Lineage: Lineage, #1

By Richard Anthony

Two different Worlds – Creating two vastly different 15-year-old female species who are thrown together in a disparate race to save loved ones and an alien World from extinction.

Cat, born an orphan and now using all of her skills to survive the streets of San Francisco, knows what she needs to personally draw on to stay alive. Alone, Cat stands and sneers at the face of danger, but is that really who she is? Or is there something hidden in Cat's inner being scratching to get out?

Anna, born a spoiled Princess of the New Spanish Empire - located in the Scorpii System 45 light years from Earth, now stows away on an Imperial New Spanish Armada flagship – whose mission it is to bring back defensive weapons from Earth to help stop a deadly invasion. Can Anna put away childish things and become a Princess of the Blood? Or have all of her years being pampered made her too soft?

What will they have to endure before either one can find answers, hope, love, family or most importantly will they be able to save Anna's People?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anthony Richards
• Release date: Nov 19, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386903840

Richard Anthony

Richard John Anthony has been a university lecturer for over 20 years with teaching focusing on operating systems, networking, distributed systems, programming and embedded systems; and he has considerable experience in curriculum design in these areas. He also works in commercial projects as a technology consultant and systems developer. Other previous roles include microprocessor technician, network manager, database administrator and senior software developer in a commercial role. This rich mix of experience gives him a good insight across all aspects of computer systems and technology, and the ability to see the big picture view as well as the low-level technology focus. He’s also an established and active researcher, having over 90 academic publications in autonomic computing, smart embedded systems and distributed systems, and currently leads a research group in autonomic computing and smart embedded systems. His research is underpinned by strong software design and developmental skills, giving a highly empirical flavor to his work.

Book preview

CHAPTER #1

"Ours is not to question the Great Command set forth by Creel; but to stridently follow His Commandments - All intelligent, life-forms must be subjugated or eradicated from the face of His Cosmos." — The last dying words spoken by the Prophet Mupacus after his sojourn into the Nekasik Wastes.

Earth, Fifteen Years Ago -

Rainy, with the wind blowing like it does at 4 A.M. on a November morning in San Francisco, a group of dark figures shift positions, as they lay in wait outside Saint Frances Memorial Hospital. Earlier inside, Angelica Caterina – a Rths Observer, gave birth to a baby girl. It was never her intention to do so, promised to a young man from childhood, Angelica couldn’t let a long ago promise dictate what her heart longed for. So, she fell in love with another Observer, secretly married and became pregnant. Six months before their daughter would be born, they left the Observation Post and stole away in the night, seeking cover from friends and foe. But, it was only short lived...

Antonio de la Vega, the husband and father in question, shape-shifted into an off-duty physician he saw leaving St, Francis; then entered the hospital through the Employee entrance in back. Went to the nearest elevator and punched in the button for the Maternity Ward. As soon as the door opened, he went in search of the employee locker room located on that floor. Locating it, he went inside, found a set of scrubs for himself and his wife and then hurriedly left.

Antonio slipped quietly into Angelica’s room, found her fast asleep, looked down at her angelic face shiny bright in the hallways lights and fell further in love with her. He smiled and gently shook her awake. Angelica opened her eyes and saw the loving gaze of her husband and now father of their baby girl looking down at her.

You’re a little late, Mi Amour, she said.

Maybe for the birth, but not for this, replied Antonio. He then placed the scrubs on the bed as Angelica sat up wide-eyed.

Are they back? she asked breathlessly.

Si, Mi Amour.

Angelica’s eyes slipped over to the small baby crib that sat next to her bed. Antonio had not noticed the crib when he entered but looked now and walked over to look down at his daughter. Snugged up in a pink blanket, she was sound asleep. She’s lovely. We did good, my love, but now we must leave, he said anxiously.

But, our baby girl, began Angelica.

Will have to stay behind, safe and sound. We’ll be back to get her. But, first escape, then when it’s safe, we’ll come back. Get into these scrubs. Andele, we must be on the move, he said.

Dressed in moments, Angelica moved over to her daughter’s bed, looked down at her, squeezed her tiny hand and murmured, Sleep well, my little Caterina, we’ll be back before you know it.

Earth, present day—

Cat always knew she was flawed, but far from imperfect. The first crack in her armor appeared on the day she was born. Hardly making a sound on November 8, at 3:35 AM, Catherina pushed herself into this life not knowing what lay ahead. That woman – as Cat used to call her - gave her life and shortly thereafter, deserted her in the hospital. Why did she leave her newborn child? Cat blamed it on the fact she had a hybrid Type 3 Von Willebrand's disease. Why face a lifetime battle, when you can dump the ‘sick’ kid on the state?

Her condition was life-threatening, if she didn't get to a hospital in time to stop any heavy bleeding – if she ever were to bleed. Life was cruel, that is if you let it. Cat, wasn't a person who let anything dictate how she lived or died. She met life straight on, grinned at it with dimpled cheeks and never gave an inch. She was who she was, regardless of her condition. It didn’t set her limits, Cat did.

‘The good always dies young,' they say. Well, so do the bad, and Cat was the poster child of bad. To survive the streets of San Francisco, Cat had to become a thief. If she needed something, she stole it. End of story. Her only source of money; Fast Eddy, the fence she used who gave her ten cents on the dollar for most everything she stole. The City was All-You-Can-Steal buffet with rich people's stuff and Cat felt entitled to it.

The City - that was San Francisco's nickname and Cat was Catherina's nickname. Her name was the only thing her birth mother gave her. After she ran off, an employee from the state, probably a forgotten Flower Child from the 60's, tagged her with Stevens for her last name.  Like the world needed another Cat Stevens.

Welcome to the Golden State! Now shut up, sit there and stop crying – life is tough kid, get used to it. And she did. She grew up, learned and adjusted.

Cat's second crack appeared when prospective parents realized she came with a large Medic Alert sign wrapped around her tiny, neck. It didn't matter that she was ‘as cute as a bug' when they first met. After finding out about her condition, they chose another child.

When Cat reached twelve, she did what any trapped child would; she ran away. Of course, in those first years, her freedom proved short-lived. The more she ran, the longer it took the gatekeepers to find her. The last time she ran was two years ago. They didn't find her. Maybe they just stopped caring.

One of the first lessons she learned on the streets was you wised up quickly, or you died. Cat never worried because she knew any moment could be her last anyway. Type 3 Von Willebrand's would kill Cat if she suffered a deep wound. She would bleed out without an infusion of the Factor 8 solution. End of Cat and end of the line. Oddly enough, she did get some cuts and bruises when growing up, and the medical staff worked quickly to infuse her. But Cat's instincts told her the factor didn't stop the bleeding. She couldn't explain how or why she knew, but she did.

Getting off the streets was paramount for Cat's safety. She lucked out and found a rundown, unused office building, picked a lock and set up the house. She was thankful that the economy took a nosedive because it provided her with a pleasant place to squat. After finding sanctuary, she went in search of allies. Strong, smart allies, like the twins, Andrew and David Cruz. Cat named them AC & DC. They were fellow thieves and played just as hard as Cat. After ‘work,' they’d gather at a local arcade and play until closing time. They battled back and forth, but Cat always won. She was a natural at gaming and made cash on the side because of her skills.

That's how they met a few years back. She found them in the South Town Arcade on Stockton and Bush near Chinatown. Head to head, the boys tore up Terminator Salvation. So, she challenged them to a game that night. If they won, she'd go out with them. If they lost, well then, she had some work for them.

Cat used the tunnels under San Francisco's streets to get around unnoticed. In her line of work, the less of people seeing you, the better off you were. Hardly anyone knew about the tunnels, but she did, and a few well-placed manhole covers spread around town was all she needed to access her escape routes. She needed the boys to counterbalance the manholes and when they lost, they worked on it for over a month. Once done, Cat's worries of capture, vanished.

To celebrate, Cat decided to meet her new boyfriend, Jonny, for lunch. They recently have been checking out a Blues Club near Grant and Broadway, because, for some reason, the place made her feel safe. This was an unfamiliar ground for her. And ground in San Francisco usually only came one way - shaky.

* * * *

New Spanish Empire, Present Day -

History recorded that after crawling out of their planet's lower pits millions of years ago, the Rths, a highly advanced civilization, grew to be peaceful and adventurous. They were lizard-like creatures, with gray, scaly bodies and humanoid facial features. They called the Scorpii Solar System, forty-five light years from Earth, home. Inquisitive - to a fault - with a nearly insatiable thirst for knowledge, they explored the galaxy, looking out for other advanced cultures.

In their hunger for exploration, the Rths discovered Earth in our 16th century. They sent a team of observers down and found the population teeming with intelligence. Being shape-shifters, the Rths assumed human form. With their discovery, an unexpected sense of excitement took over. Finding Earth's Humans was just the start. They wanted to study them. So, they set up observation posts and analyzed Earth's population; and stayed.

The Rths' Empire, delighted with 16th-century Spanish culture, replicated itself into an exact copy within a few years. So, when the Deintus, a warrior race started attacking Empire outposts, the Rths looked toward Earth for help. Being explorers, the Rths were not warlike. But years of studying humanity told them that Earth held the key to their survival. They just never imagined that one of those elements was with a teenage girl by the name of Cat...

****

At the very same time Cat Stevens headed to lunch along Terrace Street, light years away a Princess drops to her knees outside the door to her royal chambers. Her gown, a pool of navy satin surrounded her, as she cried out to her personal drone, Alphina.

Drones such as Alphina, - (also known as K17's,) - were abundant in Anna's world. Their functions were problem-solving, being a personal assistant and companion. They have no legs, and; therefore, hover on repellors. Their anatomical features resemble their makers, but their over-skin had a waxy quality and emitted a slight sheen. Although they are machines, their large, pale eyes exude intelligence.

Instead of hair, a row of lights shows their thought processes, set low over their brow, it circled their head. Their torso tapered to a rounded bottom and featured rows of lights that flashed blue when all was well or red when danger was imminent.

It's starting again, Anna cried out in pain. I can feel them! She clutched her head in anguish. Alphina hovered nearby— only able to click and beep as she calculated a solution to her charge's problem.

Anna's visions always begin with a swirling of colors before it turned black. From time to time, she was aware that they were only nightmares. However, for the last couple of weeks, the screams, death, and destruction had begun to look and feel too real. And this time she knew she was awake.

Oh, Alphina, I can see them this time!

Thus far, all Anna felt was a massive rush of emotions that sucked her down a swirling vortex, down a black well and, through a small drain at the bottom that dumped her into a vast emptiness engulfing her with its deafening silence. This time, it felt different. This time she saw a glimmer, and then a flicker of action that seized her attention in its giant-like fist and didn't let go. In that frozen sliver of time, Anna experienced the horrid death of hundreds, – no - thousands of her people crying out in terror and anguish. As a candle's flame quickly snuffed out, so too were their lives, leaving an abyss of silence, of stillness, of death.

There are four Deintus ships, Alphina. They have found our colonies and are closing in on their target. Their Battlefleet is zeroing in on a defenseless outpost on the outer fringes of the Altair system. My God, the attacking ships are a vanguard of Class 2 Marauders. I can see it, but who would believe me?

The advance unencumbered by the outpost's futile defenses systematically tore into the colony. Anna's inner mind's eye watched as two more Marauder cruisers peel off to the left and launched a full spread of atomics at the useless defensive screens. The atomics crumpled the paper-thin barrier and burrow a crater a mile and a half across the landscape. The unexpected attack completely obliterated a third of the outpost in one massive blow.

Following that, more Marauders launched a series of orbital platforms that spewed out dozens of smaller missiles. They detonated a quarter of a mile above the outpost. Their deadly payloads consisted of dirty atomic waste that quickly mushroomed into the upper atmosphere, corrupting it. The invisible toxins fell ever so slowly upon the survivors, killing them slowly over a period of excruciating minutes. Anna bends over as the pain funneled through her, suffering each hideous death.

As if by some