The Lizard King

By Mattinson

THE GREY armies have conquered the earth. After being vastly outnumbered and outmatched, Humans had no choice but to find refuge amongst the stars. In the 16,000 years following their defeat, they would come to learn that this threat has spread across countless worlds and has affected so many more. Thus, the Coalition of Independent Worlds was born. An armada made from the galaxy’s finest species and cultures, working together as the only line of defense between them and THE GREY’s complete dominion over the universe.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 6, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664134324

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Copyright © 2020 by Alexander Mattinson.

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: 10/05/2020

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Contents

Chapter 1   Angels of Entropy

Chapter 2   A King is Born

Chapter 3   The Ones We Love

Chapter 4   Expose & Conquer

Chapter 5   A Conversation in the Woods

Chapter 6   The New Order

Chapter 7   Violence of an Unsuspecting Nature

Chapter 8   The Moon and The Sons

Chapter 9   Swan Song of the Second Son

Chapter 10   THE CRIMSON GREY

Chapter 11   The Gem of the New Incan Empire

Chapter 12   The Final Address

Epilogue   My Name is Kasander Cade

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For my Mother, Catherine, who taught

me the importance of integrity and strength of character.

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The Lizard King

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CHAPTER 1

ANGELS OF ENTROPY

Syclaria

Year 16,438 A.E (After Expansion)

It was a very hot day on the planet of Syclaria.

The green skies were lightly kissed with wispy cirrus clouds and the heat brought waves to shimmer a beautiful reflection across the horizon. Contrary to the beauty, there was a sharp bitterness in the air that lingered in from the nearby oceanfront. Most Kingdoms in Syclaria faced the Sphaeric Ocean but unlike the rest, the Capital Kingdom of Nokra faced the west. This allowed the prevailing winds and the surrounding mountainscape to carry its scent much higher into the atmosphere and across the city.

It was evident by the state of Nokra that the Syclarians were not a technologically advanced people. They were, however, champions in bending their nature and their architecture to their will. Every building and structure had great archways that were enveloped in an exotic array of colourful plant life. Flowers blossomed along the walls, golden pollen danced in the beams of light that broke through to the beaten paths and blades of grass grew wildly at the base of great buildings and stone statues.

At first glance, a person would assume that the Syclarians were a civilization of peaceful artists and florists, more artisan then warrior. A closer look would reveal their artwork to depict the wrath of gods, unholy wars and royal bloodlust. Although eerie, it was made much more unsettling by the current silence that loomed over the City. It was unsettlingly quiet, almost as if the streets were holding its breath in fear. Only the gentle rustling of birds could be heard, fluttering above the treetops, reverberating between the buildings.

The Syclarians were nowhere to be seen.

And yet, the streets were far from empty…

Scattered from the coastline to the city’s center were the tired soldiers of the COALITION of INDEPENDENT WORLDS. A galactic armada led by the Human Brigadier General and Archangel, Kasander Cade. This particular landing party was an assortment of 4,000 men and women from seventy-eight different worlds. Not exhausted by war, but weary after a 16-year cryo-sleep. This method of space travel is a biological stasis used for long voyages across the vastness of space. Aside from the plethora of symptoms they would experience from reanimation, the soldiers would agree that it was nothing compared to the harshness of Syclaria’s climate.

Like his men, who were brooding in the heat, General Cade sat silently atop the steps of a palace he believed the Syclarians had retreated to. His attire was standard military issue, although he wore it casually, discarding his jacket into the streets after materializing into Nokra. He wore a white sleeveless shirt that he tucked into his khaki pants and tucked within the neck of his shirt was a blue pendant that could be seen poking through the fabric. He was armed with a knife that hung from his chain belt and a black handgun that strapped to his leg. He carried a resting intimidation, his prominent jawline and cannon shoulders made him look strong and formidable. The weathered wrinkles on his face reflected the countless battles he had fought throughout the galaxy, exposing the cold humourless man for who he had become after so many years at war.

Not known for his patience, Kasander prodded the sand that was loosely scattered atop the hot concrete with his knife. Periodically he would look to the sky, then back down at the sand when the sun entered his retina. Exhaling his impatience, he focused on his breathing and attempted to push down the vertigo he had been feeling since cryo. A symptom, he only started to experience over the last couple voyages.

Further down the steps was his brother, Colonel David Cade, laughing and whispering with his beautiful girlfriend Colonel Victoria Aguero. Kasander looked at them and envied their youth. It wasn’t so long ago that he could exit cryo and simply go about his day unencumbered. It was also not so long ago that he and David were much closer in age. In cryo-sleep a person ages three to four percent their natural growth and due to David having spent more time traveling in stasis, Kasander had aged to his late forties while David and Victoria remained in their mid-twenties.

The two served under Kasander as Colonels of the Coalition and like Kasander himself, they held the title of Archangel. Many other species and systems of Government discontinued their Archangel programs as it was considered to be too dangerous and too violent. Humans, on the other hand, continued the tradition in hopes of seeking out new allies to aid them in their time of war.

On paper, the primary function of an Archangel is their duty to the Coalition under any and all responsibilities within their Military rank. In reality, the role of Archangel was something else entirely.

The Coalition started the Archangel program to be the diplomatic step forward in creating peace with unfamiliar worlds. In most instances, a planet that is unfamiliar with the Coalition is more likely to respond in violence and therefore, the Coalition has made a deliberate effort in enlisting warriors to handle first contact. Peaceful or otherwise. Although it had sparked a debate as to whether sending warriors to sue for peace might send the wrong message, it was seen as a necessary step in protecting their representatives.

The most well known of these representatives was, in fact, Brigadier General Kasander Cade. As the highest decorated combatant in Coalition history, Kasander had been an Archangel for years. His success in the Tri-Alien War and countless others made him a public figure and galactic idol who had gained the admiration of trillions.

His brother, David Cade, was a different sort of warrior before joining the Coalition but just as well known. Recognized by his axe in fighting competitions all over the galaxy, he had become just as famous as Kasander. Although David never fought to the death, the Coalition was always eager to enlist any noteworthy warrior, especially one of such high public praise. Between his notoriety and his familial connection to Kasander, his entry at a high-ranking position was nothing, if not to be expected.

Colonel Victoria Aguero was also a celebrated Human competitor, which is how she met David and why she agreed to enlist in this specific military outfit. Despite her reputation, Victoria was a very peaceful and sweet individual. Nothing about her suggested she was in the military or that she had made a name for herself in combat. She wore a bright purple long sleeve pArticle shirt and black yoga shorts. Her hair was a mix of two different shades of brown and it cascaded freely against her beautiful olive skin. She armed herself with a wooden staff, but more notable was her lack of footwear. As a Colonel, she was not obligated to follow any specific dress code and thus wore exactly what she would be more comfortable fighting in. This is exactly how she had always dressed in competitions, which was seen to be as equally strange to others in her profession.

David was certainly more cavalier in his attire than Victoria. Aside from his shirt, he only wore what was provided, caring neither about his comfort level or his looks. His black pArticle shirt was given to him by Victoria and had a white human emblem imprinted on the left side of his chest. The rest of his ensemble was no different than Kasanders, apart from the goggles he wore just below his brunette hair. There was nothing significantly special about this set of eyewear, or at least, that is what he was known to tell people.

Even further down the steps and propped up against the railing was Kasanders third Colonel, Jules. She is known to everyone in the Coalition as The Last Daughter of Louthwif. Tragically, her homeworld had been long since destroyed by a parasitic alien race known as THE GREY. Despite her rocky beginnings, she built herself into a fierce weapon for the Coalition. She is currently Kasander’s longest-standing Colonel and seen to him as a long-time personal friend. Most would recognize her by her small wildlife-like features. She has pink eyes and two oversized teeth that hid prominently behind her lips, the likes of which would change from red to black depending on the light. She had light brown fur all over her body that faded to white beneath her brow and her ears would stand a foot above her head if she didn’t otherwise have them tied back into her blonde ponytail. She wore black sleeves over her arms and black shorts that stopped just above her double-jointed knees. The fur on her chest was thick enough that she did not require a shirt, which was fortunate for her as she always found shirts too restricting.

All four of these soldiers and their armada had travelled to Syclaria on The War Cruiser Atlantis from the free world of Omnis. Their mission; to recruit Syclaria into the war effort. It was then surprising to Kasander to have materialized into Nokra to find the streets barren. A personal utility called D•A•T•A 10 (Database and Technical Assistant) was able to identify a concentration of cold-blooded heat signatures coming from a fortified stronghold in the center of the city. This is where their forces now lie in wait.

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D•A•T•A 10

The perfect all-purpose utility.

Largest Database / Fastest Processors / Highest Quality Sensors

Its fluid synchronization to the cerebral cortex makes it the

most seamless access to the Galaxy’s most powerful device.

You can’t upgrade perfection.

Powered by Creed Technologies.

Kasander looked at the sky once more, this time he did not return his gaze to the sand beneath his feet. A spark of light could be seen off into the distance, shining behind the faint clouds that floated overhead. Inbound was Spaceforce Captain, Jonathan Lewis, flying his Nostalgia class F-350 fighter jet. The spacecraft was modelled after the jets used before the great expansion and is the most technologically advanced in the fleet. Kasander could not hear the whirling of its engines but could feel the deep and familiar rumble in his chest that resonated from miles away. As the fighter approached, the war cruiser Atlantis began to eclipse the sun behind it, intercepting the light that illuminated the city. It was not enough to bury Nokra in darkness, but it was successful in changing the skies from a light green into a beautiful hue of fiery orange.

It was an intimidation tactic Kasander had learned from a military manuscript titled Expose and Conquer. A title General Cade has repeatedly referenced to justify and validate many of the questionable tactics he had made over the years. The manuscript suggests that by simply changing the sky it would put skepticism into the hearts of the indigenous. Giving them doubt in their surroundings and inspiring an eerie sense of foreboding that in Kasander’s experience had frequently led to many pre-emptive surrenders.

The F-350 ripped through the air heading towards the city, weaving between four Syclarian statues that were unevenly placed at the center of Nokran Bay. Kasander, still maintaining visual on the inbound fighter jet, stood up and brushed the sand from his pants.

Archangels! he said forcefully.

The three Archangels dusted themselves off and enclosed on the General.

We should expect hostility, he said, connecting his knife to his belt. I’ll enter alone. Have Victoria’s troops surround the building and should I need your assistance, I’ll signal. Kasander paused, looking down at Victoria’s feet.

Where are your shoes? he asked.

Victoria exposed her teeth in an awkward smile, forcing Kasander to roll his eyes.

Next time, he emphasized, shoes!

She threw David a wink and left to organize her forces.

Kasander brought his attention back to the nearby F-350 and it launched a beam of energy that struck against the door in front of them, instantaneously turning it into a cloud of ashes and smoke. All David heard was an audible sigh from Kasander before watching him enter the haze.

The Syclarian guards on the other side of the smoke nervously held their spears high and pointed them at the door. All that could be heard throughout the chamber was the shakes of Syclarian fear, rattling their weapons. They heard Kasander’s first footstep into the hallway and they, themselves, stepped back.

One guard stepped forward, squinting into the haze.

It was silent.

No noise but the ashes softly hitting the floor and the soft crunch of footsteps in the distance.

The tension lingered in the air as Kasander walked down the smoky hallway.

The guard’s hearts palpitated heavily.

Then…

*Click!*

A sudden flicker of light appeared then disappeared into the smoke.

The guard shuffled back, tightening his grip on his weapon.

Then…

*Click!*

The light fluttered again.

The guard cleared his throat.

Then, once more…

*Click!*

Lasting longer the light ignited Kasander’s cigarette and he emerged from the smoke.

The guard tripped on himself as he went to step back and started to fall. He closed his eyes in a panic and threw his spear as hard as he could. Kasander casually caught the spear above his shoulder, intimidating everyone in the room even though the spear’s trajectory was too far from its target to ever connect.

Kasander’s eyes mapped out the room and to his surprise, the Syclarians were not what he expected them to be. Kasander expected that they might be quadrupeds given some of the art he had seen leading up to this moment. Their eyes were black and there was a large variety of colour to their differing skin and the shape of their bodies. No two were alike and no two dressed the same, only that some were clad in golden armour.

He took another step and entered the room as the Syclarians continued to step back. The Throne room was not what Kasander was expecting either. It was constructed using tan coloured stone but unlike the rest of the Kingdom, it was poorly lit and grim. Red banners circled the chamber with what Kasander assumed might be their people’s symbol, a black circle with three misshapen triangles dangling beneath it. Skulls scattered about the room and increased in number as they led farther away from him. Kasander also took note that many of the skulls had rings of gold burned into them, which also increased in number the farther away they reached. Encircling the room was a loose collection of load bearing pillars that were covered in orange leaves that continued up into the ceiling. The skylight above them would have lit up the room better had the Atlantis War Cruiser not obstructed the light.

In front of him, there were a number of steps, dipping down into a pit with marble flooring. The marble itself was heavily scuffed and cracked from years of abuse. Kasander stepped into it, smirking as the Syclarians took another step back.

The King of Syclaria, himself, was obscured in the shadows. Hidden behind the dimness of the skylight and completely out of view, Kasander could only make out the gold in his crown shining as the King adjusted himself in the dark. Between the scattered skulls and the King’s crown, enough sparkled through to make the General reminisce about the night sky on Etreon 8. A world he had lived on for many years with his late wife Heather, before her passing. He could not determine if it was the vertigo he was still experiencing or the memory, but a sinking feeling entered his chest.

Kasander pushed down the feeling and held up a D•A•T•A 10 device into the air.

The Syclarians were visibly uncomfortable by this. Murmurs and snarls echoed throughout the chamber until Kasander pointed their attention to the one on his left temple. He tapped his device twice, cigarette in hand, causing the King to growl something in his native tongue to the orange Syclarian on his left.

The Syclarian was not clad in golden armour, but his gold necklace indicated to Kasander that he was much more than a servant. The necklace, itself, shaped like the symbol that hung on the red banners behind them. His eyes were deep black and surrounded in black scales that cascaded down his cheeks, making his eyes look bigger and scarier at a distance. The other Syclarians in the room had two vertical slits that trailed up from their lips to where their nose would be, but this one did not. All he wore was a black skirt that went around his waist and freely draped down behind his double-jointed legs and over his long tail that faded from orange to black.

He left the King’s side and walked up to Kasander, taking the device from his hand.

The Syclarian went to turn away but Kasander put his hand on his shoulder to stop him.

Hold on, he said.

The Syclarian immediately jerked his shoulder away and scowled at him.

I apologize, Kasander said, carelessly putting the cigarette back into his mouth and handing the Syclarian a bag full of devices that dangled from the chain of his belt.

Here, he mumbled as he gestured to the rest of the people in the room.

Kasander waited as they took turns applying the devices to their temples. Once the King placed his device onto the side of