Transformation: New Earth Chronicles, #6

By Victoria Lehrer

Shaken by the spectre of Draco-reptilian claws clutching Lily's arm, Tinjone' cries out to help her—too late, as the spaceship's door has closed with finality behind her.

On the space port, when Lily left Tinjone' to pilot the Gaia Space Force cargo ship, she anticipated their paths crossing, opportunities for R & R, and the frequent renewal of their love for one another. She didn't imagine being marooned inside a planet, or being captured to be sold as a slave on Beliat. She certainly didn't imagine her fate being intertwined with that of Manuske, a seven-foot, intimidating, ill-tempered Draco-reptilian.

In another sector of the Galaxy, captured Tinjone' slings a pickaxe to mine for naptha crystals. When his rebellious nature lands him near death atop a heap of decaying bodies, Stella Lumina transports him aboard and back to Tall-ah Earth.

Healed by Janelissa, and under the tutelage of his grandfather, Torlion, Tinjone' hones his skill in wielding lasered light. After two months on Tall-ah Earth, Stella Lumina returns him to the instant he'd been removed from the heap of bodies. This opportune reset offers a chance to renew his quest to thwart the Chiakar Empire's galactic takeover, and to wield extraordinary powers in his search for Lily.

EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS a compelling visionary sci-fi tale, with post-apocalyptic elements, to bring the past full circle into the future, in this sixth book in the "New Earth Chronicles" series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evolved Publishing LLC
• Release date: May 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9781622533831

Victoria Lehrer

In seventh grade, Mrs. Trader inspired me both as a writer and a teacher. In her class, I learned I loved to write and that my classmates liked to hear my stories. Her spirited students engaged in dramatic performances, hands-on projects, and lively discussions—nothing like the poor subdued souls across the hall, managed by the teacher with long green eyes. So Mrs. Trader was my model when I started a school and set aside my writing—that is, until it dawned on me that tribes of children have loved learning by listening to stories for thousands of years. So I wrote about a million words that speak to head and heart, which I am still reading to my child listeners. But now I’m writing stories, my second million words, to speak to the heads and hearts of adult readers and listeners, and hoping my classmates will like them.

Book preview

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TRANSFORMATION

New Earth Chronicles – Book 6

Copyright © 2023 Victoria Lehrer

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ISBN (EPUB Version): 1622533836

ISBN-13 (EPUB Version): 978-1-62253-383-1

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Editor: Becky Stephens

Cover Artist: Richard Tran

Interior Designer: Lane Diamond

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE:

At the end of this novel of approximately 114,164 words, you will find two Special Sneak Previews: 1) FOREIGN LAND by J.S. Sherwood, the critically-acclaimed, award-winning first book in the This Foreign Universe series of metaphysical sci-fi/space opera adventures, and; 2) SIX BITS by Michael Ringering, a metaphysical time-travel adventure that just might cause each of us to look inward in self-examination. We think you’ll enjoy these books, too, and provide these previews as a FREE extra service, which you should in no way consider a part of the price you paid for this book. We hope you will both appreciate and enjoy the opportunity. Thank you.

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eBook License Notes:

You may not use, reproduce or transmit in any manner, any part of this book without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles and reviews, or in accordance with federal Fair Use laws. All rights are reserved.

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only; it may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return to your eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Disclaimer:

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or the author has used them fictitiously.

THE NEW EARTH CHRONICLES

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Book 1: The Augur’s View

Book 2: The Triskelion

Book 3: On Winged Gossamer

Book 4: Tall-ah Earth

Book 5: The Timeline

Book 6: Transformation

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www.NewEarthChronicles.net

THE AUGUR’S VIEW

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"The Augur’s View by Victoria Lehrer is a spellbinding introduction to the ‘New Earth Chronicles,’ a compelling science fiction tale with post-apocalyptic undertones and a setting in 2034. ... This novel is a strong opening to a promising series that marks the author apart as one to watch. It begins with a compelling premise, an apocalyptic moment, but then when Earth is devastated, something new emerges, something even more powerful and deadlier. Victoria Lehrer is a great storyteller and she succeeds in creating different levels in the story, with a complex plot that is packed with action and surprising moments. The characters are elaborately developed. The plot is enriched by covert activities and intrigue. There is a powerful sense of mystery—secrets hidden in ancient manuscripts and other worlds to explore. The Augur’s View is exciting, featuring an imaginary setting that goes far beyond the world we know."

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Romuald Dzemo (5 STARS)

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"The Augur’s View by Victoria Lehrer is a thrilling science fiction story, parts of it closer to the truth than we may ever know! The story jumps right into the action on the first page and there is no let up for the entire read. Victoria has created a compelling story, filled with action, suspense and intrigue. Her characters are wonderful, developed fully with enough backstory to give them an air of reality. The story is paced well; no dead spots where nothing happens, just steady thrilling adventure all the way. A reader could probably draw a number of parallels between this story and what might happen in real-life should nuclear war erupt. Great story, you won’t put it down."

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Anne-Marie Reynolds (5 STARS)

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"What makes this novel unique? First, it is the dystopian setting and the dramatic images against the backdrop of a splintering Union of the Americas in 2034. This setting and the phenomenal event of the Solar Flash create the environment where intrigue and the quest for power develops, a conflict that is fueled by secrets associated with an ancient manuscript. The plot has many levels and it is interesting how the author allows the conflict to evolve in the different points of the plot. The Augur’s View features memorable characters, an ingeniously plotted story, a phenomenal conflict, and a world that is exciting to navigate, a blend of a dying Earth and another dimension. The Augur’s View by Victoria Lehrer is a riveting, exceptional story for fans of dystopian and science fiction novels."

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Ruffina Oserio (5 STARS)

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"Victoria Lehrer has written a compelling kickoff to the ‘New Earth Chronicles’ series with The Augur’s View. She presents a dystopian world as it exists post Solar Blast, a coronal mass ejection which fries the electronics of every unshielded device in the world. Victoria Lehrer has tackled a story with a huge number of initial plot elements in play, and done it well. The Augur’s View sets the stage for what will almost certainly be a worthy series. I particularly liked Gavin and his heroic quest struggles to fit into the augur rider community. Dora’s serendipitous introduction was handled adroitly and she will also be an interesting character to follow. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the second installment."

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Dan M. Kalin (5 STARS)

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THE TRISKELION

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"A romance set in the heart of a complex, political dystopian drama, this is a beautiful game of chess which author Victoria Lehrer plays out in her new society. I love how the storyline and genre elements are totally different to The Augur’s View, but the overall tone and strict new world feels just the same. It’s excellent to have a new central heroine to follow with a strong emotional arc, but there’s also the wider politics of the rebel movement to consider and the connections to old characters we know, as well as powerful new symbols we have yet to understand. Overall, The Triskelion is an accomplished science fiction novel of high literary quality, expanding a fantastically developed new world whilst also providing a new kind of plot for us to follow within it."

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, K.C. Finn (5 STARS)

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"The tight plotting, clear prose, engaging storytelling and Victoria Lehrer’s creation of characters as well as world-building are impeccable. The Triskelion is as impressive as its predecessor, where the strength of the characterization deftly moves the well-paced plot with a potent blend of sci-fi, suspense, intrigue, and drama. Dora’s determination to save Caellum and do her part for the Sovereign Movement while keeping her role as a royal under the watchful eye of Charles Scholtz is easily rootable and will keep readers on edge. All in all, The Triskelion is a gripping read and a solid continuation for the ‘New Earth Chronicles.’ Fans of the series will truly enjoy this commendable work from Lehrer."

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Lit Amri (5 STARS)

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Although I did not read the first novel in the series, I had no issue with becoming invested and interested in the characters. The story itself is very captivating; the highs and lows of the plot had me riveted and wanting more. Dora and Caellum were going through some tough times in this novel, but their growth and development were amazing. Dora was not helpless or desperate; Caellum was fearless and ready to fight. They made a very strong couple that makes you want to cheer them on. I loved the story, the characters, and even the villains. There was nothing I would wish for the author to change in the story. It is perfect the way it is! A very interesting and entertaining novel.

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Rabia Tanveer (5 STARS)

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"Victoria Lehrer has created an interesting story with The Triskelion. The book is set in the not so distant future of 2037. The world has been destroyed, but people are trying to rebuild it. The author has included so much detail that I could really picture this futuristic world. There is a lot going on and there is a lot of futuristic tech involved, like nanites, and the plan to inject people was intriguing. I thought the story flowed well, and I enjoyed reading about the characters. I have not read book 1, but I understood what was going on from this book. I liked how the characters interacted with each other, the dialogue was natural and the story kept me turning the pages. I think that this book could fall under science fiction too, although the cover makes it seem like high fantasy. There is a mix of everything in here. I would recommend The Triskelion by Victoria Lehrer. I enjoyed this book and would read the whole series to see what happens."

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Samantha Gregory (5 STARS)

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ON WINGED GOSSAMER

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This is a great story that is beautifully told... unforgettable characters, a well-imagined post-apocalyptic setting, and a monumental conflict. The twists will entice any reader and keep them rooting for the characters.

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Ruffina Oserio (5 STARS)

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The plot is twisty. The conflict is colossal. The characters are solidly developed... The story is fast-paced and episodic, balanced, and deftly written.

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Romuald Dzemo (5 STARS)

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...a hugely engrossing, intimate, and detailed work of sci-fi and fantasy fiction with plenty of intrigue on all sorts of different levels to offer its readers.

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, K.C. Finn (5 STARS)

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TALL-AH EARTH

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"Tall-Ah Earth is an incredible epic that lives up to the visionary genre and fans of Star Wars and Star Trek will thoroughly enjoy what’s on offer."

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, JC Minnaar (5 STARS)

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"Giving the perfect setting for a science fiction story, Victoria Lehrer commences Tall-ah-Earth with a super intriguing plot that saw me whisked from the world of reality into an awesomely imagined world. ...a magnificent piece of work and I loved every bit of it."

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Keith Mbuya (5 STARS)

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Victoria Lehrer’s massive cast of characters embodies her passion for creating individual and not just archetypes. It is a tribute to the human heart and psyche, an exploration of both technology and the untapped human potential that may well be capable of accomplishing what Lehrer calls psychic-ology.

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Vincent Dublado (5 STARS)

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I had difficulty putting the book down as the amount of suspense built kept me entranced... This story has quickly landed on my favorites list, and I recommend it highly.

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Stephanie Chapman (5 STARS)

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Author Victoria Lehrer has a gift for building intricate and complex universes, and she utilizes this talent to the maximum... Entertaining and complex novel!

~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Rabia Tanveer (5 STARS)

We’re pleased to offer you not one, but two Special Sneak Previews at the end of this book.

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In the first preview, you’ll enjoy the first two chapters of FOREIGN LAND by J.S. Sherwood, the critically-acclaimed, award-winning first book in the This Foreign Universe series of metaphysical sci-fi/space opera adventures.

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OR GRAB THE FULL EBOOK TODAY!

FIND LINKS TO YOUR FAVORITE RETAILER HERE:

THIS FOREIGN UNIVERSE Series at Evolved Publishing

In the second preview, you’ll enjoy the first two chapters of SIX BITS by Michael Ringering, a metaphysical time-travel adventure that just might cause each of us to look inward in self-examination.

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OR GRAB THE FULL EBOOK TODAY!

FIND LINKS TO YOUR FAVORITE RETAILER HERE:

MICHAEL RINGERING’S Books at Evolved Publishing

Transformation, the final book of the New Earth Chronicles, emerged to remind us of our own transformation that, for many, is not only occurring, but accelerating.

Readers enjoy the machinations of fear, suspense and anxiety. Concerns for the welfare of the protagonists provide motivational page turners. Naturally, we want things to turn out all right for the starring characters.

But there is another kind of suspense for those who are awakening to who they truly are. Many, such as yourselves, also turn pages to glimpse vistas formerly undreamed of; stargates through which ships traverse light years in only moments; civilizations, some much like us, that populate our galaxy and beyond; civilizations inhabiting Earth’s interior realms.

What if we are on the verge of discovering a galaxy teeming with intelligent beings—some, who by their appearance, could be relatives, others who have followed a different line of creation?

What if cosmic forces at play in our local quadrant of the galaxy are aligned to help us bring welcome cleansing and health to our planet?

What if the current unrest, the dark revelations on the Earth, simply serve the impetus for us to come together in mutual support and cooperation as a force for the good, the true and the beautiful?

What if your light is helping to expel a dark scourge that has held humanity captive for millennia?

What if you are living the fulfillment of ancient prophecies, tidings of a time when we will cocreate a transformed world of peace and brotherhood?

What if you, dear and appreciated reader, are a builder of the new Earth?

What if?

From my heart to yours,

Vicki

LIST OF CHARACTERS, TERMS AND LOCATIONS

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LEADING CHARACTERS

Lily Ashberg-Johnson – Lieutenant and pilot of cargo ship

Manuske – Draco-Reptilian, human hybrid assigned to Lieutenant Ashberg-Johnson’s ship

Tinjone’ – Captain of the ship Starburst

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SUPPORTING CHARACTERS

Admiral Scherer – Commander of Galactic Council Space Force

Torlion – Tinjone’s leonoid grandfather

Ashti – A woman with powers that rival those of Tinjone’

Commander Belekte – Of Starburst

Lieutenant Commander Anju – Of Starburst

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MINOR CHARACTERS

President Roald T. Ace – Of the planet Shanale

Jack Merrick – Captain of the ship Stella Lumina

Namath – The reptilian at Galactic Space Eleven

President Weisehoren – On the planet Terrania

Cholee – Lily’s friend and fellow captive

Zelut – Lily’s friend and fellow captive

Ta’ak – Lily’s friend and fellow captive

Wila – Farm woman on the planet Beliat

Erok – Son of Wila

Marshan – Son of Wila

Omu – Lily’s guide

Lietchz – Quarry prisoner

Janelissa – Tinjone’s grandmother

Ilka – Manuske’s mother

Shemka – Temple priestess from Anura

Reshtalite – the Wise Elder from Anura

Nemrithze – Manuske’s father

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RETURN CHARACTERS FROM THE AUGUR’S VIEW

Eena – Bondmate of the augur Cesla

Gavin – Bondmate of the augur Phoenix

Anaya – From the inner Earth city Erath

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TERMS & LOCATIONS

Anura – South Pacific island hidden by holographic field

Beliat – Planet of the Starburst rescue mission

Chiakar Empire – An aggressive alliance of Draco-reptilians, greys, and humans

Dracos – Reptilian royalty from Draconis

Divine Mother – Deity worshipped by the Anurans

Gaia Earth – The fifth density Earth

Gaia Space Force – Earth-based space force

Galactic Federation of Planets – An alliance of planets opposed to the Chiakar Empire

Loosch – Energetic substance generated by anger or fear

Starburst – Tinjone’s ship

Reptilians – Warrior class from Draconis

Shanale – Planetary destination of Tinjone’s initial mission

Snake Dragons – Inner Earth community of Anurans

Table of Contents

Copyright

Books by Victoria Lehrer

What Others Are Saying

BONUS CONTENT

Introduction

Table of Contents

TRANSFORMATION

Chapter 1 – Stranded

Chapter 2 – The Mission

Chapter 3 – The Trek

Chapter 4 – The Temple

Chapter 5 – Malosia

Chapter 6 – The Rescue

Chapter 7 – The Crash

Chapter 8 – The Hayloft

Chapter 9 – The Dreamscape

Chapter 10 – Tea & Biscuits

Chapter 11 – Reptilian Quarrels

Chapter 12 – The Death Mound

Chapter 13 – The Leap

Chapter 14 – Janey’s Potion

Chapter 15 – The Cherry Orchard

Chapter 16 – The Light Wielders

Chapter 17 – The Conspiracy

Chapter 18 – The Voice

Chapter 19 – The Funeral Rite

Chapter 20 – Demons and Jinns

Chapter 21 – Slurps and Grunts

Chapter 22 – The Deal

Chapter 23 – Wounded

Chapter 24 – The Naptha Trade

Chapter 25 – The Reunion

Chapter 26 – Captured

Chapter 27 – Letro’s Garage

Chapter 28 – The Sixth Sense

Chapter 29 – To Anura

Chapter 30 – Ashti

Chapter 31 – Snake Dragons

Chapter 32 – The Augurs

Chapter 33 – Waylaid

Chapter 34 – Manuske and Shemka

Chapter 35 – The Warning

Chapter 36 – Strategy

Chapter 37 – The Prodigal Parent

Chapter 38 – Destruction

Chapter 39 – The Prisoners

Chapter 40 – The Ark Ship

Chapter 41 – The Rodeo

Chapter 42 – Surrounded

Chapter 43 – The Meeting

Chapter 44 – Victory

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

About the Author

What’s Next?

More from Victoria Lehrer

More from Evolved Publishing

Special Sneak Preview: FOREIGN LAND by J.S. Sherwood

Special Sneak Preview: SIX BITS by Michael Ringering

"He’s like them." As Lily pulled herself off the floor of the cargo ship, she gripped the gun and considered what to do with the writhing, moaning victim. Grabbing the helm console for support, she leaned against it and shakily pointed her weapon at Manuske, the muscular, seven-foot reptilian/human hybrid assigned to guard the cargo of naptha crystals.

The pain from her shoulder wound screamed for attention as she clutched her forearm and smirked at the dying man. I must say, with those lizard lids closed over that yellow glare and those claw-like hands collapsed at your side, you are not so terrifying. Gasping from the intense throb in her shoulder, she mused, Shot point-blank by your own kind. Is there a more ruthless breed in this galaxy?

Lily shifted her gaze to the screen. No stars, no red, blue or yellow glows to light her passage as a pilot for Gaia Space Force. The monstrous ship that had loomed on-screen minutes before was also gone, and with it, the pirates. And with them, the entire cargo of crystals, including the ones that powered the ship’s engine core.

Normally, a similar crash would have triggered the honing signal to the Galactic Federation of Planets, of which Gaia Space Force was a division. But the attackers’ ship blocked the signal, after which the gutting of the scout ship’s warp drive severed all hope of the Federation finding her. Stranded inside an asteroid, moon or planet—God knows where—and cut off from all communication, it was unlikely Lily would ever be located.

Utter and profound silence had replaced the sharp, guttural blasts of the robbers’ shouts and the shrill volley of shots that surprised her now dead crew. Utter and profound terror had killed her enthusiasm for her mission. Blood from the wound spread to her fingers as she considered whether she could make it to the med port on the far side of the bridge.

Not far from her feet, the reptilian hybrid groaned, then lay still except for the slight rise and fall of his chest. So, you’re not dead yet. She heaved a sigh of disappointment. But though she raised her gun and pointed it at his heart, she couldn’t bring herself to finish him off. Lowering the weapon, she stumbled to the bodies of the two officers.

After checking each for an unlikely pulse, Lily grieved because there was none. She would have lingered beside her friends, but the maddening pain in her shoulder screamed for relief. Drunkenly, she lunged toward the med port. When she waved her hand, a kit embedded in the wall materialized. She removed a handheld device and held it two inches above the wound. As the healing frequencies of the wand penetrated her skin, the violated flesh responded with a slight tingle and sensation of warmth. Moving the device in a circular pattern, she sighed with relief as the pain subsided. Within minutes, as if by magic, the torn layers of skin melded together leaving no trace of a scar.

When the residual ache had ceased, and she could move her arm without pain, she returned the device to its port. Then she made her way to the main console to collapse in the pilot’s chair and make her first telepathic call to Tinjone’. His image before her interior gaze, she messaged, "My ship has crashed, and I cannot contact the Federation. I don’t know where I am. We must have passed through a portal to the interior of a planet, moon or asteroid. Tinjone’, I miss you and I love you. Please find me."

Absentmindedly, she turned the sapphire ring on her finger. Could it be that only a single Earth day had passed since she and Tinjone’ said goodbye at the spaceport? She sighed as she recalled his leonoid eyes, aquamarine blue, gazing into hers before they parted to embark on their missions.

Tinjone’, captain of the ship Starburst, scanned the spaceport, a realm of spacefaring vessels utterly surreal compared to the Neolithic development of his home world, Tall-ah Earth. He recalled that pivotal day when he was ten years old. The day he first spied Captain Jack Merrick when he transported from Stella Lumina. Shimmering into view on Tinjone’s planet, was the harbinger of the young spectator’s future.

Though Tinjone’ came to greatly admire Captain Merrick, initially, the uniform, not the man, stirred the enamored youth’s yearnings—dreams that would one day take him far beyond the enclave of farmers and shepherds.

In stark contrast to planetary cultures that traversed the galaxy by means of stargates and wormholes, the oids only moved by means of legs and feet across the face of Tall-ah Earth. Several generations prior, a sixth-dimensional spacefaring group, the Edeners, had delivered the ‘oid’ ancestors—avesoids, cetaceanoids, pantheroids, reptiloids, humanoids, leonoids and hybrid oids—from various planets.

Though the oids were well aware of their extraterrestrial origins, subsequent generations were content with their agrarian-pastoral lives among the farms and hillside orchards of Neolithia. Aptly named, the enclave’s evolution paralleled the development of humankind during the Neolithic Era on Gaia Earth under the guiding hand of the Divine Mother.

Tinjone’ bore signs of mixed ancestry—predominately leonoid, reptiloid and humanoid. His mother, Tinelle, part of the leonoid tribe on Tall-ah Earth, had died when he was a baby. From her he had inherited his mane and facial features hinting at historically remote feline ancestry. His light skin was olive-toned thanks to his father, Joel, son of the reptiloid, Zendiset. From his grandmother, Onashi, of an aboriginal lineage from Gaia’s Australian Outback, he inherited his humanoid DNA along with a kind disposition and leadership qualities.

With a smile, Tinjone’ recalled his adoptive mother, Delphi, and the oft repeated tale of the day a rainstorm flooded Wild Horse Canyon. Delphi watched from a ledge as the sideways rains drove the horses to stampede out of sight—all but a young horse trapped in a deep and rapidly filling mud hole. The next day, after Lily coaxed the filly up the slippery mud walls, she arrived home with her new friend—following her instead of the mares.

The scoffs and objections of astonished gawkers rebuffed her foolishness, and her father insisted the horse could provide meat for a month. But, ignoring the jibes and protests, Delphi befriended the filly, named her Storm and developed a hand signal system of communication between them. The day she rode the young mare down the rural lane in plain view of the residents set a precedent that would alter Neolithic farm life forever.

Tinjone’ inherited his penchant for adventure from his father, Joel, an explorer beyond the Arrowhead and Shliabat Mountains to the shores of the Endless Waters. Each time Joel returned from an expedition, he shared tales of new areas of Tall-ah Earth he had mapped, and pulled from his pack artifacts of exotic cultures he had encountered.

Joel promised to take Tinjone’, his eldest son, on future expeditions after he turned sixteen. But the youth already had inklings his explorations would take him far beyond the lands of Tall-ah Earth.

The psychic abilities passed from Tinjone’s leonoid grandparents—Janelissa, who was a witch, and Torlion, the renowned wielder of light—gifted Tinjone’ with extraordinary abilities, especially skill in brandishing powerful rays from his fingertips. Besides being Tinjone’s blood relation, the old lion man was also his teacher.

As a child, when Tinjone’ wasn’t playing with young oids, he was seldom far from his grandfather’s side. He spent enraptured hours seated on a hillside, watching Torlion shoot spirals of light forty feet into the sky. The gigantic domes of light, erected by the wizard and large enough to hold a hundred or so of the deadly syphoners, comforted the young observer.

The giant mechanical, flea-like military force of the Draconians had plagued Tall-ah Earth for generations. During Tinjone’s early childhood, his father, grandfather and other warriors gained skill in wielding light on horseback in preparation for a possible devastating event—the escape of the syphoners from an electromagnetic dome in Caldera Canyon. Despite Draconian claims the enclosure was secure, the dome was prone to glitches that rent the walls.

Tinjone’ recalled the day the lethal attack force of mechanical fleas escaped through the partially collapsed dome and scattered across the red sands of the Wasteland. Bounding and leaping toward the settlement of Neolithia, the beasts spread terror among the fleeing people. Indeed, the beasts threatened to overwhelm the entire planet.

But Tinjone’ listened with pride to accounts of the day the advancing horde enveloped the warriors of Neolithia; the day Joel, Delphi and Torlion led the enclave’s resistance, a handful of light wielding warriors, to battle. Forming a half-circle phalanx, they hurled great streams of light as fearsome metallic appendages slashed the air. Repelled by impenetrable light shields and hacked by swords of light, the attacking syphoners fell in great heaps and drowned in pools of oily goo.

The final devastating breach of the electro-magnetic containing wall, and the terrifying diaspora of the beasts as they bounced and raced across the Wasteland, sealed young Tinjone’s fate. From the rooftop, perched in Grandmother Onashi’s arms, he witnessed the heroic response of Captain Merrick and his ship to the onslaught. From overhead, great cones of light burst from the sky. An unforgettable thrill overwhelmed the three-year-old as the beams from Stella Lumina swept across the desert sands and swallowed up the rapidly spreading horde.

Tinjone’s training in light emission ensued throughout childhood and into his teens. He eagerly attended sessions during which syphoners conjured by Grandpa Torlion struck terror in his heart as they bounded and leaped toward the light wielding pair. Thrusting swords of light to repel the slashes of razor-sharp appendages, Tinjone’ and Torlion dismembered the beasts that collapsed in mangled heaps at their feet.

Victorious, light saber extended overhead, the old leonoid, master of the art of light-wielding, assured his grandson, Tinjone’, the day approaches when you will surpass me.

Years after the total defeat and removal of the Draconian war machines from Tall-ah Earth, Tinjone’ learned Captain Merrick’s intervention had defied the Galactic Federation’s Non-Interference Directive protocols. He had risked losing the protection of the Federation to thrust beam after beam in a planetwide sweep up and disintegration of the scourge that threatened the end of their world. Starstruck, Tinjone’ knew he would one day emulate Captain Jack Merrick and pilot a vessel like Stella Lumina.

At ten years old, he relentlessly shadowed Jack during his leave time on Tall-ah Earth with his family. Finally, the captain yielded to Tinjone’s pleas and convinced his father of his son’s safety aboard Stella Lumina in the skies and beyond. A few years later, his parents, Joel and Delphi, gave permission for their teenage son to accompany Jack to the Federation Space Force Academy to meet Admiral Scherer who had recently replaced the retiring Admiral Rotae. Tinjone recalled walking on air after he received an invitation to become the youngest junior cadet at the academy.

But, for now, he walked on air as he crossed the spaceport because his gaze was fixed on a familiar figure approaching from the far side.

Tinjone’! Gladness rang in Lily’s cry as she rushed into his arms. I didn’t expect to see you again before departure.

He crushed her to his chest. A year’s such a long time, he said, nuzzling her black curly hair. "How I wish I could secretly stow you aboard Starburst."

When she pulled away from him, he knew the meaning of that impish smile. She wasn’t to be anybody’s stowaway. Like him, she had trained at the academy with passion and dedication. An ardor that matched his own drove her to keep peace in the galaxy as a pilot for Gaia Space Force under the auspices of the Galactic Federation of Planets—to guard the development of non-spacefaring civilizations, to help maintain the precarious balance between light and dark forces. But since romantic liaisons aboard ships were frowned upon, the likelihood they would ever pilot the same ship was slim to none.

Cheek pressed against Tinjone’s chest, Lily murmured, Thankfully, our first leave’s only four months away. Just ahead on the spaceport, within his line of vision, her assigned cargo ship waited. Lieutenant Lily Ashberg-Johnson murmured that her crew of two Pleiadeans plus the Draco-Reptilian assigned to guard the naptha cargo were likely growing impatient.

Tinjone’ clasped Lily’s arms and held her at arms’ length. Her cheeks turned pink as he admired the shimmering lavender hues of the suit that conformed perfectly to her lithe body. No longer the teen who first proclaimed her intent to enter the academy, she had become a woman in full bloom. The feminine contours of her face had carved out high cheek bones, lending exotic beauty to the brown-gold planes of her skin. Mounted like semi-precious stones, her hazel eyes, flecked with emerald green, stared into his as he shook away the mesmerizing effect.

Lily, he said, you seem so fragile, so delicate. Yet, you’re poised to take on not only the neighboring stars and planets, but also the planetary Dark Fleets, the Orion Collective and the Dracos—the entire Chiakar Empire.

She cocked her head and straightened her shoulders with elbows akimbo, her fists resting on her hips above spread legs. Are you implying I can’t think fast on my feet, that my telepathic ship commands won’t suffice to outmaneuver the enemy?

The sparkle in her sideways glance told him she wasn’t really offended. He shook his head and half apologetically replied, It’s just that your cargo ship’s small size and limited defense systems are no match for real trouble.

I’ll be okay. Her declaration yielded to a sigh. And it’s time for my able-bodied crew and me to depart for our mission.

After a lingering kiss and promises to stay in telepathic contact, the captain of Starburst, with his mane caught at the nape of his neck, and the cargo ship pilot with black curls escaping the bun at her crown, walked in opposite directions.

Knowing how much he would miss Lily, Tinjone’ hardly dared a look back as he mounted his ship’s platform. But, at the last second, because of an uneasiness in his gut, he turned around. And though she had already boarded her ship, the image of her kneeling beside a wounded reptilian briefly inserted itself. The premonition unnerved him.

"Call me if you need me," he telepathed to her, accessing the psychic channel they shared. The door to Starburst opened, and as he strode toward the helm, the enclosing wall solidified seamlessly behind him.

Neither dreamed that within hours of their departure, Lily would heave a sigh of relief when Tinjone’ psychically responded to her plea with the reply, "I have contacted Federation headquarters. His assurance, Hold tight. We’ll find you," offered hope.

The healing wand had disintegrated the dried blood on Lily’s uniform. Only a small tear revealed where the wound had been when a gurgled moan drew her to Manuske’s side. Barely stifling her disappointment that the sufferer was still alive, she trembled at the specter of his possible recovery. A clawed finger feebly pointed to his lips, then flopped to his side. He wants water. Her knowing was mechanical, without compassion.

Never had such an intimidating man, a reptilian/human hybrid, so large and muscular, so fierce in his gruffness, accompanied a transport mission. Less than an hour before as the ship approached the Orion Nebula, his bellowed warning to shift direction shook her to the core. Confused, she hesitated just before the huge ship with bleeping lights appeared on her screen.

Their predicament was alarming enough without having to cover her ears to shut away the deafening, drawn out growl emitted by the irate guard. Her heart pounded sheer terror in reaction to the ‘I could tear you limb from limb’ threat in his fierce yellow-eyed glare. But, in hindsight, she had to admit her hesitation cost them this crash on the interior of wherever they were, whatever enclosed them.

Now, Manuske’s gaze, fixed firmly on hers, though anything but soft, was imploring. Beside his rib cage the splayed tip of the water source was visible. The massive frame stopped the flow through the tube smashed underneath. Yet, to reach toward the wounded man with a helping hand was unthinkable. She shuddered, imagining a clawed hand gripping her wrist, the nails tearing the flesh of her extended arm.

If I could erect a barrier around you, I would help you. The thought surprised her. The impulse rose in stark contrast to her dread of his recovery. Her sense of trapped vulnerability, should this dying alien spring to life, paralyzed her. She wanted him to die.

He blinked. Then turning his head away, he swallowed, though the sound of it was grating, dry.

Suddenly, unexpectedly Lily scooted closer to grab the end of the flexible straw protruding beyond his back. But his weight held the tube in place.

Lift your trunk, she commanded.

With an agonized groan, the frame lifted slightly, and she eased sufficient length of tube to reach his mouth. When the arm that was easily twice the size of hers moved, she jumped back. But his raised hand flopped helplessly down on the tube. A low growl breathed into a guttural sigh. His head moved side to side, eyes closed.

Impulsively, Lily placed the end of the tube in his hand. He grabbed it and pulled it to within an inch of his mouth. But again, his arm collapsed. In sympathetic response to his thirst, her own throat felt parched. With a dry swallow, she leaned closer to the enemy who, once revived, could break her like a twig. With her left hand, she moved the tube between his arm and body and inserted it in his mouth.

Instinctively, she reached behind him to support the knobby back of his hairless skull with her free hand. The liquid bubbled hesitantly, then flowed up the clear tube yielding loud slurps. As he thirstily sucked up the water, she studied the reptilian hybrid. Though in contrast to the attackers, Manuske was smaller, his features more human, his large knobby hands more like human hands than the claws of the attackers, his size and muscularity were still intimidating.

When sufficiently hydrated, he released the mouthpiece and shook his head from her grasp. Startled, she scooted back. Surveying his wounds, two on his chest and a U-shaped, bloody slit on his throat from ear to ear, Lily didn’t imagine he could survive. She admitted to herself again, that in her fear of him, she wished him dead.

With a protracted sigh, Manuske’s eyes closed, and she got up to see what worked and what didn’t on the ship. The screen was frozen on the great eye of the nebula that was drawing them into its portal before the enemy’s force catapulted the ship here—wherever here was. Her next memory was of three Draco-Reptilians, guns at ready, crowding the bridge. Within seconds, Manuske’s larger, and fiercer, near look-alikes had removed the crystalline guts of the power drive.

Though Manuske had no loyalty to Lily or the ship, he took his job seriously. His assignment was to ensure the transport of twenty crates of power drive crystals to the designated planet, Tygala. Even after two of the Draco-Reptilians took his weapon, Manuske struggled to wrest the crates of crystals from them.

Apparently reluctant to kill one of their own, the marauders shoved Manuske away with guttural shouts, though they shot the ship’s crew, who blocked their way to the cargo. But when the robbers stood ready to transport the stacked booty, Manuske lunged at one, who shot him twice at close range. He staggered backward, righted himself and, with an enraged growl, barreled forward again. The closest bandit grabbed his arm and, with a razor-sharp claw nail, slit the speckled flesh of his throat from ear to ear. As the reptilian shoved his victim backward, he aimed a final shot at Lily, knocking her to the floor before he blinked out of view.

In the unsettling silence, beside the unresponsive control panel, Lily shook herself back to the present. Staring at the figure collapsed on the floor, she wondered, Are this alien and I to die together in this tomb that was once a ship?

Needing to scope out their surroundings, Lily donned a headlamp and, carrying a flashlight, approached the exterior door, relieved it opened despite no drive crystals. A soft rush of cool, damp air from the surrounding twilight brushed her cheek. Hesitantly, she inhaled. The atmosphere was breathable. As she descended the ramp into the surrounding gloom, the light from her headlamp revealed what appeared to be a gigantic cave lit by an eerie phosphorescent glow.

In every direction, craggy hills sported small clumps of lights