Sparkles and Sphinxes

By Candy Rae

The stunning conclusion to not only the Flying Colours trilogy but also the Planet Wolf saga sees Planet Rybak at the centre of inter-planetary strife.

The Yeoverlurd threat is closer than ever, and the Community and the Alliance of Six have joined forces to fight for their very survival. When new information comes to light, and with a volcanic eruption looming on the horizon, it is paramount that they work together despite their differences.

But when Tavin and Xadya are faced with a difficult choice, they must risk everything to save the world.

PLANET WOLF
(1) Wolves and War - (2) Conflict and Courage - (3) Homage and Honour - (4) Dragons and Destiny - (5) Valour and Victory - (6) Ambition and Alavidha - (7) Paws and Planets - (8) Tales and Tails

DRAGON WULF
(1) Journey and Jeopardy - (2) Gossamer and Grass - (3) Flames and Freedom

FLYING COLOURS
(1) Rascals and Renegades - (2) Outlaws and Overlords - (3) Sparkles and Sphinxes

T’QUEL MAGIC
(1) Ephemeral Boundary - (2) Enduring Barrier - (3) Eternal Bulwark

MULTIVERSE MUDDLE (forthcoming)
(1) Vampyre Crypt - (2) Faie Castle - (3) Shadow Cave - (4) Demon Citadel

SAMMY THE CAT
(1) Cat in Charge - (2) Cat at Christmas - (3) Dog not in Charge

KILL BY CURE

• Language: English
• Publisher: Candy Rae
• Release date: Aug 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005033972

Candy Rae

Candy Rae has been an avid reader since childhood, with fantasy and science fiction appearing on her bookshelf in her first year of university when a friend introduced her to talking dragons. All her life, she has wanted to write, but it wasn’t until Christmas Day in 2003 that she sat down and started planning the book that, after many revisions, became the first book in the Planet Wolf series: Wolves and War.As a former accountant, Candy was notorious among her family for elongating her commute home by parking in a safe space and starting to write, having got into the habit of carrying a notebook with her wherever she went, a habit she continues to this day. When she’s not writing, her hobbies include knitting, tapestry, and trying to figure out ‘whodunnit’ in murder mysteries.Candy lives in Ayrshire, Scotland, with her large black cat, Sammy, and her Labrador-Corgi cross, Alex. She writes her books in British English with a Scottish flavour.

Book preview

FLYING COLOURS (3)

SPARKLES AND SPHINXES

* * * * *

Candy Rae

* * * * *

SMASHWORDS EDITION

* * * * *

Flying Colours (3) - Sparkles and Sphinxes

Copyright © 2020 Candy Rae

All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead; is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

* * * * *

BOOKS BY CANDY RAE

Planet Wolf Universe

Planet Wolf Series: Wolves and War - Conflict and Courage - Homage and Honour - Dragons and Destiny - Valour and Victory - Ambition and Alavidha - Paws and Planets - Tales and Tails. Dragon Wulf Trilogy: Journey and Jeopardy - Gossamer and Grass - Flames and Freedom. Flying Colours Trilogy: Rascals and Renegades - Outlaws and Overlords - Sparkles and Sphinxes (2020).

T’Quel Magic Trilogy

Ephemeral Boundary - Enduring Barrier - Eternal Bulwark.

The Multiverse Muddle

Vampyre Crypt - Faie Castle – Surtr Chasm - Demon Citadel.

Stand Alone Books

Kill by Cure - Cat in Charge - Cat at Christmas - Dog not in Charge

* * * * *

Flying Colours (3) - Sparkles and Sphinxes is dedicated to Alexander, Andrew, William, Douglas, Bruce, Robert, James, Arthur, William, Gordon. Alex, John, and Nicola.

‘In truth it isna for glory, or wealth, or honours that we fecht, but for freedom alane, that nae honest cheil gies up but wi life itsel.’

* * * * *

Maps & Cover Artwork by Harri Crawford.

* * * * *

AUTHOR’S NOTE

‘Flying Colours (3) - Sparkles and Sphinxes’ is written in what is known as Britannic, or British English but with a Scottish flavour, the occurrence of Lallans, or Lowland Scots, being predominant. There are spelling and pronunciation differences between Lallans/Lowland Scots and the different dialects and versions of English as written and spoken in other parts of our wonderful, diverse world.

* * * * *

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Planet Wolf Universe

Rascals and Renegades - Synopsis

Outlaws and Overlords - Synopsis

Prologue

PART ONE - PLANET RYBAK

Chapter 1 – Tavin

Chapter 2 – Tavin’s Pursuit

Chapter 3 – Tavin’s Decision

Chapter 4 – Tavin’s Encounter

Chapter 5 – Tavin’s Choice

PART TWO - ELSEWHERE

Chapter 6 – Extraction

Chapter 7 – Spy

Chapter 8 - Scientists

Chapter 9 – Betrayal

Chapter 10 - Resolve

PART THREE - PLANET RYBAK

Chapter 11 – Tavin’s School

Chapter 12 – Tavin’s Posse

Chapter 13 – Tavin’s Courage

Chapter 14 – Tavin’s Journey

PART FOUR - ELSEWHERE

Chapter 15 – Sparkles

Chapter 16 – Enlightenment

Chapter 17 – Telephone Poles

Chapter 18 – Strike Group One

Chapter 19 – Strike Group Two

Chapter 20 – Strike Group Three

Chapter 21 – Strike Group Four

PART FIVE - PLANET RYBAK

Chapter 22 – Tavin’s Kill

Chapter 23 – Tavin’s Twenty

Chapter 24 – Space – DEFCON Two

Chapter 25 – Surface - Deployment

Chapter 26 – Tavin’s Dilemma

Chapter 27 – Space – DEFCON One

Chapter 28 – Surface - Battle

Chapter 29 – Tavin’s Solution

Chapter 30 – Coda

Appendices

Acknowledgements

‘Flying Colours (3) - Sparkles and Sphinxes’ begins approximately three months standard after the events in ‘Flying Colours (2) - Outlaws and Overlords’.

* * * * *

THE PLANET WOLF UNIVERSE

It is the thirty-third century.

The Community and the Alliance of Six have agreed to a cessation of hostilities in the face of an out-galaxy threat.

The Community, led by the ‘Prime Director’ remains what it is, a huge human conglomerate that rules over a large number of planets situated in a number of space sectors. Despite the threat, the rich and powerful Community High Families will still do anything to keep control of these planets and collect what wealth they can squeeze out of the citizens. They will also do almost anything to ensure the safety of ‘The Family’, and especially their own.

The Headquarters of the Community (The Directorate) is situated on Planet New Earth.

The Community maintains a huge army and a massive space-navy, and has always pursued an aggressive policy of anthropocentric xenophobia. Many Community citizens retain a belief that intelligent non-humans are dangerous and should be eradicated.

The Alliance is made up of a group of six species.

The six species are the Humans, the Diaglon (in looks they are similar to the dragons of Earth legends), the Vlon (human-sized insectoid creatures), the Jus (large reptilian creatures, about half again as big as a human and not so technologically advanced as the other five), the Lind (wolf-like/horse sized (in build akin to a thoroughbred racehorse)), and the Larg (wolf-like/horse sized (in build akin to a carthorse)). The latter two have their origins on Planet Rybak.

Most of the human members of the Alliance are members of a large interplanetary group known as Dragon Wulf and it is their Commander-in-Chief who has overall military command. At present Alliance HQ is on Planet Echt. This is also the location of the Alliance’s main spaceship build and repair facility.

The Alliance military consists of a space-navy, a space-ground armoured infantry, ground (planet-based) armoured infantry, various species-specific units, and a specialist group called the Vada.

The Alliance space-navy consists of ships from Dragon Wulf, the Diaglon and the Vlon.

The Alliance space-ground armoured infantry soldiers are based aboard space ships, like the naval marines of previous eras.

The Alliance ground (planet-based) armoured infantry are soldiers belonging to the planet they live on, like the armies of previous centuries.

The Vlon have a small army of soldiers but, unlike their space-navy, these soldiers have not yet fought alongside human troops.

The Jus have an army but their soldiers have only recently ventured off-planet.

The Vada is a Lind/Larg/Human cavalry force dedicated to fighting evil and protecting those who must be protected. The Vada has been in existence for over eight centuries, most of those on Planet Rybak. Thirty-three years ago, the Lind and the Larg, together with a number of humans left Planet Rybak and travelled to Planet Tak. This event is called ‘the Exodus’. Stronghold, the headquarters and training section of the Vada is now based on Planet Tak.

During this dangerous time, the Vada is made up of 56 (usually 51) Ryzcks (Companies) of 35 vadeln-pairs each (a vadeln-pair is made up of a Human and either a Lind or a Larg, life and mind-bonded), plus support and training personnel. The Lind and the Larg are telepathic.

Historically, Alliance headquarters moved from place to place to avoid being located and attacked), by the Community Space Fleet but with the recent cessation of Community-Alliance hostilities they hope to remain on Planet Echt.

* * * * *

FLYING COLOURS (1) - Rascals and Renegades

SYNOPSIS

Year Standard 3274 to 3276

Year Rybak AL 834 to AL 836

A star system with five habitable planets was located in a space sector within reach of both the Community and the Alliance. Beside this system was another system, one rich in precious minerals and ores.

The Community and the Alliance both sent exploratory fleets of warships, soldiers and scientists and when they clashed the Alliance fleet emerged victorious, destroying or capturing all of the Community fleet except for three who managed to escape.

Meanwhile, there was what could only be described as an epidemic of kidnappings amongst the rich and powerful Community High Families. The abductions were perpetrated by a group of pirates known as the Renegades who were holding the children and young adults on the surface of one of the habitable five planets in the Penkjai Star System.

After many adventures most of the kidnapped were rescued and the Renegades destroyed. It came to light that the Renegades had been hired by the Prime Director of the Community, Thor Kaur of the Inselberg of that Ilk. He had ordered the kidnappings as a means to gain more wealth and power over the other High Families.

During the year after the end of Flying Colours (1) - Rascals and Renegades, one of the twenty Directors, Gaius Marcius Rutilis worked to depose Prime Director Thor Kaur and to bring democracy and enfranchisement to the citizens of the planets under Community control but technically, at the beginning of Flying Colours (2) - Outlaws and Overlords, a state of war still remained between the Alliance and the Community.

* * * * *

FLYING COLOURS (2) - Outlaws and Overlords

SYNOPSIS

Year Standard 3277 to 3281

Year Rybak AL 837 to AL 841

This was a story in four parts.

Part One began with an adventure ride through the galaxy with old friends and new aboard an elderly ex-warship called the Waltou on a quest to find the remaining kidnapped children and some answers. It was a quest that turned into something far more sinister.

They uncovered a plot within the High Families of the Community, a plot that was threatening the existence of every species living within the Alliance and the Community.

The High Families had made a deal with out-galaxy beings known as the Yeoverlurd (originally identified as the Overlords) who were planning to invade the Milky Way in order to get hold of certain stimulants like coffee and kala. The High Families had made this deal in order to ensure their immunity from attack, their safety and the continuance of their privileged lifestyle.

In return for the High Families making sure there was no resistance to the Yeoverlurd, the High Families would be left alone. They sowed seeds of dissention within the Community and seeds of hatred between the various species within the Alliance and the citizens of the Community.

During the Waltou’s journey a number of Community and Alliance military personnel met and joined forces to help combat the threat and at the end of the book, the Community and Alliance Space Fleets were taking the first steps to work together defending the galaxy border and to hunt down the Yeoverlurd scouts. It appeared that the High Family plot had failed.

Part Two told the story about the Lind and the Larg’s response to the out-galaxy threat. They had sensed danger approaching and were taking steps. It also contained some stories about the rapid expansion of the Vada. In times past, if the Vada underwent a large increase in numbers of serving vadeln-pairs, it had meant serious danger was approaching. It had been evident for centuries that the Lind and Larg had a sixth sense where this was concerned.

Part Three told the story about what had been happening on Planet Rybak.

Although Argyll, Vadath, the Islands of the Great Eastern Sea, and the Dagan Continent were at peace and were quietly undergoing a slow modernisation process, this was not the case in the Kingdom of Murdoch.

The Kingdom fractured and civil war broke out between the progressive northern duchies under King Pierre the Second and the traditionalist southern duchies led by a number of traditional dukes with a young puppet, ‘King’ Francis, on the throne. (Duchies loyal to King Pierre the Second – Gardiner – Brentwood – Duchesne – Graham – Hallam – Charleson – Markwood. (Progressives.) (Duchies loyal to ‘King’ Francis – North Baker – South Baker – Smith – Cocteau – Van Buren. (Traditionalists.)

Some Rybakkians (except for those in Southern Murdoch) began to realise that once again their world was a danger hotspot. With the Yeoverlurd threat on the horizon, the cessation of the civil war was of paramount importance. However, the book ended with peace unresolved.

The final part of Flying Colours (2) - Outlaws and Overlords dealt with the situation where a Yeoverlurd advance scout was located and destroyed, destroyed by a telepathic mind-merge by a vadeln-pair aboard an Alliance ship. It became obvious that the scout was not the only one hiding within Community and Alliance space.

At the moment, this mind-merge between a Lind and a human is the only known way to kill a Yeoverlurd and the vadeln-pair sacrifice their lives. This has become the key to the survival of the Alliance and the Community.

The very last section of Flying Colours (2) - Outlaws and Overlords took place outside a town called Brindal in the southern (and traditionalist) Duchy of Cocteau in the Kingdom of Murdoch on Planet Rybak.

A group of Avuzdel found a huge fortress, built on the foundations of the ruins of an old Grey Nun convent.

"Avdrya senses evil and she says so does Finsinuda, and Srei."

: It is aware :

: Of us? :

: What is inside is aware. It is awake :

: Andei’s Pawprints! Don’t tell me that it’s one of those Yeoverlurd? :

: It is not human. It is not Lind. It is not Larg, or Jus, or Vlon. What else can it be? :

As Jim’s brain was absorbing this information, Avdrya huddled closer.

They all heard the flapping noise. It was beating a slow and heavy beat, nothing like the wing movements of the Diaglon.

* * * * *

FLYING COLOURS (3) – SPARKLES AND SPHINXES

* * * * *

PROLOGUE

During the weeks since the end of Flying Colours (2) - Outlaws and Overlords, much has happened.

The war between the Yeoverlurd Empire and the Alliance of Seven (The Alliance of Six plus the Community) has begun.

The Alliance of Seven is beginning to lose ships and planets. The situation is not looking good.

A number of planets are already under Yeoverlurd control, all within the Community’s sphere of influence.

On the up side, and luckily for the Alliance of Seven, their High Command knows which planets are targets and which are not. This knowledge is available thanks to the members of the Waltou expedition who managed to download a leaked High Family document about the plot hatched by the High Families and the Yeoverlurd.

On the down side, there are signs of disaffection among some officers and men of the Community Space Fleet. Not a few hate the fact that they have been forced into an alliance with non-humans, while others are embracing the idea, recognising that friendship is powerful and that everyone, whatever the species, will have more chance of defeating the Yeoverlurd if they work together.

Some target planets are at double risk of attack.

The primary targets in Community space are:-

1. Planets with a large military presence such as New Earth - New Eden (Armoured Infantry HQ) - New Amsterdam (Space Fleet HQ).

2. Home planets such as New Earth.

3. Planets growing or manufacturing stimulants such as Old Earth - Caledonia - New York - New Dallas.

The primary targets in Alliance space are:-

1. Planets with a large military presence such as Dagana (Diaglon) - Vlonalla (Vlon) - Ssglassbwsstss (Jus) - Echt (Alliance HQ) - Tak (Vada).

2. Home planets such as Dagana (Diaglon) - Ssglassbwsstss (Jus) - VVVVNN (Vlon) - Tak (Lind and Larg).

3. Planets growing or manufacturing stimulants such as Rybak - Tak - Tenha - Penki - Rhyddid - Vlaswera (Vlon) - Vint (Vlon).

The planets destroyed by the Yeoverlurd or invaded/occupied by the Yeoverlurd to date include Alba, Caledonia (invaded), Akkar, Inktvis, New Australia, New Mexico, and Catalonia.

When Flying Colours (3) - Sparkles and Sphinxes begins, the Yeoverlurd are consolidating their control over that part of the galaxy they have conquered and have manoeuvred their fleet into three segments. The first and second are getting ready to move further into Community and Alliance space. The third segment, consisting of a huge number of large transport ships, is remaining where it is, for the time being.

It is being watched.

* * * * *

Thalia and Josei – Introspection – Planet Tak

: Why do you think it’s always them? :

: Them? : Josei’s mind-voice was interrogative but not nasty interrogative. He knew his Thalia.

: You know what I mean. If there’s anything to trip over, whether it’s an adventure, an interesting object, a mystery, or something downright dangerous, it’s always Jim and Avdrya :

: They do seem to get into trouble a lot : admitted Josei, positioning his body for a good scratch.

: One of these days, it’ll be the death of them :

Josei continued to scratch, finished his scratch, then informed his life-partner that it was now the time of the year to bring out the mite powder.

* * * * *

PART ONE - PLANET RYBAK

* * * * *

CHAPTER 1 - TAVIN

Dreadnought ‘Waltou’ – Alliance Space

"Message from the Liberty," said Birt Rattenbury from the comms station.

Captain Rutger Toonder looked up from a half doze. During recent weeks he had been falling asleep in his command chair, he suspected because of a mixture of boredom and intense action, a state of affairs not conducive to a regular sleeping pattern.

The Waltou had been sitting behind the moon for hours, waiting while the Liberty’s crew frantically repaired her weapons guidance system, damaged in a clash with a stray Yeoverlurd attack ship. Her crew had been lucky. The Waltou had been close and had been able to destroy the enemy before it blew the corvette into smithereens. Attack ships were more heavily armed than Flower Class corvettes.

Good, said Rutger. Ratty? Ratty was the nickname for the Waltou’s brilliant weapons specialist.

On his way up from the mess deck.

Excellent. As soon as the shuttle docks, we’re out of here. There are far too many enemy ships in this system for my liking!

He closed his eyes again.

Dangerous times, he was thinking as his eyes closed, dangerous times.

Rutger dozed off, secure in the knowledge that they were safe, for the moment.

* * * * *

Outside Esfinege Castillo - Duchy of Cocteau - Kingdom of Murdoch

They all heard the flapping noise. It was beating a slow and heavy beat, nothing like the wing movements of the Diaglon. Jim and Avdrya were not the only duo to hold their breath.

They felt the change of air when the flapping was directly overhead.

Bright and blue pastures, Jim thought. This time it’s the end.

They were lucky it was night, the blackly dark, dense kind of night that was usual in the southern continent at this time of year.

They lay under their camouflage cloaks and ATT tarpaulins, hardly daring to breath as the flapping grew louder. A truly terrible stench filled their nostrils and Danielle and Henlei tried not to gag.

Jim’s Avdrya tried not to gag too. Tried and failed.

: Sorry :

: Not your fault :

: I don’t like this. What is that thing? :

: My guess is that it is one of the Yeoverlurd :

: I did not think they had wings :

: Neither did anyone :

: Srei says he thinks the flapping is moving away. I want to go. This is not a nice place :

: I agree, a tactical withdrawal is in order. Tell Srei and Finsinuda :

Slowly, oh so slowly, they edged away, being very careful not to nudge the trip wires, which, Avdrya said, were easy to avoid. The night vision of the Lind was an ability from which legends had been made.

: Don’t get cocky : Jim warned.

: Have you heard the story about pots and kettles? :

: If you get us out of here without tripping, you can tell it to me … again :

: In that case, I will be extra, extra careful :

Jim hid a groan. It was a very long story.

* * * * *

Vada – Vadath – Planet Rybak

The Seventeenth and Fifty-third Ryzcks were at Stronghold, their ‘Alma Mater’, the original headquarters and training school of the Vada. No Ryzck had been stationed in Vadath for over thirty years and for many vadeln-pairs, this was their first visit.

For eight centuries, the vadeln-pairs of the Vada had protected the northern continent from pirates, given aid in times of woe, and had generally been the glue that held the three countries of the continent, Argyll, Vadath and the Rtathlians, together.

They had run the Supply Stations and the Messenger Service, and had provided critical expertise and rapid response transport for the Holad, becoming, in effect, a four-pawed ambulance service.

For the first six hundred years of human habitation, many had given their lives defending the northern continent from the inhabitants of the southern continent.

Before humankind’s arrival, the Lind and Larg had been fighting each other for eons.

The alliance of the Larg and the aggressive leaders of the Kingdom of Murdoch had made their yearly attacks more lethal than ever.

This conflict had come to an end with the defeat of an out-world invasion force. Everything had changed when the Lindars of the Rtathlians, the Garda and Militia of Argyll, the Vada and Militia of Vadath, and the Kohorts of the Larg had come together to defeat the invaders.

Now, although the Lind and the Larg were different, especially in size, abilities and temperament, they were also, in a peculiar way, the same. For the last two centuries, the Vada had been made up of both Lind and Larg, vadeln-paired; and the Lindars and Kohorts had fought together.

Now the Vada was back at Stronghold, at least two Ryzcks were back, and the people were loving it. The Garda of Argyll had taken over Stronghold when the Lind and Larg had departed for Tak but they had only used a small part. It was nice to see it full again.

* * * * *

The Lucky Lind, a hostelry situated near to Vada Port, had always been a favourite of the vadeln-pairs.

When the innkeeper, one Pietar, nephew of the innkeeper who had cried when the Vada had marched out of Stronghold that last time on route to Planet Tak, had got the news that two Ryzcks were returning, he had made haste to re-organise, returning the tables, benches and chairs to their positions of yesteryear. As he told the customers who objected, the Lind and Larg liked to eat too. His cook pulled old cookery books out of the cupboard and began investigating thirty year-old recipes for kura and lungtrel stews.

Once the vadeln-pairs were settled and guard duties arranged between the two Ryzckas and the Commanding Officers of the Sixth and Twelfth Garda Foot, some of the vadeln-pairs made a vuz-line for the Lucky Lind.

Ryzcka Vernon and Stasya of the Fifty-third Ryzck led the way, closely followed by another vadeln-pair who remembered the inn of old, Vadryzka Adyn and Tasya. The latter duo had been in the same cadet year group as Thalia and Josei.

Those of the Seventeenth watched them leave with not a little envy, but they knew their turn would come. Meantime, they would have to make do with a tavern in the town.

As the ‘lucky few’ drank what Vadeln Massimo later described as the best beer he had ever tasted (Thalia’s nephew Tori thought not perhaps so good, he preferred the cider), their Lind and Larg were treated to what could only described as a welcoming feast of deliciousness.

It is on record that during the journey back to Stronghold not a single four-paw ran, because all they were capable of was … a sedate almost-trot!

* * * * *

Port Lutterell – Argyll

Not every Ryzck was having it as easy as the two in Vadath.

As the group from the Fifty-third lived it up in the Lucky Lind, a cold and tired Ryzcka Petra of the Fifty-second was seriously contemplating the pros and cons of retiring.

: This is a miserable way to wait out the night : she was complaining to her life-partner, the Larg Zanvldr. She was wriggling her toes. They felt like lumps of ice.

This was not the first time they and their Ryzck had waited, cold and wet, here on the rain-soaked shores of Argyll … watching for a boat.

In those days it had been the sea pirates they had been watching for. She and Zanvldr had been in command of the Seventeenth Ryzck. Now Mikey and Mischya were in command of the Seventeenth, enjoying the comforts of Stronghold whilst the vadeln-pairs of the Fifty-second were on duty on the northerly shores of the northern continent.

The orders had been clear and had come from the Avuzdel.

There was a saying among the Vada … Spooks and spies tell us what they think they know, the Avuzdel tells us what they know they know. When a member of the Avuzdel asked you to jump, you were in the air before you asked how high.

This time it had been intelligence that there was a suspicious group of out-world ‘tourists’ journeying through the Great Eastern Sea. The group had visited the Island of Galliard and the Island Kingdom of Leithe where they had been identified as Community High Family by an Avuzdel agent who had spent some time on Planet New Earth. Her interest had been piqued … why would members of a very important family go on holiday when their home worlds were being threatened by the Yeoverlurd?

The group were due to spend three days at a resort on the outskirts of Port Lutterell before sailing south to the Island Confederation of Galland, the Eastern Isles and the Western Isles, countries with ties to the Kingdom of Murdoch.

The agent had also thought it most peculiar that one of the visitors had ‘obtained’ (another word for ‘paid for’), an audience with King Rand of Leithe, an ambitious monarch who was over-fond of getting involved in affairs of state in lands not his own. It was rumoured that his younger son was looking for both a wife and a kingdom, not necessarily in that order.

* * * * *

The cruise ship was late, this was the third night the vadeln-pairs had waited in their shelters but at last Zanvldr informed Petra that at long last he could see lights from a large ship.

: Is it the ‘Rhian’? :

: Looks like what we saw last time : Zanvldr replied. He had an excellent visual memory and had recognised the shape when the visual report had come in.

: How long? :

: Perhaps three bells until she docks. Depends on the tide :

: Send the message :

On the outskirts of the resort, their ‘eyes’ were waiting, a boy of thirteen who looked much younger, a boy who worked in the resort and who therefore, had a legitimate reason to be there, a boy who was not what he seemed. He had, clipped to his right ear, a tiny, state-of-the-art, aural surveillance unit.

He was a boy who was being paid by the Avuzdel … for information.

His name was Tavin Halson.

* * * * *

Tavin took whatever work he could get. He really should still have been at school but he was a clever boy and had passed ‘The Exam’, also known as the ‘Leaving Certificate’ a year early. Clever children from poor families had always been able to leave school before they were fourteen, provided that they had reached a certain education level and had permission from the authorities, the authorities in this case being the education officials. In the ward where Port Lutterell was situated, the officials tended towards parsimony and were therefore happy to grant permissions. It cost coin to keep a child at school and more coin to help poor families in need. Policy was to get the children of the poor working as young as possible.

Tavin’s father Hal had died the previous year, leaving his wife and four children, and his mother in a state of need.

Hal Ranulfson had never earned a lot of money working as a casual labourer at Port Lutterell’s docks, but he had been a hard and reliable worker so the family had had enough coin to buy coals to keep warm in the winter. They had eaten plain but nourishing food. Hal’s wife Heidi was a loving mother and proud of her clean house. The children had bathed regularly and their clothes had always been, if patched, mended so well only the most observant would have noticed.

When Hal Ranulfson had been killed in an accident, everything had changed.

Tavin was the eldest and it had become his responsibility to help his mother keep the family warm and fed. Widow Ranulfson as she was now called, worked long bells in the resort laundry, but it wasn’t enough.

Tavin worked for the resort’s chief groundsman, running messages, helping with repairs, and more importantly, liaising with the chief administrator, a woman who disliked the groundsman intensely and much preferred using Tavin as messenger rather than speaking to him herself.

It worked out fairly well. Tavin didn’t need to be there all the time, which allowed him to take other work if there was any around, and it gave him the right to be on the premises.

He was on duty when the tourists arrived at the resort, helping to carry their boxes and cases to their rooms in the long, low building usually allotted to short-stay guests. He even picked up some tips.

He had memorised the images of the people he was to look out for and had managed, by dint of some clever dodging in and out of staff and guests, to be the one who was carrying their boxes (made of the finest leather) and cases.

The group was made up of three people.

First, there was what Tavin had categorised as an arrogant sort of man. He seemed to be some kind of manservant to the older of the others, a hook-nosed woman with wrinkled skin and cleverly dyed, black hair. The third guest was a nondescript man of middling years. These two were also arrogant, but Tavin sensed it had nothing to do with being born with the arrogance of the rich and powerful, but a character, put on so they could blend in with their plush and opulent surroundings.

Tavin conjectured that the latter two were related but he wasn’t being paid to wonder; he was being paid to watch and listen.

As he carried the heavy cases, wondering why they needed so much luggage for a three night stay, he was wondering why the fourth and fifth members of the party were not with them. He had been told to expect five.

The younger two, both men, had not accompanied them on to the shore.

Had they remained on the Rhian? If not, where were they?

Dalina Durand, the Avuzdel agent for the area, was wondering the same thing.

Enquiries were made.

They had remained aboard the cruise ship.

* * * * *

Tavin stuck around in case he might hear anything interesting and his diligence paid off when the black-haired woman and the mondescript man decided to take a walk round the resort gardens after dinner. He didn’t manage to get close enough to hear a lot but the words and phrases his little surveillance unit did manage to pick up were confusing yet at the same time, illuminating.

"She’ll marry who I say she’ll marry."

"But she doesn’t … Leithe."

"Treaty … steelwood … kala … credits …"

"Gaius … tin-pot house …"

The two went out of range for a few moments but when they began to retrace their footsteps, Tavin caught more.

"So, we’re in agreement."

"New Earth … Hanebuth."

"Beautiful … unspoilt. Thor Kaur …"

They passed out of both Tavin’s earshot and the range of the little unit.

As soon as she received the report from the data analyst, a young woman who worked from a stuffy little office close to the docks, Dalina Durand made haste to pass the intelligence on.

Tavin was very pleased to receive a sizeable bonus the next morning and decided that whatever Ryzcka Petra wanted in the future she would get. With the three youngest still and school, more coin coming into the house could only be a good thing.

He also felt, rather self-consciously it had to be said, that he was doing his bit in trying to do some good.

The Vada does good, he thought as he made his way back to the tenement basement the family called home and handed over three silver florins to his grandmother.

* * * * *

Settlement – Argyll

Meanwhile, in the Garda HQ at Settlement, certain discussions about the Murdochian Civil War were in progress, among other topics.

So, what’s the latest from Jim and Avdrya? asked Field Marshall Romul Durand, Officer Commanding the Garda of Argyll.

They’ve got watchers at Esfinege, at least fairly close to it, answered Alaz Smircoff, who, with Alun Hallam, his wife Anssi and her Lind Ilyei, had recently arrived from the southern continent.

Too near is not a good thing, said Ilyei. The metal soldiers guard it and have …" He floundered about what to say.

They have sensors and can sense movement, Alaz said with a smile in Ilyei’s direction. The locals have learned to stay away. It is possible they are guard robots sent by the Community.

Guarding what? asked Romul. A Community outpost left behind after the invasion?

Ryzcka Flick of the Fifty-first Ryzck, the Susa’s Own, shook her head so hard her grey curls were bobbing.

Not possible, she said. That entire area was patrolled for months afterwards. Nothing.

I agree, said Alun. And reports of the building work only started coming in about three years ago. Whatever is happening down there, it is nothing to do with the failed invasion.

Also, we have to remember, said Alaz. That about a hundred years or so ago, the Community military got ‘into’ robotics in a big way. They made prototype robot soldiers. They were intending to replace some of the infantry as a cost-cutting exercise; pay rise demands were, I believe, getting out of hand. The High Families are cost-conscious. The prototypes didn’t work out too well.

How so?

Alaz grinned. Seems the testing went okay so they built a regiment of them and sent them out … with a regiment of armoured infantry, if I’m remembering right. Everything was fine until the unexpected happened. Some insurgents fired on them, and because of a glitch in software or whatever, the robots identified them as enemies and made a connection between the ‘enemy’ and the infantry. The robots started firing at every human in sight. As well as this, because they managed to work out that it was humans who had programmed them, they decided to block all incoming instructions too. There were hundreds of casualties before the robots could be destroyed. No, these guard robots are more likely to be some form of heavily armoured infantry.

What of the creature? asked Romul.

We don’t know for sure. I know Jim and Avdrya are swearing blind they saw exactly what they reported, but …

"It is not Diaglon, interrupted Maru the Lai, Susyc of the all Diaglon living on the planet. And Jim and Avdrya were not the only vadeln-pairs present. The others have confirmed the report."

Yeoverlurd, said Anssi. Can’t be anything else, but when and how and why; I don’t have a scoobie.

A new type of Yeoverlurd? ventured Alun. These bodies they have found up there. He pointed to the stars. Did any of them have wings?

No, answered Alaz. And Jim’s Avdrya says she senses a feeling of impatience coming from inside the buildings.

Under, Maru corrected. It was under.

I too sensed that when me and Anssi there, agreed Ilyei. Impatience and a sense of waiting.

Waiting for what?

* * * * *

Thalia and Josei – Introspection – Planet Tak

Sometimes, when she was in a pensive mood, Thalia would think back to her family on Planet Rybak. It pained her to know that she did not know what had happened to some of her brothers. It had been many years since she had seen them and she didn’t know if any she had lost touch with were alive or dead.

She had been one of eight children born to scientist and technician Josen Joshson and his wife Talia. Three of the eight, Hal (the oldest), Tara (the youngest) and she had vadeln-paired and emigrated to Planet Tak during the Exodus in over three decades ago. Hal and Tara, with their Lind, had passed on to the Blue Pastures.

Another brother, Iain, had followed the three to Planet Tak after the abortive Community invasion seventeen years ago this summer. Iain, once an officer in Argyll’s Garda, was now Assistant Weaponsmaster of the Vada and his three children serving vadeln-pairs.

The other four?

Back on Rybak, Raif, the second son, had had already been doing well at the time of the Exodus. He had become a successful, very rich, merchant. His eldest daughter had married into the wealthy Durand family. He had died just over a year ago, of the gout, so rumour had it. Too much of a good life and rich food was not healthy, and Raif had always enjoyed his after-dinner brandies.

Tomas, the youngest son, had followed their father into academia and was a medical research scientist based at the University at Stewarton in Argyll. Thalia wasn’t in touch with him but until Raif’s death she had received infrequent updates about how he was getting on.

Where were her other two brothers, the twins?

Thalia had no idea.

* * * * *

CHAPTER 2 - TAVIN’S PURSUIT

Dreadnought ‘Waltou’ – Alliance Space

Captain Rutger Toonder was looking at yet another casualty report … one from Community Space.

Eleven of their planets had fallen to the Yeoverlurd, including New York, New Zealand, New Dallas, New Europe, Riga and New Iceland.

Two Battle Groups had been destroyed, those led by the Battlewagons Gliese and Warspite, and there were a number of other ship losses.

In Alliance Space, in the week since that message from the Buck telling them that the enemy fleet looked as if they were mustering for an attack, there had been nothing else but a daily inactivity report.

Every planet conquered by the Yeoverlurd went ‘dark’, a ploy almost guaranteed to strike fear in the hearts of all but the most stupid. The not knowing the worst was far worse than knowing the worst.

In Rutger’s opinion it was looking as if the Yeoverlurd were intent on taking out the Community first. Although he deeply regretted their citizens having to go through what they were going through, no decent person would contemplate wishing war on anybody, Rutger was a pragmatist. These Yeoverlurd attacks might just give the Alliance of Six enough time to find a way to defeat them.

He didn’t like the fact that he was thinking this way but had realised recently that this pragmatism was a result of the past. He harboured personal reasons to hate what the Community stood for. He had been fighting them his entire adult life. It still felt strange that its military was now to fight alongside those of Dragon Wulf.

Rutger wasn’t a fan of the ‘Alliance of Seven’, or of the ‘Alliance of Six plus the Community’. He was of the ‘Alliance of Six and keep the Community at arm’s length’ persuasion. A lot of water would have to run under the proverbial bridge before he welcomed them with open arms. Too many friends had died.

* * * * *

Port Lutterell – Argyll

The local base of the Avuzdel was situated not far from the docklands. It was an inconspicuous house in the middle of an inconspicuous terrace.

Dalina Durand arrived at the front door as it was getting dark. She knocked three times, counted to ten, then knocked again, twice.

The door opened and she slipped inside.

The man sitting behind a desk in the upstairs front room looked up as she entered. He nodded a greeting.

Hi, he said, pointing to a slim message packet stamped with the logo identifying the method of postage; by courier ship. From Jonetta. Planet New Earth appears to be an interesting place.

You read it?

Came in with the regular stuff. And don’t worry, I didn’t read any of the private bits.

All Dalina could do was laugh. the answer was typical of him.

You’re impossible, she said and leant over to pick the letter up. She put it into her pocket.

You’re not going to read it?

Later, she said. Anyway, if there was anything urgent you would have told me. Did you get my message?

Baz was the ultimate agent, interested in everything, no matter how trivial, with an encyclopaedic memory and an ability to put two and two together to make four, not five, every time. He was also an expert in attack, defence and more important, self defence. Dalina was still nursing the bruises from their last practice session. His abilities, coupled with an insatiable curiosity, made him possibly the best operative alive. Christophe Arras, the Dragon Wulf Spymaster had tried to persuade him to come and work for him but Baz had refused. He loved his planet. As he had told Christophe, he had been born on Rybak, and Rybak was where he would live and die.

Dalina’s older sister Jonetta had answered Christophe’s call. Dalina missed her.

The two young women came from an influential and well-to-do family, their mother having married Field Marshall Romul Durand of the Garda.

It had been their cousins, Francis and Juliette who had been kidnapped the previous year a by a number of rebellious Dukes of the Kingdom of Murdoch resulting in the younger, Francis, being put on the throne to be used as the figurehead for the said rebellion.

For that’s what the ‘civil war’ between the rightful King Pierre and his followers and ‘King’ Francis, had become, no longer a war but a rebellion; five dukes refusing to abandon their traditionalist way of life, five dukes prepared to do what they thought they needed to do to preserve it.

Rutger Toonder was not the only one finding it a challenge to embrace the future.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, three streets over, Tavin had arrived home.

I’m back! he cried as he opened the door and stepped into the narrow hallway.

There was a thunder of feet on the wooden floor as the two youngest ran towards him. He scooped little Ranulf up into his arms and hugged Tona.

Tavin! Is that you? Granny Alice called from the kitchen area. You’re very late. Your mother got home two bells ago.

There were visitors in from that cruise ship so I had to wait to help carry, he explained, putting Ranulf down and ruffling Tona’s hair. She giggled.

He walked into the kitchen and gave Granny Alice a hug, handing her the coins he had earned. The old lady’s face lit up as she squirrelled it away in her apron pocket. The two youngest needed shoes and now there might now be enough to buy them.

Her daughter-in-law did not earn enough to buy everything a growing family needed. Getting hold of suitable footwear was always a worry.

Tavin had not told his grandmother all the details about how he was managing to supplement the family income. Granny Alice had asked if it was illegal, and in all conscience Tavin had been able to reply in the negative.

He had suspicions that she knew about his ‘business arrangement’ with Ryzcka Petra but preferred not to ask.

Is Mother asleep? he asked as he slipped on to the bench that sat on the long side of the table away from the ingleneuk, their only source of heat and where Granny Alice cooked her simple but delicious meals. She was a genius at making tasty food from simple ingredients. No matter where he was, or what he became in later life, Tavin knew he would always remember watching her bending over the kale pot, stirring soup, the smell mixing with the bread that was baking in one of the ovens that sat on either side of the fire, his siblings gathered on the rug playing jack-stones.

You’ll be wanting supper?

I got a sandwich from the hotel kitchen.

Granny Alice sniffed. She didn’t think a sandwich enough for a growing boy.

Did Mother look …? he asked.

Tired, the old lady answered, looking worried. She does too much. I wish we had enough for …

Her voice tailed off. Tavin’s mother needed to see a doctor, a specialist doctor; not the old quack (Granny Alice’s description) down the road who was the local health service healer. Later, she mouthed, and Tavin understood. They would discuss it when the younger ones were in bed.

* * * * *

Dalina was still in the inconspicuous house when the triple whammy of news arrived.

Baz had sent someone to the Rhian to find the two off-worlders who had remained on board, and he arrived just as Dalina was polishing off her third mug of kala, wondering if it was worthwhile going back to the inn or just bunking down in one of the upstairs rooms.

The news was serious. The two men who had remained on board were there no longer.

An unscheduled tender just after dusk it were, she heaved to close by, and the deck officer, he told tender to go away, and it did, but no for a while. I got this from one of the deck hands in the Galliard Inn on that durty street, you’ll ken the one Baz?

Baz nodded. He knew Wilf, there was no point trying to press him to go faster. He would tell the tale his way … slow, sure and everything included.

He told me skipper said they found the men were missing, must have been ‘bout a bell later. Cabin was empty and they could’nae be finded. Paid him and went lookin’ for the tender. Found it and spoke to the furst mate. Had tae use ma fust, just a luttle but, make hum talk but he admutted the skipper took sulver, mate did’nae know who it was who dud the sulver handin’ ov’r. Mate was telt to leave tender, go to bar and not come back for a bell.

Did you manage to find out who gave the skipper the bribe?

Smallhide. There were two of them.

That name came up during the investigations into the kidnap of my cousins, exclaimed a startled Dalina. But they couldn’t prove they had anything to do with it.

Smallhide, mused Baz, shaking his head. I’ve not heard that name for many a long year.

Why? Dalina asked.

Baz chuckled.

My father was a revenue officer, he began. "He used to talk about hunting for a man, what was his first name now … yes! I’ve got it! Chadwick. Chadwick Smallhide. That was it. He was ostensibly