Angel Brave

By Vijaya Schartz

Keoke Mahoe slips through the forbidden planet’s impenetrable defenses to deliver a perilous message. But Lady Valoria fiercely protects Azura. Any intruder, especially one who kills for food, is promptly terminated.

While Valoria admires Keoke’s uncanny ability to cheat death, she cannot trust a spy. What he suggests is unthinkable... and could throw the galaxy into chaos. Yet, could he be telling the truth? She appreciates his audacity, his noble heart, and his smile... to the chagrin of Eris the Amazon, her best friend, bodyguard, and would-be lover.

But in the farthest confines of the galaxy, an old enemy is rising again. People are sacrificed by blood and fire on unholy altars. Malevolent armies are assembling, and this time, even Azura's Avenging Angels may not be able to stop the onslaught of darkness upon all civilized life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BWL Publishing Inc.
• Release date: Sep 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9780228619529

Vijaya Schartz

Born in France, award-winning author Vijaya Schartz never conformed to anything and could never refuse a challenge. She likes action and exotic settings, in life and on the page. She traveled the world and claims she comes from the future. Her books collected many five star reviews and literary awards. She makes you believe you actually lived these extraordinary adventures among her characters. Her stories have been compared to Indiana Jones with sizzling romance. So, go ahead, dare to experience the magic, and she will keep you entranced, turning the pages until the last line. Find more at http://www.vijayaschartz.com

Book preview

Angel Brave

Azura Chronicles Book Three

By Vijaya Schartz

Digital ISBNs

EPUB 9780228619529

Kindle 9780228619536

PDF 9780228619543

Print ISBNs

Amazon Print 9780228619550

LSI Print 9780228619567

B&N Print 9780228619574

Copyright 2021 by Vijaya Schartz

Cover art by Michelle Lee

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book

Dedication

To all the fans of sci-fi fantasy romance, enjoy the read…

Chapter One

Fire-breathing volcano goddess! Is that a space barrier? Keoke Mahoe held his breath as he banked his raptor left.

Aye, Captain, Kopiana, the ship computer, chimed. The laser wall is generated by the space beacons.

Booby-trap? Or simple intruder detection? Time to find out if this new ride justified its price in blood.

Keoke’s stealth raptor, glided toward the red laser grid. May the spirit of the Great Boar protect him, or the entire quadrant was doomed. He braced himself as his craft slipped through the wide gaps in the grid.

No blaring alarms, no threatening broadcast, no hail of deadly missiles, so far so good. The raptor crossed into the forbidden zone in total silence, undetected. Perfect.

Keoke let out a sigh of relief. This new ship performed better than expected. Fast, smooth, invisible under its cloak, it gave him a sense of independence… and guilt. Good soldiers had died to procure this untraceable marvel of technology. He took in the control center, spacious and empty, with shiny metal, soft deck and bulkheads.

The panoramic Flexglaz window revealed a blue planet suspended in black space, luminous as a gem, with turquoise oceans, white beaches, and emerald forests. Azura, a tropical paradise, strictly forbidden to foreigners.

Kopiana!

Aye, Captain. The computer sounded upbeat, like a young wahine.

Give me a recap of Operation Bloody Widow. Keoke hoped the recent memory wipe hadn’t damaged the computer mainframe.

The lights flickered as the glowing sphere overhead whirred. Searching… The synthetic feminine voice had a soothing quality. Definitely a step up from standard equipment. Top secret. Operation Bloody Widow.

That’s the one. Keoke shook his head. Being the best in his field came with heavy responsibilities. He would probably die in the process, but no one else could carry that mission with any chance of success.

The overhead lights flickered. Mission directives: Infiltrate the population of Azura and gain their trust. Only when trust is established, contact the planetary authorities. Do not reveal who sent you under any circumstances. Convince Azura’s government to break their allegiance to the Resistance and join our cause against Bloody Widow.

Got it. It wouldn’t be easy. In his entire career as a soldier and a spy, Keoke had never faced higher stakes… or a more dangerous foe. So many of Ciara Beltza’s husbands and familiars mysteriously died or vanished…while she often executed inner circle friends on a whim. Bloody Widow didn’t begin to describe the bloodthirsty witch.

Failing, or getting caught, would mean immediate execution for you and the generals who sent you. Kopiana’s upbeat tone grinded on his ears.

I know. Keoke sighed. But more importantly, it would condemn the entire quadrant to utter destruction.

Exactly, Captain. The computer’s cheerful tone sounded so wrong.

No pressure there. Keoke took a deep breath and released it slowly, to clear the burden of responsibilities away from his thoughts. In order to succeed, he would need a pristine, unencumbered mind. Now that we are here, what more can you tell me about the planet and its people?

We know very little about Azura, Captain. According to recent additions to the databanks, the Azurans are self-sufficient, do not trade with any other planet, and are said to be long-lived, with unusual psychic abilities.

Keoke would have to evaluate these abilities. Population?

Only a few thousand, and they value their privacy.

No kidding. Not the most welcoming people, judging by the sophisticated systems preventing the approach from space.

A few records inside the GTA and the Resistance databanks indicate they mine a type of quartz with special properties, but they do not export it and keep it for themselves. Kopiana imitated a small cough. We suspect it’s a powerful source of energy.

Keoke believed it. It makes sense. Since the Azurans took over Byzantium, the entire space station runs on crystal power.

Side by side pictures of the station appeared on a wall viewer, before and after Azuran control. The before picture was dark, the way Keoke had seen it in old records.

He whistled at the difference. The new Byzantium Space Station glows like a blue star in space.

Moving on. The computer emitted a sound, like someone clearing their throat. The GTA has been attacking Azura repeatedly over centuries to gain access to that rare crystal…to no avail. As for the Resistance, they forged a strong alliance with Azura. No one knows what the Resistance received in exchange for protecting Azura, or vice-versa. Nor do we know who is protecting whom.

Is it possible the Resistance received compensation in crystal? That might complicate his mission.

Definitely a possibility, Captain, but no confirmation.

Weird. Keoke would need to find out about that deal before starting any negotiations of his own.

Kopiana gasped. Captain, I feel obligated to point out that the Azurans do not allow visitors of any kind on their planet.

I’m not a tourist, Kopiana. I’m a spy. I do not follow the rules and niceties of peace time. Since the reset to factory settings, the computer behaved like a child, but it couldn’t be helped. Kopiana would learn in time, with experience. How do they enforce this no-visitor policy on the surface?

The files mention a legion of Avenging Angels, fierce warriors with wings… they are mind-readers, and they can fly. The synthetic voice emphasized the last words with dramatic flair.

Keoke chuckled at Kopiana’s theatrics. That should be interesting.

In all his previous missions, he’d never met winged warriors. Mind-readers, on the other hand, didn’t scare him at all. He could deal with the best of them.

Kopiana, assess the planetary defenses.

Aye, Captain. A large fleet forms a blockade in high orbit. No inflection in the matter-of-fact statement. Since the memory wipe, Kopiana still wavered about what kind of personality to adopt.

Swiping his console, Keoke zoomed upon the flashing red circle on the main viewer. I see it, too.

The Azuran fleet looked like an assortment of military vessels of different shapes and sizes. Enhancing the image, Keoke recognized battle cruisers, destroyers, as well as interceptors, raiders, troop transports, and light freighters armed with ventral canons and bristling with heavy artillery.

Captain, the records say the Azurans have no known industries. Kopiana’s artificial brain spun overhead in a display of lights and whirring sounds. If they do not trade with other planets, how did they manage to procure a fleet?

These are military ships…probably seized in battle from the Galactic Trade Alliance. The Azurans had been fighting off the GTA for centuries.

How did they win battles in space and take enemy ships, if they didn’t have a fleet in the first place? Kopiana’s question hung in the air.

Good question. One Keoke would need to investigate as well. So much he didn’t know, and no room for mistakes. His body tensed as he surveyed the warships while skirting the blockade. Any indication that they detected us?

No, Captain. No chatter, no movement. No canons being loaded. No reaction of any kind.

I’m glad they can’t see us or sense our presence. His body relaxed a little. So far, so good. This stealth raptor may be worth the blood spilled after all.

Thank you for appreciating me, Captain. Kopiana sounded proud. Why do their ships glow blue, like the planet below? Inquisitive new mind, eager to learn.

Not a clue. Probably for the same reason Azura glows, and the Byzantium Space Station glows. My guess would be it has something to do with the crystal. Keoke gazed at the planet, hoping to see the flicker of a shield, a point highly stressed during his briefing. Kopiana, what can you tell me about the low-orbit shield?

I do not detect any kind of shield around the planet, Captain, EMP or otherwise.

Believe me, it’s there. The GTA reported that it disabled their electronics and caused their ships to explode or crash. No wonder the Azurans thwarted the GTA so many times. Where is the largest cluster of habitations?

I see scattered blue domes, Captain. A pulsing red dot appeared on the main viewer, over green land, near the ocean. This is the largest grouping.

Keoke swiped his console and zoomed upon the pulsing dot. An agglomeration of blue bubbles came into focus, nestled at the base of a mountain, surrounded by a lush forest. A luminous ocean bathed the western coast. Set the ship in synchronous orbit over that town, same altitude as their fleet, to remain above the EMP shield. And stay in stealth mode.

Aye, Captain. Orbit set. Stealth mode confirmed. The computer sighed. How am I doing so far, Captain? Pretty good for my first mission, right?

You are doing great, Kopiana. Was she still trying on different personalities? Although, insecurity may not be the most desirable trait for a ship computer.

Duly noted, Captain. Making correction… Kopiana managed to sound contrite.

Keoke clicked off his safety restraints, stepped away from his console, down to the deck, and crossed the short distance to the bulkhead. Time to hang loose with the natives.

Is it safe, Captain? Kopiana’s voice hesitated slightly, mimicking concern.

Missions are never safe. That’s why they send people like me. Keoke opened the adjacent locker door, then he unbuckled his heavy utility belt with electronic tools, blaster, and phaser in their holders. He set the lot on a shelf.

Captain? What do you mean by people like you? Inquisitive and perseverant, just like a wahine.

You know what I mean. Keoke didn’t like questions, especially in his line of work. If you don’t, you can access my files.

Searching. Kopiana purred, spinning her memory banks. Here it is. Captain Keoke Mahoe, psychological profile. The computer gasped. Bat crazy suicidal Resistance fighter with exceptional Zephyrian talents, an innate hatred for the GTA, and nothing to lose.

Keoke couldn’t hold his laughter. You know what? That’s not the worst description.

Why go there? It is not safe, Captain! Kopiana sounded scared. Scared?

You still have much to learn, Kopiana. Keoke chuckled. First, a computer should never sound scared. Second, there are more important things in this galaxy than a soldier’s life.

He removed his dog tags and hung them on a hook inside the locker. Then he considered his leather necklace with the wild boar tusks. His first kill. He’d wrestled and slain the beast with a hunting knife when he was twelve, a rite of passage among his people. The spirit of the boar had protected him ever since, but not on this mission.

He removed the necklace and kissed the tusks. Thank you, brother boar, for your strong spirit.

As he peeled off the brown uniform shirt over his head, he held in place his silver tiki, so the pendant would remain on his bare chest. He’d never part with that talisman, no matter what the mission briefing said. Some promises could never be broken.

Kopiana whirred overhead.

The mirror inside the locker door reflected Keoke’s swarthy complexion, piercing peridot-green eyes, and smooth chest and chin. He’d trimmed his long black hair and looked rather naked without his traditional tattoos and battle scars. But the mission demanded anonymity. No identifying markings of any kind to trace him back to his superiors. Even his DNA had been erased from the Resistance databases.

He would miss the tattoos linking him to his ancestors, but not the battle scars, or the gruesome reminders of torture in a GTA prison. Some wounds ran much deeper than skin, like a riptide beneath gentle waves.

Better cover the eyes, too. A peridot-green stare would betray his ancestry. Everyone knew Zephyrians with bright green eyes were mind-readers. He reached for a small plastek box on the waist-high shelf, opened it, then delicately pulled out a brown contact lens and applied it to one eye. He blinked a few times, then covered his other eye as well. Much better. Old school, and immune to EMPs, unlike more sophisticated technology.

Keoke snatched from a hanger a beige sleeveless tunic of natural fibers, more suited to the planet’s tropical climate and low-tech culture. He kept on the khaki cargo pants and soft leather boots, as they looked generic enough. He planned to blend with the jungle and study the natives, unseen, before making contact.

Could you give an example of more important things than a soldier’s life, Captain? Kopiana sounded surprisingly human.

You are worse than a wahine with all your questions. Maybe he shouldn’t have allowed the computer to choose and define its personality. What made him think he could deal with a female computer when women baffled him? At first, he thought it might entertain his lonely existence, but female entities could be such difficult creatures, biologic or otherwise.

In what way am I worse than a woman, Captain? Kopiana’s insistence grated on his nerves. If anything, I am much better.

I don’t have time to explain the intricacies of the feminine psyche. Nor did he know much about it. Only that it was complicated and frustrating beyond belief, and his only experience in trusting a girl had ended in tragedy. He caressed the silver tiki and kissed it before tucking it inside the shirt.

He took a last look in the mirror. My transformation is complete. Kopiana, erase my personal file and the Operation Bloody Widow file from your databanks.

Aye, Captain. Kopiana beeped a few times. Files erased.

A soldier no more. As he closed the locker door, Keoke struggled against the sadness of deleting his past, but kept the tears at bay. Then he took a deep breath and released it slowly, lifting away his doubts. Only a positive, hopeful attitude would carry him through this impossible mission.

Aren’t you taking your weapons, Captain? Kopiana sounded concerned.

Blasters and phasers won’t work on the surface… too much interference I was told. Another thing he must investigate.

Interference from what? Decidedly feminine curiosity.

No one knows. Something about the planet core. He flipped open the lid of a large crate marked antique weapons, reached inside for a wide belt, then held it up. It bristled with an assortment of metal blades.

What are these? Kopiana now sounded like a child, quite normal after a memory wipe.

Sword, daggers, hunting knife, utility blades, throwing knives. These are my weapons of choice on this mission. Keoke rather liked the idea of going low-tech… it would feel like home.

Kopiana emitted a small, derisive cough. Good luck with that arsenal, Captain.

Do not mock. I’m an expert swordsman, thank you very much. Keoke chuckled to lighten the mood. If it makes you feel better, I’ll take an antique bullet gun.

Good idea, Captain. Low-tech but still lethal from a safe distance. Kopiana managed a patronizing inflection.

Great. Keoke reached into the crate for the automatic gun and holster then slid them on his belt. He also stored magazines and bullets in his cargo pockets but pushed aside the military rations. I’m so tired of reconstituted protein rations. I’m not taking these.

Human beings cannot survive long without food or water, Captain.

Don’t worry. I know how to live off the land. Keoke dug deeper into the crate then came up holding a crossbow and bolts. This is for hunting my next barbecue. There has to be water and good game in this much greenery.

Whatever you say, Captain. Kopiana’s tone dripped with mockery. She was evolving fast…maybe too fast.

Kopiana, prepare escape pod three. Keoke patted his pockets. No papers, no gadgets or identifying symbols or insignias to betray him as a Zephyrian, a soldier, or a member of the Resistance. If the mission went sideways, he couldn’t be traced to any outfit or organization.

Pod three, ready for launch, Captain.

Mahalo. Remember that while on the planet, I will be out of communication range. You are in charge until my return. The details of which Keoke hadn’t quite worked out, yet. But he’d find out how the natives traveled to and from their ships in orbit. Just stay in stealth mode, and don’t answer any communication unless you recognize my voice and my personal codes, okay?

Aye, Captain. Kopiana sounded so calm. Good. You mean your swear codes, right, Captain?

Right. No one else used his personal curse words.

The pod hatch opened with a whoosh of compressed air. Keoke crawled inside the egg-shaped craft and sat in the narrow seat, adjusting the sword and holster on his belt. Then he tucked the crossbow between his knees. A rather cramped space, but it would be a short trip to the surface. Besides, he’d traveled in worse conditions. The hatch closed upon him, and the seal light turned green.

Kopiana, launch escape pod three. Aim for the forest near the town.

Aye, Captain. Ejecting pod three, now.

Here goes nothing. May the Aumakua, the guardian spirits of his tribe, watch over him. This desperate mission must succeed.

Keoke never felt so alone. If he failed, no one would admit knowing him. No one would come to his help, or be notified if he died, and no one would miss him. Worse, all that was good and worthy about mankind might be lost.

* * *

The mental ping of an incoming message shook Valoria out of her meditative trance. She opened her eyes to the soft blue glow of the giant chunk of crystal floating high in the temple dome. Taking a slow, calming breath, she inhaled the heavenly scents of incense and tropical flowers swirling in the empty space. Then she lowered her levitating self to the stone bench beneath her and rearranged her translucent robes over her crossed legs, keeping the meditation pose.

A second mental ping. She recognized the artificial mind-print. Yes, EVA. What is it?

The shiny AI manifested in front of her, directly under the blue crystal. The apparition flapped great silver wings in midair. EVA, the artificial woman in charge of the space legion of Avenging Angels, alighted on the white marble floor, arms crossed on her metallic chest.

Then the AI took a knee and bowed deeply. Anointed One, I have news.

Good to see you, EVA. Speak.

The synthetic angel straightened her back but kept her knee on the floor. An inert projectile penetrated the planetary shield and is careening toward the surface in your vicinity, my lady. Since we detected no ship in the area, it is most likely space debris from past battles, but you requested to be informed of any such anomaly.

Thank you, EVA. How large is this chunk of debris?

Large enough to contain a poacher, my lady. The AI glowed blue from the crystal inside.

Any signs of intelligence onboard? Valoria would have sensed it but wanted confirmation.

No, Anointed One. Mental scans detected no signs of biologic or artificial intelligence... although it could be insulated.

Insulated against mind-readers? Too sophisticated for a simple poacher.

There is a first time for everything, my lady. EVA raised a brow, such a Human reaction for an AI. Or it could be some kind of explosive device.

The very thought of jungle life destroyed by a bomb chilled Valoria’s heart. The shield would have neutralized or pulverized it.

Not if it is a primitive device with no electronic components. The AI inclined her head. Although such a device would not cause any significant damage, especially in the jungle.

Valoria closed her eyes to visualize the threat in her mind but sensed no immediate danger to the planet.

Should I investigate, Anointed One?

"No, EVA. Thank you. I