Annihilation: The Relissarium Wars Space Opera Series, Book 1 Read online

  Annihilation

  The Relissarium Wars Space Opera Series, Part 1

  Andrew C Broderick

  Copyright © 2018 by Andrew C Broderick

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  One

  The smell of coffee hung in the hot air of the Carristoux market. Theo drew his arms around him, to make his silhouette smaller in the shadows. Passersby were generally too caught up in the souk to notice much else around them. That was all for the best, as far as he was concerned. They could keep their powdered, haughty noses in the air. He preferred an honest day’s labor.

  Theo’s arms were taut and toned, from laboring in the fields of his farm on Relisse. If he had it his way, he would have already been back on his home planet, with the profits of this year’s harvest tucked nicely in his pocket. Unfortunately, he had been talked into a questionable favor by his sister-in-law.

  The girl was an off-worlder the rest of his family thought of as bad luck. Standing in the shade of the coffee shop, Theo felt himself agreeing with them more and more. His brother Remi had hooked up with Cierra, after being dishonorably discharged from the Carristoux Regional Militia. As beautiful as she might have been, his sister-in-law’s outspoken nature and radical ideas made her an embarrassment to the rest of Theo’s family. She was nothing like his own wife, Mari, who was a timid but respectful woman.

  Theo had gotten Mari in a family way back during his stint with the CRM, and done the decent thing by marrying her. Though Mari wasn’t an exotic beauty, Theo knew he could have done far worse. She had blessed him with healthy children, who could help till the fields.

  Theo checked the chronometer on his wrist. The star Raes continued its slow arc across the sky, dragging the shadows with it. ‘It’ll be an easy job. Just go through customs with your produce, sell your stuff, and take this envelope to a man named Garth outside of the coffee house,’ Remi had said. Theo rolled his eyes, as he recalled the words. His brother had tried to convince him the whole thing was his idea, but Theo wasn’t a fool. The whole situation had Cierra written all over it.

  His eyes scanned the crowds. The only description of Garth he had to go on was that the man was older, large, and would be wearing a black shirt and green breeches. The man was supposed to be bald and clean shaven, but in the Carristoux heat, that could have described more than a handful of the men he had seen already. Theo shifted uneasily.

  The crowds made him uneasy. Typically, he dropped off his harvest, picked up any supplies he needed, and returned to Relisse as quickly as possible. Festivities were not his cup of tea. It didn’t help that the place was crawling with Imperial soldiers, either. Theo had gotten enough of soldiers during his required military service. The only thing that came from his time with the militia that he still valued was his pilot’s license.

  Relisse was an outer planet on the far reaches of the empire. It was far enough away to rarely—if ever—draw the attention of the Emperor. It was quiet, quaint, and Theo couldn’t imagine living out his life anywhere else. He loved the hard labor that wrought the crops and kept the animals healthy. The soil was rich. Theo was still in his early twenties, and the work channeled his energy and kept him out of trouble.

  Other planets were not so lucky. Some were so densely populated that they couldn’t help but draw the Emperor’s attention. Others were plagued with sandy soil or frozen wastelands. The blessings of Relisse were not lost on Theo or his family. Even just yearly trips to the souk were enough to remind him how lucky they were.

  Remi had insisted that it would be an easy job, and the money was good. To Theo’s surprise, his brother had paid him upfront. Since they were so far removed from the empire, he doubted that Remi and Cierra could be involved in anything too dangerous; besides, Theo had already spent the money on shoes for his eldest son. The kids were going through growth spurts, and even with Mari repurposing what she could, the amount of money needed to keep them clothed was staggering. The harvest money alone wouldn’t have been enough this year. It was Theo’s job to do what he had to, in order to provide for his family. So, there he was—against his better judgement—waiting for a stranger outside of a coffee house.

  Theo tapped his foot impatiently. Ten more minutes. I’ll give him ten more minutes, and if he doesn’t show, I’ll find a way to pay Remi back.

  Theo plopped himself down, at a bench in front of a table. The bench on the other side was occupied by a local family. They chatted away, in a dialect he barely understood. He ignored them, and continued scanning the crowd discreetly. The air was stagnant, and the heat more than he cared to endure. He unscrewed the cap on his water flask, and fingered the dirty piece of ribbon that Mari had tied onto it years ago. A small smile turned up the corners of his mouth, in spite of the heat. The marriage medallion hung against his chest. After all this time, its weight was comforting around his neck.

  The family bounced away, to look at more vendors who were preparing for the official opening of the souk. Theo shook his head in displeasure. It was astounding to him, that so many of the people in the city partook in excess. It didn’t matter if it was food, drink, or gawdy trinkets. Many children grew up pampered, surrounded by so much comfort that they wouldn’t know a hard day’s work if it was right in front of them. His children grew up knowing what needed to be done on the farm, and that their father expected it done in a timely manner. Mari made sure they were spiritual, and he made sure they were strong.

  Theo glanced at his chronometer again. It was getting too late. He was wasting time trying to meet this Garth fellow, when he could have been back home taking care of chores and spending time with his family. They couldn’t hold him accountable, if their man couldn’t keep to a schedule.

  Two men, waltzing down the aisles between the booths, caught Theo’s eye. They wore the badges of the city council, and had impact guns slung lazily over leather belts. Watchmen. Theo glanced at them, with his heart in his throat. He reassured himself that there was no reason for them to be looking for him. He hadn’t done anything wrong. Still, this whole mess was leaving him with an uneasy knot in his gut. The pair seemed to be milling about meaninglessly, glancing at the different stalls of goods. Theo hunched his shoulders over the table, and tried to make himself as insignificant as possible. For a moment, he wished the local family had stayed put to act as camouflage.

  Out the corner of his eye, Theo observed the two watchmen talk to a vendor. His mind raced, trying to guess what they were talking about. He didn’t know the local dialect variations well enough to read their lips. From his peripheral vision, Theo saw the vendor walk into the back. After a few seconds, he returned with some papers. The vendor was nervous. Theo could see the man wringing his hands, even though he had a smile plastered on his face. He didn’t need to read lips to know what was happening. One of the watchmen pulled out a small rectangle, and passed it over the paperwork. There was a small look of disappointment on the watchman’s face. He read the results, and passed the papers back to the vendor. They were out checking credentials. Most likely the two were hoping for some action. Luckily for the vendor, his paperwork seemed in order. The two watchmen wandered down the row of booths, casting occasional glances at other vendors. It may have been a random inspection, or they could have been acting off an informant’s tip. Either way, Theo didn’t plan on sticking around any longer. Watchmen who went
around looking for trouble typically found it.

  “I don’t think they were looking for anyone in particular.” A gruff voice caught Theo off guard. He whirled around to see a man sitting next to him. His face was lined from working in the sun, and he appeared to be in his forties. The look in his eye was too purposeful for him to be anyone but Garth.

  In the heat of the day, Theo smelled machine oil. Grease stained the man’s rough hands. His large fingers rested on a pouch tied to his belt. He was barrel chested, but Theo sensed he wasn’t the type of man to shy away from a fight. Sweat beaded down his furrowed forehead. A wadded-up cloak was piled in the man’s lap.

  “Are you Theo Jaiteoux?” The man’s eyes studied him.

  “That depends on who’s asking. Are you Garth?”

  “I am.”

  Theo was still on edge. He wanted to get the whole thing over with, as soon as possible. “In that case, I’m Theo. Do you have something for me?”

  The man leaned back on the bench, and rubbed his hands together. “I don’t want to bring them out in the open so quickly. Let’s step inside the coffee house. It’s a better place for business. Besides, my hands need a good scrub before I touch anything of value.”

  Theo gritted his teeth as the man patted him on the back. He tried not to take it as an insult. Holding back his temper, Theo put on a fake smile. “Very well.”

  “Besides, I can’t be entirely sure the watch wasn’t looking for me. I don’t think they wanted to do anything worse than make sure that old man had a valid merchant license, but you can never be too careful. I find it odd that they showed up right when I did. Let’s get off the street, shall we?”

  The coffee house was inside a tent. It had been pitched a few days earlier. No doubt, the proprietor wanted to set it up early, in order to get the business from the vendors before opening day. The souk workers that ran the booths needed a place where they could chat after the day’s tasks were done. Theo looked above it, and saw a hand-painted sign over the entrance. It read “Kava House” in blocky, red characters.

  “Real upscale place.” Theo chuckled under his breath, as they stepped into the tent. He looked around until he spotted a small, empty table.

  They both noticed it at the same time. It was tucked away in a corner, out of the way. The two men sat down. A candle flickered between them. Shadows danced across their features. The atmosphere was tense

  Theo’s eyes scanned the interior of the tent. It wasn’t that big. He only saw four or five tables. A young woman was lounging behind the counter, while she made notations on a clay tablet. Her stylus scratched lines across the clay. Coffee steamed behind the counter labeled with the same blocky red lettering as the entrance. There was an older man who walked around the roaster, and checked the valves on it. His hands were pocked with burns. Displayed beside the roaster were a variety of cakes and pies. Suddenly, the young woman noticed the customers. She placed her tablet down, and smoothed out her skirt.

  “Make I take your order, kind sirs?” The woman smiled warmly at them—no doubt hoping for a good tip later. She handed them both wet towels, to clean their hands.

  “We’ll have two cups of what you’re brewing.” Garth winked at her, and handed the woman a few coins. She took them from him, and inspected the metal. The argents clinked heavily in her palm. Satisfied, she walked back to the counter.

  It was obvious from the look of the girl and the older man that they were father and daughter. She had the same eyes and gait that he did. It wasn’t unusual for families to form around a common trade. That was what Theo and his family had done. Remi was the one who had broken the mold. Not only was he dishonorably discharged, he also didn’t have a plot of land to his name. Thinking of his brother drew Theo’s attention back to the man across from him.

  “This is what you wanted to see.” Garth pulled three small rocks out of his pouch. He sat them on the table, in front of the younger man.

  Theo picked up the smallest stone, and held it near the candle flame to get a better view. It had a silvery, almost black appearance. It was too light to be silver, or any other metal that Theo was familiar with. He tested it with a fingernail, and found the rock to be very hard. He dropped it down with the others. A light chime rang through the air, as the rocks struck one another. The sound didn’t strike him as too odd; there were plenty of stones that rang when they collided. The thing that stood out to him, aside from the lightness, was the gentle warmth of the substance. He hadn’t held it too closely to the flame, but it was still warmer than he had expected.

  Shuffling near the entrance drew their attention. Three men in flowing robes had entered the coffee house. They took a table at the other side of the room. Theo didn’t pay them much mind, but his new companion was clearly on edge. Garth quickly scooped the rocks up, and stuffed them back into his pouch. He made sure to face Theo.

  “So, what is with those rocks?” Theo leaned over Garth’s shoulder, to look at the newcomers. Garth’s reaction had piqued his interest, more than the men themselves. He watched as the server placed their two mugs of coffee down on the counter, instead of bringing it over to them. She hurried over to take the order of the three new customers.

  “Forget about those rocks. What are those three doing right now? Are they staring in our direction?” Garth spoke in a low voice. His eyes were staring intently at Theo.

  Theo shook his head. His eyes trailed back over to the counter where their two mugs were sitting. “I don’t think so. They’re busy ordering. Hope that woman remembers to bring us our coffee, before it gets cold.”

  “Don’t stare at them.” Garth barked the order at the younger man, in an urgent whisper.

  Theo didn’t like anyone who gave him instructions. He’d had enough of it, when he was in the CRM. His jaw tightened, and he leaned away from Garth. Theo made a point to stare directly at the three men now. “They look ordinary enough to me. What’s with the yellow lining in their robes?”

  “They’re Yastas.” The older man’s eyes were wide with fear. “Pray that they don’t notice us. I don’t want trouble. The yellow is for their order; it has something to do with the golden truth. I don’t pay any more attention to them than I have to these days. You won’t either, if you know what’s good for you.”

  Theo became quiet. His cockiness melted away. He’d heard some strange tales about these soldier monks, who lived across the known empire. Most of it was just stories old men told, to keep the children in line. These Yasta monks were supposed to be able to walk through walls, and catch bullets out of the air. This was the first time he’d ever seen one in person. It was like suddenly being told your childhood monsters were real. He didn’t know how much of what he had heard about them was true, and he didn’t plan on finding out. All Theo wanted to do was finish his side job, and get back home. He was about to tell Garth to hurry things up, when he noticed something else about the trio.

  “They’ve all got holsters, under their robes. I thought only the watchmen were allowed to be armed, around the souk. Aren’t sidearms supposed to be banned from the market?” Theo was cautious not to look. He had been foolish to act so childishly earlier.

  “Why don’t you go up to them and ask?” Garth sniped back at him. He rolled his eyes. “Are they carrying blasters or impact guns?”

  “I really don’t know the difference. Back home I’ve got grandad’s laser rifle, but that’s all.” Even in the militia, Theo had been trained more as a pilot than as a hand to hand combat soldier. The nuances were lost on him.

  “Are the grips silver or black? I told you not to look at them!”

  “How am I supposed to see the grips if I don’t look?” Theo hissed at Garth, and stole another glance at the monks. “Black. I see black grips out of the holsters.”

  “Blasters. They’re carrying blasters. Any one of them could vaporize this coffee house and us in seconds. Keep that in mind, if you want to go staring at them again.”

  “Seems like the wrong kind of weapo
n for a monk to carry. Aren’t those guys supposed to have all kinds of magic powers? Like they can walk on water. Don’t they have to spend seven standard years staring at a wall?” Theo was still trying to reconcile the stories he had heard with the living, breathing men in front of them. So far, the Yasta monks had ignored them.

  Garth’s eyes were impatient. It was clear he didn’t want to have to explain the gravity of the situation to a country bumpkin he had just met. “Listen, rube, it takes years of training to handle one of those blasters. Pick it up the first time, you’ll kill yourself and everyone unlucky enough to be around you.”

  Theo snorted. He still felt the monks were playing off old tales to maintain their power. There was no way they could be as dangerous or as powerful as the stories, could they? They reminded him of an old wizard who lived near Mari’s town. The elderly man kept himself fed by threatening to put a curse on the local farmers. They paid him in chickens and eggs, to keep the lightning from hitting their barns. One day they’d figure out he didn’t have any power, and the whole ruse would be over.

  Theo remembered something else, about the monks. “Bastards have a lot of nerve coming in here. Nobody likes them. You can’t get a decent position in the CRM without spending time at one of their monasteries. That’s the rumor anyway. They almost run the whole damn militia. I never had to deal with them when I was in, but that’s what everyone talks about.” Up until that point, Theo had assumed it was just typical soldier bellyaching. Seeing the monks in person made him wonder how much of it was actually true.

  “Here’s your order, sirs.” The server girl placed both steaming mugs down. They sloshed a little onto the table, but she seemed not to notice. The girl picked up the used towels, and smiled again before walking away.

  Theo watched her appreciatively. She had a good figure, no doubt. He had already noticed that she didn’t wear a marriage medallion around her neck, but this place had different customs. He fingered his own medallion, and remembered Mari and the kids back home. No reason to let a pretty face tempt him. The girl came over a few more times, later, to check on them.