Orta: Engine of Creation, #5

By Frank Carey

The Orta, one of the founding member species of the League, may not be what they seem.

Gabe Adon and his family must stop a mad scientist from destroying one of the League's founding planets. Whether they're fuzzy Orta or Fire Demons, can Gabe survive long enough to save them?

If you like tech-heavy sci-fi, relatable characters, and stories of family and redemption, you'll love the fifth book in Frank Carey's Engine of Creation series. 67 pages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Frank Carey
• Release date: Apr 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386525028

Frank Carey

Frank Carey has been formally writing and publishing works of science fiction since late 2013. Over the years prior, he had dabbled in various forms of writing including haiku poetry, but that all changed when he and his wife, Jo, decided to try their hand at writing and self-publishing. Since then, he has written and published a collection of flash fiction and short stories, two anthologies, a pentalogy, and a trilogy. All his work, to date, has been in the science fiction genre. Most of his stories take place about two centuries in the future when Earth joins the League of Planetary Systems. Many of his protagonists are strong females. He is an inveterate pantser who believes the story will go where the story wants to go. Frank’s background includes degrees in physics and extensive work as a scientific programmer and technologist.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Earth, not long after the destruction of the planet known as Destiny...

Daddy, read me a story, 4-year-old Saffron asked Gabe as he finished tucking her into bed. He looked over at his other daughter, 9-year-old Rista, and saw she was fast asleep.

Sure, Punkin. Which one would you like to hear?

The one about the spaceship that saved the planet, she replied.

He sat back and told the tale of the League Transport Vessel Ascendant, and its crew, Pilot Jason Thurgood, Co-pilot Natalie Markle, Navigator Carla Dael Rey, and Dr. Nebulon Blyst, the ship’s historian and security officer. Sent by Cube Director Ciara Devlin to a remote space station, they must solve the riddle of an ancient treasure chest before it’s too late.

Saffron was soon asleep, her little hands clutching her favorite stuffed spaceship. He leaned over his little girl and kissed the top of her head before turning off the light and quietly exiting the room.

###

Present day...

Zoe's scientists stared at the artifact while their scanners went berserk over the readings they were getting. Zoe and four strykers ran in after getting a panic call from all ten of the boffins she had sent into the cavern.

What's wrong, she yelled as no one in the room even noticed her arrival.

The lead scientist pointed at the artifact, but said nothing.

OK, it's an artifact. So, what?

He handed her his scanner, then reached over and activated it. Look at the isotopic dating, he said.

She looked, then looked again. Is that possible?

He shook his head. We made a ten-minute recording of the images being displayed and correlated them to the readings. We then checked the League database and have concluded that the readings are correct. What you see violates several physical laws, and in doing so, rewrites our understanding of science.

You found a temporal gateway!

He nodded.

How do we control it?

He shrugged. The real question is: do we want to?

Oh, yes, we want very much to control it. I have a particular use for it. She turned to the other scientists. Figure it out! You have 24-hours! She turned on her heel and stormed out of the cave.

One of the scientists yelled after the departing strykers, Could you just kill us now?

He continued out of the cave while ignoring her plea.

A girl has to try, doesn't she?

###

Detective Chief Inspector Gabriel Adon listened to the museum's Director of Antiquities finish his speech while his daughter, Patrol Officer Rista Adon stood nearby, her ears swiveling about as they tracked every sound. He was amazed at how much she resembled her mother, Commissioner Priscilla Kitra-Adon, right down to the striping on the tail.

And now, without further ado, I would like to introduce our guest of honor, DCI Gabriel Adon of Earth Security. DCI Adon?

Gabe walked up to the podium and looked around the crowd. Hello everyone. Just to let you all know, I've already seen the exhibit, and I must say it looks just like the New York I lived in almost three hundred years ago. I think you'll love it as much as I do. How about I shut up and let you all in to see the real star of this show.

He walked over to where several dignitaries stood, and using a pair of giant, ceremonial scissors, he cut a huge red ribbon, opening the exhibit for the reporters and dignitaries. Once they were finished, the public would we welcomed.

###

Gabe stood off to the side and stared at his past. DCI Adon, you look like you've seen a ghost.

He turned and saw a human woman in an OffSec dress uniform, her nametag declaring Markle while her eyes were fire, literally. Agent Markle, what brings you to Earth? he asked while marveling at the technology required to insulate an 800-degree Celsius Orta from a 20-degree Celsius room.

She walked over to stand next to him. It’s Ambassador now. I was in town and heard about the exhibit opening. So, why is this 'Car' so interesting?

Congratulations are in order, at least I hope they are, He said as he shook her hand. He turned back to the car and said, Her name is Nadine, and I died in her.

Natalie looked at the information plate on the hood. Wow. OK, I understand... I think. She looked up and saw a set of steps leading up to what is now called Precinct One. I assume that's where you worked?

"I worked there and several other locations in the city when I wasn't part of