Combat

Chapter 30 If You Can’t Stand The Heat

Chapter 31 Get Out Clause

Chapter 32 Forced Withdrawal

Chapter 33 Memorial

Chapter 34 Just In Time

1. No Normal Life

Jenson had not really given himself time to think about the deaths of either his father or his grandfather. Although, in the last few weeks, he found his dreams full of the blue crystal that he, Mussa and Yanna had towed back into the atmosphere of the orange planet, Jenson had not shed a tear for the loss of his father since he had returned home.

The reality of his granddad’s death had been totally different and far more difficult. Without ever waking from the sleep induced by him being ‘reversed’ by the Keeper, Tooree; a process involving the temporal shift of the body’s physical molecules. After illness had caused the reversing to stop prematurely, causing him to return to his genuine age, his granddad had eventually died ten days after Jenson had returned home. The funeral had been well attended on that particularly damp Summer morning, and Jenson had found – much to his personal disgust – that he had felt no desire or need to shed a tear during the entire day.

He could only put his apparent indifference to the passing of these two most significant persons in his life, as being due to the fact that it had been his decision to allow the body of his father to fall into the atmosphere of that world; a body which could never have survived outside the crystalline structure in which it had been encased for many years; a crystalline structure which could not remain stable in any environment beyond the cold vacuum of space. As hard as that decision had been, Jenson had eventually understood that it had to be made. A rescue had been impossible.

In addition, Jenson knew that he had been given the rarest of opportunities when he had spoken to the ‘echo’ of his grandfather at the time of his death. All those light years away from Earth, his granddad had not only come to him to say his goodbyes and tell him how proud he was of him, but he had passed on the information that had made it possible for Jenson to find his father.

No. Jenson had been proud and happy at granddad’s funeral. Proud of the old man, for having the courage to volunteer his bloodline for service to defend the many realms of the human race, so many years before he and his father had been born, and happy that he had not had the ‘meaningless end’ he had always feared.

He had sat at the old man’s bedside in his room, in Aunt Maggs’ retirement home, in those last few days, reading the handwritten chronicle he had made of everything that had happened since his granddad had introduced him to the Keeper in the street outside the house. It had been his final gift to his grandfather, who had passed away peacefully on the night that Jenson concluded the account.

After that, Jenson found a way back into his usual routine. Working in his aunt’s nursing home and taking his driving lessons. In addition, with all his immediate group of friends still away on their holidays, Jenson had restarted his Karate and kick boxing classes, and taken up running and circuit training in an effort to keep his fitness levels up. Should the Keepers come calling for him again, Jenson intended to be at his physical peak.

It was a warm, bright Wednesday morning in August. Jenson quietly entered the house and trudged down the hallway, his six foot four inch muscular frame turning into the second room on the right, just before the bottom of the stairs. He ceremoniously placed the document on the dining table beside Aunt Maggs’ coffee mug and took his usual seat opposite her. Maggs lifted the envelope with reverence and smiled.

Despite her thirty-eight years, Maggs had managed to look like she was in her mid-twenties for as long as he could remember. She had thick deep-blonde hair and pale blue eyes that always smiled. Although she fell some six inches shorter than Jenson, she was as lean-built and almost as muscular as him.

The empty envelope was dropped to the table and she considered the contents with a frown. "Four A’s? The best you could manage from the last twelve months of your life was to save the human race and get A’s in Maths, Physics, English and French?

I ran out of time. Jenson replied with a smirk.

Well, that’s superb! she broke into a huge smile, Gramps would have been really proud of you all over again. Now, I have another envelope for you. She placed a plain, intimidatingly addressed white envelope between them on the table.

"That looks official." Jenson observed as he read the small text in the top left hand corner of the envelope which told him it had come from Carroll & Carroll Solicitors, London.

"Well? Are we going to sit here and wonder how official, or are you going to open it?"

Jenson picked up the envelope and slipped his finger beneath the flap, then dropped it with a start as the front door received a barrage of sharp knocks.

"Twigg!" They both said, as they heard the sound of the door being opened.

"Aye aye! Who’s where!? Maggs!? Q!?" came a familiar shout.

Left the country, go home! Jenson shouted.

Table! Maggs corrected with a chuckle.

Moments later the smiling face of Jenson’s best friend for the last twelve years peeped around the door.

Toby Twigg was slightly taller than Jenson, with light, close-cropped hair and soft blue eyes to go with his sharp features and square jaw, in total contrast to Jenson’s dark, slightly longer hair and glowing deep blue eyes. The last three years in school together had seen the teachers christen them ‘the swoon twins’ based on the effect they seemed to have on all the female pupils they came into contact with. In addition to being the fiercest of friends, Jenson and Toby had always been the others’ first and best protector, no matter what the situation. They had done everything together for as long as they could remember. Maggs referred to them as ‘soul-twins’, saying that swoon was an outdated word.

Toby wafted his nicely tanned hand through Jenson’s hair as he walked past him to the fridge just inside the kitchen door. He grabbed the orange juice and a glass off the sideboard, before sinking into the chair beside Jenson.

Weather was okay in Monaco then? Jenson mused as he looked at Toby’s well-tanned features.

It was passable, yeah. Toby huffed.

"I’ve been watching the weather forecasts mate. An average of thirty five degrees for the last sixteen days is a bit more than passable!"

Toby shrugged and took a long drink of juice. So, what did you get Q?

All A’s. Jenson grinned. You?

Funnily enough, I got all A’s as well.

That’s great news! Maggs said, "We need to celebrate, after you’ve read that letter!" she turned to Jenson.

Fair enough. Jenson picked the envelope up again and once again slid his finger under the flap.

Who’s it from? Toby asked as he watched Jenson take the three folded A4 pages out of the envelope.

So…li…ci…tors… Jenson said slowly, Apparently I have to go to London and hear Gramps’ will.

Hmmm. Maggs frowned slightly, When?

Monday morning eleven o’clock. He speed-read the rest of the letter and then handed it to his Aunt, who trawled through the information at a slower pace.

Trip to London would be nice. Toby grinned towards Maggs. "And you did promise Q and me that we could have a blast in Mylo before we had our tests."

"A run to London is not what I had in mind when I said that!" Maggs protested.

"But, Jenson said with a quick wink to Toby, A good run is what Mylo needs. You said so just last night, and we could use the practice without that stuffy old cow in the car with us."

"That ‘stuffy old cow’ is the best driving instructor around here." Maggs retorted.

Doesn’t make her any less stuffy! Toby observed.

Or old! Jenson added.

"Right! Fine. Maggs raised her hands in surrender and the boys grinned at each other, BUT! she paused while the smiles dissolved, You are both wearing a suit!"

"Why do I have to wear a suit?" Toby asked, looking offended at the idea.

Because you will have to come with us to the solicitors. You are not coming with us if you aren’t presentable.

You can leave me at the shops while you and Q go.

Remember the trip to Oxford and the incident with the snow shoes and the fire extinguisher last year? Maggs asked.

Yeah! they laughed in unison. Who knew snow shoes were so aerodynamic? Toby added with a chuckle.

"You wear a suit, and you come with us! Maggs stood and leaned on the table for emphasis, Got it?"

Got it. Toby said quietly.

Maggs left the dining room and Jenson immediately dropped the smile.

"Upstairs. Now!" Jenson headed for the hallway and Toby stood to follow.

Q! I know I’ve been away and all, but I really don’t think you’re thinking too clearly mate.

"Just get your arse up to my room!" he whispered back urgently.

"Mate, that’s exactly what I’m worried about!"

WILL YOU JUST SHIFT?

I’m coming, I’m coming. Toby headed up the stairs after Jenson, muttering.

Toby closed the bedroom door and turned to see Jenson peeling off his sweatshirt. He had just thought of something particularly witty to say, when Jenson turn to his left and showed Toby his right upper arm.

"Whoooooah… mate! Toby rushed over and ran a finger along the scar. How did you get this? When did you get this? There’s no way this has healed this much in less than three weeks!"

I got it a couple of weeks before Gramps died.

"We wondered why you didn’t want to come to the water park, and why you turned down Monaco! I thought it was just the funeral and stuff, but…"

Yeah well, sorry, that wasn’t the scar. You’re right about that. I thought it was better to get my head straight, you know, after gramps and, well, after gramps.

So come on. How did you get that?

"You should really take a seat, mate, and for the record, if you don’t believe me I’ll understand, but I want you to know."

You’re getting creepy Q.

"Creepy is nothing, Twigg. Have a seat."

Right! Toby sat, Whatever it is, go for it! I’ll believe you, mate!

After a very deep breath, Jenson started at the beginning of his story. He told Toby about the Keeper Tooree, Richard – the man who looked after him while he was away, the Drak training, Mussa – his uncle from a different realm, Yanna – his cousin from another different realm (as well as how his granddad had managed to make all these new relatives possible), the Fourth Realm fleet, the Zyll, the battle and the attempt to rescue his father and last but not least, the journey in the Temporal Shuttle and the secret office in the cellar.

More than an hour later, the unblinking Toby was slowly nodding at him as he showed him the remote control unit Tooree had given him before he left and described its’ features.

Do you reckon you might need some tablets or something Q? Toby asked.

I didn’t think you’d believe me. Jenson sighed.

I’d like to tell you that I do, honestly I would. Toby shrugged, "But you’re saying you did all those things and you were still home inside an hour? It’s taken you longer to tell me the damned story."

Yeah, that’s a tough one to explain. Jenson admitted.

"Plus! You said that the shuttle-thing had some temporal effect on your molecules, so you came back to the same time you left?"

Yeah, that’s right. Jenson nodded.

Well, how come you’ve still got the scar?

Jenson ran his fingers carefully along the still itching mark and shrugged. I dunno mate. That’s one of the questions I need to ask when I go back.

"Go back!? You are taking this way too seriously! Toby held his head in his hands, You need to listen to yourself Q, Maggs’ll have you in the funny farm before the weekend!"

She knows all about it. Maggs has a disc as well. he held out his wrist for Toby to look at.

Toby stared at the wrist for a moment, then raised his eyebrows, stuck out his bottom lip and shook his head.

Nowt there, Q!

Jenson rolled his eyes. Right, look at my face. Toby did, smirking, Now. Follow my eyes and my finger down to my wrist. Slowly, Toby followed the directions.

"Now that’s clever! Toby reached out a finger and touched the now visible creamy-white disc, Q’s been learning a bit of sleight-of-hand. He frowned slightly as he failed to find an edge on the disc. How d’you unstick it?"

You don’t. It’s permanent!

Jenson decided he was getting nowhere, so he and Toby went to the cellar, where Jenson inserted the brass door key into the tiny, almost invisible slot in the brick in the back wall and opened the door to the office, where the chronicles of his grandfather and father were stored neatly on the bookshelves. Toby whistled in awe as he entered the room, found his way to the desk and sat in the comfortable chair.

Jenson closed the door behind him and took a chronicle at random from his dad’s set. He placed the book in front of Toby.

Let’s see if these help. he said.

It was almost three hours later when the boys emerged in the dining room. Maggs had gone around to the nursing home and left a note for Jenson to make sure they both ate something and she would get some take-away for tea, adding that if Toby was staying over, they were to let her know. Both agreed it was a good idea and Jenson sent her a text message.

They headed out to go and collect a change of clothes from Toby’s house. As they got to the gate, Toby stopped and pointed vaguely at the street. "So where did this doorway-thing appear then?" he said, still sceptical.

"You mean the passway. Jenson corrected him, and then froze. Of course!" he turned and started to run back up the pathway to the house.

Where the hell are you off to? Toby called after him.

"Come on! I can show you a passway!"

They stood in front of the shower in the en-suite; Jenson brandishing the control unit in front of him while Toby shook his head.

"Q, I don’t mean to sound picky, but your bit of amazing alien technology is looking a bit like a crappy old shower!"

Just give me a second, will you? Jenson sighed. He held in the button on the control unit and waited until he saw the familiar shimmer on the back wall. Phone! he held out a hand to Toby.

What!?

Phone… Give me your phone!

What for?

Camera on it, yes?

Duh! Toby held up a new Blackberry.

Any photo’s on there?

Loads. All sorts!

Any space ones?

"Don’t be a plank! I don’t do space. Not in your league anyway." he smiled.

Good. Hand it over. Jenson held out his hand again and Toby surrendered the phone. Right. Don’t have a fit when I disappear. I’ll only be a few seconds.

And where are you off to?

You want proof, yes? Me through passway… Shuttle… Take photo… Come back… okay?

"I… you… that’s a shower mate! You drown my phone, and I’ll… he stared at his friend’s expression, Fine, right, whatever." Toby sighed.

Jenson held up the phone and stepped through the passway, vanishing in front of Toby as if the solid, tiled wall was never there.

Toby had a fit.

2. Warriors Bequest

Maggs drove like a demon through the back lanes with fury clearly etched across her face, whilst Jenson and Toby held on for dear life. Mylo flew down the gentle slope of the long straight sounding like a V8 supercar.

We can slow down a bit if you feel like it. Jenson smiled into the mirror at his aunt’s furious face.

Yeah, I could do with a pee right about now! Toby said carefully from the passenger seat, "And when did you get to say we could have a drive?" he added nervously.

"I didn’t! Maggs replied angrily. I cannot believe you told Toby!" she repeated for what must have been the twentieth time.

He’s my best mate. Jenson protested, "I wanted to be able to talk to someone about, you know, everything."

"Then you talk to me!"

Yeah, well… Maybe I wanted to be able to talk to someone else as well! Jenson snapped back.

There was no warning given and the boys grabbed onto the seats as Maggs swung Mylo suddenly, at speed, into the car park of the small roadside café. The tyres on the 1998 red and white Mini Cooper 1.3MPi squealed in protest as the car entered the access road at a constant forty-five degrees. The little car darted noisily and effortlessly around several cars and across the car park, stopping accurately in a designated space alongside the pavement near the café entrance. Maggs stopped the engine, which ticked in protest at the workout it had been subjected to.

"Right! You! she rounded on Jenson, I need to know if you are planning to tell anyone else about what you do when you… go away! she said irritably, before turning on the frowning Toby. And you! he jumped in his seat, If… I… hear… ANYTHING… repeated about any of this…"

Honestly, Toby interrupted, "I would never tell anyone what Q told me. I’m still not sure I really believe any of it."

He wouldn’t. Jenson confirmed. And I’m not sure what he believes.

Fine. Maggs said evenly, Toilet stop! I need a coffee.

I’m not so sure I need the toilet anymore. Toby said quietly.

Speak for yourself. Jenson replied, Let me out!

* * *

The plaque on the wall alongside the door was shiny, polished gold with black engraved lettering,

CARROLL & CARROLL

SOLICITORS

The plaque included a variety of names and, in Jenson’s opinion, groups of utterly useless and meaningless letters after them. The foyer was immaculately decorated in creams and browns to match the dark wood and leather furniture which Jenson and Toby made themselves comfortable on whilst Aunt Maggs took the letter to confirm their appointment with the haughty receptionist. She joined them a few moments later and held out the letter to Jenson.

"Apparently it’s your appointment, so you have to do all the confirming!" she said irritably.

Okaaaay. Jenson stood nervously and took the letter. Toby followed him to the reception desk.

The receptionist was a middle-aged, harsh-faced woman with highlighted hair and very red nails. Jenson and Toby smiled and Jenson presented the letter.

Jenson Quest here to see… he glanced at the letter, C. Carroll. he smiled, I have an 11am appointment.

Is that Caleb or Carol? the receptionist smiled falsely.

Seriously? Toby chuckled, "You have a solicitor here called Carol Carroll!?" he laughed and trotted away to join Maggs, leaving Jenson to face the glare of the receptionist.

"It’s Miss Carroll." Jenson confirmed, stifling his own snigger at the name.

If you would take a seat, the receptionist said, I will inform Miss Carroll that you are here.

Thanks. Jenson smiled and joined Toby and Maggs.

Leaving Toby in the reception area, Jenson and Maggs climbed the stairs to the second floor, where a secretary showed them into Miss Carroll’s office.

Miss Carroll was nothing like what they had expected to find as they entered. She was short with unruly dark hair and sour features, wearing plain, cheap glasses and a trouser suit that did nothing for her figure or her general appearance. Jenson glanced at Maggs, who from the look on her face, was still trying to decide whether it was safe to approach.

Please sit. Miss Carroll said in a cold, even drone. She watched with, Jenson thought, a flicker of annoyance in her eye, as they each took a seat and then she forced a bland, false smile onto her face, I am Miss Carroll. My father was your grandfather’s solicitor and was in charge of the affairs relating to his estate, she said directly to Jenson, ignoring Aunt Maggs as if she were not even present.

Should we not be speaking with your father then? Maggs asked.

He is unwell. she glanced icily at Maggs, "My brother and I run the firm now. He only looks after… certain… clients."

I’m happy to wait until he’s back. Jenson said, I mean, there’s no rush.

Miss Carroll stared down her nose at Jenson for a long moment before opening the document wallet which lay on the desk in front of her. Your grandfather has left a bequest to you, and also to you, Mrs Garner. she met Maggs’ eyes as she spoke, still in her monotonous drone.

Really? Jenson smiled, Why wasn’t Aunt Maggs’ inheritance mentioned in the letter?

I don’t know, she replied sharply, Shall we continue? she forced another unflattering smile.

We’re rich! he joked to Maggs in a loud whisper, who smiled back somewhat nervously.

Miss Carroll stared again at Maggs and took an envelope from the document wallet and passed it to Jenson, then passed him a document and directed him to sign each of the four pages where she had placed small green crosses. He did this and passed back the document, opened the envelope and frowned as he removed the multiple hand-written pages.

Your grandfather insisted that this be passed to you unopened. she said simply, as she turned towards Maggs and abruptly handed her a second document wallet and another envelope, along with a similar document to that which Jenson had just signed. "These are the deeds to sixteen properties in various locations around the country, and the letter will apparently explain