Children of Zeta

By "Rod" "Mortin"

Galactic support for the Zeta colony has grown while the power and resources of The Order continues to shrink. Exposed as a dark and manipulative force, The Order's hold on planetary governments throughout the galaxy has been broken. Desperate to restore their lost power, black ops teams with secret ties to The Order begin a campaign to gain control of Zeta.

Rather than a direct assault on the government of Zeta, the black ops agents target people under age 30. Some are blackmailed, others are infected with mind-controlling nanobots, and one person is bio-engineered to be their weapon. The black ops agents decide to destroy the new civic center, but not until the dedication ceremony when it will be filled with the supporters and citizens of Zeta.

Will they succeed in rendering Zeta helpless and inciting a return to control by The Order? Can the team of Dolana, Alon, Shanra, and Derrik discover the plot and stop it in time? Will love prove stronger than the desire for stability?

Children of Zeta, book seven by author Rod Mortin, builds upon the story developed in the Paths trilogy and the Oen and Jarred trilogy to deliver another action-packed examination of shared strengths versus tribalism.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scribl
• Release date: Apr 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9798890742148

"Rod" "Mortin"

Rod Mortin hails from the Pacific Northwest. He holds an advanced degree in plant science and years of experience as a music instructor. Rod enjoys travel, gardening, and writing, though not necessarily in that order. He loves learning from the biographies of famous people, but he writes young adult fiction because he is a young teen at heart. Rod uses his science and musical training to weave tales of adventure aimed to support the daring and the visionary.

Book preview

Chapter 1

The passages in this part of the old fortress were poorly lit and dank.  Monsignor Haustmann, code name Spider, was more than willing to endure a bit of discomfort in order to make this rendezvous.  He’d been hiding for years, waiting for word from the Supreme Council of The Order to activate him and his black ops team.  When no word came and his resources were running low, Haustmann decided it was time to act.  He used the encryption device issued to black op team leaders and sent coded messages to his most trusted team members.  He had no idea who might still be alive.  Not only had The Order’s role in covert ops been exposed, but the Supreme Council had been compromised, and many of the records within the Temple archive opened for public scrutiny.

Despite these setbacks, the many-layered protocols implemented ages ago ensured that links to the hidden accounts and staff records were isolated and untraceable, even by the hated Madrons and their bimbo friends from that backwater planet.  They may think The Order is defeated but setbacks mean nothing to an organization whose long-term plans spanned multiple centuries. The Intergalactic fools who now support the creation of Zeta will find their precious experiment is far more vulnerable to failure than they imagined.

Spider heard the shuffle of feet from up the hall.  He carefully rounded the corner, his silenced weapon drawn as an act of caution, and made his way toward the hidden chamber where his team was to meet.  He saw a figure in the shadows and heard the passphrase his team was instructed to use.  Moving toward the man, Spider said the reply phrase.  He signaled for silence and led the man down a nearby tunnel that appeared to be a storeroom. Behind a stack of wine barrels, Spider pressed a stone in the wall and the door swung silently open. The men entered quickly, closing the door behind them.  A flick of a switch provided light and revealed they were the first to arrive.

Spider grasped hands with his accomplice, code name Orca. Good to see you, man.  I hope most of the others will find their way here but we’ll know soon enough, said Spider.

Most but not all will come.  Leopard and Panther will be here but Ape was found out and took his life rather than be caught.  Snake, Scorpion, Reptile, and Salamander should also be here, said Orca.

That will be enough for our purposes.  We’re planning a long-term assault on the very fabric of that disgusting Zeta colony.  Vengeance is sweetest when it can be savored, and when they don’t see the ax falling until it’s too late, said Spider with a wicked grin.

The two men chatted about past assignments while they waited.  Soon the other four men arrived and discussion began in earnest of how to destroy Zeta.

What they really needed was someone on the inside, on Zeta, someone in their teens or twenties that could be persuaded to work for The Order or be manipulated into helping them. Orca had a nephew who was a recent graduate and was open to helping them, with the right motivation.

"We need a complete list of everyone under thirty living on Zeta.  Can that nephew of yours get

that for us, Orca?" asked Spider.

The kid is a whiz with robotics so once he’s on Zeta he’ll probably be able to gather that intel.  We’ll have to be ultra-careful about communication, though.  I know that sounds a bit paranoid, but they seem to have a secure network that is more advanced than even the military.  Not sure where they got it.  Again, we need more intel, said Orca.

If no one else has someone we can put on the ground, let’s start with this nephew. How can he help lay a foundation for a counter-revolution on Zeta? asked Spider.

The discussion was thorough, covering everything from causing the younger generation to mistrust the founders to creating social chaos that could be solved by the benevolent hand of The Order. The best plan seemed to sow discord, lay low, and feed the unrest until a rebellion had enough power to invite The Order back onto Zeta.  That would be such sweet revenge!

Let’s start recruiting both men and women to work on Zeta and infiltrate the Madrons, especially Darrik Madron.  He may be a whale of a man today, but he’s still male and some women really like big men.  Let’s get someone in there to mess up his life.  There are other Madrons and their children we can include.  That pretty niece and her school are ripe for charges of embezzlement or even child abuse. We don’t need to reveal our presence to take effective shots are a high-profile family.  They may be darlings now, but we can change that and weaken Zeta at the same time, said Spider with a wicked grin. He was becoming aroused by the prospect of truly damaging their old foe.  They may not have all the resources formerly available through The Order, but they could still hunt prey.

Orca’s nephew, Eric, had applied for work on Zeta at the urging of his uncle.  The uncle implied that Zeta had the most advanced robotics in the galaxy and if Eric could discover the source of the technology, he could use that info to advance his own career.  Working within the Zeta admin offices, Eric pressed his advantage by asking for more and bigger work assignments.  Dolana and her team were endeared by his handsome face and friendly smile, glad to have such an enthusiastic new member of the staff. 

These are the access codes to the personnel files.  The information is private so we don’t visit these without a good reason.  As a result, the files are rather unorganized.  You’ll find info from people who are no longer working on Zeta that should be tagged and moved to an archive file.  We also need to be sure we have at least one contact per person, in case of an emergency.  Once you’ve sorted and updated the directory, future maintenance should be easy.  Is this something you’d be willing to do?  It’s rather boring work but needs to be done, said the office staffer.

I’m all about the work.  Once I dig into a project, time seems to stand still and I even forget to eat.  The individual files may be a bit boring but the process is rewarding. I’ll be fine, said Eric and turned to begin his work.  The staffer smiled and left him to it. 

That new guy, Eric, sure is a good worker.  I have him picking up a boring task that has needed doing for months but no one wanted.  If I was lots younger, I’d be so distracted by that cutie, said the woman.

That already sounds like distraction, if you ask me.  But having a handsome and helpful hunk in the office is okay by me, too.  Be sure to check his work so we can let Dolana know how he’s doing, said the other office worker.

Eric worked through the files at a rapid pace.  He copied items of interest into a separate folder then moved to the next section.  He noted a few names he’d heard before and decided to get to know those better before he took them into his confidence.  Some of the files seemed incomplete.  For example, there was a couple called Liam and Aurora who didn’t list any off-planet contacts.  The woman was still very attractive and Eric considered flirting with her.  He’d have to be very careful, though, since her mate looked intimidating.  But she also had a fourteen-year-old daughter.  He wouldn’t risk a direct approach with an underage girl but he might find a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy who could do his bidding. He’d need to probe deeper there.

Eric also noted Alon and the many women he worked with at the hospital.  Here, too, he’d have to be very indirect since his mate Shanra could easily take out anyone who messed with her man.  That said, his uncle said to look for angles that could imply weakness or wrong doing.  No need to place himself in danger.  He would assemble as many options as he could, then visit his family off Zeta and pass his findings on to his uncle. 

It took several days to completely sort and organize the files.  At the end of each day, Eric would copy his findings to a portable drive then erase all evidence of his presence.  He now had several dozen potential candidates for his uncle. 

But Eric’s real goal was to find out more about the advanced robotics at the colony. He made friends with one of the senior engineers and made a point of chatting with her about her adventure on Zeta.  Turns out, she had some hair-raising stories to tell, including firing a rocket launcher at a rogue AI robot to stop an attack.  The existence of such events wasn’t covered in his orientation when he arrived on Zeta, so he asked lots of questions and showed admiration for the woman’s bravery.

How in the hell did a few androids cause so much damage?  Were these units that you designed and someone hacked them?  Sounds terrifying! said Eric.

No, these units came from off planet.  We all thought they’d be safe from hacking since they were more advanced than anything locally.  But Arlana said someone on her planet went rogue and took control of the androids.  Nearly killed Dolana and her staff.  I just happened to be working on an engineering problem in the office when everything went to shit.  We nearly lost all our key staff.  But Oen and Jarred managed to keep Dolana safe and Darrik Madron provided an AI unit that was a match for the rogue AIs.  Crazy times.  After that, we received only unprogrammed units that we could finish programming here.  Without the help of androids and worker droids, Zeta would have come to a standstill.  These units can work round the clock and help us get both defenses and infrastructure in place for our protection.  Even with all that in place, another AI had sent a whole squad of fighter ships to sterilize the planet and would have succeeded if not for the sacrifices made by Oen and Jarred.  They gave their lives to destroy the controlling AI so we all could enjoy security.  Now we have planetary defense satellites and more defensive capabilities.  So, the peaceful Zeta you see today wasn’t always this way, said the engineer.

Wow!  I had no idea about any of that!  Remind me to always stay on your good side since you seem partial to wielding portable canons, said Eric with a laugh.

You don’t need to worry about safety now, said the engineer.  Arlana makes sure we have the most advanced androids of anywhere in the galaxy.

Who is Arlana? asked Eric.

I shouldn’t have said that.  Sorry.  Some of our allies are very private.  We should be getting back to the office, said the engineer.

Back in the office, Eric did a short search of Zeta’s file for any information about this Arlana.  He found nothing but his inquiry was noticed by a member of Dolana’s team so she asked Eric to her office.

I don’t mean to pry, but I noticed you doing a search on the name Arlana, said Dolana.  What’s that all about?

I was having a coffee with your senior engineer and she regaled me with stories of early Zeta.  None of her tales were mentioned in my orientation so it was interesting.  As you know, I have an interest in robotics, so the stories of android battles and receiving advanced units from someone named Arlana intrigued me.  I hope my curiosity didn’t get anyone in trouble, said Eric.

Zeta in those early years was a fragile dream, beautiful yet vulnerable, with powerful enemies.  You’ve heard of The Order?  They were determined to destroy us but they weren’t our only enemy.  We have an ally, Arlana, who is also powerful but who wishes to remain undisclosed. She, too, had enemies and those enemies wanted to weaken her connection with Zeta.  That’s why they hacked our androids.  This is about all there is to tell you at this time.  I’m asking you not to dig deeper since Arlana remains one of our strongest allies and defenses, said Dolana.

I’m so sorry.  Didn’t mean to step out of line.  My curiosity sometimes gets me in trouble, said Eric.

It’s also why you are such a good researcher.  Bright minds like yours should stay curious, so don’t feel that you need to shut that down.  Just step around this subject, as a favor to me and to Arlana, said Dolana.

Gladly, said Eric.  By the way, I finished reorganizing the personnel files.  I made you a list of staff who have incomplete profiles.  I’m surprised that the couple named Liam and Aurora don’t have any emergency contacts. Seems odd that no one caught this since they’ve been here more than a decade.

Ah. I know the couple.  I’ll contact them and get them to send updated information.  And, yes, send me a list of any others with missing information and we’ll contact them also.  Might as well bring the whole file up to date.  Good job, Eric, said Dolana.

After Eric left her office, Dolana contacted Aurora about the missing info from the file for herself and Liam.  Then she had a gentle chat with her engineer about being a bit too loose with details around new employees.

At the home of Aurora and Liam, an amazing place situated within a limestone slot canyon outside of town, the couple pondered the message from Dolana.

I guess we forgot a detail when we made that file, said Aurora.

It’s hard to remember a past that didn’t exist, said Liam. 

But if a new staffer can spot the discrepancy, so could others.  Let’s ask Darrik what he would recommend for a convincing background, said Aurora as she sent a message to their old friend. 

Chapter 2

The screaming pain of strained muscles meant nothing to Mark.  He was born to be competitive and push himself to his physical limits.  In the twelve years since he came to live on Zeta, Mark had grown into a strong and determined man.  His parents, Alon and Shanra, were both important and respected founders of this colony on Zeta. They were involved and supportive parents but it was hard to live in the shadow of living legends. Mark felt the constant need to prove himself, to make others see him for his own talents, not just as the son of.

Today he was a competitor in a gruesome cross-country race that included obstacle courses, non-lethal but painful traps, and climbs designed to test a person’s physical limits.  Mark grunted as he jumped to grab the rope that would allow him to swing over the pit filled with mud and leeches.  He could endure either but preferred being sweaty rather than covered with bloodsuckers. 

Part of Mark’s drive came from the need to exceed the accomplishments of his mother and of his namesake grandfather.  He was named in honor of Markan, a highly respected former leader of the Mila Tanari tribe.  Markan was no longer alive but he had passed his skills and determination to his only child, his daughter Shanra.  Before moving to Zeta, the tribes of the home world were stuck in a patriarchy that kept women subservient.  Markan dared to defy that tradition and train Shanra with all the leadership and warrior skills she would need to lead the tribe when he was gone.  It didn’t help that the supposedly spiritual advisors to all the tribes were a corrosive tribe called Preits, direct descendants of men from an organization called The Order that was determined to rule every tribe, group, or government in the galaxy.

Mark’s mother had fled the Preit-affiliated ruffian who took control of the tribe after her father’s death.  In keeping with her character, she’d thrown herself off a cliff rather than submit to the brute.  She rode a waterfall down into the Rift Valley and barely survived.  She was found by Oen, a member of the Geneer tribe who was hiding there.  He had fled to the Valley with his male lover and created a refuge they called Sanctuary.  But it was a handsome healer from the MeTech tribe that found a way to heal both Shanra’s body and her broken heart.  That brave and gentle man, Alon, became her life partner and Mark’s father.  Together with Oen, they found a way off their home planet and eventually brought The Order to its knees. With parents like that, it was easy to disappear.

The thought of never being seen spurred Mark on with renewed speed.  He saw the finish line in the distance but some sixth sense made him slow his approach.  As he did, another runner passed him from behind.  Modesty is over-rated, Mark.  This time it cost you first place, said  the man as he sped toward the finish.  He was only seconds from crossing the line when he gave a yell and was jerked upward, snared in the net that had lain hidden under the forest debris.  Seizing his chance, Mark raced past the tangling man and crossed the finish line amidst the cheers of the watching crowd.

Good job, bro.  I didn’t think you were smart enough to watch for a finish line trap, said Ole, Mark’s youngest brother. Ole was slight and a bit short for his age.  At age twenty-two, Ole was already well advanced toward completing his medical education.  Handsome with dark features, Ole was a favorite among his classmates, especially his male classmates, some of whom enjoyed playing doctor with this soon-to-be young physician.  Small like his mother yet dreaming of following in his father’s footsteps into medical research, Ole had a promising future.  His parents suspected Ole’s preference for men but he kept it quiet.  He’d been mentored as a lad by Oen, another of the heroes of the community who had given his life defending the planet from forces determined to destroy it.  Oen’s life-mate, Jarred, had also died in that battle, but they have proved to everyone that men loving each other was not a hindrance to bravery.

Dude, you smoked it!  Awesome! said Det, Mark’s closest friend. Demetrius, or Det to his friends, was twenty-six like Mark and the eldest son of an Artser family that had come to Zeta shortly after Mark’s parents.  Mark and Det were nearly opposite in many ways:  Mark was tall, blond, and muscular with a strong competitive drive, while Det was just a bit shorter with olive skin, dark hair, and a sweet disposition.  They had many common interests, from women to racing, but their differences meant they complimented each other nicely. Neither tried to outperform the other.  They were content to let their friendship fit them together, like cogs on a wheel.  They could share anything with each other and never feel threatened.

Mark glanced to the sidelines and saw a small group of pretty girls.  One in particular, Lana, looked at him with an intense and meaningful smile.  The group of women were busy chatting but Lana and Mark only had eyes for each other and tuned out everything else.  Lana was the daughter of a woman who came with Dolana in the early years of Zeta.  Lana’s father was unknown. Her mother had been a slave kept by the Preits, a local expression of The Order, who enslaved and used women to satisfy their needs.  Despite their platitudes, members of The Order were power-hungry tyrants who found ways to justify every vice in their quest for domination.  The Preits of Dolana’s home world had been wiped out to the last man but members of The Order still existed on many planets around the galaxy.

Lana may not know her father, but she was beautiful, with curves in all the right places, and smart.  Her mother was the executive administrator for Dolana and a vital part of the colony’s ruling Council.  Mark had been intimate with Lana for several years and hoped she would agree to a life partnership, but so far, she held back from that commitment.  Zetan society treated men and women as equals but there was still a lingering fear of male domination.  Not enough generations had passed to eradicate that threat in the minds and hearts of many women.

Mark walked over to Lana and looked into her eyes.  Hey, he said, but this single word carried a whole volume of affection, longing, and invitation.  The women nearby smiled and walked away to leave the couple to talk.  Can I see you tonight? asked Mark, with a hopeful grin.

You’re seeing me right now.  What more do you need? said Lana with a wink. 

I’d like to show you what I know we both need.  I’ll pick you up an hour before sunset, said Mark with a grin and a quickening heartbeat.

Lana, can I ask you a question about our homework assignment, came the voice of Maddie and Mark knew he needed to walk away.  Maddie was the fourteen-year-old daughter of Liam and Aurora.  She had a little brother named Luca, another little brother named Oen, and her mom was pregnant with another child.  If it wasn’t a baby sister, Maddie was ready to castrate her dad or sell her brothers for a sister, or both!  Maddie had heard other girls describe her dad as a hunk, a dreamboat, and always horny.  She wasn’t quite sure what that last bit meant but if it meant her dad was super in love with her mom, it was accurate.  Her mom was both artistic and an engineer.  Maddie had certainly inherited the engineer part but she wasn’t really much of an artist.

I’m trying to calculate the angle of alignment and thrust needed to move the vessel shown in the assignment, said Maddie. 

Lana’s face turned a shade of red and she mumbled something like, I can’t discuss this right now, and walked awkwardly away.

Maddie looked perplexed as she watched Lana leave. "Did