Fortitude: An Epic Space OperaTime TravelAlien Invasion Adventure by Sean Robins

Author:Sean Robins [Robins, Sean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

chapter twenty-two

Xornaa

X ornaa stopped her hover car in front of Baron Teag’s grand mansion and got out. “Hey there, Zavir. Good day to sign a peace treaty, isn’t it?”

“It sure is,” agreed the baron’s head of security. “I haven’t seen my wife and kids in ages. Maybe I’ll get to go home after this.” He approached Xornaa with a scanner.

She rolled her eyes. “Seriously? We’re still doing this?”

Zavir scratched his bushy beard. “Just doing my job.”

Xornaa raised her arms and let the man run the scanner over her body while two other security guards examined her vehicle. “You know if I wanted to harm you, I wouldn’t need a weapon, right?”

“Probably,” agreed Zavir amicably. “Still doing my job though.”

“All clear,” announced one of the guards.

Xornaa entered the mansion, passed through a long corridor, and entered the large hall behind it. It was full of people, all talking, drinking, and laughing joyously, celebrating the end of their conflict with the local government. Someone was playing a musical instrument Xornaa had never seen before, but it sounded heavenly.

The rebel’s leader, Baron Teag, separated himself from a group of people surrounding him and walked toward Xornaa. The baron was a big man, with habitual hearty laughter that Xornaa liked, and an eyepatch over his right eye that couldn’t cover the scar that zigzagged across half his face. He wore formal attire (a black tunic complete with a silver surcoat and cape) for the happy occasion of signing the peace treaty, no doubt.

“Welcome, my friend,” boomed Teag. “We’re so happy that you could join us. You remember my granddaughter, Ulivia?”

The little girl hid behind the man’s large frame and smiled sheepishly from under her long red bangs. Her smile was warm, with a hint of shyness.

Xornaa bent and gently tweaked the child’s freckled cheek. “Sure I do. I’ve brought her a present.” She reached inside the small bag she was carrying and took out a doll.

The girl took the toy and smiled back; then she scurried away, her long, red hair waving behind her as she ran, holding the new toy to her chest.

Xornaa followed Ulivia with her eyes as the little girl joined a group of small children and showed them her doll.

I want one.

Xornaa was in a good mood today. When she was asked to act as an intermediary between the rebels and the government of Regolla II, she’d protested, saying her particular set of skills wasn’t suitable for this mission. She was happy, however, that she’d accepted the job. Signing this treaty would save countless lives, because if the negotiations failed, it was likely that the Xortaags would send their forces to quell the rebellion. It felt good to do something decent for once, as opposed to assassination after assassination.

“Follow me,” said the baron. “I’ve got the papers in my office.”

They walked toward an exit on the opposite end of the hall.

An explosion shook the ground. The hall windows imploded, and thick, fast-moving white gas poured in. Xornaa watched with open-mouthed

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