Red Cyborg

By neal robbins

Humans are colonizing planets of other solar systems. Jenny, Brad, and others of a colony on an exoplanet soon find that there are many types of extraterrestrials. They also discover that some are quite dangerous.

• Language: English
• Publisher: neal robbins
• Release date: Sep 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201109448

neal robbins

Neal Robbins is an archeologist and paleontologist. He has traveled the world as well as done digs and trained under several prolific scholars. He is also an author of 20 books that draw on the rich cultures he has help unearth. Keep up with the exciting exploits of the characters in each novel.  From Istanbul to the Indus Valley, these characters come alive. Sign up to keep abreast of the next exciting novel. 

Book preview

Chapter One

Brad gazed at the screen of the telecom device. Red, yellow, purple, and orange dots moved and touched each other. They circled the brown triangle in the center.

Handy thing for sending messages, Brad said to himself. It's great that the Stryons gave us these things. Base four and oriented to wave lengths.

He turned in the swivel chair and viewed the room. Other items of equipment stood next to the white walls. They included radios and a file processor.

Brad was wearing red and yellow camouflage fatigues. They blended well with the desert environment of that region on the planet.

It's almost 1900 hours, Brad said as he glanced at the clock. Jenny will soon be back from supper, so I can take a smoke break.

Just then, the door slid open and Jenny entered the room. A dark complexioned man wearing glasses accompanied her. Two black stars were on each of his shoulders.

General Ramirez, Brad said with a smile. This is a pleasant surprise.

I've been here for a couple of days, the general replied. Cybernicus assigned me to direct a special training program.

I met him at the chow hall, Jenny said. He was having supper with some other officers.

I heard about your promotion to major general a few days ago, said Brad. Congratulations, sir.

Thanks, Ramirez said. It's always nice to get a promotion.

Brad, I'm sure you're anxious to take a smoke break, Jenny said. I'll watch the telecom device.

I'll join you for the smoke break, said General Ramirez. But first I have some message spheres to give to Lieutenant Rensworth.

Ramirez reached into his right pocket and took out two marble-sized spherical objects. He handed them to Jenny and said, Put these in the main telecom device and transmit them. I'll be back after the smoke break. There are some files that I need to review."

I'll do that immediately, Jenny replied. She sat down next to the device as Brad and General Ramirez headed for the door. It slid open and the two men walked down the hall.

We'll smoke on the north patio, Ramirez said.

That's my favorite place to smoke, said Brad.

They reached the end of the corridor and exited the building. A desert composed of red soil with yellow spots lay before them. No clouds could be seen in the sky. The sun was nearing the horizon and nightfall would soon occur.

Brad and the general sat down in two chairs a few meters from the entrance of the telecommunications facility. They each lit a cigarette and Brad said, That's quite an event that they're having on planet Deltono.

General Ramirez took a puff from his cigarette and said, It certainly is. The inauguration of Lydell Crandell as governor will please a lot of people.

He's always been a favorite of Soysiren, the cyborg ruler of Superzone-5 on Earth. Deltano is the most prosperous of their extraterrestrial colonies.

It's got a lot of resources. Cybernicus is not attending the event. He sent Than Son as our representative to the inauguration.

Than Son has high rank; he's the head of the council of economic advisors.

I'm surprised that no one ever colonized Deltano before. The Stryons had known about it for centuries, but they never set up any colonies there.

I've wondered about that myself. To be quite honest, it doesn't seem logical.

I think Cybernicus would like to have acquired that planet. It would be a great colony for our Superzone-1 on Earth.

Cybernicus said he didn't want that planet. He made it clear at a meeting with the joint chiefs of staff. That was two years ago.

The general's words surprised Brad. He hesitated for a moment and said, Did he give a reason?

No, but I suppose that he had one.

It's hard to know what goes on in the mind of a cyborg ruler.

Sometimes it's practically impossible, General Ramirez said.

It was startling when he picked Jenny, me, and those others for that mission on Earth. Choosing members of the regular troops, the switchblade brigades, or the cyborg commandos would have seemed more logical.

But your mission succeeded. Of course, you had help from others, such as Lieutenant Pao and his troops.

I felt relieved when it was over. The glipes were a severe threat.

They were, but other problems could occur. We and the members of the other superzones' colonies have to be careful.

General Ramirez crushed out his cigarette and said, We need to get back to the telecom center. There are some things that I want to discuss with you and Lieutenant Rensworth.

Yes, sir, Brad said as he put out his cigarette. As they walked to the door, the general pointed to the sets of four black stripes on Brad's shoulders. He said, I notice that you're now a staff sergeant.

Yes, sir, I was glad to get that promotion."

Chapter Two

Jenny removed the transmission sphere from the sockets and set them aside. She looked to the right and saw the door open. Brad and General Ramirez entered the room.

Sir, I transmitted those messages.

Good. The inauguration ceremony on Deltano will be broadcast in about thirty minutes. Activate the visual and audio sensors. We are going to watch it.

Jenny pushed two buttons on the console. Brad said, Sir, what is it that you want to discuss with us?

It has to do with some sounds that our astronomers are picking up, the general said. They are buzzing noises that vary in length and tone. Those sounds are unlike anything ever heard on the radio telescopes. The astronomers have informed Cybernicus about it.

Could those noises be broadcasts in some space alien language? Jenny asked.

I don't know for sure, but that is a possibility, said the general. He turned to Brad and said, Go and get that small monitoring device out of the top cabinet. Put it next to the screen that will be used for watching the inauguration.

Yes, sir, I'll get it."

Brad walked over to the cabinets and opened the top one. He took out a green metallic device that consisted of an upright plate on a tripod.

Is there something we'll watch on that small one? Jenny said.

Yes, we're under orders from Cybernicus to also use it.

Brad set the object next to the main sensing device. Ramirez said, Turn it on and adjust it to where we can see the whole planet in the same magnitude as it would be observed from orbiting. Activate the audio component. I want everything recorded.

Sir, do you want the inauguration on the main screen also recorded? Jenny said.

Yes, I do.

Brad pushed three buttons on the back of the dish. He turned a dial and said, It's ready sir.

Good. We'll watch and see what happens.

Brad felt tense at this point. He looked over at Jenny and saw that she seemed nervous.

General Ramirez glanced at the clock and said, We don't have long to wait.

Chapter Three

The auditorium was nearly full. Thousands of spectators sat in anticipation of the inauguration. Captain Pao stood near the door. He was wearing a light green dress uniform. A holster with a laser pistol was strapped to the right side of his belt.

In a few minutes Lydell Crandell and Soysiren would be arriving. Bytron, the ruler of superzone was to accompany them, along with envoys from the other superzones. One was Enrico Coltano, the representative of superzone 1.

Just then, Lieutenant George Simpson entered the room. He was a member of the security detachment that Soysiren had assigned to do guard duty. Simpson wore a blue dress uniform with a black cap. A silver bar was on each of his shoulders. Like Pao, he also had a laser pistol.

How's it going, Captain Pao? Simpson said.

Okay so far, Pao replied. This place is certainly packed.

It sure is; everyone's really excited about this event.

The only reason I am here is because Bytron's assigned me to be the chief of his personal bodyguard unit. Otherwise I would not have come to this planet.

I can't say I blame you. I didn't volunteer for the tour of duty here. When my first sergeant told me about this assignment, I was not too happy. A TDY would have been okay, but a two year tour is not much fun.

This colony is the most remote one that any of the superzones have established, Lieutenant Pao said.

You're right about that. There are some things that I'm worried about. This colony doesn't have many military forces. It's only got five combat starships. Our ground forces only number about 5,000 infantry.

I can see why you're concerned. If a hostile space alien force attacked this planet, it would take a while for reinforcements to get here.

A beep sounded on Captain Pao's cell phone. He took it out of his shirt pocket and said, Captain Pao here.

This is Corporal Chandrapati. Bytron is here; he wants to talk to you.

What about the others? Pao asked.

They are not here yet. Bytron decided to come early.

All right, I'm on my way.

Captain Pao turned to Lieutenant Simpson and said, Bytron is here already. He wants to talk to me."

Okay, I'm going to the inauguration platform. My personnel will be there in a few minutes.

Captain Pao walked through the doorway and into the huge hall. Bytron was standing nearby with five soldiers of his bodyguard unit. Pao stepped over to the group and said, When will the others get here?

In less than ten minutes, Bytron said. Cybernicus did not choose to come to this event. He sent Enrico Coltano as his envoy. Enrico's wife Clara is with him. I want you to assign three guards to be with him.

I can do that, Pao said. The other guards are in the auditorium. They are with the security personnel of this superzone.

Lieutenant Pao got out his cell phone and dialed it. Bytron said, Tell them to come out here and wait for the Coltanos.

While Pao was talking on the cell phone, one of the soldiers next to Bytron looked to the right. Five columns of women were marching. They wore red skirts, long-sleeved white blouses, red caps with visors, and white boots. Each held a rifle.

That's the female honor guard unit, the soldier said. Those women are members of Soysiren's non-lethal troops.

Captain Pao finished speaking on his cell phone. He put it back in his pocket and said, They are on their way. Where is Corporal Chandrapati?

He went outside, Bytron said. I told him to meet the Coltanos and stay with them.

The female honor guard detachment halted. One of the soldiers said something to the others. She then turned and walked over to where Bytron, Captain Pao, and the others stood. The woman had blonde hair. A gold leaf on each shoulder identified her as a major. She said, Sir, are you Byron, the ruler of superzone?

Yes, I am, Bytron replied. Have Soysiren and the others arrived yet?

They have just arrived, sir. Their hovercraft landed outside a few minutes ago.

I see, Bytron said. Three soldiers came out of the auditorium. Captain Pao approached them and said, Go to the entrance of the building. Stay with the Coltanos at all times.

The soldiers headed down the corridor.