The Black Rose [Sample]

Chapter 1 - "Idle Hands Get Whipped"

THREE MILITARY TRANSPORT vehicles jostled down a rocky road under the dual concealment of nighttime darkness and a heavy fog. In stark contrast with the ear-rupturing tumult the soldiers inside would soon make upon arrival at the objective point, the only sound the six-wheelers emitted was a low purr from their engines. Only slightly quieter than that was the innocuous rustle of stones in the road being displaced by the tires.

In the passenger section of the leading transport sat a disparity among the otherwise homogeneous soldiers. Instead of the fine black hair they all sported in various lengths, he maintained a head of curly light brown locks that only accentuated his otherness. Unlike the majority of them, he had a long face, thin nose, and most importantly, creased eyelids. Ajax Tasso was the discrepant soldier's name, and the night's assignment was one he hardly found thrilling.

Attempting to ignore the cold stare of the small-eyed soldier across from him, Ajax focused on deep breathing as his hands gripped the rifle in his lap. Much as he hated the prospect, his orders tonight were to fire that rifle until empty, reload, and repeat. And the targets he'd seek out wouldn't be an opposing army, but rather, a town of defenseless civilians. People as "other" as himself.

It took all the self-control Ajax had to resist bashing heads over the cruel irony. The Sinhe Confederation had handpicked him of all people, a man from an oppressed group, in order to make him an oppressor. There was a legitimate war being fought overseas, battles fought between equals, but of course he wouldn't be sent there. For whatever cruel reason, they'd seen fit to send him to his own hometown.

The briefing had been appalling, too. Ajax's hometown had evidently refused to pay tribute to the Sinhe capital for the year, the mayor having written a letter explaining the year was a jubilee year, where they had traditionally never collected taxes. But of course, to the Sinhe administrators, Zifosproki traditions meant nothing, and the townspeople were told they still had to pay for the privilege of living in the Confederation that had conquered them.

Ajax's eyebrows drew together as he recalled the smug expression on his commander's face upon reporting how patient the Sinhe administrators had been, giving the mayor a whopping three days to gather the ludicrous sum demanded as tribute, with a tardiness fee added atop that. And since the town had failed to do so, the decision had been made to put them in their place and set an example for any others who hoped to do similarly.

The injustice and inequality of it all enraged Ajax, though none of that showed on his impassive face. If a town in the Sinhe heartland, with its raven-haired, slit-eyed residents had done the same, they would have been treated far differently. It would have been inconceivable to see the same infantry transports rolling into those provinces to demand payment. The capital would still get its tribute somehow, that was sure, but never by such force.

With a jolt, the vehicle came to a stop, and the engine's purr faded into silence. Ajax drew in a deep breath as his heart became agitated. His forehead grew sweaty under the plain black helmet he wore.

He frowned when the troop across from him punched a comrade's shoulder playfully and grinned. "Pest control's here!" he remarked with an ear to ear grin.

The other soldier readily returned the smile as he rose to his feet and peered through the sight of his rifle. "I am definitely ready to shoot up some Zifosproki rats."

Both men immediately locked eyes with Ajax, not even the slightest bit embarrassed at what they had just said. Even though his imagination overflowed with ways to get back at them for the violent idiocy, he kept a straight face and stared right back. He stood up with a sigh and adjusted his holstered pistol on his belt.