Orion Colony Complete Series Boxed Set J.N. Chaney (books for new readers .txt) 📖

She knew I was right. That was probably why she broke off her stare first.

“I just wanted to give these people a better life,” Arun said, slumping in her seat. “I just wanted to give them something more, and now look at us. Some kind of viral weapon to the north that’s self-aware and aliens to the east.”

“Don’t forget about whatever is in the mist to the south,” I reminded her. “Whatever’s in there is creepy too.”

Arun gave me a deadpan stare.

“I wish I had more answers for you.” I repeated back her own words to me. “But right now, we have to share the information we have and come up with a solid game plan.”

Arun chewed at the inside of her cheek.

We heard footfalls on the other side of the tent flap then a familiar voice. “Is this a bad time?”

“No, Elon,” Arun said to her brother. “Come in. Dean was just telling me what I already know I have to do. I’m just sitting here like a stubborn child, not wanting to do it.”

Elon opened the tent flap and stepped inside. Like his sister, his snow-white skin and hair gave him away as an Eternal. The limp he walked with from the injury he sustained in the crash was completely gone.

I still marveled at the regeneration ability the Eternals possessed. Elon lost his entire leg in the crash, only to have it regenerate as good as new.

“I’m going to tell the survivors everything,” Arun said as if she were confessing to her brother. “I just wanted the walls up around us to give them a sense of safety before I snuff out what little hope they have. I just wanted to give them something to hold on to.”

Elon looked to me.

I shrugged.

“Did you do this?” he asked. “I’ve been trying to get her to tell everyone what happened since we crashed.”

“I think Tong got to her,” I said, fingering the medallion that hung off my neck. My thumb ran over the familiar grooves of the symbol. Two swords pointing away from one another, one thicker sword in the center with a circle around the blade. “With more questions than answers being posed, we need to tell people what we do know.”

“Well, at least we know what Legion is now and how it was created,” Elon said, scratching at the back of his head. “A weapon made by the Remboshi separatists that has gone rogue.”

“Now we need to know how to kill it,” I added.

“We have defenses, water, and food.” Arun sat straight back into her chair. The leader who had seen us through this was back again. I could see the fire in her blue eyes once more. “We have long-range scanners up and running. Thanks to you two and the expedition team you went out with, we even have a means of transportation and armor. What we need now is to find out what happened to our other expeditionary force.”

“And kill Legion,” I added. “You didn’t see it up close like Elon and me. The longer we allow it to spread to survivors and animals, the harder it is going to be to put it down for good.”

“Yes, of course,” Arun said, drumming the tips of her fingers against the desk top in front of her.

“I came to let you know that I installed a hard light emitter in the chamber where we found Tong,” Elon told his sister. “Now no one has to stay with him. Iris will be able to keep tabs on him and let us know if he needs anything.”

“Thank you,” Arun said, standing from her desk. “Well, let’s call an assembly.”

“You’re going to tell them now?” I asked, surprised.

“Better to get it over with and have the truth out in the open,” Arun said, shaking her head. “We have to tell them for their own safety now. I can’t have our people stumbling across the infected or running scared for their lives if they happen to get a glimpse of Tong somehow.”

“You’re doing the right thing,” Elon assured his sister.

“So, you keep telling me. Iris, can you call an assembly in the courtyard, please?” Arun asked the Cognitive. “Say, ten minutes?”

“Of course,” Iris said in all of our earpieces.

A moment later, I was striding alongside Arun and Elon as we moved through the tent city. The Orion itself acted as our backbone with the walls forming a large U-shape around the exposed end of the hull.

“Colonists of the Orion,” Iris’ familiar voice boomed through speakers erected both on the wall and on the exposed interior. “Please gather in the courtyard inside of the gates in ten minutes. There will be a short meeting to take place. Thank you.”

People hurried to finish their tasks around the tent area. Those who spotted our group gave us quizzical looks before hurrying on.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Ricky’s familiar voice found us as we walked toward the main gates. “Something wrong?”

“Why would you think that?” Elon asked him.

“Because there’s always something wrong,” Ricky said with a weary shake of his head.

“He’s not far from the truth,” Arun commented dryly.

Ricky knew about everything from the Disciples sabotaging the Orion to Legion and Tong. I found myself grateful to have a sounding board and a friend in Ricky. I should probably tell him that one day.

“Arun’s going to spill the beans,” I told him.

“All the beans?” Ricky asked, keeping stride with us. “Like the whole pot?”

“The whole pot,” I confirmed.

Ricky whistled low under his breath.

We finished winding our way through the encampment, past the cafeteria tents and the housing tents, all of which were the same dark green color. It was nearing midday; as such, the twin suns beat down on our heads.

Survivors looking forward to their midday meals were eager to find out why a meeting was being called instead.

We arrived at the main gates. They were two massive sheets of welded steel held shut by a series of tight-fitting chains.

Boss Creed led