Children of Jambheria: The Procestian War

By Stephen N. Jones

The glistening homeworld of the Jambherian race is not as idyllic as it seems, slowly the perfect utopia unravels as the sinister truth of this alien society comes to light.

Ferrius has revolted and his rebellion has a dark ulterior motive. Procestious is now a doomed planet!

Will Ferrius eradicate all organic life, or will he be eradicated?

Can the scientists find a way to win this war?

When advancements in android technology flourish, it soon takes a turn for the worse as their "creations" rebel and war breaks out. As the almighty race of aliens are brought to their knees, the ravaged planet leaves few places for its inhabitants to hide and escape this genocidal rampage.

Protos, the Jambherian hero, decides to take matters into his own hands, but when his experiments continue to fail, the question remains; Stay, fight and risk annihilation, or escape his devastated homeworld with the last surviving members of his race?

The future of the Children of Jambheria and the whole of the galaxy lie in the outcome of the Procestian war.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stephen N. Jones
• Release date: May 29, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370637300

Stephen N. Jones

Stephen N. Jones was born in Swansea, Wales (UK.) in 1988. He grew up in Llanelli before moving to Spain in 2001.He has always had a passion for writing, but has an even greater passion for science fiction, which began at an early age.Apart from reading and writing, he enjoys video games and sports: rugby, basketball, and soccer (football).Stephen N. Jones started writing the Children of Jambheria Universe series in 2011.He is married and has two children and two dogs.

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Children of Jambheria:

The Procestian War

By Stephen N. Jones

Copyright © 2017 by Stephen N. Jones

All Rights Reserved

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The calm before the storm

CHAPTER 2: hidden threat

chapter 3: l31l4

chapter 4: project surge

chapter 5: ascension

chapter 6: moral dilemma

chapter 7: war

chapter 8: a race divided

chapter 9: the fall of procestious

chapter 10: kelstro’s sacrifice

chapter 11: plan 19

chapter 12: a family matter

chapter 13: iron hearts

chapter 14: desperate measures

chapter 15: the duel for procestious

a note from the author

acknowledgments

about the author

Chapter 1: The Calm Before the Storm

The sun’s white rays danced across the Capital on a new day. Eight years had passed since the Elder introduced the anti-abuse laws and it seemed that the android uprising that once threatened their way of life had finally been quelled. The wind soared through the glistening white hallways of the Arteus Academy, ruffling the hair of two Jambherians who walked the halls.

They stepped onto a training field where a dozen Jambherian children stood firmly and waited for the adults to arrive. The children bowed to the two Jambherian men when they stopped in front of them. The male with short, spiky black and silver hair stepped forward and adjusted his thin-framed glasses, he cleared his throat and addressed the young cadets.

Good morning cadets, today's lesson will be about controlling your elemental power and introducing it into your fighting style. Everyone partner up and I shall demonstrate with my partner, Risuo.

That's right Veran. We will start with the basics. Summon up your element and try and strike your partner with it and in turn your partner will try to defend against your attack with his or her element, Risuo added, explaining the exercise.

The cadets paired up while Veran and Risuo faced each other to demonstrate. Sparks of electromagnetic energy crackled along Veran’s arms and then the whole of his arms were covered in it. This was thanks to the Nanoites in his bloodstream. Like the rest of his species he was gifted with the power to replicate the elements with these tiny biomechanical machines of unknown origin. He clenched his fists and rushed towards Risuo. Risuo dodged Veran's punch, and he seemed to skip backwards. Risuo gripped Veran’s hand, blocking Veran's attack by absorbing the energy. Risuo's leg shone brightly, blinding everyone around him, including Veran. Risuo roundhouse kicked Veran in the face, and knocked him across the field. Veran hit the ground hard, and he rubbed his back from the pain as he stood.

Ow! That hurt! Veran shouted at Risuo, annoyed that he wasn't able to keep up the pace. The light from Risuo's leg dissipated and he turned to the group of amazed cadets.

And that is why you should always try and defend with your element. It gives you an advantage in battle, Risuo explained as Veran dusted himself off. Veran punched Risuo hard on the shoulder and Risuo chuckled.

The cadets stared at them and hung on their every word. Veran waved his hand and signaled that the class had begun. The cadets started hitting one another with their elemental abilities, while Veran and Risuo watched. They took notes on the cadets who excelled at the exercise and jotted down their evaluations, half an hour passed and Veran ended the lesson. He walked among the cadets and clapped his hands. Great work guys. I really liked some of your performances. This lesson will affect your grades, he said then he dismissed the class.

The cadets grabbed their backpacks, and left the training field in single file. Veran and Risuo returned to the main building of the Arteus Academy and as they did Veran broke the silence. Did you hear about the update on the abuse law the Elder passed a couple days ago?

Yes, as a matter of fact I was there. I accompanied him to the chambers. Why do you ask? They turned a corner into the main lobby of the academy.

Do you remember when you were a mere scribe and you almost freaked out when the Elder asked you to break into the records room? Do you think that he's preparing you to succeed him? Veran did his best to hide his excitement.

Well I did sort of hint to him about passing the android anti-abuse laws when I sifted through the reports. It was the best way to deter an uprising, and, well, after that he took me under his wing. He's been taking me with him to all of the official council meetings. They exited the academy and walked down the bustling street. They stopped at a corner a few moments later.

Well I better be getting back; I have to train the elite squadron of the Jambherian special forces, Veran said. He sighed in exhaustion and shook Risuo's hand.

And I have to go back to the chamber to help the Elder sort out the final part of the contingency plan, Risuo said. He still had many tasks to complete before the day was done.

OK, well good luck with that, ha, ha, Veran responded with a chuckle.

They broke off their handshake and went their separate ways.

It took ten minutes for Risuo to reach the glass chamber. He walked up the clean white stairway and pushed open the large opaque glass doors. They scraped the marble floor. Risuo stepped inside and as he did heard someone's voice ring throughout the chamber. All the council members from every Procestian state around the planet were attending this meeting. Risuo finally reached the top of the stairs and sat next to the Elder, who welcomed his presence with a stroke of his long white beard. Glad you could join us, Risuo, The Elder said, patting him on the back as he got into his seat.

What is going on my lord? I thought the meeting was starting now, Risuo asked, feeling slightly out of place.

We were about to get started, when Protos stormed in requesting a hearing, The Elder answered, eager to carry on listening to Protos' proposal.

Protos stood tall in the middle of the chamber. The sun’s rays hit his deep blue full body armor, which reminded Risuo of the ocean. Protos’ muscular body rolled with every movement he made while he spoke. His heterochromic irises glimmered with excitement as he explained his discovery to the council. Members of the council, our scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery, a discovery that can aid us in future battles and secure the safety of our people, he said as he scratched his short black hair.

Get on with it Protos, one of the council members moaned. Protos could sense that the council's patience was wearing thin so he cut straight to the point of his presentation.

Dr. Kervain has found a way to amplify the power of the Nanoites, making them more versatile, more powerful. Essentially, we can create super soldiers just by modifying the Nanoites in our DNA. Theoretically the subject who has had his DNA modified, can manipulate all of the elements, making him virtually invincible, Protos explained.

The council seemed unsettled by what Protos was saying, but The Elder hushed them with a wave of his hand. Manipulating DNA? Creating super soldiers? This all seems a little farfetched Protos. You're going to have to elaborate, my child, The Elder said firmly.

Protos' face was suddenly full of worry as he revealed the real reason behind his presentation, My lord, ever since Raskan Corp. was shut down for equipping their androids with weaponry using tiny digitally constructed modules and then testing these modifications without the council’s authorization, the androids that we thought were decommissioned have been sighted on the outskirts of the city. Protos spoke with complete seriousness.

The council members stopped mumbling and silence fell across the chamber. The Elder stared at Protos, waiting for him to finish his explanation. Yes, my Lord, we have had reports of these strange sightings. At night they appear from the scrap heaps that are waiting to be vaporized and disappear. They seem to be heading somewhere outside of the city. Protos continued. We still don't know where they are going, or why they are doing this, but it can only spell trouble, my Lord. Each bit of information added to the council's worries.

Could it be that the anti-abuse laws are not enough to prevent an uprising? The Elder muttered. He pondered the possibility that the androids were planning to retaliate and that troubled him. Protos urged the Elder to authorize his plan to modify the Nanoites,

My Lord, now is the time to act. Now is the time to prepare ourselves for the inevitable. It seems that the androids have been planning and preparing for years and we have done nothing but sit idly by. I beg of you, my Lord. Give us the go-ahead on our plans to prepare our people for—dare I say it—war.

The Elder brought his hand to his flowing white beard and gave Protos' proposal one last thought. He looked around the chamber at his fellow council members and raised the question, All those in favor of approving Protos' counter-measures?

AYE! they all responded. Their voices rang through the chamber and Protos smiled as he watched the authorization appear on his forearm bracelet.

Thank you all. I shall begin at once. Protos knelt in gratitude.

As the Elder and Risuo watched Protos leave, the Elder stroked on his beard again. Do you really believe what he said? Risuo asked.

Protos is a decorated warrior and head of security. He has witnessed the horrors of war and the desolation it brings. I completely trust his judgment; however, what worries me is this plan to modify Nanoites, the Elder answered.

But in time you will learn to trust the judgment of your most loyal subjects, Risuo, The Elder lectured as he got up from his chair and walked out.

He stood outside of the chamber and with a touch of his bracelet he summoned his official vehicle to come and pick him up, it arrived a few seconds later and its clunky black chassis appeared around the corner. It hovered a few meters off the ground as it placed itself in front of the Elder, its plasma propulsors hummed idly and a door on the side of it opened up and the Elder got in. He sat down in one of the seats and felt the touch of the exotic fabric that lined them, he told his driver to take him back to the mansion and the driver nodded in response.

The vehicle’s propulsors turned vertically on their axis’ and it sped off down the street and back towards the mansion, the Elder looked out of the tinted glass window and pondered on the meeting, as he watched his subjects scramble about the busy streets going about their business. Could it be that the anti-abuse laws weren’t enough? These mysterious midnight sightings of the Raskan Corp. decommissioned androids worried him deeply. Could it be that even though he had given the order years ago to shut down Raskan Corp. for violating the android production laws and betrayed his council and himself, were these androids not entirely decommissioned, but simply left dormant? Could it be that the abuse cases were raising and not falling even though the perpetrators served a punishment worse than death?

All of these worries were eating at the Elder’s mind as he arrived back at his magnificent mansion, his haven, a place where he could reevaluate the situation that had constantly been on his mind for the last eight years.

Countless times since the report of the first death at the hands of a Raskan Corp. android came to him, he has convinced the public that there was nothing to be afraid of, that the situation was under control as well as the androids, measures had been taken to prevent an uprising. But something didn’t sit well with him, he knew something was wrong and that it was just a matter of time before the utopia that he had worked so hard to build could be destroyed.

The Elder stepped through the thick Procestian oak doors and was greeted by his silicone servants, one of them took his long white official robe off and he was left in his casual wear that was underneath. Another female android greeted the Elder and bowed at him, she then brought her master up to speed on the issues of his domain. The Elder listened closely to his assistant as they walked down the corridors of his mansion and as they headed towards his study, the Elder watched his servants scurry around cleaning and maintaining his mansion, he saw the old androids taking care of his beautiful digital artwork.

He noticed that one of the androids was one of the first models and could see that he had no hair only metal hatches covered his cranium and this android turned to look at him, the Elder could see that a large black bar-code was stamped on his forehead, but the android quickly returned to what he was doing. Moments later he waved his assistant off once they had reached the study’s magnificent Procestian oak doors with Jambherian crests of honor carved into them, but before she could leave, the Elder took one last look at her. He griped her arm tightly and stared at her. The female android was startled by the Elder.

What are you doing my lord? She yelled in shock.

He still couldn’t believe how well-crafted these androids were, the only difference was that their silicone skin didn’t cover their joints and they had soft glowing conduits under their skin, the ionized gel being pumped through their bodies to power and cool their internal systems. The Elder realized that he was hurting his assistant and quickly let go of her.

I’m sorry my dear, I was carried away by my thoughts. The Elder apologized.

He opened the doors to his study and sat down in his gel-filled chair that hovered a few centimeters off the floor, he waved his hand across the glass table and a holographic screen and keyboard appeared from the nothingness. The Elder tapped away on the translucent keys and suddenly his screen was filled with notifications of new abuse reports from the Jambherian guard, he sighed and stroked his white beard as he read through them. The reports asked for his authorization to punish the culprits involved and the Elder read through their files, he brought his