Venera's Fall: Venera's Fall, #2

By Anthony Halen

I am the rebel queen and I have promised to restore what once was, in exchange for their loyalty, and I expect them to lay down their lives for the cause. But whose cause - theirs or mine? - Rebel Queen

 

My advisers misunderstand me, and my daughter is beginning to hate me, but I know what's best for this world and my family. I care for my people, but I will not tolerate anyone challenging my position on the throne, while I negotiate ways to gather the resources I need from other worlds.I am actively searching for my son's killer; perhaps her friend that I have locked in my dungeon can shed some light on her whereabouts" - Queen Aya

 

After the alien invasion, Evan and I set out to the planet ION to rescue our captured people and find my mother, who was abducted when I was a kid. This planet is desolate, and the plant life is dying, but something lurks in the shadows. Their teeth are razor sharp, with nails that can easily make short work of a tree trunk. Nothing will stop me from finding my mother and saving our people; I hope. - Revelle

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anthony Halen
• Release date: Mar 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386106371

Anthony Halen

Anthony has loved writing since the age of 15; he’s often found daydreaming at work about a new scene he wants to write in his book or excited about a new character, writing is when he feels alive!!. Check out his debut novella; Venera’s fall and subscribe to his mailing list for updates on his new book in the series coming soon. Connect with him @[e-mail]. Hope you enjoy the series.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Planet Sirsa

Aiken

Smoke and fire rose from the houses and filled the air; civilians ran for cover as my golden army laid siege to the planet and the people. I looked on from my ship as a pod with a gigantic mechanical drill attached to the bottom of it fell to the surface of Sirsa and began to penetrate the soil, aggressively digging to the planet’s core to seize valuable resources from them. This planet is known to have small deposits of gypsum we need for our world while being controlled by a soldier he marveled at the giant crater-sized hole.

The soldier controlling the pod marveled at the giant crater-sized hole, thousands and thousands of corpses laid in a pile on top of one another. They were a peaceful people, and defenseless; their kindness and understanding made sure they were not a target to anyone for anything but this was a matter of life and death, and we needed what they had. The union admired them but felt no need to accept them because they had no enemies and therefore, they had no need for protection, which also made them an easy target for us to invade.

KURLAND

SIRSA

CATHEDRAL

MOMMY I’M SCARED, my daughter said squeezing her mothers’ arm; my family huddled up in the corner of the cathedral as we heard crashing, screams and gunfire taking place just outside the giant cast iron doors. I stood up from hovering over my family acting as a shield where are you going, daddy? My daughter whispered as I turned around towards her placing my index finger on my lips signaling for her to be quiet. I looked towards my son who was shivering in terror, I flashed him a forced grin and continued to walk to the window, I bent down just under the window sill slowly raising my head to catch a glimpse of the carnage outside. I looked over at my family they’ve gone away, we should make a run for it I have a ship that I keep for emergencies I whispered, my daughter ran to me, throwing herself into my arms; I hugged her tightly.  I rose to my feet picking my daughter up with me, my son and wife stood up as well and walked over to us. I reached for the big door handle ring and slowly pulled it; smoke crept in through the cracks of the door into the cathedral, the smell of gunfire and burnt flesh filled the air. I placed one hand behind me signaling for my family to stay behind me as we sauntered, we all took a step outside the front doors witnessing the rising fires from the burning buildings and

al the dead bodies. Before we could take another step, three soldiers hiding behind a near-by bush popped out, and suddenly we began to walk backward as if we were in reverse. My family and I moved backward deep into the cathedral from which we came. Please, don’t hurt my family, I said pleading to the soldier in front, his lizard looking face was aged and green as if stress had taken over him, I dropped to my knees with his family crouching behind me, I put my hands together as if I were praying.

AIKEN

SIRSA

CATHEDRAL

I looked down at the man as he begged for his families life; I couldn’t help but feel pity for them, but I have my orders. I took an oath before the queen when I was appointed to general of the golden army to do what is necessary and to follow all laws of the throne; my morals have no place here. Is it only your family you care about and not the rest of your people? I asked looking at the man’s family with a cold stare. I care about all my people, but I can't save everyone Kurland answered desperately then why lord Kurland of Sirsa, have you been held up in here for the past 4 days with your family while my army slaughters your people? I asked intensely. "We have been nothing but kind to Venera and queen Aya; we don’t

deserve this Kurland demanded you destroyed our world, killed our people and stolen our resources so please just spare my family Kurland pleaded part of me wanted to do what he said, but that’s not what I was told to do. I reached for the blaster on my side of course I’ll spare your family I said locking eyes with Kurland, the family screamed in terror. But I won't spare you, I said pointing the weapon at him, my hand shook slightly as I placed my index finger on the trigger. Then pulling it shooting Kurland in the chest, he fell to the ground like a tree that had been chopped down. Screams echoed the cathedral Kurland’s wife threw herself on top of his dead body and began to sob uncontrollably. She raised her head to look at my men and me; tears cascaded down her cheeks, what do you want from us? Kurland’s wife screamed. I looked down at her emotionless as I could I’m sorry I said. She stopped crying; her children clinging to her clothing Just leave!! she yelled, the children stared at me with fear "it's not personal, I’m just following orders I said shooting the mother and then her two kids in the head. I turned around and walked out of the Cathedral coming face to face with the giant machine as it continued to penetrate the core of the planet, it stopped not long after hitting the center, a few soldiers jumped into the hole with one holding a small glass canister in his hand.

CHAPTER 2

Frontline Planet

Sgt. Briggs

Our all-white spacecraft landed, and the door opened me, and the rest of my team approached the entrance of the ship, we are all heavily armed. Death and destruction surrounded us; what was left of the houses and buildings settled from the fires that had engulfed them. I have never taken part in a mission like this before, I have never left earth before, we were briefed on the mission before we left, and I couldn’t believe that an alien race had invaded this place. I removed my helmet, and so did my team, and we began breathing in the air what a mess? The captain said pouring water on his face from the water bottle he was drinking from inside the ship and then tossing what remained onto the ground. I looked up and saw a more massive Ship as it began to descend onto the surface of the planet, its purpose was to take the dead bodies back to earth because the law had not been passed yet for the dead to be buried on this small planet. We got into a low ready position and  began to scout the base, pairing off into small groups; we begun our search, group F began collecting the dead bodies of the locals, group s started collecting just a few bodies of soldiers from the opposing army, and my group; group x continued searching for survivors. We entered the main building stepping in through

the broken glass door, we went room by room with our guns in ready position, the building was in complete silence except for the shattered glass we keep stepping on. Clear the captain yelled as we continued to move slowly past rooms, after combing over the entire building we walked out and made out way down the road continuing our search, cars were turned over, and electrical lines were downed. The sound of a distant groan caused me to whip my head around, off in the distance I spotted a golden army spacecraft that had been shot down during the invasion; the nose barely visible amongst a pile of rubble from a nearby fallen wall. I veered off from the others, strolling toward it slowly, with my gun raised. Behind me, my team followed. I kept a wary eye on our surroundings as we neared, in case this was an ambush. I removed the glass cover of the ship while my team stood on guard behind me, once I got it off I scanned the inside but it was empty, the moans continued as we continued our search around the craft until we realized that the sounds were coming from underneath it. We began to count down and then together pushed the spacecraft off of the person, It was a civilian, I stretched my hand out for the man to grab it so I could help him up, he grunted and was severely injured but was able to raise his hand out. Before I could grab hold of his hand to help him up, the captain pushed the man’s hand down with sudden force, I looked at the captain with dismay; he pointed his gun at the wounded man and shot him in the head, why the fuck did you do that for? I yelled pushing the captain in a rage, the other team members quickly got in between us creating space. That was one of ours, I said as I continued to push my way through the others trying to get to the captain, he seemed unbothered by my outburst don’t you get it? the captain asked.  I stopped and stared at him trying to calm myself down. You know that’s what had to be done, we can’t have people back home knowing what happened here they will be hysterical the captain yelled. I have my orders, and they are above your pay grade, but just this once let me fill you in on what they are there was an emptiness in his eyes. Judging by what I just saw him do, I could tell he had no regard for life, or maybe he was just a damn good soldier, and that’s why he rose through the ranks; you have to a very low moral compass to get to where he is no witness’s he said arrogantly. I didn’t like it, but he was right, there is nothing more important than the mission. We continued finally approaching ground zero just outside one of the main buildings, scores of bodies lay on the ground along with metal folding chairs and a turned over stage. I have never seen such a massacre before, a part of me wanted to break down, but I didn’t, I studied the bodies in disbelief, why did this happen, how do you live with yourself after giving an order like this?  I thought to myself as I took in the carnage of the scene. There was a rattle amongst the destruction as if someone was trying to get out from under the rubble, but this time I didn’t go towards the noise, I knew what was going to happen, and I didn’t want to witness it up close again. Briggs, be alert, the captain said to me as he and the rest of the team walked over ready to kill whoever or whatever it was; I began to walk once I noticed the person trying to get up was wearing an all gold uniform. We stopped and pointed our guns at him, he reached for the laser rifle that lay next to him,  he was near death, but all he could think of was reaching for that gun. Suddenly a shot was fired at us coming from another direction hitting the captain in the chest, he fell to the ground shots fired yelled one the team members. Man down, we're taking fire!! I yelled as we took cover behind an overturned Humvee, three golden army members continued firing at us as they emerged from the rubble as if they were zombies climbing out of their graves. I looked over at the captain but he was non-responsive, he laid on his back with his arms spread out at each side of him and blood dripping out of his mouth. Three of us remained after the captain died, we stuck our guns out from the behind the vehicle and shooting at the soldiers, they are not taking cover a team member yelled, that’s perfect for us I thought as I let off a few more shots. Bullets continued to hit them, but they just kept walking and shooting as the firefight continued as one of the team members got shot in the stomach, he fell to the ground clutching his stomach. I reached for a grenade from my hip, pulled the clip and threw it, it landed right in front of the soldiers and exploded detaching their limbs from their bodies. I took a sigh in relief before me, and the others ran over