Fractured Mind Episode One (A Galactic Coalition Academy Series) by Odette C. Bell

Author:Odette C. Bell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: space opera, sci fi action adventure, space opera romance, sci fi action adventure romance, science fiction action romance, science fiction romance adventure

Chapter 4

Sarah Sinclair

It felt right being alone.

The further she travelled from the Academy grounds, the saner she became.

It was like she was claiming back her self-respect, her dignity, her frigging sanity.

Though she fleetingly thought about travelling into space, she simply didn't have the funds.

Her only option was to head to a cheap city, find a job, and....

Sarah huddled in the corner of the superfast train. She was seated on the last seat in the carriage, and fortunately no one had bothered sitting next to her.

A few other humans and aliens were dotted through the carriage, plugged into their personal communication devices or watching the holographic news panel in the far corner of the carriage.

A few times her gaze flicked up to it. It cycled through galactic news. None of it pretty.

Soon, a speculative news report started. It managed to get her attention... and she didn't know why.

Suddenly a race of nerves sank hard into her gut, spreading through her chest and charging up her neck.

She was glad she was sitting alone. That terrifying sensation saw her shift forward and press a hand flat over her chest, a hiss pressing through her suddenly bloodless lips.

As soon as the brunt of the feeling passed, her gaze was drawn back to the holographic news feed, her attention riveted on it, her eyes so wide they could have toppled into her lap.

She was aware of the fact she was barely breathing.

She couldn't hear the news report – just a faint echo.

Immediately she jerked one hand onto the panel beside her seat, switching on the audio and grabbing the jawbone device. It was a circular thin sheet of metal that adhered to her jaw as she slapped it on. Instantly it used sophisticated vibrations to play the audio stream right into her inner ear.

“... There's some speculation the Academy is on the verge of acquiring true-intelligence holograms,” the news continued.

It showed a sweeping view of Academy grounds.

Sarah couldn't move. Not an inch.

It felt like someone had soldered her to the spot, driving foot-long rivets through her legs and anchoring her to the floor and seat with all the force of an atomic bond.

“Inside sources claim Academy officials have already met with Corthanx Traders – the only known group to currently possess this technology outside of the Ornax.”

The Ornax...? Sarah had to search her memory, but it eventually came to her. She didn't make a habit of watching these speculative news programs – they were usually implausible stories concocted from misrepresented facts.

The Ornax, apparently, were a growing new threat in Coalition space. Some new irrepressible enemy. Ever since the rebuilder incident, the media had changed. They kept looking under every rock for new enemies, new sources of drama. As if they just didn't know how to report on peace anymore.

Though Sarah knew all this, she couldn't turn away. Nor could she unlock the tensed hand from her chest. With every second it pushed harder and harder against her plain top, crinkling it and leaving sweaty track marks over the fabric.

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