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

“Like Dean said, she would either had to have been very strong to snap his neck or trained,” Stacy said.

We all took a minute to think over what we saw in front of us. The most disturbing part, even more so than the blackness coming from the woman, was the idea she had strangled him and broken his neck either while he was stabbing her or very soon thereafter.

“We should close the hatch and get going,” Stacy said.

Elon and I moved to obey.

“What was it?” Mark asked from his spot three meters from the pod. “I’ve seen enough death to last a lifetime. By the look on your faces, this wasn’t a natural event.”

“Two Transients killed each other in there,” Doctor Albright said bluntly. “One snapped the other’s neck and one stabbed the other to death. One of the corpses was infected with a foreign body. I won’t know for sure what it is until I can get back to the Orion to examine it.”

“So, what’s the plan?” Tom asked a little too eagerly. “We should head back, then, right? I mean, we should get going back to the Orion to figure out whatever it is.”

“No, we press on,” Elon said as he secured the hatch on the pod. He brought out his smart pad and looked at the map. “We move forward. Tomorrow, we’ll reach the escape ship we came for.”

Everyone seemed to understand.

Lou performed the sign of the cross over his torso then reached into his shirt to kiss a metal cross that hung from a chain around his neck.

His movement made me think of my own medallion that hung around my neck. I moved my right hand up to feel the cool metal in my hand. I looked down on what symbol I knew would be there. I’d seen it a thousand times before, two blades facing away from one another, a sword with a circle around the blade between them.

“What’s that?” Hannah asked as our expeditionary force moved on. “You religious?”

“No, it’s not that,” I said, showing her the circular medallion I wore around my neck. “It was a present from someone—from someone I used to know.”

“Sounds like it’s special to you.” Hannah smiled. “It’s important we keep memories like that close now more than ever.”

I nodded, and we moved on.

Throughout the day, we came across escape pod after escape pod. They were a mix of the one-and two-seater crafts. Unlike the one we had first discovered, these were empty. Their survivors had hopefully gone on to find one another and create some kind of group. There was safety in numbers.

Boss Creed was more silent than usual. I found myself walking behind him when Lou asked what was wrong.

“These people who landed in these crafts should have seen the smoke coming from the Orion,” Boss Creed answered. “Why didn’t they head there as fast as they could?”

“Maybe they couldn’t?” Lou worked through the idea out loud.

“Maybe they wanted to, but there was something blocking their path?”

“Maybe they tried and didn’t make it,” Tom added.

“Or maybe there was a reason for them to head in the opposite direction, like they saw something else,” Mark said.

“You guys ever read that story about Roanoke Island?” I asked.

Everyone looked at me, surprised. Even Stacy looked back at me with a raised eyebrow.

“What?” I asked. “I read.”

“Are you talking about that colony early on when Northern America was still being settled?” Elon asked. “I remember that story from grade school. There was a settlement of colonists left on Roanoke Island. The rest of the colonists departed to get help and supplies. When they came back, all the colonists were gone. No bodies, no answers, nothing.”

“So, you think we have a Roanoke Island on our hands?” Doctor Allbright asked.

“I don’t know what to think,” I said, motioning with my chin to yet another escape pod on the horizon. “I just know with this many escape pods dotted around the area, there had to be a dozen, maybe even two dozen survivors around.”

The group quieted as we all tried to work out the problem under the heat of the noonday sun. We took a brief rest for a lunchtime meal before heading out again.

The planet’s terrain was shifting now from meadows and the random tree or bush to open fields and the sound of waves splashing against the shore. The sound was the first thing reminding me of home this planet had to offer.

I’d grown up on the coast listening to the steady splashing of water as waves made an impact with the shoreline. For the briefest of moments, I was home again without a care in the world. I wished I could stay and enjoy that fleeting moment longer, but no such luck.

“What’s that?” Elon asked, pointing to a white sphere with red markings on it.

I couldn’t see what the red markings were. It was still too far away. Maybe words?

“Careful,” Stacy warned, reaching for her blaster again. “We have to be ready for anything.”

I moved forward, Mutt by my side. He wasn’t growling, so that was a good sign. I came upon Stacy and Elon, who led the group. Their weapons were drawn, ready to be discharged at a moment’s notice.

The white sphere in front of us sported red letters marked on the side of the circular windows placed on each side of the pod.

The crimson letters looked like they were written in dried blood. One word was clear as we approached. RUN.

16

I took a minute to study the area immediately around us. There was no other life. The only sound came from the waves in front of us and distant chirps from the alien birds resembling blue sparrows.

We all took a moment to gather our thoughts.

“Is that—is that blood?” Tom asked.

“Looks like it,” Doctor Allbright muttered.

I traded glances with Stacy. Her brow was knit in a line of worry.

“We should have brought more guns,” I said.

“We should have brought