Beyond the Darkness

By Linda Pittillo

In this sequel to Survivors of the Darkness, it is 350 years in the future. Vice Consul Emily Walters is a direct descendant of Nickolas and Emily Mann. She is from the planet TerraI in the new solar system her ancestors migrated to 300 years ago.

The next largest planet is Kryllia. Her sister Margaret married a Kryllian named Nemos. Both are deceased, leaving a son named Namios. He is in grave danger from her half brother, Edward. What she doesnt know is that there is a force working with Edward more dangerous than even he is. So she has to contact Nemoss brother, Othonos, because only in Kryllia will Namios be safe from Edward. She knows that Nemos was a halfling and suspects Othonos is too.

Othonoss mother, Cyra, welcomes her grandson with open arms, but Emily is a different matter. Emilys knowledge could destroy her family. Can Emily be trusted?

Cyra doesnt like the growing attraction between Emily and Othonos either. Any relationship between them could hurt her son, and she wont let that happen again.

Throughout the dangers to all of them, Emily has visions of her ancestors appearing with advice and help.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984542564

Linda Pittillo

Linda Pittillo has been writing almost since she learned to read. Her inspiration was the many science fiction and horror books she read in the 1950s and 1960s. Also the Hammer Film Productions prevalent in the 1960s became her guide as to the character of vampires. The old black and white movies about werewolves shown on late night TV fascinated her too. Naturally, Star Trek was a big influence in her teenage years. And just a few years ago she met William Shatner. Linda has to confess she reads a lot of romance books too. All of her books have a romantic component. She has traveled all over the country with her husband because of his career. However, about 10 years ago she settled in Southeast Texas and loves it. She is a member of the American Association of University Women, the Orange County Friends, the Golden Kiwanis and the American Legion Auxiliary. Although Linda has written all of her life, she became discouraged a few years ago by the rejection of a mainstream publisher and wrote without trying to publish anything. Now however, she wants others to enjoy reading the books she has so enjoyed writing. She says that sometimes in her books the characters seem to have minds of their own and she has to change their actions to fit their characters. She has begun promoting her books in such venues as the Orange, Texas annual Art In The Park. She usually has a booth at the outlet for local vendors, Orange Trade Days, which is held one weekend a month also in Orange, Texas. Her previously published books are Toward the Unknown and Survivors of the Darkness. Her current book, Beyond the Darkness, is a sequel to Survivors of the Darkness.

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Copyright © 2018 by Linda Pittillo.

ISBN:                  Hardcover                  978-1-9845-4258-8

                             Softcover                    978-1-9845-4257-1

                             eBook                          978-1-9845-4256-4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 07/25/2018

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Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Epilogue

About The Author

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO MY DOG HILDY WHO LAYS ON THE FLOOR NEXT TO ME WHILE I’M WRITING AND THEN NUDGES ME WHEN IT’S TIME TO GET BACK TO THE REAL WORLD

Prologue

It had been 350 years since the episode in Earth’s history known as AP-1 had occurred. The Earth had gone through a comet’s tail and been dark for over 30 years.

But people had survived until the skies cleared and the Earth once again had light and heat. Not without losing about two thirds of the Earth’s population and the terrible realization that werewolves, vampires and other creatures did exist.

Civilization was restored but at a terrible cost. Authorities all over the Earth finally understood that the Earth was a fragile eco system and that humankind might well cease to exist if another global catastrophe were to occur.

The only solution to making sure man would still exist was to find other planets to colonize. So that if the Earth were destroyed, man wouldn’t be.

So they developed to ion drive. It took all the scientific brains of Earth but it was perfected.

After sending out drone ships with far reaching capabilities they found a solar system with ten planets able to sustain life.

In the new solar system, it looked like some catastrophe had eradicated the humanoids that had existed on some of the planets. There were artifacts but no living humanoids. The artifacts indicated that the humanoids had been similar to Earthlings but with four arms and elongated necks.

So the great migration began. There were ten ships, one for each planet. They departed from different parts of Earth but all races and cultures were represented.

However, only half of Earth’s now sparse population was allowed to go. The very old, criminals and those with debilitating diseases had to stay.

Otherwise it was completely voluntary. Not all who could have immigrated did. Some preferred the known to the unknown.

It worked out well for all. With Earth already depopulated because of AP-1 there were enough resources to support its population.

However, those that chose to make their home in another solar system would not be able to come back to Earth for several reasons. The main one was the distance involved. Even with the ion drive it was going to be a five-year journey.

There was a myriad of things that could have happened during that journey. It was doubtful that the resources needed to return would be available.

Also, the authorities wanted a firm commitment from those leaving. There would be no second thoughts or deciding building a new world was too hard. It would be their only option.

Six ships had landed on the two largest planets. They were designated Kryllia and TerraI. The other ships had been scattered over the remaining planets.

TerraI and Kryllia weren’t close. TerraI was closer to the sun and had a warmer climate than Kryllia. However, both were the most like Earth except for differences in climate and topography.

Over the centuries, the Terrans and the Kryllians became the two most powerful planets. Unfortunately, they had developed enough differences to make clashes and problems inevitable.

Although, they still resembled their ancestors, they were now very different. They differed not so much in their physical appearance but their language, customs and governments.

Other planets in the solar system were designated either by their planet’s position in relation to the sun and the other planets or by its Colony number. So only TerraI and Kryllia had Earthlike names.

Now, almost all of the planets in the solar system were colonized to some degree or another. However, disputes over whether they were to be considered a Terran or a Kryllian colony became a source of constant litigation.

These disputes between the Terran Supreme Council and the more monarchial Council of Princes of Kryllia kept diplomats and the military busy.

Also the problem of werewolves and vampires had not been eradicated despite the massacres of werewolf dens and search and destroy missions against vampires.

In an attempt to keep werewolves from going into space, everyone who wanted to colonize had to be DNA tested. Even Halflings were forbidden from emigrating though civil rights groups had protested.

But werewolves were adaptable. They infiltrated some of the DNA labs and hacked into the DNA testers and altered DNA results. So a few werewolf packs were able to go into space with mankind.

Whether it was the return of sunlight and the end of the constant struggle to survive or the natural process of evolution, the werewolves’ mission had changed. They no longer killed human beings unless necessary.

They wanted to attract as little attention as possible.

This was not always easy. They found that full moons on other planets had the same draw it had on Old Earth and those with more than one moon gave the werewolves even greater strength.

At first they had hoped to take on positions of power in their new homes but this hadn’t worked out. They were hoping that the deadly substance of silver would not exist on the new planets.

However, the colonists had brought along tons of silver as cargo. It had been considered a necessity. So the colonists were armed. Even wolf bane had been grown in greenhouses on the ships and dried.

Then they had thought to do as their ancestors had tried to do and breed humans out but that had been a failure. Instead the humans were breeding the werewolves out.

Every year there were fewer and fewer full werewolves born. So they had instead opted to integrate with humans and become werewolves only when it was safe to do so.

Vampires had a harder time. They couldn’t pass for humans except in the dark. It was easy to discover one trying to board a space ship because they had no pulse.

However, some had managed to get aboard as cargo because of their ability to hypnotize and shape change. But they were small in number and because they weren’t in social groups as werewolves were, they were often discovered and destroyed.

Vampires had not changed in their mission however. They still wanted the enslavement of humans. They wanted to use them as slaves while they rested and as nourishment at night.

The biggest disadvantage both werewolves and vampires had was that now they were no longer myths and legends. Until enough time had passed for humans to forget they were still hunted.

All of the human and werewolf survivors of AP-1 were gone by now of course. However, their influence was still felt by all of those of the new planets in one way or another.

The ancient journals had been computerized in their original form and brought with the first colonists. They had learned survival from those journals.

Especially important were the journals of Emily and Nicholas Mann. There were also crude audio recordings of Sandy and Shadow Lucus in their twilight years. They had never kept a journal because although they could read and write some, it was too arduous for them to write their thoughts down as Emily and Nick did.

Nick and Emily had several children so their descendants were plentiful. Sandy and Shadow fostered at least 20 children so their legacy lived on.

Some said that they sometimes visited them and gave them advice. Or that they had visions about the survivors of AP-1. Most didn’t believe it but they never made fun of those that did. It was bad luck.

Chapter One

Vice Consul Walters was early she thought as she walked the few yards to the meeting. The planet was a cold one and it reminded her of Vrs of AP-1 she had seen. Not that it was as cold as that but it had the same atmosphere.

Naturally, thinking of Old Earth reminded her of the dreams or visions she had experienced all her life, starting when she was a little girl.

The first one had been when she was five years old. She couldn’t sleep because her little sister was sick and although her mother had told her not to worry she did.

Her mother had told her it was just a virus and she was already better and told her to go to sleep

So Emily had gone to sleep. She had faintly heard her mother get into Margaret’s bed and sing to her. Her mother always sang to them when they got sick. Not that Emily got sick much.

She heard her mother say one time to Emily’s father that she had his constitution. At the time she didn’t know what her mother meant but she liked being told she was like her Papa.

Her mother’s singing soothed her and she soon fell asleep. She felt warm and safe when Mama was there.

That was when she had the dream but it didn’t feel like a dream, it felt like she was really there. A pretty woman dressed in furs was holding a tiny baby. She and another woman were oohing and ahhing over it.

Then the woman had seemed to sense Emily’s presence and looked directly at her, Oh, my goodness. I wish Sandy were here. She would make more sense out of your appearance.

The older woman grinned, Why, Miss Emily, she looks like you when you was little.

Then the woman in furs who was also named Emily exclaimed, No, Cheri, she has Nick’s green eyes. And look how she’s dressed? It looks like some kind of sleepwear but the material is strange.

Emily couldn’t speak in the dream. They were speaking a strange kind of language but she could understand it. Her eyes widened at their clothes. They were crude and didn’t look like they had come from a robotailor.

The woman’s voice softened, Don’t be afraid. You’re not a ghost, are you?

Emily shook her head. She knew a ghost was someone that was dead.

Then the women started fading and the one who was an Emily just like her, spoke again, I guess you’re going now but come back anytime you want Little One.

Then the vision was over. She never told anyone because it too special to share.

That was a long time ago Vice Consul Walters thought as she shivered in the faint sunlight. It was almost the sun apex but it was still cold even through the old fashioned furs she wore. Shit, furs! Not the best apparel to wear for this meeting. But because of the circumstances it was all she had.

She hated this little planet. But it was the only choice for her present mission. At least there wasn’t snow on the ground but it was hard and cold.

She laughed at herself. Mission, like she was some big military officer. She sighed, yes but it was her mission. One she had assigned herself. One she had to do.

Anyone looking down at the scene from above, would have seen a small figure wrapped in furs. They wouldn’t have been able to see her face because it was covered as protection from the cold winds that blew constantly on this uninhabitable planet.

If they could have seen her face it would have been her eyes that would have caught their attention. They were large green eyes above shadowed eyelashes. Her mouth was average but a little blue from the cold.

Her figure under the furs was average as was her height. If she hadn’t been wearing a hood you would have seen dark blonde shoulder length hair. Her age could have been anywhere from the mid-twenties to mid-thirties.

She looked anxiously at the barren landscape ahead of her. She was standing in front of two large boulders. About a 1000 feet behind her lay her small scout ship. It was a three-man ship capable of intersolar flights only, supposedly. That was because it only had a one nuke system.

However, she had long ago put in a two nuke system so it was able to reach this small planet in the neutral zone.

She heard a footstep but didn’t jump. It was her bodyguard, Magda. Magda looked very human although she was just an advanced android.

Few were made, they were too expensive and could prove twitchy but Emily’s father had insisted on one when she was 10. It was tall with a supposedly female figure. Her manufactured hair had a reddish blonde tinge and her eyes were silver as were all Androids.

Magda’s voice however gave away her non-human status. It was metallic and slightly sing song.

Madam, another ship has been detected.

Kryllian?

Yes, Madam. A small ship, I believe one of their scout ships.

Good. Now go back to the ship and make sure it’s ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Magda objected, Madam. My orders are to stay with you.

Emily shook her head. She didn’t want Magda there. Magda had a built-in Vr and Emily suspected not only her father but her older brother viewed it periodically to see what she was doing.

No, I’ll be fine.

Magda headed back to the ship reluctantly. Her programming didn’t let her disobey a direct order but that sometimes conflicted with her primary duty to protect Emily.

Now Emily could see a figure in the distance. He was walking with a steady stride towards her. Unlike her, he wore his regulation all weather suit, with the corresponding visor.

Even at that distance she could make out his tall brawny form. Of course, Kryllians were tall and brawny by nature but he seemed bigger than most.

That corresponded with her intel. His description matched as far as she could see. Emily would know for sure when he got closer.

Othonos paused when he was close enough to the Terran woman standing in those furs to speak. She was wearing furs, was it a direct insult? He looked at them closely. They might be from Old Earth but they were too old and bedraggled to tell what fur.

Luckily, His gold all weather suit kept him at a body temp of 95.7 which was normal for him but he could see she was freezing. Perhaps she had worn them as a necessity?

He dreaded taking off his visor to speak, but they had agreed they wouldn’t be using minis. Not that they worked well on this highly ionized planet. That was why it had been chosen. No listening ears.

He took off his visor and she reciprocated by pulling her scarf down to her neck so he could see her face.

They stared at each other for a few moments. She couldn’t help staring at his glowing golden eyes. She had met a few from his planet and their eyes had always fascinated her. She knew their eyes had something to do with the atmosphere on his planet but it still unsettled her.

Of course his heavy dark gold beard and full mustache was also typical of his planet but not near as attractive. They were about half a shade darker than his tawny hair.

He in turn was assessing Emily. She wasn’t remarkable for a Terran, not that he felt any Terran was that interesting. He never had understood what his brother had found so exciting about Terran women. He definitely preferred golden eyes to green ones.

Then he broke the silence. He spoke with a slight Kryllian accent but she understood him.

Vice Consul Walters?

Yes, and you are Commander Othonos?

At your service, Madam.

Just then there was a wind gust that almost blew her off her feet and he couldn’t hear her at all.

When it had died down he suggested, Madam. I suggest that we retire to one of our ships we’ll never be able to hear each other over this wind.

She weighed her options for a few moments, Yes, that would be best. And I think it should be your ship, unless you have a full crew?

He was surprised. He expected her to offer her ship as a meeting place but answered, No, I piloted my ship. What about your crew?

No crew. I also piloted it myself. My android bodyguard is at the ship, so I think your ship would be the wise choice. But I will order it to come after me if I’m not back in an hour and that if you take off and I’m not back to notify my father.

He nodded, Fair enough. Instruct it and then let’s get out of this mounting wind.

She grinned a little, My thoughts exactly.

Soon they were making the 2000 yard walk to his small bullet shaped scout ship. At his command the steps came down for them to go in. He offered for her to go first but she declined.

He understood. She wanted him in front of her not behind her. She would be too vulnerable that way.

He helped her up the last step as the doors opened. Her hand was ice cold even through her gloves and he wondered again why she wasn’t in standard winter clothing.

He turned up the heat in the ship when they entered. She took the time while he was checking the comm to look around.

It didn’t look much different than hers. She wondered if it was his personal ship as hers was. It was small filled with computer hardware, and a captain’s seat. It had one comfort couch. A small robocook, a table and one chair that probably doubled as a copilot chair, and a door that probably led to the head completed the interior.

Please sit down on the comfort couch. I’ll sit on this torture device the designers call a chair. I would use my captain’s chair but it’s rotation is a little wobbly. I’ve been meaning to correct it but haven’t had it done yet.

She smiled and he thought she looked a little more at ease.

Awful, aren’t they. It looks like with two different cultures involved they could find a better design for both the captain’s chair and the passenger chair.

She kept standing though as she began taking off her heavy furs. Underneath she wore a one-piece tunic and trousers what centuries ago was called a jump suit. It was a soft green that complimented her eyes. He was male enough to take notice of her chest loosely covered by her tunic and her flat stomach and narrow hips.

But he also noticed the shadows under her eyes and the paleness of her cheeks. True some Terrans were lighter skin than he was but hers didn’t look natural.

He took the furs from her and sat them down on one of the comm desks.

She sat nervously on the edge of the comfort couch. He waited for her to speak. She had been the one to request this secret meeting.

He needed to know why she was risking insulting him by wearing furs, Madam, I know Terrans have all weather suits why are you wearing those antiquated furs? Why would you risk angering me that way or didn’t you know it might?

She still shivered a little but whether it was from the cold, or fear she wasn’t sure. Not that she was particularly worried about her welfare at this moment. The Kryllians were known to keep their word as much as anyone could in these changing times.

It was the ramifications of the meeting that she was worried about. The moment she had requested the clandestine meeting, she had essentially betrayed her family and some would say her planet.

She ventured a timid smile, Please call me Emily. I am definitely not here as the Vice Consul. As for the furs, I had no choice. I did know that insulting you was a possibility but I had to take the chance.

She went on to explain, An all-weather suit isn’t part of my wardrobe and if I had asked the robotailor for one, questions would have been asked. These furs belonged to my mother’s grandmother but I have no idea where they originated from. They were already in my closet so I used them.

He nodded, understanding. She hadn’t had a choice obviously. It would have been hard to explain if someone had seen the daily robotailor report.

I had suspected you weren’t here as the vice consul. From what I know your duties are largely domestic. I applaud your caution if not your common sense. It’s lucky I don’t offend easily but you had no way of knowing that. Besides, those furs are not nearly as effective as an all-weather suit.

She sighed, Yes, my duties are domestic and non-essential in my view. I settle petty squabbles among our several corporations and sometimes inspect our colony worlds for any abuse or neglect among the different factions.

Sounds very essential to me. I sure wouldn’t want to do it.

She laughed. It was a pleasant laugh without the usually irritating change of octave Terrans often exhibited.

My father’s sentiments exactly.

Now, Emily. As you said we only have an hour. Why did you contact me on my private channel and how did you know it?

She took a deep breath, How I know it, is part of what I needed this meeting for. Your brother gave me your code two years ago.

He jumped up and his eyes glowed in anger, You liar! My brother is dead. And when he was alive he would have mentioned if he knew a vice consul.

She had feared he would react that way and cringed a little but then sat up straighter.

Yes, Nemos would have told you if he had met the Vice Consul, but he didn’t know my title All he knew was that I was Margaret’s sister.

Othonos looked at her. Her chin had come up and her eyes seemed a darker green. Yes, his brother never paid much attention to titles. His intel on Margaret had mentioned a minor official in the Terran government being her sister, but he hadn’t connected the two.

Whether his intel hadn’t known that Margaret was the daughter of the governor general of TerraI or had deliberately left that out, he didn’t know. The network he used had its limitations especially when it came to TerraI.

Very well, that still doesn’t tell me why you called this meeting. Unfortunately, both your pregnant sister and my brother perished in that damn uprising on ColonyVII.

Her eyes darkened with sorrow, Yes, both were innocent victims of a terrible miscalculation on both our planets’ governments. However, my sister wasn’t pregnant when she died. She had given birth 24 hours before.

That’s not true. And even if it was, the baby surely died when it’s parents did. Why would you say such a thing?

She stood up, Because I was there, damn it! I had secretly arrived a week before the uprising. My sister wanted me there for the birth. My father or brother would have found a way to keep me away. My father had disowned her and my brother hated yours, so I was the only family she had. I helped bring our nephew into the world.

Then what when the uprising started, you ran and left a newborn to die with its parents?

She was trembling with anger, Of course not! There had been rumors that the Compos were going to attack days before they did. Your brother wanted me to take the baby and Margaret back with me. But in the end I couldn’t. The baby came early and Margaret was too delicate. The baby was too big and we didn’t have the latest in medical equipment.

Her voice broke, The doctor had to take the baby because it was too big for her to deliver naturally and there was no way she could travel. He couldn’t stop the bleeding and we were just going to use me to transfuse blood when we realized it was too late.

Emily was in tears, Poor Margaret got to hold the baby for a minute and then she was gone. Then the Compos attacked.

Othonos voice choked, Yes, those damn Compos. Hell, they were colonists too, but they wanted to stay primitive. What a total fuck up.

He was silent a moment then he asked, Then you were there when he was killed? How did he die? I was never told how he died, just that he had been cremated.

Emily understood his unspoken question, A damn robo.

Emily’s eyes had tears in them, Margaret wanted Nemos to leave her but he refused, saying that if she didn’t survive he had no reason to. He also gave me your private number in case he didn’t make it out. Just as he put their newborn in my arms and urged me to take him, his robo assistant ran him through with a silver sword.

The insurgents burst through and I had to leave them both. The mid-wife showed me a secret way out of the compound. If it hadn’t been for her, the baby and I would have been killed too.

So you have the baby?

She stomped her feet, No, damn it! I don’t. I was just ready to board the escape ship when I heard my brother was onboard.

Yes?

I knew he would never have let the baby live. It would have met with an accident before it was a week old. If it had been a girl, maybe, but never a boy. You see my brother is my half-brother, his mother and ours were different. His mother was a substitute my father had an affair with for several years. My father did acknowledge paternity. Margaret’s and my mother was his legal wife.

I still don’t see why he would kill an innocent child.

Because it would be my father’s legitimate heir. If it were totally Terran, he could probably manipulate things to make sure it didn’t inherit. But Kryllians are both admired and cursed for their obsession with protecting what is theirs. You would insist on the baby’s full rights.

Yes, of course I would. But what proof do you have that your brother would actually destroy his own nephew?

I heard him when he found out Margaret was pregnant. He had been drinking and didn’t realize I was at home. He was talking in his office to his current mistress on his private comm. He told her that the only way that baby would stay alive was if Margaret stayed with the Krylo and never left the colony.

Othonos was outraged at her brother, but also not surprised. Humankind often killed the innocent for their own gain.

Even Kryllians killed the innocent although that was rare as they were ingrained from birth on the sanctity of their family.

Now he asked her the critical question, You know what my brother’s special DNA was?

She decided to be honest, Yes. Margaret told me so that I would understand how special her baby was. How he needed to be protected.

Does your brother know about my nephew’s special DNA?

I don’t know. Someone does. I didn’t even fully understand until I saw the way your brother was killed.

He looked at her, Then you know that my brother was a Halfling?

She nodded, Yes, and I suspect you are too. But I can’t be sure. I mean you could have had different fathers.

Othonos now had to make a decision whether to trust her or not. Not just with his secret but with his mother’s. However, she seemed like a smart lady, he doubted lying to her would do any good.

We could have, but we didn’t. And that wouldn’t make any difference as it was my mother that is werewolf.

She shivered but not from the cold this time. To actually have it confirmed that he was half werewolf was different that just surmising it.

Emily had seen what a werewolf could do and she knew a Halfling was just as dangerous.

She had been ten when her father sent her to her aunt’s on her mother’s side for a week. They lived in the country. Margaret couldn’t go because she had failed her online exams for her age and her father was making her study.

Her cousin Kris was almost nine and almost as adventurous as she was. Her aunt and uncle didn’t have robonannies so the two children were able to sneak out and head for the woods.

The woods were forbidden so of course that’s where they wanted to go. It was dark and scary in the darkness of the trees and the rustle of the animals was alarming but they were determined to explore.

Suddenly, they heard a strange howling. It was like nothing they had heard before. Kris wanted to go back but she didn’t. She