Syarrhe [SPECTRA - BOOK ONE]

Chapter One

PLANET: CERRIDWEN - YEAR: 2167

"Beneath the surface of the soul the stars sleep and breathe, their life continuing ever-on under the cover of humanity."

The quote stared at Syarrhe from the poster on the wall, and her silver eyes traced the words time and again, trying to comprehend the meaning and drawing a blank. Artillery sergeants weren't especially known for their brains, but Syarrhe tried to destroy that stereotype, despite her own limited schooling. Still, no attempt to defeat a stereotype enabled her to better comprehend this mind-boggling quote.

The door to the office opened and a big man of dark skin and angled brows entered the small room. His shiny black uniform shoes hit the blue tile floors with the profound cll-ap, cll-ap of a practiced heel-toe walk, and his uniform was in prim condition, as any commander's should be. He took a seat behind his desk and Syarrhe remained standing stalk-still, perfect composure etched onto her dusky bronze face, silver eyes staring straight ahead, fists clutched at her side.

"At ease, Sergeant," the commander said. "Have a seat."

"Yes, Commander," she answered curtly, snapping to parade rest before stepping back to break position. She sat straight-backed and square-shouldered in the cushy cream-colored armchair across the commander's desk from him, as he shuffled papers on his desk, flipping through a stack of thick, stapled packets. He withdrew one and held it out to her, straightening his papers around the emptied spot.

"This will be your first mission."

Excitement trilled through her as Syarrhe took the packet, reading the front:

ASCUNA:

OPERATION: RENEGADE ADJUSTMENT

ARTILLERY SERGEANT:

SGT SYARRHE REYNOLDS

She broke the seal on the side with her thumb-nail and flipped open the first page, her eyes skimming the briefing on Ascuna, a planet from the Xialad system. She remembered its people, referred to as Ascunians, for being one of the opposing factions in the war that had killed her parents twenty years ago. She shut down the twinge of irritation at the mention of the alien race, instead flipping to the next page, which detailed mission goals.

"It seems the Ascunians lack the proper equipment on their planet to deal with a handful of renegades," Commander Galst informed her with a note of exasperation, "Since the bulk of their military has been shipped to Shiuq for the war. What's left of their forces, that is. The Jynns are their allies on Shiuq but have no desire to visit Ascuna, so they've turned to us. We aren't mercenaries for hire, but the Ascunian government is desperate; they're willing to pay the cost of travel and equipment if we'll rid them of their renegade problems."

"Who are these renegades, Commander?" Syarrhe asked, now in full business mode. Her excitement over the mission was forcibly quelled by her sense of duty.

"Those that disagree with the war," he said. "Extremists. First, they were mere protesters, then they advanced to lobbyists, and now they attack outgoing troops and training outposts on Ascuna. They've gone as far as to begin kidnapping Ascunian children and convert them to their... Point of view. The Ascunians wouldn't care about a bunch of protesting if it hadn't developed into this much of a movement and endangered their troops."

Syarrhe cocked an eyebrow, reading his words echoed in the information packet. "So you're sending an artillery sergeant to wipe out a bunch of pissed-off civilians with an agenda?"