Frontiersmen

By A.D. Grant

Humanity has stretched out across the stars and formed a new Frontier. Normally, the brave men and women of the Wall Guard stay on Earth to protect humanity's home, but when her lieutenant is abducted by alien raiders, Addi abandons her post and ventures into the Frontier. She enlists the help of her trainee and a young cartographer, but every expedition needs a guide and there is none better than the disavowed Frontiersman, Jackson August.

 

While they search for the missing lieutenant, Addi and her crew unknowingly interfere with the plans of the mysterious Cassian Fawkes.

 

Can Jackson get over his dark past? What secrets does he hold in regard to Addi? Who Is Cassian Fawkes and what is he planning against humanity's home?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Champagne Book Group
• Release date: Oct 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781771552936

Book preview

Frontiersmen

The Frontiersmen, 1

A. D. GRANT

CHAMPAGNE BOOK GROUP

Frontiersmen

This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

Published by Champagne Book Group

2373 NE Evergreen Avenue, Albany OR 97321 U.S.A.

~~~

First Edition 2020

eISBN: 978-1-77155-293-6

Copyright © 2020 A. D. Grant All rights reserved.

Cover Art by Robyn Hart

Champagne Book Group supports copyright which encourages creativity and diverse voices, creates a rich culture, and promotes free speech. Thank you for complying by not scanning, uploading, and distributing this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher. Your purchase of an authorized electronic edition supports the author’s rights and hard work and allows Champagne Book Group to continue to bring readers fiction at its finest.

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To all of my family and friends who

helped in this adventure along

the way.

Introduction

It is an age of excessive exploration. Humanity reached across the stars to fulfill its intergalactic manifest destiny. Terraforming and jump-space technologies brought an era of prosperity that allowed for the exploration of countless planets and solar systems. Brave explorers known as Frontiersmen traverse the galaxy. Some smuggle treasures from alien civilizations, while others pioneer settlements on new planets. Earth, with its riches, has become a beacon of light for wayward travelers.

As Earth prospers, enemies set their gaze toward humanity’s home. In response to the threat, Earth constructed the Wall—a defense grid made of railguns, satellites, and guards. They protect Earth from pirates, raiders, and hostile factions. While the Frontiersmen explore the universe, the Wall Guard keep humanity safe. These brave sentinels use their exceptional combat skills to keep invaders at bay, devoting their lives to the protection of their home world.

When Earth’s enemies breach the Wall, the men and women of the Wall Guard must mitigate the threats. This is where our story begins…

Chapter One

Dreams

Addi dreamt about a beach on some distant planet. The alien animals within the crystalline water appeared to float in air. A never-ending strand of golden sand, the beach extended to the horizon. The cloudless, azure sky stretched for a million miles. The planet’s sun hung high, gleaming with the slightest orange tinge. She was alone—no Wall, no enemies. No obligations to fulfill her duty.

Relaxed, a breath escaped her lips.

A familiar sound broke through the crashing waves, though she couldn’t identify its source. She continued to dig her bare toes into the golden sand. The more she ignored the shrill intrusion, the louder it grew. She shielded her ears with her palms and screamed to counter the racket.

Ripped from the dreamscape, Addi awoke. A deep red light bathed the room in crimson flashes. The alarm continued, relentless in its mission to rouse her from the comfort of the bed.

She leaned on an elbow and focused on the man with dark, messy hair tugging on his clothes. His chiseled muscles glinted in the dim light. Sergeant Addi Russell spent the night with Lieutenant Chet Kane, her commanding officer, again.

Chet acknowledged her with heavy-lidded, brown eyes. There’s been a breach. Razierian pirates. Small landing party. He buckled his pants. We’ve been called out.

The Wall Guard did not discourage relationships among the lower ranks; however, it did prohibit fraternization between a commanding officer and their subordinates. If discovered, the result would be an immediate discharge. Putting their lives on the line often made hiding their relationship a strenuous task. Every time they deployed, she and Chet risked the possibility of only one, or neither, returning. The base would be cold and empty without him there to wrap his arms around her.

He left to be briefed on the mission.

Addi rolled from the bed to don her plain, military-issued tank top and black cargo pants. She laced her boots before leaving the comfort of the bedroom to rendezvous with her squad.

She rubbed her eyelids and navigated the labyrinth of stark, white halls toward the armory. Plaques engraved with names of fallen soldiers dotted the walls. There weren’t many people in the corridors. It must have been early in the morning. On a mission like this, only one squad would be activated, with a backup on standby. The first few times, her hands shook to the point she couldn’t shoot straight. Now, with more experience, she wished the mission would end soon so she could go back to bed.

Why does the Wall always seem to get breached in the middle of the night?

She signed on for this three years ago. Coming from a lower class family, the military was her sole career option. She grew to love it. Protecting Earth filled her with a sense of duty. The action made her life more exciting than most.

At the armory, she swiped her palm across the keypad to open the doors with a hydraulic hiss. The rest of her squad was already there. Some acknowledged their sergeant. Most clambered to get into their armor. A locker room with metal shelves and cabinets, the armory stored the white armor of the Wall Guard. Though less effective than some of the personal deflector shields on the market, the full-body armor kept each soldier alive in a firefight. Geared up, the infantry appeared more fearsome to hostile alien factions than average, squishy humans.

Addi went to the rack housing her gear and inspected every piece before strapping it on her body.

A familiar voice came from behind her. Hey, Sarge! Are you as excited as I am?

She swiveled to find her trainee, Meegan, whose wavy blonde hair struggled against a messy bun. Dark circles under her eyes didn’t detract from her broad smile or the dimples on her freckled cheeks. The girl always showed off her dimples and white teeth.

The Wall Guard pairs trainees with seasoned soldiers to expose them to the rigors of their duties. They learned through trial-by-fire. The fire worked. It transformed miserable, scared children into hardened veterans. The experience from the training kept Addi alive on more missions than she could count. The recruit accompanies the training officer for a full year before they are assigned to their own squad. Only halfway through her orientation year, Meegan had grown into an impeccable soldier.

Addi yawned. More tired than excited.

Oh, come on. This is exciting stuff, Meegan retorted, struggling with a strap on her chest piece.

Addi adjusted the rogue strap. Affixing the heavy plating was an arduous task. She practiced to the point muscle memory cut the time in half.

When they were suited up, everyone assembled to draw their standard-issue Duchess assault rifles. The bullpup configuration made for a shorter, more compact gun viable in long-distance engagements and close-quarters combat. Rails for multiple attachments lined the top, sides, and bottom of the barrel. Addi preferred a four-times magnified scope for accuracy. Meegan chose a shorter-range red dot sight.

With rifles in hand, they jogged with heavy footfalls onto the airfield where Chet waited beside a HVAT, one of their Hovering Vehicular Assist Transports. The vessel’s hooked nose made it look like a bird with outstretched wings. HVATs were the standard transport vehicle for troops and cargo deploying to dangerous mission areas due to its thick armor plating. Rain pounded the tarmac, adding to the deafening noise of thrusters. Spotlight beams stretched into the sky and illuminated the dark clouds that shrouded the stars.

The two dozen Guard marched past Chet to the vehicle. He counted them off one-by-one with a shout. When Addi passed, he kept his gaze low. She took her seat next to Meegan on the spartan bench along the side of the cargo bay. Once aboard, the ramp closed sealing out the rain and night. Chet strapped in at the end of the bench. The HVAT’s engines whined louder. They started their ascent into the sky.

The force of the ascension squeezed Addi into her seat. HVATs couldn’t break through the atmosphere, but it could come close, making travel easy. The engine noise changed, and her body shifted toward the back of the vehicle. Now at a cruising altitude, they headed toward the destination. Chet unstrapped the safety harness and pulled himself to his feet.

A party of Razierian pirates has been detected in southern Siberia, he said, holding on to a rail running lengthwise through the cabin. Our mission is to neutralize the threat and investigate how they breached the Wall. We’ll be deployed right on top of them. E.T.A.: five minutes.

Murmurs cascaded through the cabin. Razierians were fierce, four-armed alien warriors from a distant star. Rumors circulated regarding their once mighty empire. Their home planet exploded in a great battle. Its deployed fleets, scattered across the galaxy, resorted to piracy. They attacked any ship, killed everyone on board, and looted the vessel.

Addi had faced them before. They used two of their arms to wield razor-sharp swords. The other two arms held bulbous pistols that fired superheated plasma slugs. Despite this, they were no match for the troopers of the Wall Guard.

How do you think they got in? Meegan inquired.

Addi rubbed her chin and pursed her lips. I don’t know. Sometimes solar flares mess with the Wall’s sensors. They might have ridden one of those in, but I’m guessing here. Our enemies are always finding new ways to breach the Wall.

I can’t wait to ask them.

You won’t get the chance. Razierians would rather die than get captured by us, Addi replied. The smile faded from the trainee’s face.

I wonder which fleet they’re from? Meegan asked.

Different Razierian fleets littered the galaxy under odd classifications like the Fleet of Summer or the Fleet of Ants. There were dozens of them, in various sizes. They most often attacked merchant vessels or cargo transports. Attempts to breach the Wall were rare. This fleet must be either courageous, or stupid, to pick a fight with the Wall Guard.

The tone of the HVAT’s engines signified a change to hover mode. A red diode above the ramp indicated they were close. When it switched to green, the squad would descend via cable to the ground. In unison, the soldiers stood facing the ramp to form two perfect rows. Chet positioned himself between the rows, staring at the light. Addi wished he would glance at her. She longed to be back in bed with his arms around her, not jumping into a combat zone to get shot at by aliens in the frozen mud.

I know this is what we signed up for. I just wish we didn’t have to do it.

The red light switched to green. The back of the cabin lowered. Two cables dangled from the back of the HVAT to the ground. Two-by-two, soldiers descended the cables to the battlefield below. The shorter the rows got, the faster Addi’s heart raced. Chet shouted encouragement and orders. This part always reminded her of repelling into Hell itself.

In a matter of moments, the line disappeared. The cable before her vanished into the dark clouds below. She seized the rope and shot Chet a glance. If these are to be my final moments, I’d like to look into his eyes one more time. Like a dagger to her heart, his gaze never met hers. Instinct took control. She grasped the cord and slid through the mist.

On the descent, a haze filled her vision. Alone in the cloud, she might be the sole inhabitant of a strange world.

She emerged to a clear view of the battle raging below. The squad landed in a clearing surrounded by colossal pine trees at the foot of an enormous mountain. Green plasma bolts shot across the landscape in response to muzzle flashes. Her comrades-in-arms shouted commands at one another. Blood-curdling battle cries from the Razierians pierced the night. Razor-sharp swords glinted in the flashes and streaks. Like something borne of nightmares, this scene was a classic firefight.

In a matter of moments, her boots hit the cold, solid ground. A heightened sense of alertness replaced her anxiety and knowledge from past experiences kicked in. Duchess drawn; Addi took cover behind a downed pine tree. She identified several Razierian targets preoccupied with eliminating her comrades. She peered through the scope of her weapon. Squeezing the trigger, she fired five consecutive rounds at the closest pirate. The bullets hit the alien’s chest and head, a successful kill. She ducked behind cover. Meegan appeared next to her. The recruit fired half a dozen rounds at the aliens entrenched in the dense pines.

An ear-splitting scream shattered the night.

Addi peeked to find five aliens hard charging the position with swords drawn in every arm. She raised her rifle and killed two of them with efficiency. The other aliens advanced too close to eliminate. One Razierian leaped the log several meters away to overwhelm another soldier. The pirate plunged its swords into the soldier’s abdomen with such force his feet left the ground. The trooper, a man named Bobby Renault, screamed and flailed.

With expert aim, she exterminated the alien. It toppled to the ground with Bobby. A team of medics sprinted to the wounded man.

Two left.

Troops surrounded one further along the tree, riddling it with bullets.

Where’s the other one?

As if to answer her question, the alien vaulted the downed tree and knocked her backward. She stared into the black, beady eyes of the alien. Its mandible held sharp, serrated teeth. Two narrow slits for a nose leaked azure liquid. White bone, hard and pearlescent, enveloped its body like skin. The Razierian twisted its mandible into a scowl and raised its swords.

The pop pop pop of a rapid-fire Duchess came from behind Addi. The Razierian fell to its knees, drenched in cerulean blood. She glanced back. There stood Meegan, dimples caked in mud, with smoke rising from the barrel of her assault rifle. Addi nodded her thanks.

Several Razierians were behind the tree line firing hot plasma toward her position. Many of her comrades laid in the mud, their bodies covered in crimson blood. This was not a new sight. There would be time to mourn her fallen squad mates later.

Where is Chet? She hadn’t seen him since the descent from the HVAT. She scanned the sky and spotted him sliding down the rope through a cloud. He would soon join his troops on the ground. She smiled. An inspiration to the entire squad, his presence compelled them to fight harder.

Heavy weapon! a Wall Guard yelled.

Addi’s attention snapped away from Chet and shot back toward the tree line. Two large, sapphire streaks volleyed across the sky into the clouds above. A thunderous explosion of yellow flames illuminated the dark clouds. The HVAT spun in tight circles. Its thrusters struggled to fight gravity and maintain balance. The erratic motions became too violent for Chet to descend.

The blood drained from her face. The taste of cold air infiltrated her open mouth. He sailed through the air to the tree line. The HVAT’s remains crashed into the dirt with a deafening thud. Debris showered the fighters.

Addi shook herself back to reality to find where Chet had fallen. A white light like the sun invaded her vision. She stared at the ground in a futile attempt to shield her eyes. The light vanished, leaving a different scene behind. She scanned the trees and ground. No plasma pistol fire seared the air, no glint from swords in the faint light, no Razierians—no sign of Chet.

Where the hell did he go?

She sprinted to where he hit the ground, careful to keep her weapon raised in case of lingering threats. At the site, an odd mixture of confusion, loneliness, and sorrow clouded her mind, her stomach, solid, like the frozen mud beneath her boots. She held her breath to don a stoic visage.

What the hell happened? Meegan joined her in the trees. You saw that light, right?

I’m not sure, she managed to utter in response.

Where did they go? Meegan glanced around. And where is Lieutenant Kane?

I don’t know. Addi tried not to let her emotions permeate her voice. We need to get back to base.

~ * ~

They returned to headquarters with half the squad. The Razierians did quite a number on her comrades. Throughout her career, squad members changed or died frequently. Addi made it a point to never get too close to them. Chet had been in her squad her entire career. She was concerned for only him now. Wall Guard search teams combed the battlefield for signs of Chet. They turned up nothing.

Addi filed a detailed report to her superiors. Theories abounded about the mysterious white light; the most reasonable involved an experimental warp device stolen from an Outer Colony corporation teleported Chet and the aliens off Earth. They also posited the Razierians used this technology to breach the Wall in the first place.

She sat on the hard, wooden bench in the hallway where the highest-ranked officers had private offices. The hallway’s hardwood floors, polished to perfection, reflected the soft yellow lights embedded in the ceiling. The walls were lined with plaques and pictures to honor previous commanders. A globe