Phoenix Reborn Read online

  Phoenix Reborn

  Part Two

  Sons of the Phoenix

  A novel by

  Joseph Mackay

  Phoenix Reborn

  Part Two

  Sons of the Phoenix

  Copyright © 2017 by Joseph Mackay

  Cover Design by Whendell Digital Art

  https://whendell.deviantart.com/

  Edited by Kristina Circelli

  http://www.kristinacircelli.com

  All rights reserved.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be re-produced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trade-marked status and trademark owners of various products, bands, and/or restaurants referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trade-marks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  To Connor and Alex

  For whom there are no limits

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Prologue

  Chapter 1: Phoenix

  Chapter 2: Will to Power

  Chapter 3: Beyond Good and Evil

  Chapter 4: Cerulean Skies

  Chapter 5: The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

  Chapter 6: Sparks on Wet Grass

  Chapter 7: Sapphire Night

  Chapter 8: Cat and Mouse

  Chapter 9: To Catch a Dragoon

  Chapter 10: In a Perfect World

  Chapter 11: The Wolf Inside

  Chapter 12: Free Men

  Chapter 13: Better Left Unsaid

  Chapter 14: Vengeance

  Chapter 15: An Old Familiar Feeling

  Chapter 16: Crux of a Moment

  Chapter 17: A Long Way Down

  Chapter 18: A Trick of the Light

  Chapter 19: Against the Current

  Chapter 20: Undaunted

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Prologue

  The world had changed.

  In 2051, mankind had drained the Earth of its fossil fuels. For years, humanity’s best scientists looked for alternative forms of energy to help sustain life on Earth. Many technologies were created, but none could satisfy man’s rate of consumption.

  In 2074, a team of oceanic explorers uncovered the wreckage of an alien vessel at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Among the early discoveries made while studying the ship was slipstream technology. This discovery gave man the ability to increase particles faster than light, allowing the creation and stabilization of wormholes. It wasn’t long after that humanity discovered a way to follow the particles through the folds in space time.

  Probes were sent out at first and, soon after, manned exploratory flights, searching for habitable planets and other viable resources. In 2095, the first colony vessels were sent through slipstream folds to various star systems to establish livable conditions on habitable planets and report on the level of available resources. Most colonies performed their function as best they could with limited interaction with the United Earth Defense Force (UEDF), the collaboration of Earth’s nations and governments.

  Soon the majority of the population of Earth became complacent, satisfied to let the global government use these worlds to help sustain human life.

  For nearly forty years, the Earth Military Council (EMC) of the United Earth Defense Force studied the alien vessel to learn what other secrets it possessed. They raised it from the ocean floor through a feat of engineering and moved it to a secret location on the island of Kita-Daito, near Japan. However, none of their efforts allowed access to the inside of the ship, until they discovered the device.

  They called it OMBI; the Omni-Manifold Bracer Implant, which, by connecting to the dominant arm of its host, allowed for the free exchange of binary data and human thought. The first tests resulted in a mental overload of information, causing the brain to shut down, killing the host. Inhibitor chips were designed and added to the OMBI, but the operators still suffered from brain malfunctions and ultimately ended up going insane after a few days of use.

  It was by accident that a researcher discovered the device performed better when used by a child. Children, with their developing brains, had proven more successful in binding with the synapse-sync technologies; fusing their brain functions with operating computers allowed them to experience combat, piloting and operating functions with the speed of thought.

  In need of viable hosts for the OMBI devices and sensing the unrest of the population of Earth, the Earth Military Council (EMC), under the leadership of General Harruhama, staged an attack on the colonies under the guise of an alien threat. The Gortha were invented by the EMC and blamed for the attack. They were characterized by Earth’s media as an evil race of lizard-like humanoids with superior technology and a hunger for planetary resources. In 2115, in response to the Gortha threat, the UEDF was taken over by the EMC, putting General Harruhama in charge as a global dictator.

  The people lived in fear of humanity’s new enemy, getting sporadic media reports from the front lines of the battle, mankind’s colonies.

  Under the guise of needing better resources to battle the Gortha threat, the EMC opened the OMBIcademy within the halls of the alien vessel. Children were drafted into military service for their ability to safely connect with the alien technology, in order to facilitate the unlocking of the ship’s mysteries and technologies.

  Humanity was all too willing to offer its brightest children to their government to protect the human race, all in the name of the greater good.

  Chapter 1

  Phoenix

  “It’s only been three months; we need to be patient if we are going to have a chance at any of this,” Major Edmond Sanders said into the communicator on his datapad, the dark figure on the screen nodding thoughtfully at Sander’s report.

  He had been recruiting and acting as an evaluation consultant for the Earth Military Council at the OMBIcademy since its inception in 2115. He’d never been entirely comfortable with the idea of children fighting in a war, but he knew his place and figured that if children were going to be the first line of defense, having them superbly trained would be a good start.

  Major Sanders was a tall man who had a face that was often described as “wolfish.” His light-blue eyes stayed focused when he spoke, but held the weight the heavy decisions he had made in his life. He looked like a man who was twenty years older than his forty-eight years, with the deep lines of a stressful life creasing his face and a head of completely gray hair.

  He had been sleeping in the privacy of his quarters on the upper levels of the OMBIcademy when the transmission came through.

  “Three months and they are still restricting him that much? Have they let up at all?” the dark figure replied in an eerily distorted voice.

  Major Sanders had gotten used to this type of communication. The figure on the other end was hi
s contact on Aeris VII, the capitol planet of the Independents, the organization of outer colony leaders who wanted to be free from the United Earth Defense Force’s oppressive reign.

  Sanders had been surprised when the dark figure, which he had taken to calling “The Shadow,” had contacted him after the incident of 2115. The Shadow had known details about Sander’s life, including his sympathy to the rebellion of the colonies. Of course, the media never mentioned any rebellion, instead focusing on a fictitious war with an alien power. They began working together on a plan that Major Sanders wasn’t entirely sure he understood, but it clearly revolved around the prodigy brothers, Connor and Alex Pereira.

  “He has been cut off from the training rooms, still performs weekly techno-psychological evaluations, and has even been barred from arena battles until the other students have caught up to his progress with the OMBI. At the rate they’re going, it could be another year before Connor sees any progress. To make matters worse, he’s still conflicted over his brother’s disappearance, and according to the evaluation report, believes Alex was either captured or has turned on the UEDF.”

  Alex Pereira had been promoted a year prior to graduation of the OMBIcademy to lead a special mission to the Eagle Nebula colony, which had sent out a distress signal several months before. It was on that mission that Alex had learned of the Independents and of the manipulation of the 4th OMBI inhibitor chip, which caused him to perceive rebel vessels as Gortha ships. He alone turned the tide of the battle of the Eagle Nebula, destroying or capturing the entire convey, including Black Squadron, the UEDF’s first OMBI-Enhanced regiment.

  “That is unacceptable, Major. Connor needs to be allowed to continue his progress. It is far too important. Besides, we cannot act against the UEDF while they have him,” the distorted voice said, with a hint of concern.

  “Is one boy so important to the entire fate of the galaxy?” Sanders asked skeptically, not sure what to expect for an answer.

  “He is.”

  “Then I will do what I can. It may take some time for me to convince the Head Commander, but I will get it done.”

  “Have you received any information on Connor’s ship?” The Shadow asked curiously.

  No one was sure where he had acquired it, but Connor Pereira had escaped the OMBIcademy aboard a Battle Suit Vessel called Hati and managed to pilot it all the way to the Eagle Nebula in search of his brother. During his evaluation, Connor had claimed that he found it by going through one of the training rooms into a different part of the academy, where it was waiting for him. No one had believed him.

  “The last I heard it was taken to another base for study. Apparently it’s remarkably similar to the artifact they had found when they first unlocked the OMBIcademy six years ago. I think Harruhama is regretting sending Skoll on the Eagle Nebula mission now, since Alex used it to annihilate his top squadron.”

  “No doubt, Major. Skoll is remarkable feat of engineering, so you understand why the EMC having Hati would be of concern. Keep your ears open for further information. If it is anything like Skoll, I believe that, by now, only Connor will be able to pilot it.”

  “I understand. Is there anything else?” Sanders asked, anxiously. Normally his reports were brief and this conversation was the longest he had ever had with The Shadow.

  “Yes, one thing.” The voice paused a moment for a deep breath, then continued, “Has Connor learned about the fate of William Mercer?”

  William Mercer had been an architect of some repute in Northern California. He had been married to Connor’s mother, Captain Marlena Mercer, and had adopted both Connor and Alex soon after the wedding. After her death had been reported in 2115, Alex had joined the OMBIcademy and William was left to raise Connor alone. To his credit, the man raised Connor to the best of his ability and helped shape the boy into the prodigy he had become.

  William Mercer had been reported deceased three months prior in an explosion at his home during an EMC investigation, which also killed twenty members of a special operations task force.

  “Not yet. He’s tried to send several messages to him, but he cannot get through. He seems worried, but no one has had the heart to tell him that his stepfather has been killed.”

  Major Sanders had met William Mercer once and held the man in high regard for his unyielding character and love of his adopted sons. Despite being threatened once by him, he held feelings of regret upon hearing of William’s death. The dark figure on the other side of the screen also seemed unsettled each time that Sanders had brought it up.

  “I understand,” The Shadow replied after an uncharacteristically long pause. “I think he is going to have to find out soon though.”

  “I know, I will tell him,” Sanders replied, not looking forward to the conversation he would have to have with Connor.

  “Thank you, Edmond,” The Shadow said, using his first name for the first time that Sanders could remember. The transmission ended shortly after, leaving Major Edmond Sanders alone with a sense of anxiety. He had grown to like Connor Pereira, and the idea of delivering heart-breaking news made Sanders feel awful.

  He looked at his clock, glowing softly in the darkness; it read 0300. The man returned to his bed, but would not find sleep again that night.

  ~ ~ ~

  High in the mountains of Aeris VII, near a communications array built for long-range transmissions, Captain Marlena Mercer was unsuccessfully fighting back her anguish. Tears fell from her almond-colored eyes over her smooth olive skin. Her black hair flowed in the mountain air down the back of her thin, muscular body as she mourned the loss of her husband. She had known that her transmission with Major Sanders would be difficult, as they had been every time since she learned of the death of William Mercer, but she hadn’t been prepared for how badly the reminder of him would feel.

  William had won her over with a smile eleven years before. His dark-blue eyes always had a way of looking into her as if he were looking at the most majestic sight he had ever seen. When he spoke, he would intelligently articulate concepts she had never thought of before and together they would explore the meaning of existence and the passion of love.

  She had been a young mother of two back in those days, and William fit the family equation like he had been born for the job. He loved her boys more than she believed anyone ever could, patiently teaching them about life, self-worth, and the multitude of other subjects he knew. In her mind, she was watching her husband play with her two young sons in the yard, laughing and sharing the enjoyment of their existence. The thought only caused more tears to come. It had been more than six years since she’d seen the man, but she never let go of the love that she had for him.

  For more than five years, Marlena had led the Independents. Having prevented the UEDF attack on the Colonization Freighter Andromeda in the Incident of 2115, the colonists of Aeris VII quickly nominated and elected her as their leader. The attack had been intended to destroy her and the colonists, in order to install the Earth Military Council into a position of galactic power. She had thwarted the attack, killed the men sent to murder her, and had even convinced the UEDF third and fifth fleets to side with her cause.

  She had become the EMC martyr, a well-decorated mother of two, the perfect figurehead for the seizure of political power on Earth. Although she had survived the attack, the global media and the EMC reported her death at the hands of the Gortha and, using her popularity as a hero, usurped the civilian government. She had been living in secret ever since, for the safety of her husband and two children back on Earth.

  In the early days, she’d tried to get to Earth to reach them but nearly was killed a second time for the effort. She resolved to bide her time, to lay out a plan and eventually get her family to safety. It was she who had Connor drafted to the OMBIcademy; with a sympathizer inside she knew her boys would be safe there and eventually she would have the opportunity to reunite with them.

  Marlena walked over a grassy hill to where she had landed her ship, the Anubis C
lass Fighter, Tizona. Normally even a pilot of exceptional skill required the help of a navigator and gunner in order to operate an Anubis Fighter; however, Marlena had made many personal modifications to her ship and was renowned for her reputation as both an engineer and the best pilot the UEDF had ever produced. The ship’s red alloy frame was a stark contrast to the yellow mountain grasses and the purplish sky beyond.

  As she boarded the Tizona through the open cargo bay door, Marlena steadied herself by taking several deep breathes. She knew there would be more tears ahead of her, but for now, she had to focus on events she could control. She closed the cargo bay door with a press of a button on the wall and proceeded up a short flight of stairs through an airlock into the crew quarters. Normally, an Anubis Fighter had a crew of three, with the ability to transport a squad of soldiers in the cargo bay as well, but Marlena, able to fully operate her modified ship, had removed the navigator and gunner quarters, instead making a larger cabin for herself.

  The cabin reminded Marlena of being at home. She had covered the cold metal walls with wood planks and added a large bed, which was left unmade while she was awake. The walls were decorated with pictures of her family, all several years old. She even hung curtains over a small porthole, which currently looked out across the heavily treed mountains of the Grimnir Mountain Range on Aeris VII’s larger continent.

  She spent only a moment in her cabin, looking at a picture of William and Connor sitting on a couch together before continuing through the small kitchen and up to the flight deck, where she powered Tizona up for the flight back down to Sapphire City, thirty short minutes away.

  As her ship powered up, Marlena opened a secure communication channel and began to broadcast.

  “Tizona to Skoll; Mephisto, are you there?” Marlena said in the communicator, with a slight smile on her face at the mere thought of being able to communicate with her eldest son again.