Sorcha The Alien Book One

Epilogue

I lean back in my chair. Space compels me and Jebnah. The red world. Beeps and clicks reverberate in my head. But I ignore their potential promise. My crew are as quiet as I, driven to silence by my desire for answers.

The view of planet Jebnah changes and the entra base expands across a vast screen at the front of main command. An abandoned ruin, a husk. Fendan and his fleets have salvaged the debris, they scoured every inch of the once base for anything usable. But Daeanal assured me, the information I seek would remain; my questions would be answered.

"Cantal." Jaxa, my second, sits beside me and leans in close. "Shazna is not dead. Communications intercepted a message from her to Fendan."

"Okay—" I start.

"They've boarded the Battle Cruiser," Arene says.

"Daeanal is with them?" I ask and Arene nods. "Call him to main command and rapid travel, now."

The Battle Cruiser hums with power. A web of energy consumes the ship and we disappear from Jebnah. We don't hang around; I'm not risking running into Fendan after almost a year of evading him.

I stand as the lift doors open and Daeanal enters main command. We walk to my office together and Jaxa slips in behind us.

"What did you find?" I say as I lean against my window.

Daeanal sits, he glances from Jaxa to me. "I think you're right. Fendan cloned the Saskquine in order to start producing entra again."

Jaxa sits beside Daeanal. "He had hundreds of Saskquine clones on Jebnah ... that means—"

"It means he wants to produce entra to rival Haroc's reign." I turn and look out at space, as stars blur past in a multitude of colours. "We have to assume he wishes to resurrect the empire. He will be no better than Haroc."

"Cantral," Daeanal says, with a sigh, "I have located your Combat Cruiser on Arrah, I assume Sorcha and Sask will be with it. We must ensure Fendan does not get to them."

Sorcha, her name is like a blade tearing through my body. Almost a year since I have seen her. Almost a year since she stole my ship and evaporated from my life, but the pain does not fade.

"No," I say, confidently, "Fendan doesn't know Sorcha is on Arrah and he can't track my Combat Cruiser. We're going to Dareem."

"Daeanal," Jaxa says, and she stands, "return to your duties."

"Of course," Daeanal says, with a nod of his head and he slips quietly from my office.

I watch Jaxa, my oldest friend, my mentor. The only person I trust with absolute certainty. "You think I am wrong?"

"He'll search for Sorcha and Sask first, before he chases a legend, and you know that," Jaxa says, her voice powerful. She always speaks her truth; she never minces her words. I'm grateful. It's what every captain should desire from their second. "I know Sorcha hurt you, but now is not the time for personal feelings to take precedence."

But I don't always agree with what she says. I don't always want to hear her truth. Sometimes— I turn away to the window —sometimes comfort would be nice. "According to Emerlit, Sorcha went to Arrah to find Ramet—"

Jaxa exhales angrily. "Emerlit is a gossip—"

"Ramet is on Arrah. She's there, okay! And Sorcha went running after her. Set a course for Arrah, but I will not have any communication with Sorcha or Sask!"

"You wish me to speak with them?" Jaxa snaps. "You wish me to ask some girl and her Saskquine to join our crew, to relocate their lives? How well do you think that will go?"