Return to Planet Rubius: Companion, #7

By Lawrence Sky

Return to planet Rubius is finally underway. with Peder, Dax, Tamara, and Zoey toegether again for rescue mission to save friends and survivors on the planet. What else is on the planet to distract them? Will the impostor/assassin fill get the chance to kill Zoey for the Benty Empire?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lawrence Sky
• Release date: Jun 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386831051

Book preview

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to acknowledge my cousin Ronald as an enormous inspiration to me in finishing my

seventh eBook.

Earth from the Moon – Photo by NASA.gov

CHAPTER 1

Quickly as Possible

IT WAS A TYPICAL SPRING morning in southwestern Alaska. Traces of snow still lingered on trees tops, and the ground was cold and hard. On a deserted university campus, three postdoctoral students and a professor dressed in white snow gear loaded up the backs of two jeeps. 

Bear Expedition Jeeps – Photo by en.wikipedia.org

ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT went into one jeep and survival gear into the other. No one spoke a word at first, and when they did speak, they were polite and cordial in low voices. After 10 minutes of packing their gear and supplies, they drove out the University’s main gate for an adventure of a lifetime; to track, capture and tag a grolar bear.

Ahead of them was 125-kilometers of historic Route 3 heading toward the southern entrance to Denali National Park.

Every now and again the sun poked through the clouds and casted long shadowy fingers on the road ahead. Patches of trees lined the two-lane road. Not many cars were out this time of the morning, so the drive was easy. Jamie, a 27-year-old female post-doc with rosy cheeks settled back in her seat. Her rusty colored hair pushed up into a bun scraped the canvas roof of the jeep. 

Pieces of their equipment nudged her in the back as she beamed a smile at nature and all its gifts.  I love this time of day in Alaska. Everything is clean and bright for kilometers. I’m glad I was chosen to take this trip with PT, offered Jamie admiring the twisting road and dense stands of pine trees lining the way with the Denali mountain range overlooking all of it. 

Road to Denali State Park – Photo by commons.wikimedia.org

What about you? she said. 

ROGER, 29 YEARS OLD and unmarried looked over at Jamie smiling and said, Yeah. This place does grow on you. But, I need this research to round out my resume. As much as I like Alaska, I need a job, and it's going to take me to the other side of the U.S. to get it. I guess, I should take it all in, while I can, he stated as sunlight washed over his face. He put on his sunglasses and smiled with Jamie under the watchful eye of Denali. 

Mt. Denali – Photo by commons.wikimedia.org

PROFESSOR RICHARD TOMLINSON or PT was a balding, bearded man. He was average height with an oily face and thick eyebrows. His broad shoulders and slender body build blurred his age of 66. Although his general appearance was quiet, he was renowned for his Zoological work with bears. Sitting beside PT on the passenger side was Donna, a 25-year-old with an athletic physique and sunburnt complexion. She had high cheekbones and a small mouth with thin lips. Most men considered her attractive. Her light brown eyes and long chocolate ponytail down the middle of her back kept her engaged in many conversations.

Both jeeps were tightly buttoned down and zipped up to keep the cold out as the sun persisted with a little warmth. Few words passed between the two vehicles until PT called out to Roger. 

Roger’s radio cackled for a moment. Don’t get too close Roger. I see ice up ahead, yelled PT. 

I see it too, shouted Roger into his jeep’s radio and continued. Jamie wants to know when we’re going to eat, PT? 

Tell her once we get to the halfway marker; until then, she can eat some snacks. 

Sorry Boss, you have the food, Roger’s voiced crackled over the radio. I have some chewing gum. She’ll be okay. He finished, smiling at Jamie. She in turn reluctantly held out her hand. 

It’s peppermint? 

Jamie persisted with her hand out, and he gave her two pieces of gum, momentarily swerving across the highway’s double yellow line to do so. 

Finally, Jamie, tall and robust with a deep voice said, Will this be your first time out tagging a bear?

Roger looked surprised at her and said, No, this will be my third. How about you?

This will be my maiden voyage. I need the experience for a Zoo position I’m trying to get, said Jamie with a round face and dark brown playful eyes. She carried a smile on her face with small kissable lips. What set her apart were her eyes always looking for something to stimulate her; overshadowing her intelligence as a highly accomplished scholar.

Do you know how to handle a drone? asked Roger a little agitated by her response.

Trust me, Roger, PT wouldn’t have picked me if I didn’t have some experience in doing something, she said with a mischief grin on her face. To be serious, I need to learn how to tag and release a bear. I understand, PT is one of the best and having his name on my resume word go a long way to getting me what I need.

Well, Jamie, you’re right, he is one of the best in the business, but this will be his first time tracking a hybrid bear. Things will be a little different, I’m sure. Remember from the meeting these hybrids can display both grizzly and polar bear behaviors. The learning curve will be steep at first. The last thing we want to do is waste our time tracking the wrong bear. 

Grizzly Bear – Photo by en.wikipedia.org

WITH A FROWN ON HER face, Jamie offered, "How will we get a lead on