Region Zero

By Shawn O'Toole

Adam is an earthling made king of a mystical world. His fiance is a clone woman who led an army of her sisters in an invasion of his planetary realm. War has become a tenuous peace. Animosity is budding into a romance. A rare, magnificent phenomena stirs in the mysterious Lonely Forest. Adam, two natives, his fiance and a team of her researchers set out to investigate. They find themselves in the eye of a silent, unseen, raging storm. They are not alone in the Lonely Forest... and hope to survive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shawn O'Toole
• Release date: Aug 7, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301927203

Shawn O'Toole

Shawn O'Toole is an avid reader who expresses his love of literature by writing his own. Though his favorite works are classical fiction, most of his actual reading is historical or scientific non-fiction. He combines his inspirations to create yarns that are fantastic yet believable. He is restless and eager, so one need not wait to delve into his adventures.

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REGION ZERO

by

Shawn O’Toole

SMASHWORDS EDITION

*****

PUBLISHED BY:

Shawn O’Toole on Smashwords

Cover Art Illustrated by:

Shawn O’Toole

Region Zero

Copyright © Shawn O’Toole 2013

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this story, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Your support and respect for the property of this author is much appreciated.

This story is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are products of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

*****

REGION ZERO

*****

Chapter 1

Mystical Anomaly

The woman’s uniform was a singular, elastic garment that covered her torso, neck and head but not her limbs, shoulders or buttocks, nor the lower half of her face. Black goggles fixed to the garment covered her eyes. She was a Virgin Soldier of the Concubines of the Great Seen Unseen. Classified as a Keeper, her uniform was blue. Her particular specialty was mystical physics.

The Concubine Keeper was seated at a console and staring at a holographic globe. She spun the image with her finger, as if the thing had substance. Finding the region she sought, she tapped it and a flat image of the chosen region expanded from the globe, showing nothing but digital static. The Concubine commanded her computer, Maximize resolution. The static intensified. The Concubine tapped an edge of the image, replacing it with a photo-visual representation. Interestingly, this one showed in perfect clarity: Region Zero was a land of lush, temperate forest. The meteorological report, however, read as PENDING UPDATE. The Concubine Keeper tapped the holographic regional imaging enhancement displays into oblivion, leaving only the luminescent globe. Her fingers tapped the command, MYSTICAL FLOW. The globe was suddenly covered in multicolored light that swirled as if clouds or flowing water. Region Zero became a graying whirlpool. Priestess, the Keeper called to her superior.

The Priestess wore the same uniform as her subordinate, but hers was purple rather than blue. Coming over, she stared at the holographic globe and its display of mystical flow. Interesting, the Priestess muttered.

Indeed.

The Priestess wondered, What’s the meteorological effect?

The Keeper answered, Photo-visual shows perfect weather, however, our satellites are unable to scan a precise reading.

The Concubine in blue stared up at the Priestess, awaiting her command. The Concubine in purple thought for a long, silent moment… before deciding, I’m reporting this to Expeditionary Command.

Telluria was a world of wilderness populated by strange races. Adam, a human being, was its king and the general of its army. He was in a forest, awaiting the arrival of Drusilla, his fiancé. A small flash of light grew into a glowing ring: a portal. A woman wearing a purple body shirt and a short, white, hooded cloak was on the other side. When she stepped through, the portal closed behind her. The man greeted her with open arms, "Welcome back to my neck of the woods."

Thank you.

The man pulled the woman’s hood back, startling her. She was bald (but had eyebrows) and her irises eerily white. Adam insisted, Stop hiding under that damn thing.

Adam, it is part of my uniform.

The woman’s purple garment covered her torso, but left her shoulders, buttocks, arms and legs completely bare. She was barefoot. Adam told her, "Your ‘uniform’ is nothing but a cloak and a swimsuit. If you’re going to strut around showing legs and ass, then at least have the decency to keep your head naked."

The woman pulled her hood back up, as indignant as if the man had just flipped her skirt. She crossed her arms and glared at him, scolding him with silence. When he chuckled, she threatened, I shall leave if you are incapable of better manners.

Sorry.

Drusilla pulled her hood back, giving him his view of her bald head and ghostly white eyes. When he gazed into her pupils, she crossed her arms and looked away. She fidgeted, obviously uncomfortable.

Adam told Drusilla, The plant fairies gathered some fruit, nuts and berries for us. They even brought hollowed gourds filled with juice or water. Are you hungry? The woman shook her head. Adam told her, I am. Do you want to watch me eat?

Drusilla looked at Adam, telling him, Let us eat. The man waved for the woman to follow him to their meal.

Adam and Drusilla sat together under a tree next to a pond. The two humans were too busy chatting to eat much of what the plant fairies had prepared for them. Adam made comments. Drusilla giggled. The man told her, Back on Earth, this would be considered a romantic picnic.

The woman responded, As it would be back on Golgoth of old.

But not anymore.

Drusilla shook her head, reminding, My sisters are the entire population of the planet now.

Like a worldwide convent.

Drusilla thought for a moment, before agreeing, Yes. We are very much like nuns. Our society is very much like a convent.

Nuns with guns.

"Adam, most of my sisters are not soldiers. There are nigh four billion of us; most of whom are merely workers or farmers."

Nearly four billion Concubines?

Yes. Until the loss of our master, we could grow as many of ourselves as we required. I am of the Fortieth Harvest of my sisters.

Give me some seeds. I want to grow some Concubines. Drusilla rolled her eyes. Adam teased, I’d keep them busy.

Undoubtedly. Drusilla then stated, in all seriousness, Lest our master returns to us, I am of the last Harvest of my people.

Adam made no comment.

There was a long, tense moment of silence, until Drusilla admitted,