Ascendant Saga Collection: Sci-Fi Fantasy Techno Thriller Brandon Ellis (ebook reader for comics txt) 📖

“What the hell?” came Fox’s voice. He was looking up.

Above them the ceiling changed from black to purple to nothing as it vanished out of thin air, and a giant black ship descended. “Hold on,” said Jaxx as everyone parted to make way for the ship.

He brought up his Chi and sent it to the pyramid’s apex. In an instant, the Chi reflected back to him with the pyramid’s response. He took a gander at the craft. “I’m supposed to take this back to Earth?”

Fox puffed out his cheeks, shaking his head. He lifted his shoulders and dropped them. “Beats me.”

Jaxx put his hands on his hips, looking down at his feet. “I have to go now.”

Fox opened his mouth.

Jaxx interrupted. “Where is the president?”

Fox gazed around the room. “The prick ducked out on us.”

“So be it. He was probably in on some negative scheme that Slade had.” Jaxx strode over to the ship in the middle of the room. It looked like a perched eagle with her eyes toward the sun, its wings outstretched and its wingtips touching the ground. Ion thrusters were under each wing and touching the craft’s body. Its nose was beaked, again, like an eagle.

Jaxx touched it and from first impression, it felt like smooth granite. If so, and if this particular craft had been here for thousands of years, granite or limestone would have been the best choice to keep it weather and oxidation proof.

Pfftcheeeee!

Steam expelled from the craft’s belly and a ramp opened up. It slowly lowered to the ground, then clanked as it hit the pyramid’s floor.

“I’m coming with you then,” said Fox, taking a step forward.

Rivkah put her hand out. “You wouldn’t survive in that thing, dumbass.”

“She’s right,” responded Jaxx.

“My ass, I wouldn’t.” He took a few more steps.

Jaxx turned to face him. “One, I’m the key. It’s in my DNA to step inside this craft. You, on the other hand, would die within seconds. Two, you try to get on that thing?” He thumbed over his shoulder. “Then you’ll have to come through me.”

Fox lifted his fist.

“And me,” said Zara. “I sure do like pouncing on prey, don’t you, Jaxx?”

Jaxx slowly nodded his head. “Me kicking his ass is better than him stepping inside that ship and dying.”

Fox let his hand fall to his side. He gestured with his other hand in a sweeping motion toward the craft. “Alright, have your fun. Enjoy Earth.”

“You’ll help me here on Callisto, Fox,” said Rivkah.

Fox huffed, biting his lip. He looked off, not happy about his current situation.

Jaxx bowed his head, staring at Rivkah. “I’ll see you soon, I hope.” He took his first step on the ramp.

“Hope is interesting,” said Zara. “Sometimes beyond all logic and all reason, you have nothing but hope to keep you going. The next step is faith. Know you’ll complete whatever task is next for you, even against all odds, and you will.”

Jaxx held up a thumb. Easy for her to say.

“Wait,” said Fox. He grunted, taking a reluctant couple of steps toward Jaxx. He held out his hand. “I know I’m a piss-ant, and I rather like it that way, but you’ve shown me that you’re not such a pussy after all.”

Jaxx took Fox’s hand and squeezed, shaking it. He cocked his head to the side, smiling. “Brother?”

“As screwed up as it is, we may actually be brothers. I don’t know anyone as bad-ass as you and me. You know, we’re pretty damn bad-ass.”

“I know a few,” replied Jaxx. “Rivkah and Zara.”

Rivkah moved with haste toward Jaxx. “You’re forgetting something.” She moved the hair out of her face and wrapped her arms around him. She brought her lips back to his, kissing long and hard. “Now, get up into that craft and finish what you need to.”

34

E-Quadrant, Solar System - Whitefish, Montana

Drew stood inside the dispensary, or in Drew’s laymen terms: a pot shop. He was dog-tired, worn down to the bone. The shock of the bombings, deaths, and giant-ass ships was finally getting to him. It wouldn’t hurt anyone if he availed himself of a little weed. He needed to get out of his head. Not off his head, just away from his thoughts. He wanted to rest: no life-and-death struggle, no friends getting slaughtered, no little girls who were destined to save the world, no talk of him ruling squat. Just a nice couch and a bit of kush.

He picked up a glass pipe from a shelf behind the counter and examined it, seeing the bright colors imbedded in the glass. He held it in his hand. It would be a good souvenir. Hell, he helped save the city of Whitefish—doing his little part—so what would they care if he grabbed a memento?

On the counter was a pile of marijuana buds inside what looked like a glass cake display holder.

“Perfect. Where the hell is a lighter?” He scrounged around the checkout stand and opened a drawer.

Bingo.

A bell jingled as the door opened. “What are you doing, Drew?”

“Taking a load off.” He lifted the glass cover off of the pile of mary jane and grabbed a bud.

“Do that later. We have to talk.”

Great, the boy and girl relationship talk thingy. He’d heard of those before, but had never had a girlfriend long enough to ever have one of them. But this girl was not a girlfriend. Maybe it wasn’t one of those talks? “Yeah?”

“What does Mya mean by ruling together?” She pointed at Drew and then to herself.

Drew leaned on the counter, and breathed out a long, slow breath. “She’s only six years old. Maybe she’s mistaking rule for something else?” He wanted to get back to the task at hand.

“Stop bullshitting, Drew. Sometimes Mya talks like she’s an adult. You know she understands what ruling is, and she has pegged you and I as ruling Whitefish and other places.”

“Look, I don’t know.”

Tsche! Tsche! Tsche! Tsche!

Drew gave Megan a look, then placed the cover over the marijuana and the lighter back into the