Ascendant Saga Collection: Sci-Fi Fantasy Techno Thriller by Brandon Ellis (easy to read books for adults list txt) 📕

cup of tea. She felt like opening the bottom hatch and dropping Bogle through the vast cloud they were only two minutes from. And, “impact?” How do you impact a cloud? How did Bogle ever become an XO in the first place? The admiral like her looks? It happened before. The girl didn’t seem to have the stomach for adrenaline or chaos.

An electric bolt zoomed past them and slammed into the ground. It churned more dust into the air. Another and another whizzed by, blowing up more dirt, rock, and ice.

Rivkah pulled on the control stick. She wanted to get a bird’s eye view of what these thousands upon thousands of bolts slinging past them and erupting on the ground were for. Was something trying to get through, yet this shielding technique kept it at bay?

“One minute until impact,” said Bogle.

Rivkah wanted to rap her on the head. Instead, she remained silent, narrowing her eyes to what might be coming after the dust. The craft made a sharp incline and headed straight over the debris cloud.

Rivkah leaned forward. She wanted to grab the scales of the half human, half reptile Kelhoons below and fling them across the smoking hills in front of them.

The Kelhoon swarmed over the hillside. They destroyed everything in their path. As far as the eye could see, cities were engulfed in black, thick plumes. The Kelhoons must have hit these people quick and hard, an assault that the inhabitants of East Rise were utterly unprepared to fend off.

Thick, smoldering ashes billowed upward into the graying sky, then fell to the ground like snow. A blood bath. Dead Atlanteans were sprinkled across the land in golden armor. Three pronged tridents lay by their sides. Others ran toward the north, blasting Kelhoon pursuers with laser-like beams that expelled from each trident prong.

Hundreds of children were being led to one of the many pyramids in East Rise. Energy bracelet restraints tied the children together with an energy chain. A young girl, maybe ten or so, walked in the back. A Kelhoon whipped her. A lash struck the girl in the face, and she fell to the ground. Motionless.

Rivkah unstrapped from her chair and stood. She wanted to break every bone in that asshole’s body. A man harming a girl? The Kelhoon might as well be Rivkah’s father and she the girl in the back of the pack, getting whipped like a sick puppy, then lights out.

Rivkah grasped the control stick, then pressed several buttons on the holographic display console. She had to take over this ship, had to turn on weapons and blast that evil Kelhoon where he stood. Hell, maybe they could rescue the children. She kicked the console. “How do you override this thing?”

Bogle held her hands over her mouth, shaking her head. “Why is Grenik Star allowing this? Why is Liberty letting this happen? They aren’t helping the fight.”

“Because they are pricks of the highest sort, now—”

A squad of angry Kelhoon Starfighter LL-Class 4’s appeared over the lip of the hills. Rivkah held her breath. Yes, this Liberty character had led these two nitwits to their slaughter. Rivkah had fallen for it.

“We call those starfighters, Leaping Lizards,” said Bogle, her words barely audible.

“Yes, I know what they’re called. Now, help me re-wire this ship so we can have a nano-second of a chance to survive.”

Dozens of wide, almond-shaped starfighters zipped by them, quickly reaching the lip of the hills and meeting the Kelhoon starfighter’s head on. Electric bolts expelled from the almond-shaped crafts and hammered the Leaping Lizards. Explosions, falling debris, and fires lit the hilltops, ending the Kelhoon squadron before they had a chance to engage.

“That won’t happen a second time,” said Rivkah. “Kelhoons learn from their mistakes.”

The almond-shaped starfighters cut left, banking wide, strafing the Kelhoon chasing the Atlantean warriors. Kelhoon infantry dove to the ground. Many were ripped to shreds by tracer fire.

Rivkah zoomed in on the handcuffed children. The girl who had been whipped was being dragged along. For a moment, Rivkah’s heart went out to her. No child should be treated in such a way. If she could jump out, take out the Kelhoon soldier, and release those children, she would without a thought.

“Is there a communication link on this thing?” said Rivkah. “We need to let them know about the children.”

Bogle unstrapped herself and scoured the craft for anything that might be a comm unit. She pressed a button. “Executive Officer Katherine Bogle here. Does anyone read me? Clear.”

No response.

“Anyone?”

Again, silence.

She pressed more buttons, repeating her questions.

Nothing.

Rivkah rummaged around the cockpit for anything that might be a comm device, opening a long, oval chest in the rear of the craft. Tridents, armor, helmets, boots, and odd lightning-shaped guns were organized in the chest, asking to be taken.

The craft shuddered, then shifted to the right. It flew over a pyramid’s golden apex. A flash of white light engulfed the transport and a static sound erupted throughout the cockpit.

Rivkah looked at her feet and plugged her ears. Bogle did the same.

The white light faded and the static disappeared. Rivkah found herself on the floor. She scanned the vid screen and her chin dropped. They were in the forest they’d taken off from and Liberty stood next to a tree. She held a slack expression. Her mouth curled downward. Placing her hands together at her chest, she dipped her head and motioned for them to exit the craft.

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J-Quadrant, Solar System - Flood of Dawn, Callisto

Rivkah stepped down the ramp, her forehead low. “Was that a figment of our imagination, or is that what’s really happening at this very moment?”

“The pyramid’s golden apex teleported you back here. That was not your imagination. The Kelhoons are here in full force. That’s why we need you.”

Rivkah remembered the little girl and her heart skipped a beat. “Get me over there.”

“I wish I could, but we have to wait.”

“Wait for what?” asked Bogle as she walked down the ramp behind Rivkah.

“Wait for the other two.