Nova Chasers

By Bill Liggins

In another time and place, an enormous society of worlds and species with common interests in profitable financial exchange has somehow survived hundreds of years of terrorist threats and war. But now as the battles end, the society faces its greatest threat: an alliance of seven poor planets colonized by their outcasts.

These outcasts are not terrorists or warriors. They have no armed forces powerful enough to subdue worlds. Their only weapon is their mysterious ability to produce astonishing quantities of gold and platinumtwo tangible commodities that support all interstellar commerce and hold the potential to make them all very wealthy. But there are those who want nothing more than to be the first to discover the secret to their ability. One corporation smuggles a former monk into one of the human colonies to learn more. Now only time will tell if he can accomplish his mission. With the help from a legendary and beautiful Nova Chaser, he will find much more than he ever bargained for.

In this sci-fi thriller, a former monk assigned to learn the powerful secret harbored by a human colony of outcasts discovers that revelations sometimes hide in the most unusual of places.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Dec 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781532013782

Bill Liggins

BILL LIGGINS is a graduate of Cleveland State University with degrees in Geology and Communications. He is an award-winning writer with five other novels on the market: TABLE OF THE SUN, I NEED; I WANT, UNDYING LOVE, NOVA CHASERS, and WARNING. He is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and a current resident of Tampa, Florida, with his wife. He was also a TV sportscaster, actor, and a documentary film producer with two regional EMMY nominations, two national CableACE awards, and two Associated Press Awards to his credit.

Book preview

VILLAGE OF KAPKA-TERRE, GOLMLAXIS (ALDEBARAN-5)

Demonic screams echoed through the night punctuated by snapping gun fire and thudding explosions. So many buildings burned that even the thick smog over the village glowed red. In the alleys, between the wood and mud mound dwellings, mobs of Golm-tak and Golm-kapka butchered each other in another of their tribal vendettas.

These majestic creatures could have inspired mythic stories on many worlds. Built like great apes in the upper body, the Golm had toad-like faces, and massive, furry arms that allowed them to walk on all fours if necessary. Their hind legs, like the legs of kangaroos, possessed enough power to propel their bodies two to three meters per hop. Their clawed, but primate-like, hands had only three fingers and were formidable weapons. On this night, they instead used fire, knives, and guns on each other.

As flames burned the village center, a stampede of panicked Golm-kapka hopped past an oddly alien structure, a stone chapel with arching windows, and crumbling stained glass. Accept for the concussed windows, the chapel withstood the carnage. Inside, eight frightened Golm-kapka children huddled around the Altar, watching the windows grow redder from the approaching flames. Among them, a slender human monk prayed for salvation from the rage brought upon this village by the Golm-tak.

An explosion flashed outside the windows, briefly illuminating the inside as bright as sunlight. The thudding blast shook the walls forcing screams from the children.

Shhhhhh. Stay calm. The monk lowered his hood allowing his dreadlocks to drop around the sides of his youthful, reddish brown face. He turned toward them. God is with us. God is with us.

They’re coming, Brother Chidi, one of the children said.

Shhhhh. Turn your eyes to the altar and pray. The children huddled closer to Brother Chidi as he knelt. God in heaven. Hallowed is your name. Your kingdom will come. Your command will be done on our worlds and in heaven. Give us this day our daily shum, and forgive our sins as we forgive our enemies. Shield us from temptation. And deliver us from evil. For you are the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Chidi clasped his hands together and bowed his head. A small Kapka child draped her long arms around his neck and pulled herself into his.

A second burst of flames shattered another window and the children screamed again. Through the opening they heard angry grunts outside growing closer. They quickly hopped back into their hiding places.

Stay down, Chidi whispered.

In the back of the chapel, a Golm-tak warrior broke through the door. He activated a light on his helmet while holding his gun ready. Two other warriors entered behind him. They also directed their lights around the perimeter of the chapel.

The first Tak warrior detected movement, and turned toward the altar. He hopped forward, aiming his gun. A pouch under his chin inflated with air as he croaked a warning.

Through his ear-bud translator, Chidi understood the warrior’s croaks as I know you are there! Do not resist!

Slowly, Chidi stood up from behind the altar and held his arms wide. I am unarmed.

The Tak leader scooted down the aisle on all fours. You have no business here, alien. Leave. He sat up on his hind legs and aimed his gun at Chidi.

I’m a missionary of the Faith of God, Chidi responded calmly. This is our chapel. A nearby explosion briefly lit the Tak’s face. Chidi saw markings on the shark-like skin of his massive forehead—a star, the mark of a chieftain, above triangular representations of three mountains, the symbol of the Tak clan. Chidi swallowed nervously as the pouch under leader’s mouth began inflating again.

The leader croaked, You must leave, now, or you will— The leader’s words were cut off by the sound of a sliding stool. The other two warriors sat up on their hind legs, and also aimed their guns.

The Tak leader leaped over Chidi’s head onto the Altar. The startled children screamed, and hopped out of their hiding places toward Chidi.

The leader captured one of the children, and held it high for his lieutenants to see. Kapka children! The other warriors bounced on their hind legs and began laughing.

Suddenly, the leader flung the child into a nearby stone pillar. Her limp body crashed to the floor, her neck broken.

Chidi stepped toward the warrior, but stopped when the others cocked their guns.

The leader’s air pouch filled again. You are interfering with a blood vendetta, alien. Why are you protecting these filthy young?

Chidi looked at the lifeless body of the child, his eyes filling with tears. That was just a child— Chidi faced the leader. —A child of your own species! What kind of low form of life are you?

The leader rose on his hind legs until he towered over Chidi. He pointed the gun at Chidi’s head. The Kapka children huddled even closer around Chidi.

For the last time, leave, the leader croaked. These children are of no concern to you.

In the name of God, Chidi pleaded. For the sake of all civilized species—"

Enough! You will die with them!

A chain of explosions suddenly lit up the chapel. Their concussions rattled the building, shattering the remaining windows. Chunks of the ceiling fell. Before anyone could brace themselves, a massive wooden beam broke loose over the Altar.

Chidi crouched low over the children. The Tak leader looked up, but not in time to avoid it. The beam landed on him, crushing his body with its great weight. The Tak’s gun rolled free from under the beam.

Chidi didn’t have time to think. He dove for the loose gun. Before the other two warriors could recover from the collapse, Chidi aimed and fired. The two warriors fell in the rubble.

Chidi paused, looking at their motionless bodies. He wasn’t sure they were dead. The battle outside never seemed so quiet than it did at that moment, a silence soon broken by the timid voice of a Kapka child.

Did you kill them, Brother Chidi?

Chidi looked at the gun in his hand. He lowered it, and turned toward the children, terror engulfing him. Chidi began removing his ceremonial robe leaving him in a black t-shirt and slacks. He pulled the gun through one of the sleeves, then stooped down with the childen. We have to get out of here. If we can only make the river.

I know a way, a Kapka boy said.

We have to stay away from the Tak, Chidi said.

I know. Follow me. The little Kapka boy bounded recklessly toward the open door.

Kee-kapka! Chidi’s call stopped the boy. Don’t just hop out there.

With the children behind him, and his gun drawn, Chidi slowly walked toward the door. He led the children out into a smoke filled alley at the side of the chapel.

Which way? Chidi asked.

That way, Kee-kapka said, pointing to another alley on the other side of a wide street.

Chidi swallowed hard, summoning as much courage as he could. I… I’ll go first.

A human figure cautiously walked through the smoke toward the edge of the alley with seven small figures hopping behind him. The walls of the buildings next to the chapel were little more than shattered shells, but Chidi and the Kapka children stayed close to them as they advanced.

Sweat poured from Chidi’s forehead as they approached the corner of the wide street. He turned back to the children, and raised one finger to his mouth. The children all looked up at Chidi with their black button eyes, and nodded.

Chidi pointed the gun forward, took a quick look down the street to his right, then carefully turned his face around the edge of a wall to his left. It was clear. Chidi saw the alley entry ahead of him, and turned back to Kee-Kapka. That way?

Yes.

Chidi stooped low with the others. Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to hop as quickly as possible across this street to that alley. Be quiet and don’t panic, all right? The children nodded. I’m going first to make sure the alley’s clear. Kee, you lead the children across on my signal.

Yes, Brother Chidi.

Chidi turned back toward the street for another look, then took a deep breath. Here we go.

Chidi stayed low, and dashed across with his gun drawn. A low mound of rubble from a fallen wall blocked the alley’s entry. Chidi hurdled it, and tumbled to a stop. He aimed his gun into the alley, and listened for any movement. He heard the grunts of approaching warriors down the street, but nothing in the alley. Chidi scooted back to the mound of rubble, and rose up his knees. Looking the direction of the grunts, he saw Tak searchlights lighting up the smoke. There was little time. He waved to the children, and they instantly hopped out of the alley onto the street, bounding over the rubble, gathering around Chidi. He took another look down the street, and only saw illuminated smoke.

Come on, he ordered.

Chidi dashed into the alley surrounded by hopping Kapka children. They made it to the back of the alley, but all they found was a smooth wall blocking their way. Chidi looked up to the top. It was too high to climb. He looked to the left. The wall merged with a building. He looked to the right, and saw the same thing. He looked back at the alley opening, and saw a reflection of the Tak lights growing brighter. Most of the children again huddled close around Chidi’s legs.

Kee, I thought you said there was a way out of here, Chidi said.

The Kapka boy frantically scooted along the base of the wall. There is. My grandfather built it here after the first war… I think.

You think?

This should be the alley. Kee tried forcing his hands under the wall.

Chidi looked back at the street. Two Tak warriors hopped up to the mouth of the alley across the street near the chapel.

Found it, Kee said. He pulled the bottom of a heavy stone plate and budged it.

Chidi and the other children joined Kee in trying to open the plate. They had only opened it forty centimeters when Chidi looked back. A single Tak warrior stood outside the entry to their alley, but hadn’t seen them yet.

That’s enough, Chidi whispered. Get in there. Now.

The children didn’t hesitate. They hopped through the narrow opening one at a time. Kee was the last to enter. He looked back at Chidi who stayed low studying the inattentive warrior. He aimed his gun, but felt a tug on his leg.

Come on, Kee whispered. There’s room.

Chidi looked down at the boy’s face in the narrow opening, then looked back at the warrior who still hadn’t seen them. Chidi blew all the air out of his body and lunged into the snug opening. Inside, Kee and the other children held a heavy steel chain. Chidi grabbed it with them, and pulled the stone plate closed.

The sound of crunching rock drew the attention of the Tak warrior. In five bounds, he was at the back of the alley, searching for the source of the sound. He sniffed the air, but never found the tunnel opening.

Chidi and the Kapka children descended into the village sewer system. Shallow water filled the floor of the passage. Golm waste fouled the air, and made up the sticky sludge covering their feet. Chidi fought off fainting spells, and continued forward. Kee and the other children didn’t show any ill effects as they followed him.

Only five minutes passed, but it seemed like hours to Chidi before they reached an outlet to the river. As much as Chidi wanted to get out of that sewer, he still remained cautious. He gestured to the children to wait, then waded slowly to the edge of the pipe. Holding his gun ready, he looked forward, and saw only water and mist. He peeked around the edges of the pipe. No Tak warriors were within his sight.

Chidi stooped back down and signaled for the children to come forward. Kee led them to the edge.

Where do we go from here? Chidi asked.

We will swim five kilometers to the south, Kee said. There are shallows that will allow us to cross.

Five kilometers?

Yes.

Chidi dropped his head in frustration, then slipped the gun into a pouch on the side of his slacks. Is there anyone here who can’t swim?

Some of the children snickered. We are Golm, not human, a Kapka girl said.

I keep forgetting, sweetie. Everybody into the water. Kee, we’ll follow you. Don’t let me drown.

We won’t, Kee said.

The children hopped into the water along with Chidi. They swam with him like dolphins around a slow moving ore carrier. The children could have covered the distance in thirty minutes, but they swam slowly, watching over Chidi as he had watched over them during the height of the conflict. If he appeared tired, three of the children would grab him with one arm while continuing to pull water with the other.

Behind them, their village burned. The sky pulsed with a red glow. Over the sounds of the lapping water, they heard the victory howls of hundreds of Tak warriors. They had routed the Kapka villagers.

Now, Chidi had worries about the rest of the region. This blood vendetta between the Tak and the Kapka could have involved all the Kapka villages. But Chidi and the children had no other choice except to swim on. Every meter brought them closer to escape.

The current was with them, making their swim easier, especially for Chidi who ignored a cramp in his left hamstring, and kept kicking. The children dove under the water, and surfaced repeatedly around him.

After an hour and a half, chirping night creatures, and lapping water, were the only sounds they heard. The only evidence of the burning village behind them was a red glow in the sky behind a bluff.

Numerous cramps had now rendered Chidi’s legs useless, and when he stubbed his toe on a rock on the river bottom, he almost went under. He then realized the river was getting shallower. He looked up, and saw Kee standing in gentle rapids with two other children only thirty meters ahead.

Kee waved his long arms and hopped in place. Help Brother Chidi, he said to the others still in the water.

Chidi couldn’t stroke anymore. Four children grabbed him. Using all their skills as swimmers they propelled him forward into the shallows. They then rolled Chidi onto a small sand bar, and again huddled around him.

Kee scooted up to Chidi and splashed water on his face. Brother Chidi? Brother Chidi?

Chidi rolled to his side. Are we there yet? He heard soft static in his translator, but the little Kapka’s words broke through.

We can walk fifty meters in these shallows and make it across the river, Kee said.

Chidi looked out at the gentle rapids reaching to the other bank. It seemed a walk too far, but he closed his eyes, and rose to his feet. He stumbled at first, but managed to get his feet under him. The children hopped through the shallow water, pausing after each hop so they wouldn’t leave their guardian behind.

When they reached the other side, Chidi collapsed in the soft sand. This time Kee and the other children couldn’t wake him. So they huddled around him, and waited silently.

Soon, a helmet searchlight flashed on them. The children hopped behind Chidi’s body trying to hide, but they were too late. Two warriors approached them on all fours. The first one rose up on his hind legs, and aimed a weapon. The other slowly advanced, sniffing the air.

These little ones smell bad, he said.

Is that a human? the first one asked, lowering his weapon.

The children backed away from Chidi’s unconscious body as the warriors scooted forward. The second warrior poked Chidi with his thumb. He stirred, and both warrior flinched.

"It is a human. And it is alive. The second warrior rose up on its hind legs and glared at the children. Come here."

The children shivered from fright, and didn’t come any closer to the warrior. The second warrior dimmed his helmet light, and scooted closer.

Kee leaned forward, recognizing parallel lines, like the boundaries of a river, on the warrior’s head. You are Kapka? he asked.

Yes, the second warrior answered.

We are from Kapka Terre, Cherished One.

The second warrior turned back to his partner. They are our children.

The first warrior put away his gun and hopped forward. The children huddled around the warriors. Some climbed on their shoulders, weeping on the napes of their necks.

Kee scooted up to Chidi, then looked back at the warriors. Please, Cherished Ones? Help this human. He saved us.

He what? the first warrior croaked.

He helped us escape.

He had fought like a warrior, one of the other children added. He even killed some of them.

A human? Killing Tak? the second warrior asked.

One of the dead had the mark, Kee said.

The warriors’ faces lengthened. Both their pouched filled with air.

The second warrior lowered himself to all fours, and scooted closer to Chidi. He killed a Tak prince. They will chase him forever.

Leave the human, the first warrior said. Our village will be in danger with him there.

You can’t, Kee said, frantically bouncing on his hind legs.

Silence, child! The second warrior looked down the river and the distant glowing sky. We owe the human for saving our children. Maybe we can get him off this world safely.

(12 YEARS LATER) EMM (EARTH, MOON, MARS) STOCK EXCHANGE KINSHASA, AZANIAN PREFECTURE, EARTH

Five minutes, the exchange manager announced.

Skip, a hot young commodities trader, took his place at one of the precious metals pits.

Jong, Skip’s partner, leaned over to him and whispered, Glad you can make it.

Thanks. My stomach’s still a little jumpy this morning, kid. Skip pushed some of his blond hair away from his right ear, and hooked his ocular interface over it. He then flipped the crystalline post forward, adjusting it so that it almost touched the corner of his right eye. When Skip activated it, the device beamed a statistical grid onto his retina. A small antenna automatically rose from the earpiece. I have tone.

So do I, Jong said, still adjusting his.

My palms are sweaty, Skip said.

So are mine.

Skip’s eyes wandered up the distance walls to the ceiling. To him, the chamber seemed an inefficient use of space, nothing but air enclosed by a blue crystal and metal dome over 60 meters high.

To most of the other thousands of traders on the Exchange’s floor, the dome was the most pleasing aesthetic element of the complex. These men and women cherished high pressure, usually socializing before each trading session, loudly boasting about their brilliance the previous day. But this day was different.

The traders layered themselves around seventy pits, most keeping their eyes on the massive clock hanging over the middle of the cavernous chamber. They were almost silent, muted by their pessimism.

In comfortable booths overlooking the floor, a record number of CEO’s sat patiently, waiting for the opening bell. None were smiling. All kept their eyes on the precious metals pits, tension tying their intestines in knots as well.

No CEO had more worries than Artegen Chambeau. This burly man sat quietly among his smaller trusted assistants, drumming his fingers on the armrests of his chair.

Jorge, his finance chief, tried comforting him, but was unsuccessful. Remember, one commodity can’t damage our position.

I still have a bad feeling about this, Artegen said.

Your worries may be unfounded.

Unfounded? Unfounded? You weren’t with us four years ago, the last time this happened. Look here. Artegen pulled Jorge’s arm, forcing him to look at the monitor below the window. I see a patch of worries. Gold and platinum prices are collapsing throughout the galaxy. It’s like a wave rolling in from the Edgelands. At Tallus, they’re down 60%. At Wolfe, down 78%. Reisling 4, Raleya, Falmuhaut, down, down, and down. Our alien markets are the same. We’re taking a beating. Artegen pulled Jorge’s arm back, forcing the smaller man to face him. CMT Interstellar has fifty million calls on gold and platinum. If those prices begin falling like they did in those other markets, they will be worthless.

Sir, those figures are from months ago, Jorge answered. All indicators show that these are only cyclical adjustments for the EMM.

Jorge, all indicators show that I should put my foot up your ass for positioning the corporation that way. Artegen released Jorge, and pushed him away so he can have a better view of the floor. I hope you’re right, and my worries are unfounded, or I’ll give you something to worry about.

Three minutes, sir, another of Artegen’s assistants said.

Jorge stood straight, and adjusted his collar. Like his boss, he turned his eyes toward the precious metals pits.

On the floor, the silent precious metal traders counted the seconds, each wanting to be the first to make his or her move. Even the traders at other commodity pits turned toward the precious metal pits, looking for a hint on how their day would start.

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