The Dead Zone: Ardent Redux Saga: Episode 4 (A Space Opera Adventure): Ardent Redux Saga, #4

By J. L. Stowers

Captured by the enemy with no hope of rescue… or is there?

Dani's gotten used to finding hope when there should be none, but can the same be said for her crew?

Jag's condition worsens and Sylvine is determined to keep him alive… at all costs. But who will save Sylvine?

Osirion's crew is in for another action-packed adventure as an unlikely hero comes to their rescue. But nothing's as easy as it seems because there's more to this alliance than meets the eye.

Did they escape certain death or just trade one problem for another?

When all is said and done, Dani and her crew find themselves in the last place they expected and Dani herself is forced to face an unbelievable truth.

Find out what challenges await Osiron's crew as they try to escape The Dead Zone. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sixth Moon Publishing
• Release date: Aug 29, 2018
• ISBN: 9781393383482

Book preview

The Dead Zone

Ardent Redux Saga:

Episode 4

The Dead Zone

Ardent Redux Saga:

Episode 4

––––––––

By

J.L. Stowers

Copyright © 2018 by J. L. Stowers

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

First Edition, 2018

Editing: Keri Karandrakis

Cover Art: Tiffany at Dark Matter Book Covers

Visit the author’s website at jlstowers.com

Dedication

For my fans.

I appreciate your support more than you realize.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 1

Captain Dani Devereaux’s heart caught in her throat and she was unable to speak. "The Dead Zone? You’re sure?" she signed back to Daemon Cruz.

His slow nod and pursed lips confirmed her fear.

We didn’t make it? Cassia Simpkins quivered in her seat, Carl nuzzling her chin.

Wait, what do you mean we didn’t make it? Zadria Swift asked, her eyes wild with fear.

Dani gulped and made a wild grab for her composure. While she and Cruz knew about this territory, it made sense that the others didn’t. It wasn’t something they taught at the academy since many people viewed the surrender of this section of space as a failure on the Galactic Conglomerate’s part.

The Dead Zone is an empty stretch of space between Vaerian territory and the armada. The GC let them have it because there’s practically nothing here. There are no stars, no planets, just empty space with a few stray asteroids and the occasional comet. Dani sighed as she waited for the ship’s systems to finish booting up. I’m going to go check on Jag. Sylvine, Cruz, can you give me a hand? Cassia, when the systems are back up, please run a full diagnostic. Maybe we can figure out why our cloaking went out.

Dani, Sylvine, and Cruz left the bridge and made their way to Jag’s room. They entered to find Jag splayed out face-down on the floor in a puddle of blood. Dani gasped, and the three of them hurried to his side. After Cruz performed a preliminary check, they turned him over.

A deep gash along Jag’s hairline poured blood. Cruz gestured for Dani to hand him a nearby towel. After she did, he applied pressure to the wound while Dani watched, mouth agape. In addition to the deep gash, Jag’s eye was quite swollen. Cruz took Dani’s hand and placed it over the towel on Jag’s head wound while he examined Jag’s pupils.

There’s so much blood, Dani mumbled quietly.

"Head wounds tend to bleed a lot. Looks like he hit the corner of his nightstand," Cruz signed before continuing with his examination.

Cruz frowned and opened his medical kit. "I’m going to need to clean the wound and stitch him up."

Dani nodded, looking away. She could handle a lot of things, but seeing Jag get hurt yet again was starting to wear on her. Instead, she focused her attention on looking around the room while Cruz took care of the gash.

Medical supplies and Jag’s belongings were strewn about the room. Cabinets and drawers were opened and their contents noticeably disheveled. No doubt the rest of the ship was in just as much disarray after their last violent attempt at fleeing Vaerian territory.

As soon as she was no longer needed, Dani began scooping up the scattered supplies. Sylvine joined her, and Dani thanked her with a smile. The warrior woman was still quite the mystery to the crew. Cassia was working on a linguistic program, but there was still a long way to go before it would translate with the standard ninety-eight percent accuracy. Dani longed to know more about her and why she was alone on the glowshard planet, but she knew she’d have to be patient.

As Dani placed the last of the contaminated supplies on the bedside tray, Cruz caught her eye and nodded to the door.

Sylvine? Dani asked, nodding to Jag.

Sylvine nodded in return, then righted the chair next to Jag’s bedside and seated herself while Dani and Cruz stepped into the hall.

What is it? she asked, not liking the worried look on Cruz’s face.

"He’s in bad shape." Cruz paused before continuing. "If we want him to make it through this alive then I think we need to have Cassia send out a long-range message in hopes of reaching the Houston."

The problem being that the armada might pick it up, Dani mumbled.

Cruz nodded. "Chances are, they might already know we’re here. We didn’t exactly make it out without being spotted."

You’re right. Dani sighed and looked through the door at Jag again as Sylvine placed a cold compress on his head. She wanted to stay by his side and tend to him personally, but as captain, that just wasn’t an option. A lump started to form in her throat as she dwelled on the fact he might not make it—in fact, none of them might. Alright, have Cassia send the long-range message. I’ll meet you on the bridge.

Dani watched as Cruz made his way to the bridge before taking one last look at Jag. She hoped the care Cruz and Sylvine provided would continue to help him until they could get him to a medical facility.

Dani sighed and turned toward the kitchen. As she entered, her feet slipped out from under her and she hit the ground, hard. Temporarily dazed from the fall, she took a moment to get to her feet. She thought the kitchen might be a mess but didn’t expect to have any spills, as the containers should have been sealed. As she looked down at her hands, she realized, in horror, what she slipped on.

No... Dani scrambled over to the tipped pot lying on the floor. The lavender liquid was mostly gone, spread out across the kitchen floor. Dani quickly picked the pot up, looking inside to find that very little of Sylvine’s medicine remained. Shit.

Dani slammed the pot down on the counter and grabbed the lid to examine it as Howard walked into the room.

What happened? He asked as he stared, wide-eyed at the mess.

Dani shook her head slowly. I guess the pot fell and the clasp on the lid must have snapped. She threw the lid into the sink and leaned on the counter, resting on her elbows, trying to hold back the tears.

Howard grabbed a mop from the supply closet and started to clean up the mess. I’m so sorry, Dani. I know how much you and Jag were depending on that medicine.

How’s the ship? she asked, changing the subject.

Howard grunted. Well, it’s been better. Several systems overloaded, including cloaking, so we’re just out here as plain as day. I’m going to share some words with Patrick and let him know we need an adequate jump drive. We should have had one from the start, but he’s nearly as stubborn as your father was, may he rest in peace. He shoved a jar of nuts at her, and she grabbed a handful as her stomach growled.

Captain, to the bridge! Zadria’s frantic voice echoed throughout the halls on the ship’s PA system.

There goes the other shoe, Dani hollered over her shoulder at Howard as she navigated around the mess and sprinted toward the bridge.

Not again. Dani huffed as she ran into the bridge and quickly hopped in her captain’s chair, dumping her handful of nuts into a cubby in the arm. How many?

Two, for now, Zadria announced, pointing at the two Vaerian destroyers positioning themselves in front of Osirion.

I assume they picked up our communication?

Y-yes, I’m so sorry. Cassia looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"Hey, no. That was my order and I’m glad we did it. And they were probably on their way to us anyway. Hopefully the Houston was close enough to pick it up as well. Have they reached out at all?"

Not yet. Cassia sighed as she slumped into her seat.

Dani bit her lip as she stared at the two massive destroyers before them. She glanced down at her console and raised an eyebrow. They’re not powering weapons. How... unlike them.

Incoming transmission from one of the Vaerian ships, Cassia announced.

You know the drill, Dani said as she smoothed her uniform and stood. She remained still as Cassia displayed the Vaerian officer on half the display screen and waited for the translation to begin.

Your presence is in direct violation of the current agreement between the Vaerian Nation and the Galactic Conglomerate. Under normal circumstances, your ship would be destroyed; however, our scans indicate there are several features about your ship that interest our High Commander. Therefore, you are now our prisoners. Your ship will be escorted back to the Vaerian home system, and any attempts to escape will result in your demise.

Well, shit, Dani mumbled as the screen blipped off. She sighed as the ships moved on either side of Osirion and engaged their gravity beams, trapping their ship between the two.

The trio of ships slowly started moving forward, and Dani shut down Osirion’s engines. If they’re taking us in then I’m not going to help them at all. They won’t be able to jump towing us like this either. Cruz, how long do we have before we get back to the Vaerian home system?

"About twelve hours at this pace," Cruz signed after checking his screen.

Dani clenched her jaw in an effort to contain her frustration. Twelve hours felt like both an instant and an eternity. She needed to think of a plan and she needed it now.

* * *

Dani stood in the center of the bridge, arms folded over her chest. She frowned at the two Vaerian ships holding Osirion locked in place between them with intersecting gravity beams. It had been about three hours since the enemy had taken her ship and crew hostage, and each minute that ticked by was torturous.

The stress