Asgard

By J.A. Dalley

Hit ’Em Hard!
Join the Solar Marines!

Humanity has finally been united under the banner of the Presidential Council. But now Almek Manning and the rest of the Four Species Alliance must focus on the Draconian threat.

One of the Draconians’ most powerful capital ships, a Black Ax, appears above the skies of Earth and demands a duel, coupled with the threat of human annihilation. A duel between the Draconian fighter ace and war hero, Talon One, and a human pilot of Earth’s choosing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.A. Dalley
• Release date: Dec 24, 2014

J.A. Dalley

A native Texan, I started writing stories at age twelve and have continued to love creative writing. I attended Richland Collegiate High School and earned an associate’s degree in general science in parallel with a high school diploma. I’ve been reading science fiction ever since being introduced to Robert Heinlein’s classic military sci-fi book, Starship Troopers, at age 10. Personal interests have included scouting (Eagle Scout) and Tae Kwon Do (Black Belt). I just recently published a science fiction novel The Zochtil, which is the first book in the Almek Manning Series. Four more books are planned in this series, with the next book being Starwarden.

Book preview

Asgard

Almek Manning Book 4

By J.A. Dalley

This book and parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means–electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise–without prior written permission of the author, expect as provided by the United States of America copyright law.

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to others. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed herein are fictitious and any resemblance to real people and events is purely coincidental. Any non-fictional trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

This is a work of J.A. Dalley

http://www.almekmanning.com

Published by James Dalley at Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, and Goodreads.

Copyright © 2014 by James Andrew Dalley

Cover Art by Graphicz X Designs

ISBN: 978-0-9858049-6-1

Books in the Almek Manning Series

The Zochtil

Starwarden

Caledonian Cabal

Asgard

Book 5*

*Forthcoming

To Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic

For striving to make commercial space flight a reality

PRAISE FOR THE ZOCHTIL

"We have aliens from both sides of the fence. What I mean by this is that we don’t have aliens that are all against us, and we don’t have aliens that are all for us, and in some cases we have aliens that are more or less neutral…

The characters in this book are very well-formed, you feel an attachment to each one of them, and when one of them fails or is killed you feel the sadness with or for them. In addition to well formed characters the storyline was well written, I found it quite exciting, and I enjoyed the fast-paced action scenes, as well as some of the more average training in day-to-day activities scenes.

~Matt McIntosh

SciFiFX.com

As a big fan of science fiction I found The Zochtil to be a great story and an enjoyable read. The depth of the characters and the pace of the story keeps the reader engrossed and wanting to know what happens next. Packed with action and plenty of sci-fi elements, J.A. Dalley creates a universe that draws you in and makes you feel as if you are right there with the characters. The Zochtil is the first book in the series and I for one can’t wait to read the next books to come.

~James Freeland

Author of Star Catcher

I was enthralled by the story … A wonderful story for young and old.

~Ted Guglielmo

Goodreads.com

I cannot wait to read the next story.

~Justin

Goodreads.com

Part 1

The Duel

Chapter 1

The Challenge

General quarters! General quarters! All personnel to battle stations! General quarters! the boatswain’s mate of the watch repeated the call.

I’d been enjoying an amazing dinner with my girlfriend, Captain Lauren Cestari, but now duty called and, as captain of the ship, I was never off duty.

Looks like we have to cut this short, I said, as I threw on my uniform jacket and opened the hatch.

I’ve got a ship to tend to also, Lauren said, grabbing her own jacket on the way out. Lauren was captain of Tesla Three, one of the Fleet’s EMP Grapeshot Frigates.

We parted ways when she headed to the quarterdeck and I rushed to the bridge. I instinctively opened up a link, via my cranial implant, with my executive officer.

What’s going on up there? I asked her.

We’ve got a ripple in the seventh dimension, Jenny Kade responded. But it’s been a long time since I was your XO, Almek.

Sorry, I said. Old habits.

Jenny had been a friend of mine since we were teenagers on the streets of the London Proper Detention Facility. After that, she had been the executive officer of my ship, the Starwarden. It had now been more than a year since she’d been given her own command but, with my adrenaline pumping from the clang of the general quarters alarm, I’d automatically reached out to her instead of my new XO. I ended the link and opened another one.

Do we have any news on the ripple? I asked Jessica Dale, my current XO.

No, sir, Jessica said. No flight plan was filed, and it’s a large ripple.

Well, hopefully it’s just a free trader. I’ll be on the bridge shortly. Ending link.

I was good friends with the leader of the Free Trader Coalition, so I decided to ask him.

Dan, I asked. Is there a Free Trader inbound?

No, Dan Ellis said. Not unless one of the colony runs went south. No one is supposed to be here besides me for the next two weeks.

Thanks. You might want to get your ship out of harm’s way.

Thanks for your concern, Dan said. I’ll jump out shortly.

Captain’s on the bridge! the boatswain shouted, as I stepped out of the lift.

Anything new? I asked the OOD.

Lieutenant Jade Robins was the officer of the deck during general quarters. She looked up from her station.

Yes, sir, she said. We just got data back from our seventh-dimensional receiver. The ship isn’t coming in on it.

I swore. So, they’re using a puncher? I asked.

Yes, sir, Jade said. They have to be using one.

Seventh-dimensional transfers were the most efficient and cheapest means of traveling between the stars, but there was just one problem with them. The cheapest way to travel using the seventh dimension was to have a receiver in the system you were jumping to. If you didn’t have the code to that system’s receiver, you couldn’t jump in, unless you had a puncher. Punchers were extremely expensive and were only used on warships or scout ships. If a ship was equipped with a puncher, it could punch its way out of the seventh dimension into any system, without the use of a receiver. That meant there was a good chance we would be looking at a warship in a few moments.

And no Passerine vessel would be using a puncher here, one of my other XOs, Drumair, said, as she settled into her chair.

I quickly glanced over at her. Drumair was a Passerine, one of our allies. The Passerines towered over Humans at an average of seven and a half feet tall, and their wings easily added another foot to that height. They had elfin features, pointed ears, youthful faces, and great feathery wings.

It obviously isn’t a Canid ship, Ardent said, as he entered the bridge. Ardent was my other XO. He represented the Canid crewmembers aboard my ship. The Canids were a dog-like humanoid species and one of our best allies. Unfortunately, there weren’t many of them left. The Draconians had tried to eliminate all of them, but their ruler, High Alpha Sonnel, had managed to escape with a crew of a couple hundred and had sought refuge in Sol System.

I was the commander of the Starwarden, the flagship for the Four Species Alliance. As such, my ship was run a little differently than other ships. I had three executive officers, one for each of the three species that served aboard my ship.

That only leaves one option, I said. It has to be the Draconians.

The Draconians had been an enemy of humanity ever since I was young. I’d been on humanity's first successful faster-than-light spacecraft. My father was the captain, and we were on a mission to colonize a new world. However, the Draconians stopped us dead in our tracks. They’d been patrolling the border of Sol System to stop us from leaving. Many years later, we finally defeated the blockade force, and now it appeared that the Draconians were returning to avenge their fallen comrades.

Has Captain Cestari cleared the quarterdeck? I asked.

Yes, sir, the boatswain’s mate replied.

Jade, commence undock.

Roger, commencing undock.

Captain! my communications officer and chaplain, Emily Connaley, shouted from her station. The Sky Marshal is contacting the fleet.

I nodded and sat down in the captain’s chair. I quickly flipped up my soundproof field and joined the channel. The face of Sky Marshal Michaela Cestari, the commanding officer of the Solar Fleet and the Solar Marines as well as being my girlfriend’s mom, appeared in the holodisplay.

"All ships form up on the Starwarden. Formation delta four, she ordered. It looks like the Dracs are coming for a fight."

Ma’am, I said.

One moment, Manning, she replied. Lauren, I need you to get the grapeshot frigates ready for a fast pass.

Will do.

Cestari killed the fleet circuit then focused back on me. I want you to attack the ship as soon as it materializes. We need to have the jump on them. Is that understood?

Yes, ma’am, I said. I’m ready.

The Sky Marshal ended the conversation, and I dropped the soundproof field.

Are all systems combat ready? I asked.

Yes, sir, Jade said.

The ripple is widening! a watchstander shouted.

Kris, I said, as I flipped on a circuit to the CIC.

Yes, sir.

Prepare all weapons, but wait for my command.

Yes, sir.

Jade, I have the bridge, you take the helm.

Yes, sir, Jade said, as a Petty Officer jumped away from the helm.

Jade was the best navigator in the fleet, so I wanted her at the controls.

Bring us towards the ripple, I said. I want to be on top of them when they exit.

We have one Draconian ship exiting! a watchstander shouted. Their weapons are powered down, sir.

Don’t fire! Drumair and Ardent shouted at the same time.

What? I asked, turning around to look at my two alien executive officers. Kris, prepare to fire.

Don’t fire! Drumair insisted. Then she got up and hit the fleet circuit on my chair’s arm. Everyone stand down! Stand down now!

What the hell is going on? Admiral Cestari shouted over the circuit.

You just have to trust us, Ardent said. "Do not fire!"

What is the ship doing? I asked, as I turned away from my insubordinate officers.

It’s scanning us, sir, the JOOD said.

To be more accurate it’s scanning the whole system, Jade said.

Bring us to zero relative speed with the Draconian ship, I ordered.

You need to answer me, the Sky Marshal insisted.

Look, ma’am, Drumair said. That ship is a Black Ax. There are only three of them in the whole Draconian Fleet. If they were going to attack, we would already be shrapnel.

If it’s such a deadly war machine, why isn’t it attacking us? Cestari asked.

That’s what we’d all like to know, Drumair said. But make no mistake, this is a Black Ax.

Okay, fine, but what are you recommending?

Wait, Drumair said.

We don’t need to wait any longer, Emily said. We’re receiving a communication on all frequencies.

Put it on the main holo, I instructed.

A Draconian stood in full battle garb in the middle of my bridge. His leathery wings outstretched, looking threatening.

I am the commander of the Second Royal Black Ax. I have been sent here on behalf of the Emperor. There is to be a duel to determine if Humans are worthy to join the civilized worlds of the galaxy.

Wait just one minute, I said.

I can’t get a message through, Emily said. It’s a one-way channel.

The duel shall be held in five months time. I will return with one of the Empire’s best fighter pilots. You shall also select a fighter pilot, and they will duel to the death. If your pilot wins, you shall be brought before the Emperor, and he will decide what to do with your species. However, when my pilot wins, which certainly will happen, then humanity shall be destroyed.

The message repeated, then turned off.

The broadcast stopped, sir, Emily informed me.

We’ve got a ripple forming in the seventh!

The Black Ax is charging weapons.

What? I asked. Prepare to fire.

Yes, sir.

Almek, don’t, Drumair warned.

They’ve fired something!

They just entered the seventh. The ripple is closed.

Their missiles just exploded off the starboard bow! Jade shouted.

Sir, Emily said. You need to see this.

Emily punched a few buttons, then the image in the main holo changed to a view of space. The missiles had formed the shape of a single Draconian character.

What does it mean? I asked.

It’s the Draconian word for xenocide, Ardent said softly, with a hundred-mile stare. I’ve seen that symbol before.

I turned to see my XO place a paw over his eyes. I could feel Ardent’s pain from the memories that symbol had dredged up.

They did the same to you? I asked.

They didn’t even offer a duel, Ardent said. One day a ship appeared over our planet and left that symbol in the sky. It was the start of the war that wiped out my species.

Well, we won’t let that happen again, Drumair said. The Passerines will no longer be an accomplice to the atrocities committed by the Draconian Empire.

I know, I said. We’ll stop this. Then I turned to Jessica. You have the bridge. I have a meeting to attend. Emily, let the Sky Marshal know I’m headed to Dalton Spaceways with Shey. Tell Shey to meet me in the hangar.

Sir, Emily said, smiling at me. The Sky Marshal is requesting your presence on Dalton Spaceways. However, she also wants you to bring Ardent and Drumair with you.

We’re on our way then, Drumair said, standing up.

Sir, Shey said. I can take one person over in my fighter, but I can’t take three.

Shey Hunter was one of the two greatest Human pilots I’ve worked with. She gave me a lot of attitude when she was first put under my command, but we had worked through it, and she has since become a great friend.

Well, I need to get all four of us over to Dalton Spaceways as fast as possible, I told her.

Okay, we’ll need to take the Spaceraider then, but it’ll be cramped for Drumair.

We’ll make it work. Just get the ship fired up.

Sir, yes, sir, Shey said, her thoughts dripping with sarcasm.

Would you two quit arguing, Drumair said.

How did you know? I asked.

What else do you and Shey ever do? she replied.

Touché.

***

A short and cramped ride later, the four of us walked into the standard conference room used by the Big Three. The Big Three was the term for the three main leaders of the alliance, Sky Marshal Cestari, Jack Dalton, and High Admiral Numair.

Jack Dalton was the single most powerful man alive. He had started out as a nobody but had quickly built up the largest corporation in existence. Dalton Space Industries owned many space stations and the second largest–though probably the most powerful–Human navy and had large interests on at least ten colony worlds.

High Admiral Numair commanded the Passerine navy, and he also had deep political connections. I wasn’t clear on how Passerine politics worked, but the military called a lot of the shots in their government.

There was a fourth leader of the Alliance, but, since the Canids were almost extinct, High Alpha Sonnel III of the Devellon line didn’t have as large of a role as the other leaders. Sonnel had played a key role in the creation of the Four Species Alliance, but now she spent most of her time on Branson, where the Canids were trying to revive their civilization.

First, the Sky Marshal said, standing up, you may have been correct, but what you two did was completely unacceptable. The Sky Marshal was staring down Ardent and Drumair. You seem to have picked up some of Almek’s bad habits. He may have acted in flagrant disregard of my predecessor’s orders, but I will not tolerate such behavior. I have to keep some semblance of discipline. I understand we didn’t have much time, but you should’ve consulted me before countermanding my order.

Even though I wasn’t the one being directly chewed out, I still felt the harsh sting of Cestari’s words, as she compared my executive officers’ behavior to my own. However, I couldn’t deny the accusation. I would have done the exact same thing had I been in Ardent’s or Drumair’s place, and I had done similar