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

“You are relaxed,” said Donny. “You are at peace. You are…”

Jaxx was already under and, as with his last session, he watched the past, while in the past. He was coming into his own. He was starting to remember, rather than just play-back scenes which started to fade as soon as he woke. He was thrilled to note he wasn’t in his cockpit, or Admiral Gentry’s office, or any other place he’d ever been. He was in a new place, a new memory. A memory neither Slade nor Donny needed to know anything about.

Then he realized that, in addition to this being a completely new memory, for the first time since he’d been plunked back into his buried past, he understood the context. He was in a huge briefing room prepping for a sortie into enemy territory. There was only one problem. Jaxx was an avowed pacifist. Always had been, always would be. Whatever they’d done to him, to get him into that jet fighter and take enemy planes down, they weren’t going to do again. He’d resist. He wouldn’t drink the Kool-Aid, or whatever it was they dosed him up with. He’d stand down and be court martialed. He didn’t care.

Captain Richard Fox walked on to the stage and stood behind a podium, skimming over a document he’d probably read a dozen times. He tossed it on a nearby table and grabbed both sides of the podium. “Intel reports suggest that the Taiyonians are hostile. Good on the offensive front, excellent on the defensive. They’re a high-tech society. Very advanced. Blah-blah-screw-that-shit-blah.”

There were hundreds of pilots—jocks, all of them—hanging on Fox’s every word.

“This shit ain’t gonna be easy. I’ve been watching the Kelhoon-Taiyonian war on my holo-vid for the last couple of weeks. The Taiyonians are fast, accurate, and deadly. Their fleet is just as big as ours, their starfighters match our speed and maneuverability. They work as a team like none other. Don’t get cocky with these sons-of-bitches, because your ass will be space debris the moment you let up.” He paused, and did his best to look into as many eyes in the room as he possibly could in a span of five seconds. “We’re on a Star Cruiser, First Class, Liberty. And, that’s our job and our right, to bring liberty to the Kelhoon.”

He swiped the document back into his hands, read a couple more lines, and shook his head in dismay. “All right. I almost forgot, so listen up. The Kelhoon are off-quadrant, replenishing. We’ll be a surprise to the Taiyonians when we arrive in the Kepler System in eighteen minutes. Your squad leaders have your assignments. They’ve been thoroughly briefed. Get in your starfighters and don’t fuck up.”

He walked off the small stage and exited left. Everyone stood, including Jaxx. He had on his jumpsuit and held his helmet at his side.

Rivkah patted him on the butt like a coach on a baseball team. “Guess who’s joining our squad?” Her lips drooped.

Jaxx shrugged. More than one hot-head rookie could join the squad and harsh their mellow. “Lieutenant Struthers?” The kid acted like a rock stars. Top of the class in every thing, or so Jaxx heard.

“No. Captain Richard Fox. I think he wants to experience your unique skills.”

Jaxx held back the urge to throw up. He should have seen that coming. Damn Fox was in the mix. He hurried to a bench against a wall and sat, his elbows on his knees, leaning forward. His fingers tingled and his mind spun. He shook his head. “I can’t do this. I’m not a killer.” I’m not like Fox or any of these space jocks.

Rivkah sat next to him, her hand on his back. “Listen, Lieutenant. I get it. It’s the same for all of us. Very few are born with the balls to end another Being’s life, but we’re trained for this and your training will kick in and I’m guessing so will that strange talent of yours.” She lifted his chin. “Look at me. From what I saw the last time you flew, that odd talent makes you the best pilot here. And we’re an elite crew, which means your skills rank above the best.”

Jaxx wanted to push her away. He’d been forced into this war. He was an archaeologist, not a space cowboy. “Who are they?”

“Who are who, Jaxx?”

“The Taiyonians. What do they look like?”

“We don’t know. The Kelhoons wouldn’t hand that information over to us.”

“Why do we have to kill them? Why do we even have to fight them?”

“Like I said before, it’s what we signed up to do. I think it’s bullshit to take on an alien race, but we’re protecting Earth. That I know.”

Jaxx straightened. “Shit. Alien races. We’re protecting Earth, huh?”

Rivkah raised her eyebrows. “Look at it this way. We are exterminating a menace. The Taiyonians are like rats taking over your house. You leave them be and they’ll just grow in numbers, tearing your home apart, leaving shit balls everywhere. If you get rid of them immediately, then you’ll have peace in your house again.”

“You don’t believe that.”

Rivkah pulled Jaxx into a standing position. “Don’t let Fox see you like this. He has ways of sending those he considers low-life wimps to the brig, or worse yet, on missions where you’ll never return...just to get rid of you.”

“All right.”

“Good. ‘Cause I don’t like being a baby sitter. Now, follow me.”

Rivkah led Jaxx into the launch bay. Starfighters were parked in rows and pilots were climbing into their cockpits.

“Who else is in our squadron?” asked Jaxx

“Just us.”

Jaxx stopped. “You mean, me, you, and Fox?”

“Yes, Sir.” She patted a starfighter. “This is your SF-13 Air Wing. Strap in.”

The fumes, the noise, and the knowledge that he was about to meet enemy starfighters face to face sent Jaxx into overload. The past faded and he groped his way back to his present.

“There are wars,” he mumbled. “Check glyphs for wars…”

Donny looked at the clock, grimacing. It had been a few hours