Five Moons: Nexus of Fates

By Bill Parker

“We come in peace,” they told us when we first encountered humans. In peace, indeed, they came, but evil followed after them in their jump wakes like a foul stench. It all started out with the best of intentions, but in the end, I had the blood of four innocents on my hands. Across the vastness of space, that vile Clay of Earth did drag five nameless moons to destroy them. They flew an unmarked ship into Union Fleet space docks and marked the ship for destruction to hide the evil they had done.
At the very gates of hell, in that vast sea of despair embroiled in the wake of chaos did I find hope – a single Leaf in the Wind – Dallas Blake. In our darkest hour, did Dallas Blake first step foot upon the decks of the Five Moons and change everything. He didn’t know that the ship was never meant for sale. He only knew that this ship was nothing he expected but everything he needed, so he bought it. He knew nothing of the evil that was done. Even so, he found the crew that evil men thought were lost and gone forever. And save the Five Moons? To use his own words: Damned straight he did.
Dallas Blake and the crew of the Five Moons went where they were needed because making a difference started with them. They fought pirates and battled Mercs in deep space. Each life they saved added to the Nexus of Fates that the Five Moons had become. When people had nowhere else to turn, they knew where to find Dallas Blake and the crew of the Five Moons – at the Pig and Whistle on Panara-5.
But the Five Moons had become more than just the Nexus of Fates. It had become Evil’s worst nightmare. So Evil set in motion his grand plan. It was more than just a plan; it was a masterpiece of evil. Dallas Blake may have been a warrior without equal, and the Five Moons a ship like no other, but this time dark forces hunted them. They were seriously in over their heads. Despite their best efforts, like the gears of a clockwork angel of death, Evil’s plan moved relentlessly toward its inevitable conclusion.
Leaf in the Wind found beauty in the light of four moons and set them free, but he didn’t find me. Only my Leaf in the Wind can do what it takes to set me free. Unless he does, none of us will survive. I am the fifth moon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bill Parker
• Release date: Jul 8, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005406196

Bill Parker

BILL PARKER's 39-year railway career began at Doncaster in 1945 and progressed through to divisional manager at Kings Cross. He died in 2023.

Book preview

Five Moons:

Nexus of Fates

A Science Fiction Novel

By Bill Parker

Five Moons: Nexus of Fates

Copyright © 2021 William P. Parker All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Published in the United States by:

Five Moons Publications

155 Carol Lane

Elma, NY 14059-9749

www.fivemoons.org

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Disclaimer:  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and as such are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, organizations, events, or locales is entirely coincidental, except for Elm Cove. It really did exist in this time stream. All of the stories, characters, places, events, and things presented in this novel are the intellectual property of William P. Parker.

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Definition

Nexus

noun: nexus; plural noun: nexuses

1. A connection or series of connections linking two or more things.

As in: The Five Moons was the nexus of humans and anoza.

2. A connected group or series.

As in: The Five Moons was the nexus of Evil’s defeats.

3. The central and most important point or place.

As in: the Five Moons was the Nexus of Fates.

Prologue

Clay of Earth, yours were the people cast into the outer darkness because of the evil in their hearts. By their evil was the blood of four innocents on my hands. Across the vastness of space did that vile Clay of Earth drag five nameless souls to destroy them, to hide their evil deed. At the very gates of hell did the One Who Stands at the Center of the Five Moons’ Shadows find a single leaf in the wind.

As much as by Fate you were sent to us, I did indeed choose you. In my choice of you, I am well pleased. We found you an empty vessel, so we poured into you the light of truth. To our great joy, the one who was dead in his heart but still walking was reborn in love. In your resurrection, we do rejoice.

The Five Moons saved Sophie and Emma. It fought pirates and battled Mercs in deep space all to make the outworlds a safer place to live. Every soul that it saved added to the Nexus of Fates that the Five Moons has become.

Even more than the Nexus of Fates, Leaf in the Wind has become Evil’s worst nightmare.

So it was that Evil set the gears of his clockworks angel of death relentlessly forward toward its inevitable conclusion, to kill the last Knight Templar. The Shaydes of that Ancient Evil have gathered their forces against you. In their dark hearts, they plan your demise. In secret do their minions conspire the end of your days.

Leaf in the Wind was of them but not like them. My Knight found beauty in the light of four moons and set them free. My soul sings songs of joy in that, but he didn’t find me. Only my Leaf in the Wind can do what it takes to set me free. Unless he does, none of us will survive.

I am the fifth moon.

Captain’s Log

5768.05.11

As I look back on it now, I was pretty messed up since that day they called me aside to tell me that my whole family was killed. They told me that the expeditionary forces of Sarsen Tabbot had literally leveled my homeworld, Enara-4. I hoped and prayed that maybe Fleet was wrong. I hoped that my family was somewhere safe in hiding, but Fleet assured me everything that could be done had already been done. They told me that Union Fleet Search and Rescue had combed the entire planet but could find not a single human life sign.

The Corporate War was raging all around me. At that point, I was angry beyond measure. I took my pound of flesh and then some, but all that did was leave me empty and sad. I did what I could to bury the pain. I lost myself in getting a degree in Starship Engineering, but that wasn’t enough. I went to Union Fleet’s own War College for a master’s degree, determined in my heart to find a way to inflict upon Sarsen Tabbot the pain and anguish that she had inflicted on me, but then the war came to an unexpected end.

One more time, my whole life was swept away when Fleet no longer needed millions of veterans. They surplused us all out just like they got rid of thousands of ships. I was once more called aside as I mustered out. Sole Survivors were due reparations by the War Commission. As if any amount of money could make up for what I had lost! It couldn’t, they agreed, but suggested that maybe it could bankroll a fresh start. They dumped me out at the space docks orbiting Etron along with millions of other veterans. The place was utter chaos. Where would I even begin to start my life over?

As I walked down the long exit passageway lugging everything that I owned in a duffel bag, the answer was staring me right in the face – a huge, animated 3D sign advertising all of the war surplus ships that Union Fleet was now selling at rock-bottom prices. After all, I was a pilot.

I remember sitting with my buddy Kip, talking his ear off for hours on end about buying a war surplus scout-class ship and starting over. Yeah, I know - me doing all that talking. I was more thinking it through out loud. But Kip had family to get home to, and so we parted ways.

Fleet Materiel Command was in total pandemonium when I tried to buy a war surplus ship, but I was determined. I calmed myself down and set my cap to get this done. My father would have been proud of me. I was a leaf in the wind. That is where everything went sideways.

I know, this sounds pretty screwy, but it all started with some yellow caution tape that I tore down in total frustration. As I later discovered, it was there to mark this ship to be scrapped out. But hey, what the hell did I know? Then this ship turned out to be way bigger than a scout-class ship should have been, but as I was later to discover, that was only the inside. This ship was nothing I expected but everything I needed, so I bought it.

I thought that I chose this ship myself, but later, Mariah told me that she had hacked the Fleet records across the network. She said that she had set the sale up. So, in essence, Mariah chose me. But hey! That was back when Mariah was artificial and damned well knew that she was artificial. So were Jessica, and Jane, and Henry. They were all artificial back then when I first bought this ship. I am not the crazy one here. I know what they were when I found them, even if they don’t remember now. I just needed to get this down on the record. I am the sane one here, or so I keep telling myself. As I was later to discover, they were four ‘moons.’ ‘Moons,’ you ask? That’s a long story in itself. I would sure like to ask the anoza what the hell they were thinking with that. There is still one more that I have yet to find, but I will.

This ship – the Five Moons – is the nexus of fates. It joined my fate forever to theirs and to the saga of its own existence. When it found me, I was a man with nothing left to lose. When I found it, I had everything to gain.

I didn’t know that evil men had conspired to destroy this ship to hide the evil they had done. I had no idea that they flew an unmarked ship into space docks and marked it for destruction with that damned yellow caution tape. They intended for its crew to disappear forever without a trace. They thought that would be the end of it, but in all of that chaos, I found the Five Moons, and it found me. I didn’t know any of that when I bought a ship that was never meant for sale. I didn’t know any of that when I first stepped foot upon its decks and changed everything, but I know it now. And save the Five Moons? Damned straight I did.

And you know that crew they thought was lost and gone forever? Well, think again. I found Jessica, Jane, and Henry. I am still not sure if I found Mariah or if she found me, but does it really matter anymore? Together, we all saved Sophie and Emma. Today was their birthday. It filled my heart with joy and reminded me that saving them was the beginning.

This ship – the Five Moons – is the nexus of fates. It connects us all together for a reason – to make a difference. Mankind was cast into the outer darkness because of the evil in his heart. Union Fleet protects the civilized pilgrim worlds, but in the outworlds, where civilization is thin, evil thrives. We will change that where we can. The Five Moons flies to wherever we are needed. Making a difference starts with us. Word is getting around. People know where to find us -- at the Pig and Whistle on Panara-5. They have a damned good Reuben, too.

Captain Dallas Alton Blake

Chapter 1

Evil this way comes.

Aeon-6 was as beautiful and perfect a T-10 class planet as ever there was. By all measures, it matched the standard ‘Earth’ classification for being habitable. It only lacked any real tilt to its axis, but that was really a major plus. Its climate was mild the whole year, with only a hint of seasons. Its native plants bloomed all year as randomly as they grew, making Aeon-6 a lush paradise. Man’s imported plants were the stark exception with definite growth cycles. So, the farmers learned to take advantage of the climate to stagger their crop plantings for year-round harvests.

Life was good for Mark Jackson on Aeon-6.

Time to get up, Layla, his girlfriend, called Mark through his 3D wall display, but he didn’t hear her. His android, Sprocket, heard her. Layla’s sandy brown hair and big brown eyes suited her soft oval face to a tee.

I will wake him up, Sprocket volunteered as he went to do exactly that.

Mister Mark, Sprocket nudged him. Time to get up.

Mark opened one eye and looked questioningly at Sprocket.

Miss Layla told me to wake you up, Sprocket fibbed. He knew Layla would back him up.

Yeah. I have to get up and get going. Busy day today. The words came out, but he was slow to move. It wasn’t like him to oversleep, but he had been stringing long days together, and it caught up with him. A quick shower put him back on track, as did a quick breakfast. His house droid, Nikki, spoiled him with a hot breakfast every day, but he did his part, too. He never left her a mess to clean, he always put his dirty clothes in the hamper in the bathroom every night, and he always tidied up his bed in the morning. These were habits ingrained in him since he could remember. His Uncle Hank had raised him to be a strong, self-reliant outworlder. His Uncle Hank loved him as if he was his own son.

Mark made his way out to the steel building that housed his equipment. His two android helpers already had the transport loaded by the time he got there. They were snapped into their places in the transport, waiting for him. Layla already had his work schedule up on the main display of the transport waiting for him too. The Rackmann farm was listed as his first stop. It showed as the destination in his Nav display.

Confirmed, he told it. The transport lifted, and off they went. The suborbital hop took all of a half-hour -- just enough time for Mark to read the trouble report. The Rackmann’s android tractor had just stopped out in the field yesterday and was not responding to any commands.

Mark’s transport landed next to the Rackmann’s house. Jim Rackmann came right out.

What seems to be the trouble? Mark asked Jim Rackmann even though he had read the report.

Actually, Jim Rackmann explained, as I think about it, the damned thing had been acting funky for days before it quit. That was not in the report.

Funky? What do you mean by funky? Marked asked for more of a description.

It would suddenly stop and then start right back up as if nothing was wrong.

Mark flew his transport out to where the tractor was sitting and tried to connect to its wifi to begin troubleshooting, but there was no wifi. The android’s intelligent processor was down. There was no power. In the meantime, his android helpers removed the covers that Mark had pointed out to them. A broken power cable was the main problem. That became quite obvious as the covers were removed. The android helpers pulled it out while Mark got a new piece of cable. After they had installed the new cable, Mark reloaded the android tractor’s programs and got that much back up and running by lunch. After Mark had run it through its paces, he was sure that the android tractor was fine again.

It’s all back working, Mark reported to Jim Rackmann over his com. It was your main power cable, but then I had to reload your android his brains back. The AI program must have been corrupted by the power surges. That’s what made it act funky. All you will have to do is give it a new work schedule, and it will be back on the job.

Okay, I can do that. Then you will bill me through the co-op?

Sure thing, Mark replied. He gave the co-op a good rate for his time. In exchange, they made sure that he got paid in a timely manner. That worked for everybody.

Mark went on to his next call.

You are coming to my place for a nice dinner tonight, Layla insisted over the com as dinnertime drew near.

Okay. I just need to finish this service call.

Mark wanted to see Layla anyway, so he made short order of the work, packed up, and was once more back in the air for another suborbital hop. That is when he got his first glimpse of several starships pulling into orbit. That was odd. Starships did not come this way very often, so he paid particular attention to them when they did. These were older, frigate-class ships and heavily armed from what he could make out.

Trust nothing and then don’t trust that, his Uncle Hank would often tell him.

Uncle Hank, Mark paged him through the com. Several seconds later, his uncle’s face appeared on the display. He had wild gray hair to match the look in his eyes and his out-of-control eyebrows. His wrinkled face gave away his age, but he had a resonant, deep voice that hadn’t aged a day.

I am looking at a couple of ships that just pulled into orbit, he told his uncle after sending him their pictures.

That’s strange, no transponder IDs, he told his uncle.

Oh, that does not look good at all, his uncle commented. I don’t like this one bit. Are you headed for home?

No. I am on my way over to Layla’s place for some dinner, Mark told him.

Well, okay, but stay in touch. I don’t like the looks of those ships at all.

Okay. Will do. I will call you after dinner, Mark told his uncle. Everybody thought that Uncle Hank was a bit weird, but Mark only thought he was maybe a little eccentric. He was very smart. A lot of people are intimidated by that. Uncle Hank taught him everything he knew about androids. To Mark, the man was a genius.

Layla looked at Mark when he finally arrived. He was 185cm of pure man to her. He was muscularly built because he worked with his hands all day. His classic face and beautiful blue-gray eyes lit up her day. He looked a lot better with his coveralls off, and his hands washed.

Dinner is ready, Layla’s house droid announced moments later.

Layla talked on about her day. Mark didn’t say much while he ate, but he listened to her every word with interest and nodded his head. Out of her window, a glorious sunset was slowly unfolding before their eyes.

~~~

Hank Jackson knew full well that people thought he was a paranoid nutcase, but quite frankly, he didn’t give a damn. He knew better. He was brought up in the outworlds and raised during difficult times that he would never forget. The war came, and the war went. The whole time, Hank Jackson prepared for the worst that never came. People said, We are too far off the beaten path. The war will never get this far. This time people were right. The war never did make it out as far as Aeon-6, but nonetheless, Hank was prepared.

Uncle Hank made the best use he could of his sensor array to analyze the ships in orbit. He watched them intently for hours. Something about them was not right. They had no transponder IDs. It was not legal to fly a ship anywhere in Union space without a transponder ID. While Aeon-6 had no Approach or Departure Control, the ships had made no effort whatsoever to contact anyone dirtside at all. They all just sat there, ominously, in orbit.

Hank’s house droid brought him a big dish of great smelling pot roast. Hank ate his dinner and watched his display. The hour grew late. It was just about 23:00 Zulu when the activity began. First, one of the ships in orbit launched a shuttle. The shuttle made straight for the surface while ten more staged in orbit. At that point, Hank Jackson knew exactly what was going on.

~~~

Mark! Layla! Hank called frantically, over and over, through the com to her house. In desperation, Hank called up Mark’s