Love Island Two - Liberation: Love Island Two Scify/Fantasy Series, #2

By Stephen Greenhalgh

The New World Order, now threatened by Love Island Command, hold the world to ransom with nuclear weapons. Will Admiral Emily and her teams find a way to thwart the Supreme Leader and his now Possessed Generals, all the while dodging assassination attempts?

Follow Admiral Emily as her forces venture further into space and meet new friends and foes in their attempts to stop the Chorans reaching Earth again.

For people who forgot about the box completely.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stephen Greenhalgh
• Release date: Sep 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393840282

Book preview

CHAPTER 1:

Joseph Kull stirred in his cryo-stasis pod. His thoughts swam as he tried to push, through the cryo induced disorientation, the open button on the plexi glass pad next to him. The door slid open and he fell forwards into the isle between the cases gasping for breath. He spewed his last meal over the floor. He knew he shouldn’t have eaten before his stasis, which felt like only a few moments ago, but he was never able to turn down a cheese burger and there was no guarantee they would find a suitable bovine replacement on the new planet. His attention was taken back to the feel of the low gravity as he wiped a bare arm across his mouth to get rid of the bile that clung to his lips. If things had gone according to plan then one of his sergeants should have been there to give him a mug of coffee when he awoke as he had instructed. Though to be fair, he really didn’t have the stomach for it now. There should also have been more gravity in the perfect situation described in the briefings he had received. Alarm bells began to ring in his mind. He stood and lifted the dressing gown off the hook next to his pod and covered his goose pimpled nudeness. He stopped tying the sash and looked into the stasis pod next to his, for a moment he thought it was empty, and then he looked down and stepped back in shock.

The pod had contained his best sergeant, it still did, but the figure was dead, his flesh mummified by the years in a vacuum sealed pod. Joseph Kull began looking around at the other pods, he found more and more broken pods with mummified corpses inside, until after around half an hour of walking and climbing through the halls of people he finally found pods that were still powered up.

He paused a moment before opening the first, he was in the engineers halls out of the  three thousand or so pods he could see stacked upon each other only a thousand looked operational. He knew those he woke would not take long to see and be shocked by the corpses surrounding them. He sighed and resigned himself to the coming work as he began to make his way over the debris littered floor to the first of the pods.

KULL WAS SAT ON THE primitive bridge of their transport ship starring at the fast approaching planet; it had been a long and busy few hours. A pilot was sat in the only other seat in the bridge swearing loudly at the unresponsive control systems. They had managed to detach most of the cryo pod housings but three of the twenty had remained stubborn and fixed to the side of the massive landing hull they had all originally surrounded. There were seats for two hundred thousand in the massive landing hull, and all the gear and supplies that many people would need to rebuild their civilisation. Unfortunately only seventy thousand of the seats were occupied. He had found some scientists and they had guessed their hundred year journey had taken significantly longer than a thousand years, the supposed safe life of the cryo-stasis pods. It had made sense to him but had done little to alleviate his worries.

The pilot who had introduced herself as Belle looked around to Kull with a grim look on her face. We’re going to crash land Sir, there’s nothing I can do. All the thrusters have seized over time bar one or two, the best I can do is lift the nose a little.

How long to we have? asked Kull

About five units The pilot replied.

Kull nodded his response and picked up the radio transceiver attached by a curling black cable to the side of his chair. He put a call to the landing hull to warn everyone to be prepared for a harsh impact and to move to the upper floor if able, in order to reduce the risk of death in the landing.

The five units passed far too swiftly for Kull’s liking; he saw the front of the wide ship begin to glow bright as it entered the upper edges of the planet’s atmosphere. The ship shook and tossed around violently as the Pilot struggled with her few thrusters to keep the nose of their vessel up. Pieces of the ship that had broken away flew past the bridges windows, scrapping loudly against the hull. Kull fixed his eyes on a giant mountain in front of them as they passed lower into the planet’s atmosphere; they were approaching it at a speed that filled him with fear.

Brace! The pilot shouted her voice tense with the strain of speaking and piloting the unwieldy vessel at the same time.

No sooner had she called her warning, Kull felt himself compressed into his chair as the rear end of the vessel collapsed violently into the ground. Kull gripped the arms of the chair tighter, his fingers showing white under the strain. The first impact was quickly followed by another as the front of the ship made contact with the rocky ground. Kull nor the pilot could do anything but watch as the ship ground down the side of the mountain, before after at least ninety seconds the ship came to an abrupt stop near the base of the giant slope. The force of the sudden deceleration thrust Kull against his seat restraints. The Pilot, who had tried so hard to save the lives of all on board, was much more unfortunate. The couplings at the base of her chair snapped, she, still strapped in was flung forwards faster than Kull could register against the front of the short cockpit. Kull heard the sickening crunches of her bones as loudly as the other voluminous clangs and cracks of the ship around him. Evacuation alarms sounded loudly then abruptly stopped as the last vestiges of power left in the circuit were drained from the charge capacitors.

CHAPTER 2:

Emily and Onjo sat at the conference table in the control tower.  They smiled and chatted as they drank coffee together. Onjo had been too snowed under with work on the station to make it down over the last few months since Emily had stationed him there, as a result most of their communications had been limited to work related topics. The station had been brought up to full operational standards and now was a place bustling with L.I.I. Personnel and Chittans. More of the latter had arrived over the last few months and the Love Islands ranks had swelled with Chittan volunteers and indeed, volunteers from all over the world. The Chittans had even finished outfitting the station with its own engine system that would allow it to fly under its own propulsion instead of being towed.

The fallout from the nuclear missile the N.W.O. had detonated coupled with their threat had created a twofold effect. Most of the world’s militias and para military forces had either collapsed or gone into deeper hiding to protect their countrymen; it had also created a mass exodus of the jaded freedom fighters to the Love Island, via Quarter Moon Island. This had allowed the N.W.O. to consolidate their power, but it was better than the deaths of hundreds of thousands if not millions of innocent people.

A six week basic training program had been created to train up new forces. Whilst it wasn’t always strictly necessary, as many volunteers had combat experience, it did help create a uniformed force and it helped instructors learn new tactics from the ex-members of the various rebel forces.

New members to the love islands forces then took apprenticeships with other fully trained members of the job line they wished to join. Of course there had been a couple of exceptions, people who had been fast tracked due to their skills or prior involvement with the Love Islands, before and after the collapse of Love Island one.

Nathan had set up shop on the station for as long as it was in orbit and using the materials from his new automated mining operations scattered around the solar system and using the more powerful replication systems of the station had managed to build another two lookout class ships and a fighter class. The ships which had been divided between the Love islands two small fleets had received ready volunteers, people eager to explore the cold vastness of space. Not that much of that had happened yet. Apart from Munroe’s team which had left two months previous to track down a faint distress signal Emily had not ordered any of the fleet out of the system. All tests had been conducted inside the system, and all had gone well. Emily how-ever had thus far remained adamant in her resolve to combat the N.W.O. before venturing too far.

There were still occasional Choran vessels making a brake to resupply N.W.O. bases which were increasingly being moved to urban areas, making ship based weapons useless in the fight for a lack of desire to harm civilians. Onjo and Riley between them had created a patrol schedule as best they could with their limited fleets and the few Chittan vessels that remained in the system. The odd Choran vessel got through, but since the defeat of the Chorans in the battle now globally known as ‘The Battle for Hope Station’, nothing bigger than a transport ship had ventured near Earth.

Still nothing new from Munroe and AR One then? Emily asked. The space station had a better comms array than anything L.I.Two had access to until Nathan and Joeboy got around to an upgrade. Ar’lene, Thil’Nirs mate ran the comms array on the station and had been happy to pass on technical specifications to the Love Islands teams.

No, Onjo replied glumly. Reports are coming in slower now too, there’s at least a five day lag. Their emergency beacon uses a separate network though and would reach us sooner, don’t worry. Last report just mentioned they thought the signal source was close. We could catch up with them faster than we could receive a new message with the warped space system upgrade Nathan gave the larger ships.

Emily chuckled. We probably could, but it’s rude to interrupt and I’m sure Munroe has everything in hand.

If he hasn’t taken to hiding permanently in his test ship you mean? Onjo laughed heartily and then coughed as Joeboy gave him an equally hearty slap on the back. Onjo and Emily turned, neither had seen or heard him approach, yet both felt the slight tingle of an effect dissipating in the air. You’re acting more like Pheo’Nix every time I see you man! Remarked Onjo as he regained his breath.

No I ain’t, chuckled Joeboy in return, as he sat his hulking frame in an empty chair. So common, share the joke bud.

We’re just chuckling at the possibility of Munroe going crazy on his mission. Emily said with a broad smile on her face.

Ey, I recon he prefers his solitude. Joeboy replied.

So why are you creeping around? Onjo asked, pushing a mug of coffee over to his friend.

I’ve been running some of the psi’s on advanced tests in the realms. Began Joeboy, I just came to see why Emily hadn’t come along.

Emily smiled sheepishly, You’re always using me to make examples, I thought I’d let you use someone else for a change. Maybe Wishy he’s pretty capable? She quipped. That and I had too large a pile of reports to read for me to leave them be again.

We won’t charge you for low attendance this time then. Smiled Joeboy, referring to an outdated charging system some countries used years ago, before it was abolished by governments who agreed with the rights for their citizens to have free choice. It was a popular move as it had allowed families on lower incomes to take moral boosting affordable holidays at off peak times, which in turn boosted the willingness of young folk to learn.

The three friends laughed between themselves and drank coffee together a little longer before Onjo and Joeboy were forced to leave to continue their daily duties. Emily finished the few reports she had left and headed down to the small school in one of the hab towers for her weekly talk with the assembly.

CHAPTER 3:

The Phonons’ were an adaptable and efficient people. It had only taken them four days to set up a fully functioning though not very pretty settlement. They had of course been saddened by the death of their ship mates, but not as much as they were shocked by their tardy arrival to the planet that was chosen for their ship to settle on. Some deaths had always been expected on the voyage especially as the ships stasis pods hadn’t been tested for long periods. No-one however had expected they were nearly fifty thousand years late and there had been an air of panic and restlessness over those first few days. Once the landing area had been secured Kull had handed over control of the settlements operations to what was left of the civil command force as per the original plan. Things had not been running as smoothly as Kull had hoped and he had been more than willing to hand over the responsibilities of the settlements command.

There had unexpectedly been an unprovoked attack in the second day after their arrival. Several soldiers with red hued armour and multi toned skin had begun firing from a nearby cliff edge that his meagre force had not yet secured for the settlement. They had eventually killed their attackers but not before the strange race had slaughtered a small group of young farmers.

Kull shook his head as he thought. He knew that it was important for his people to spread from their own planet to others. Their population had grown too large to be supported by just one planet, and the planets eco system had been on the verge of collapse, but there was too much wrong. At the very least they should be receiving a standard report signal from their home world, even if they were nearly fifty thousand years late.

He stood next to the cave entrance his forces had determined the strange race had used as their point of ingress, his laser rifle raised and a soldier on either side of him. He breathed out heavily before saying in his low gruff voice, Right then chaps, let’s go, shoot to disable not kill. I want to talk to one of these people and find out exactly why they thought it was ok to start slaughtering us.

There had been much talk in the camp since the attack about what it meant for them if the planet had become populated in the time since it had been scouted by their laser propelled scout probes and Kull had decided the camp was currently safe enough for him to check the extent to which this alien race had a presence.

The three of the hundred or so remaining hardened soldiers moved slowly forwards into the darkness, they activated the illuminators at the front of thier rifles. The man and woman accompanying him took the fore and meticulously checked each nook in the limestone passageway leading into the mountain. They walked for what seemed like hours meeting nothing but more of the cramped tunnel at bends. Until eventually the female soldier put her hand on the shoulder of the man next to her to stop him. She beckoned Kull forwards and whispered; Two voices, language unknown ahead.

Kull nodded, flicked off his illuminator and took the front, moving slowly forwards until he reached a small knobble in the rock. He leaned around carefully and saw the tunnel open into a much larger cavern. He could see daylight and a large vessel of some kind. Two of the strange men stood beside it, one in the heavy red armour they had seen on the others and one in long black robes made of a thick cloth. His scar torn face and demeanour told Kull that he was in charge. Without hesitation Kull walked around the corner and shot the armoured man in the back of the head, he only needed one prisoner. The laser shot tinged off the hull of the large ship next to him as the soldier fell to the floor without a scream. Before the alien had fallen to the floor Kull had his rifle pointed at the other man. His two charges walked around him and approached the remaining alien, their rifles raised.

The alien raised his hands and with a look of deep concentration glared at them. Kull felt a familiar tingle on the back of his neck and smiled. He walked forwards talking. Strange thing about my people you might not know. Most of us are completely immune to all magick, the rest if we reach ascension are naturally attuned. Unfortunately for you, we haven’t reached ascension yet, on your knees!

He wasn’t sure if the alien understood or not, but he didn’t fall to his knees until the male soldier who had accompanied them rammed the butt of his laser rifle into the back of the aliens neck. The black robed man fell to the floor unconscious and was quickly bound by the two soldiers as Kull started to make sure the rest of the makeshift hanger was clear.

Kull circled the large ship. It was elegant and sleek, not what he expected from such a brash looking race. Its light grey hull shone, reflecting the light from the plains outside the cavern entrance, bar in a few places where the hull looked as if it had been shot with weapons more powerful than anything he had at his disposal. He eventually found the outline of what could have been a door or hatch close to the ground. It had an access panel next to it, he couldn’t understand the inscriptions on it and none of the buttons did anything. He knocked on the door, more for his own amusement than any real possibility someone would answer. How-ever to his surprise someone did, someone with an angry voice, if anger was the right word. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway as Kull didn’t understand a word the electronic voice said. It was in the same guttural language the two aliens had been using when they entered the cavern.

He responded calmly. I really don’t understand what you’re saying

The electronic voice said something else. He thought it was three words, and in a different language to the first it had used.

No I don’t understand that language either, sorry. But would you like to come outside so we can detain you along with your leader for the attack on our settlement? Kull knew he wasn’t going to get a positive response from such a statement, but he guessed that if the alien within the ship were in some way able to use the weapons which this ship obviously had, they would have done so by now.

Ahh that’s enough of a voice print, said the electronic voice in his language. He’s no leader of mine, he’s my captor, and he’s wanted on more than one planet for crimes various.

Indeed, responded Kull. But at the moment, you’re on my new planet, and we have him cuffed.

Well that is most definitely a turn for the better. The electronic voice stated. My Names Gryfon One Point Zero but most people just call me Gryfon.

You’re not of the same race as the aliens I have already encountered I take it? Kull asked.

No not at all. They are Chorans, they have big issues. I am an A.I. construct of the Human race from the planet Earth. Gryfon responded with gusto. Kull gathered the robot was proud of his nationality.

The Planet Soil?  Kull asked a little perplexed.

I know, don’t get me started. I gather the forefathers of the current Humans were not very imaginative when it came to names. Gryfon said.

Well I am Joseph Kull of the Phenon Colony Delta. Most people call me Kull or Sir. I’m formally of the Planet Phenon.

I have no such planet in my data bases I’m afraid. But it is a pleasure to talk to you. My conversations have been somewhat dull since the Chorans re-activated me. Gryfon said.

Are there any more? Kull said.

There were about Thirty Chorans and New World Order operatives aboard when they captured the ship. Most of them died when I shut down life support. I was able to drive the last handful from the ship when they landed it here.  The Choran commander you have captured was intending to meet here with his superiors to produce the L.I.I.S. Fighter. This world I believe is designated to be a Choran base of operations behind enemy lines. Gryfon explained.

Over my dead body! Kull exclaimed loudly.

Good, you’ll need that spirit. The Chorans don’t easily give in and as far as I know, never give quarter. Gryfon replied. But their numbers are great and their firepower formidable. Can you match it?

I’ll be honest, I don’t know, there are not enough of us here to fight a war, and if the Choran Tech is anything like that of this ship, we don’t stand a chance. Unless things are better at our home world than I’m starting to suspect they are. Kull said gruffly.

Would you like to go and check? Gryfon asked.

You can take us? asked Kull in return.

Of course, you seem ok. There are two conditions. Gryfon stated.

The female officer approached Kull and signalled that their prisoner had awoken. Have Graan take him to the brig at the settlement, magi protocol. Then come back here, looks like we’re taking a trip. He said to her before responding to Gryfon. Name your terms.

Deactivate the high yield warhead attached to the underside of the ship and don’t argue when I drop you back here. I have to take this ship back to my commanders and let them know what has transpired. Gryfon said.

IT HAD TAKEN ALMOST four hours to convince the android to tell them where he was on the ship once they had deactivated the bomb with his instructions and taken off. They had sat on the bridge as the ship flew with no-one at the controls talking to the dis-embodied voice of the android. Eventually he had decided that he trusted them enough and he had revealed himself by opening an access panel in the floor of the bridge behind the Tac control unit. He said he’d been hiding for nearly two months undetected trying to take control of the ship.

Kull and his subordinate Zara could do little else than watch the view screen on the awe inspiring ship for a while until Gryfon, realising that the languages on the panels would be unreadable to the duo, ran his translation program through the main computer. Kull soon became aware that he could read the panels and began to wander the bridge, learning and marvelling at the level of technical ability the race that owned the ship had.

Eventually they arrived at his home world, he steeled himself, he could tell there was a significant issue. Aside from the lack of communication data coming into the comms screen he was perusing, he could see through the view screen that there was no light on the planet. The dark side should have been lit up like a town fair. They approached from the night on side but the surface looked dark and foreboding. The cold space outside the atmosphere was bare and empty of the small shuttles and stations that used to clutter it.

Gryfon? Do you have access to any of the sensors? He asked.

I do, and I have, said Gryfon, pre-empting the next question. I can find no signs of advanced life or technology. Much of the planets ecology looks to be recovering from a mass of nuclear radiation. I have however found a structure on the surface of the planet that is similar to the structure you described as the space portal. It has a small internal power supply that is still powering a repeating emergency broadcast transmission. It has a data file on it would you like me to download it? He finished

I would like that very much Gryfon. Replied Kull; he found it hard to hide the disappointment in his voice. To him it had been less than a week since he was here last, and there had been billions of people going about their everyday lives and trying to survive in a world that could no longer hold them.

Gryfon spent some time tapping away at the comms station, pops and fizzes leapt from the air vents near the floor and the power momentarily dimmed on the bridge. Sir, I mean, Kull the file is a video file, would you like me to display it on the main screen? Gryfon asked after a few moments of sullen silence, he added, The file was heavily corrupted when I downloaded it, this will be the only viable version. Oh and we no longer have comms, the circuits were nearly fried before I downloaded the file.

Yes thank you. Replied Kull as the gravity of the situation began to weigh heavily on him

The view screen stopped showing the planet below, the face of a worried looking Commander in Chief peered into the camera before deciding it was set, he knew the rank, but it took him a few more moments to realise it was the same Commander Gurinth that had wished them all luck before embarking on the arks that were meant to convey them to their new planets. He looked older and haggard, his clothes were covered in dust and there were bandages with blood seeping through wrapped around his upper arm and forehead.

The Commander spoke, the sounds of explosions and screams resounded in the distance. Security Chiefs, I’m sorry it has come to this, but our world is falling. A race of aliens we have called the Templar have started to attack our planet. They will destroy us, this is an undeniable fact. We have remotely accessed your ships and dropped their speeds to make you less detectable in the vastness of space, but this will have a knock on effect. He paused as a series of loud explosions rocked the room he was in. You won’t arrive at your destinations on schedule, in fact; you may not arrive at all. Our astrophysicists have advised us that even if your ships manage to remain powered for long enough and you’re not destroyed by the myriad of obstacles we avoided in the original route panning many of your stasis pods will cease to function properly. He paused again, his face showed obvious signs of anguish Kull noted. "These