Kana's Revenge

By Jordan Blaze

Kana's best friend is falsely imprisoned and her ex-boyfriend's heinous behavior remains unpunished. While plotting revenge, Kana takes a shine to a newly arrived human, Finn. When the Erbo rebels take over her planet, Belonia, Kana needs all her wits and muscle to save Finn, overcome her parents' prejudice, defeat the rebels, and achieve justice for her best friend and her people. Non-stop action ensues as Kana takes on the rebels, helped by the socially-marginalized Harkos and their improvised army, some high-powered plasma blasters, and inside knowledge of the floating islands in the Sea of Snails.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jordan Blaze
• Release date: Dec 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005772239

Jordan Blaze

Jordan is a multilingual author and adventurer from Australia with a wide range of interests including entomology, ghost hunting, high-speed trains, cos play and snow sports.

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Kana's Revenge

by Jordan Blaze

Distributed by Smashwords

Copyright 2022 Jordan Blaze

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Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

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Chapter 1

Sheena sat up at the sound of the guard’s key rattling in the lock.

Kana! she cried, spotting me in the dim dungeon light.

The guard held open the door just long enough for me to slip through. Sheena and I were locked in an embrace before the door clanged shut.

Thank you for coming. You must be so busy getting ready to head back to Belonia. I didn’t catch the slightest hint of envy in Sheena’s voice, despite her having another ten years to serve in Acmena’s high security prison.

You’ve been my best friend forever, I said. I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.

We sat together on the edge of the bed. The sheets felt crisp and clean, but a musty smell hung in the windowless room.

You haven’t missed a weekly visit in three years, Sheena said. I’ll never forget your dedication.

She gave me a thin lipped Belon smile and squeezed my hand. Her skin had lost its emerald sheen since she’d been in this hole. Her hair, once tall and erect on her cranial ridge, drooped down behind her head, and her eyestalks seemed to be having trouble holding up her eyeballs.

I’m going to miss you, but I won’t miss this woeful planet, I said.

It’s my fault you won’t have happy memories of Acmena. I should have heeded your warning and kept Elak out of the Association.

I don’t blame you. He’s a Belon, too, so why shouldn’t he be allowed to join your unit and contribute to the cause?

Neither of us anticipated the consequences.

I knew we shouldn’t trust him, but I never imagined he’d betray you.

You know, while I’ve been down here, I’ve started to get a sense of proportion. Maybe because prison life’s so simple. There’s plenty of time to reflect. This is a setback for me, personally. I don’t want to be here. But the fight will go on, and one day we’ll have equal rights with humans. On Acmena, at home on Belonia, and everywhere else across the galaxy. Whatever happens to me, Kana, you need to keep up the fight.

Not for the first time, I felt submersed in guilt. I should have agreed to join your unit, too. Maybe then I could have controlled Elak. Or at least, we’d be in prison together. But I’m free to go home, and you’re– I glanced around her cell –down here."

You need to let that go, Kana. Or at least, find a way to assuage your guilt.  

Time’s up! the guard shouted, banging the butt of his plasma blaster against the bars.

I took Sheena’s hand and wrapped my thumbs around it.

I swear by the Ancestral Queens of Belonia that I’m not going to let Elak get away with what he’s done to you. Sheena gave me a sad look. I squeezed her hand again. I don’t know how I put up with that boogfracker while we were together. But he betrayed you and I will never accept that. I won’t tolerate it. I’ve bided my time. It’s too dangerous here to confront him. He’ll finish his study soon, and when he comes back to Belonia, I’ll make him pay.

The prison door clanged shut behind me. I climbed back to the surface and my determination increased with every step. I still had no plan, despite the reassurances I’d given Sheena. But I had time.

During my last few days on Acmena, I busied myself with preparations for my departure. But my mind was elsewhere, consumed by Elak and his treachery.

As I boarded the capsule for the trip to the jump ship, I looked back over the lush Acmena landscape. I’m leaving now, Elak, I murmured to myself, but I’ll be waiting for you. Yes, I’ll be waiting.

Chapter 2

The jump to Belonia always made me hungry. I dropped my luggage at the dorm and strolled down to the Rozzi Hotel on the Sulphur City waterfront to find some lunch. I ordered a black hole on the rocks and a belburger. The clinking of ice reminded me how much I’d missed the burnt aniseed flavours of home.

Steam snaked up from the fumaroles along the shore. The city’s odour crept like a long-lost friend into my nasal cavity. My mind wandered off to one of its favourite places: how I could exact revenge on Elak. Arousing his jealousy or offending his prejudices would be a good start, but not enough. Stifling his ambition and stopping him dead in his tracks would be delicious. If it was him down in a prison cell rather than Sheena, that would be the best result of all.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a nasty person. I’m a good person. I have feelings, but I don’t let them rule my life. My friends tell me I’m logical and consistent. That’s why I believe the punishment should fit the crime.  

Kana!

I turned my head to see the squat figure of my cousin, Yala, coming towards me.

It’s lunchtime! he said in our native Belon language.

Yes, it is.

You jumped today, right? Yala asked as he settled into the chair opposite.

Yes. It’s great to be back. I’m starting at GenGen in a couple of days. How come you didn’t contact me when you were on Acmena?

Oh, I just went there for a week. Got back yesterday. I was flat out with legal work at the Galactic Solicitor’s Office in Trappville. If I’d had time, I would have visited you in Montvarnasse. Sorry to hear about Sheena. How is she?

Can we talk about something else? The thought of her in that hole upsets me.

I’m sorry. Speaking of friends, I made a new one on the trip back from Acmena. I said I’d meet him here. He’s running a bit late. Mind if he joins us?

Sure, no problem. Probably another one of Yala’s tedious legal buddies, I thought.

Since you didn’t ask, I was on Acmena to lodge papers concerning the Planetary Council’s Sentient Being Intimate Relations Act (4452). Maybe you heard already, but the Planetary Council decided to catch up with the rest of the galaxy. Consensual relations between different sentient species are no longer a criminal offence, disgusting though the thought is to most right-thinking Belons.

My torgeto began to itch. I sank back to rub it gently on the back of the chair. I kept my face neutral, not wanting to show that Yala’s revelation was the best news I’d received in years.

  On Acmena, you know, they changed that law decades ago, continued Yala. When I was studying there back in the 43rd century, I knew this human guy who was friends with a Harko.

Male, female or neuter?

Female.

How did it work out?

Well, my friend told me that having a partner with four hands is useful for, well, all sorts of things. But, he said, when they started to argue and fight, he got an awful slapping. Yala laughed. It’s easy enough to promulgate the Initimate Relations Act, but here on Belonia, most Belons are against it. It’s only the humans that want to – how can I put it? –have closer relations with other sentient beings.

Was your human friend’s partner, the Harko, willing? I asked.

I guess so.

So, it’s not just a human predilection. Other sentients might be interested in improving inter-species rel...

My breath stopped in my throat as I spotted a tall male human wearing a tight, cobalt-blue alumi suit walk in the door and head towards us. A long, dark ponytail flowed down his back.

Yala looked up. Hi, Finn. Take a seat.

I stared at the newcomer. His brown eyes met my sulphur-coloured orbs in a steady, confident gaze that made my auricles tingle.

It’s afternoon, I said to the human in Ata, the lingua franca used between sentient beings across Belonia.

 Yes, it’s afternoon. His voice was smoother than the black hole I’d just consumed. He held out his left hand with the palm facing down.

I’m Kana of Empennago, I said, placing my left hand on his and gripping it with both thumbs. And who are you, who speaks Ata like a native?

Finnegan Boson. You can call me Finn. I studied Ata on Acmena, in preparation for my assignment. I can’t say much. Just the basics.

He’s lying, Yala piped up. I’d almost forgotten Yala was there. We chatted in Ata all the way down on the jump ship, and when he came to my place last night. He even knows the days of the week in Belon!

No kidding, I said, giving Finn a steady look and releasing his hand. Ata employed the same words for the days as the indigenous Belon language. Most humans considered their own naming system superior and never bothered to learn ours, so I challenged him. Tell me!

A smile flirted around the corners of his mouth. He cleared his throat and recited the eight terms, correctly and without hesitation.

Impressive. Not only have you tried to learn them, but your pronunciation is flawless! I gave him my happiest look, which, for a Belon female, means wide-eyed with the mouth in a vertical line.

As Finn sat down, Yala started blabbering about some legal business. I tried to pay attention, but I couldn’t stop glancing at Finn. He crossed his legs, calmly taking in the surroundings. He was as cool as the ice in my drink, but I had to lower the two zips on my alumi-suit a fraction to cool my middle breast. Of course, I only exposed a little of my emerald flesh. I didn’t want Finn to think I was too forward.

I’m having a belburger, so why don’t you order something? I said, when my cousin paused for breath.

Yala waved at the waiter, a neuter Harko, who propped itself on its four hind legs so it could see over the table.

You’ve got to try the belburgers here, Yala said to Finn.

The what?

The Belonian style hamburger, with a pit-a-wit pattie. A pit-a-wit’s a tree-dwelling pseudo-reptile that lives in the Uzu Islands.

Do they have this beer I’ve heard about? Belonia Bitter?

Of course.

OK, a belburger and a beer it is.

The waiter brought their beers and another black hole for me. I turned to Finn. I studied the strong line of his jaw and the stubble on his chin, then lifted my eyes to his.  

I hope you’ll be here a few more days, Finn Boson. Then you’ll have time to experience all the Belonian delights.

Hopefully they’ll be available at Basalt Bay Academy.

 Basalt Bay? My heart sank. The place was kilomeds from Sulphur City.

That’s where I'll be teaching Archaeology and Genealogy for two standard years.

Eight Belon years? The conversion to Belon time made it sound worse. To cover my disappointment, I said, You must look out for my little brother, Rar. He’s starting there this year. Short kid with stumpy legs and green skin.

Yala laughed. A puzzled look appeared in Finn’s dark brown eyes.

I’m sorry, I said. That’s just one of our little jokes. All Belon boys look like that. You can’t tell them apart!

I’ll look out for him and treat him with special kindness, just for you, Finn said. My auricles tingled with desire.

I sipped my black hole. Wouldn’t you prefer to teach here in the great metropolis of Sulphur City? I wanted to at least put the idea in Finn’s head.

I didn’t have a choice. These days, you go where the Galactic Indoctrination Board sends you.

I think he’d be better off in Basalt Bay, Yala said. Plenty of peace and quiet without any distractions. His auricles opened and closed as he tried to constrain his irritation.

I thought it was stupid of Yala to get annoyed by my flirting with Finn when he himself was involved with a law allowing exactly those kinds of interactions, so I decided to annoy him further. If that’s what Finn wants, he should go to Empennago, I said. We only have fifty thousand residents and falling.

Yala’s auricles pulsated faster. I pretended not to notice. I turned back to Finn. He was tying his long brown hair in a knot, since the wind had sprung up. Maybe Yala told you? We come from Empennago. It’s an island drifting around in the Sea of Snails. I pointed out the window at the green strip visible on the horizon. Which one is that, Yala?.

I checked this morning. It’s Chelona. His auricles had calmed down a little.

You see, Finn, the islands float around in a giant eddy. When we go there, we have to check where they are first. But they are really boring. I’m sure you don’t want to go there. Yala gave me a sharp look.

I read about them, Finn said. They sound interesting. The islands are held together by tree roots, right?

Yes, the gargarban trees, I said.

I’d love to go there one day.

I prefer three things in a human: Calm confidence, kindness, and smarts. This Finnegan Boson seemed to have them all. Just for fun, and to crank up Yala’s auricles again, I decided to test Finn further.

So, Finn, have you also read up about Sulphur City and its population? What do you know about this city that, sadly, you’re just passing through?

The look in his eye indicated he was happy to play my game. He immediately recited a few facts about the human and Belon population, their jobs, and the way the lava flows had been diverted to make the coastal plain habitable.

Excellent, I said, opening my eyes wide to show my pleasure. You’re quite right. The descendants of the original colonists still look down on the Belons but…

Yala interrupted. It’s illegal to discriminate against Belons.

…thankfully, the more recently arrived humans tend to be more open-minded.

Yala made a couple of clicking noises in his throat.

That’s understandable, Finn said, looking me in the eye with an utterly straight face.

I asked him a few more questions. He answered with so much enthusiasm I had the feeling he’d already fallen in love with our planet.

Finn, Yala said when he’d finished, come and live at my apartment. I’ll save a fortune on knowledge net connection fees. I joined in the laughter, while thinking that such an arrangement would allow Yala to keep an eye on Finn and make sure I stayed away.

As we tucked into our belburgers, I started formulating excuses for visiting Basalt Bay.

After a couple of mouthfuls, Yala asked, So when’s Elak coming back? Has he gotten over the break-up yet?

Now Yala was trying to annoy me, so I kept on chewing, even though good manners required I answer straight away. I felt nauseous even referring to him as my ex-boyfriend. I certainly wasn’t going to tell Yala, a lawyer, that I knew exactly when he was due to finish his course and return to Belonia. Nor was I going let on that my number one priority was planning how to torment him for his role in Sheena’s miserable fate.

I gave Yala a baleful look. Do you have any more fascinating legal stories for us?

Right, Yala said. I see. No, I’m all out of stories. He turned to Finn. What time does your omnidrone leave?

Three o’clock.

We only have an hour. We better hurry. Lunch is on me, Yala waved the glass interface of the synport embedded in his arm at the pay point.

I tried to keep the panic from my voice. You’re going to Basalt Bay today? School doesn’t start for another three days.

That’s when they told me to report. His calm eyes rested on mine, giving me a little hope.

And you always do as you’re told?

Don’t you?

It depends.

 Come on, Finn, Yala said. We better fetch your gear from the hotel and head down to the drone port. He turned to me. Want to come along?

Sure. Can we stop at the supermarket near the Comet Street geyser? I want to buy a gift for my little brother. Finn, would you be able to take it? He’ll go straight to school from Empennago without stopping over in Sulphur City, so I won’t see him before he starts.

No problem. I can do that for you.

For me, I thought. Thank you. I’ll pass you my number, in case you need to call me about it. Before Finn could respond to my flimsy excuse, I held my forearm close to his, to allow our embedded synports to exchange the information. His device beeped as he mentally agreed to accept my number. My torgeto itch was nearing fever pitch. He’d mentally agreed!

After picking up a package of dried godabar strips for Rar, we stopped at the Cosmic Hotel to collect Finn’s bags. I hoped to find a moment alone with him, but he’d already packed. I couldn’t think of a way to shake Yala. I figured that shoving him out of the room and locking the door would be too brazen and, besides, such bad behaviour would enrage Yala and inevitably get back to my family. To my great chagrin, we were in and out of Finn’s room in less than a minute, and we had no time to ourselves.

When I passed him the package for Rar, I put my other hand on his outstretched arm, met his playful eyes, and said, Thank you, Finn.

As the omnidrone whirled Finn away over the rooftops, I wondered when I would see him again. Why did he have to leave so soon? I’d spent the last twelve years trying to escape Elak, whom I detested. Now I was forced to be away from a most delectable human, who, admittedly, I’d only just met, and hardly even knew. But revenge had to start somewhere.

Yala turned to me. By the way. I know how your birth mother feels about humans. Don’t forget she’s my aunt. If I think you’re doing anything stupid that would shame her, watch out! I will protect the family honour!

My eyes narrowed. Don’t threaten me, Yala! I don’t believe in all that traditional nonsense about shame and honour. We’re not living in the pre-colonial era. Times have changed, and options have changed. I appreciate the help you gave me with Sheena’s case, but when it comes to the rest of my life, I’ll do what I like!

I turned and marched away. All I heard from Yala were more of the clicking noises we Belon’s make in the back of our breathing throat when we’re angry beyond words.  

I clicked in my throat, too, all the way back along the esplanade to my dorm. The sun’s generous orb was sinking in a blaze of red-orange over the Sea of Snails, dragging the heat of the day with it. A cool wind from the south presaged an early autumn. My heart turned cold as I realised the size of the obstacles before me. If I managed to catch and keep Finn