A Medal For Mary by Rob Astor (best books to read for self improvement TXT) 📕

him, keeping a close watch on the weapon. Leon stared at Klexi’s clothing. “New Zimlliaan insignia. You traitor. Get your sorry asses out to that hover craft, now. We got a little trip to make.”
Lynn and Klexi exchanged glances with the New Zimlliaan and slowly walked out into the open air, stopping before car-like boat-shaped vehicle. “Get in,” Leon commanded. “You drive,” he said to Klexi. “I’m gonna sit right back and make sure you don’t try anything funny.”
Klexi reluctantly sat in the driver’s seat, Lynn next to him. Leon climbed up and into the back seat. He leveled his gun at Klexi’s back. “Move it!” he shouted as Klexi stalled. “I’ve spent entirely too much time in this fucking desert.” Klexi switched the main power on. The propulsion systems whined and the vehicle lurching forward. Lynn stared out at the endless wasteland.
* * *
Mary’s breasts rose and fell in rhythm. The green foliage of the plant flourished. Vines produced red berries. Javen scanned the holographic monitors while Jadyn was busy compiling data. The chamber’s main door opened. Against the red glow of the sun, Javen strained to see who it was.
The first two figures held their hands clasped above their heads. A third held a weapon pointed at the backs of the first two. “Leon,” Javen said, “you were assigned to pilot a dirigible.”
“The second one attacked me,” Leon said. “Blew my butt right outta the sky.” As if you didn’t know that. “My ship was destroyed and my crew was killed. I got back here on foot and by way of a hover craft.” Next time, drop me a few hundred kilometers farther. “I found these two nosing around the complex to the west. Thought you might appreciate my rounding them up for you.”
“I do,” the commander replied.
“I also want to know why I was shot down.” Leon stared hard at Javen.
“It will be investigated.” Javen turned his attention to the New Zimlliaan defector and the nameless human.
“You do that,” Leon said. “With all due respect, Javen, I want it done quickly.” Leon paused. His expression changed to one of realization. “Kalyptra wants me dead.”
“The matter will be dealt with,” Javen cut him off with a hardened look instantly crossing his boyish features. He returned his gaze to the prisoners. “What did you dolts hope to gain? There’s no freedom here. No concept of mercy. And, no escape.”
“Slavery was abolished on my world,” Lynn said.
“I’m not interested in your pitiful history!” Javen snapped. He circled the trio, hands folded behind him. “So, you won’t accept our hospitality. I’ll just have to be less than generous.”
“You call a living death of toil generous?” Klexi asked. Leon pushed the barrel of his gun into the defector’s back.
“By law, you should’ve been executed as a traitor,” Javen said, pointing his out-stretched index finger in Klexi’s face. “So, yes, letting you live was generous. You have no direct control over your useless life anymore. I granted you a courtesy. You weren’t dead. I’d say that extent was generous. What I’ll give you now is an alternative to living. But, you might as well be dead.”
Lynn watched the black uniformed man as he stood next to the pyre where the plant grew on top of its female host. “While here in what can be called exile on Ufa, I’ve been conducting experiments with Jadyn.” Javen stood next the plant, extending his right hand toward the leafy growth. “This is the Psionic Dreamer. It feeds like a parasite, collecting proteins and fluids from animal matter through a series of roots scouring the blood like a kidney. In return, it links itself with the host’s brain waves and feeds it the dream of its heart’s content. A fair exchange, if I do say so myself.” He glanced at the plant momentarily and then the prisoners. “It is a living death, to borrow your words,” he said to the New Zimlliaan defector. “Since you seem to be so reluctant to accept circumstances the way they are, the two of you will be hosts of Psionic Dreamers. Slaves permanently in service to the New Zimlliaans.”

Chapter VII

“…slaves permanently in service to the New Zimlliaans,” amplified words reached Mary’s ringing ears. Her head throbbed. She was led down a corridor with a group of captured people being herded into holding cells. “You will be placed on a special diet of two meals per day and engage in a rigorous exercise program designed to strengthen your body for hard labor.”
I’ve heard this sales pitch before. Next, they’ll warn us we’ll be killed if we try to escape.
“Any attempts at escape or to undermine direct orders will meet with your immediate demise.”
“Everyone in here,” one of the soldiers said to the group. He took Mary by the arm. “Not you,” he said evenly.
Last time, I was dragged across the metal floor.
“Sergeant Neuto of the Scarlet Elites wants to see you,” Mary was told.
Mary willingly followed the black uniformed New Zimlliaan through a labyrinth of corridors to a secluded chamber where a New Zimlliaan in red, minus his helmet, waited. “Sergeant Neuto, the you requested prisoner, sir.” Neuto dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
The entry door behind Mary slid shut. Her eyes darted sideways before meeting the New Zimlliaan’s. Neuto was towering, some six and a half feet tall. His face was rugged, brown hair cropped short. His red vest was partially open. Mary saw a layer of white fabric in the triangular area of his exposed chest. He held a glass filled with a beige colored liquid and sipped it. “Come in, please,” Neuto said. His voice was burly.
Mary reluctantly took a few steps forward, cautiously glancing around.
You raped me.
Neuto took the finishing swallow of his drink, setting the glass on a table near a view port. Mary saw black smoke rising from the city. New Zimlliaan ships attacked relentlessly. “You’re so quiet,” he said, taking a few subtle steps toward her. He smiled, almost gentlemanly. “What’s your name?”
Mary started to shiver. This happened so long ago. Was it a dream? “Anna,” Mary said. You’re not going to know anything about me. I cooperated with you once. I’ll be damned if I’ll let myself be put through that again.
“Anna,” Neuto whispered, coming closer to her. “Such a lovely name for such a lovely creature.”
“Why did you want to see me?” Mary was blunt.
The well of passion in Neuto’s eyes began to fade. “Isn’t it obvious? I can grant you special favors and privileges.”
“In return, you want sex.”
Neuto stared at her a moment. He grinned. “You have a fire in you. Good. I so enjoy the pleasure of the hunt and chase.”
Everything’s coming back to me. I won’t let it happen again here in my mind. It’s high time I started fighting back, like Jeanclair wanted me to do. I have the power to change things, even if it’s only symbolically on the dream level. “Is that how you gained your rank? Through sexual favors?”
Neuto’s cocky grin grew wider. “Dose that really matter to you?”
Mary smiled. “Tell me all about you,” she said in a breathy voice.
“You’re interested in me.”
“If I’m to be your lover, shouldn’t I know something about you?”
Neuto smiled. “What do you want to know?”
Mary left her place, walking slowly to a couch-like piece of furniture. She sat, noting Neuto’s eyes never left her. “I know who you are.”
Neuto looked confused. “You do? Have we met before?”
“Yes,” Mary said. “Don’t you remember?”
Neuto shrugged slightly, glancing away. His right hand formed a fist under his chin, his elbow resting on his other arm in thought. He flexed his fingers outward, glancing back to her. “I’m afraid not.”
“Why should you, when you’ve raped so many hundreds? To use your own words.”
Neuto became steel-framed. “How did you know?”.
“I told you, we met before.”
“Anna, Anna, Anna…," Neuto repeated, pacing around the room. “You must be a friend of that bitch who escaped me in the Bronx.” Neuto’s eyes were icy. His face contorted in anger. “Tell me, what else do you know?”
“Your filthy race is attacking the city because it’s the first in a wave to devastate the entire mid-west section of this country,” Mary said.
“That is classified information. Are you a defector? Is that how you know me? Or are you a collaborator?”
"New York City’s the communications capital of this world. You’re cutting everyone off to switch over to your own network. This is the first step in a large scale invasion.”
Neuto was on her. His hands went around her throat and he jerked her violently. “How do you know all this? Tell me, you lousy bitch! Tell me!”
Mary gasped for air, trying to scream. Not again!
Neuto smiled sadistically. He tore his utility belt off. Mary saw his gun sticking out to her. She glanced back to Neuto who was unfastening her dress.
* * *
Jadyn studied holographically projected readouts, listening to his superior’s words. The female victim’s alpha waves quivered slightly. “Javen, sir. The effects are wearing off again.”
Klexi spun instantly, stealing Leon's gun, leaving the black man stunned. His aim was sloppy as he pulled the trigger. The energy bolt struck Jadyn square enough in the back to kill him. Klexi took a pot shot at Javen, hitting his left shoulder, sending him sprawling into a bank of computers. Leon gripped his wrist, trying to twist the gun free. He couldn’t hold the black man off. Klexi yanked his arm free by pulling and turning, his elbow catching Leon in the stomach.
Lynn was unsure what to do. He advanced to the rock pyre and began pulling at the plant’s root-like appendages, bracing himself with a foot against the floor projection. He gave a few quick tugs and strained. The Psionic Dreamer move ever so slightly. “C’mon,” he gritted. “C’mon.”

Chapter VIII

“C’mon,” Neuto urged, trying to pin and strip Mary at the same time. “C’mon.” His voice was like a growl.
Mary’s head howled as she remembered her fate. She would be raped and tossed into a holding cell with other doomed people. The New Zimlliaans would ship them all off to some forsaken planet to serve as slaves under a blazing red dwarf sun. There, Mary became the victim of a plant growing out of her, feeding her nightmares. Which is exactly what it’s doing right now.
Mary collected as much of her strength as she could, bringing her legs up, slamming them into Neuto’s groin. He gasped, falling off her and to the floor, curled in the fetal position as his hands clutched his privates.
The howling increased in its intensity. Mary felt dizzy. I have to do this before I wake up!
Mary grabbed Neuto’s gun, aimed it at him, and fired. The