ENEMY CALLING: DECEPTION
Ok, it's not fancy, or maybe not even that original. That's why it's a working title. Still a work in progress, however I do believe that it's probably pretty close to the final title. I am adding a sample chapter to the back of the EC:Descent novel for your reading pleasure. Should be a more indepth novel in terms of character development. At least that's what I'm aiming for.
As promised in the last posting, I am going to put up the entire prologue from EC:Descent. That novel should be available on Amazon.com and through special order at your favorite bookstore sometime in late November or early December of 2006. Enjoy!
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Prologue
Lorker Citadel, Je-Fin, Fe-Ruq System, 1500 Local Time
Sergeant Aedge Faerre stood ramrod straight, feet spread shoulder width apart and legs locked at the knees. He held his beam rifle tight across his chest, butt end closer to his right thigh, with the weapon placed diagonally upwards so the business end of the weapon was near the left side of his jaw. All around him, humanoid male and female soldiers of various species all mirrored the same stance. Each faced the same direction in their crimson military uniforms, with polished black boots rising just below the knee where it met black piping that went up each side of the pant legs. The trim continued to the torso as it melded into similar piping that rode up the sides of each soldier’s military jacket. For Sergeant Faerre, it was a beautiful sight to behold.
Lorker Citadel, Je-Fin, Fe-Ruq System, 1500 Local Time
Sergeant Aedge Faerre stood ramrod straight, feet spread shoulder width apart and legs locked at the knees. He held his beam rifle tight across his chest, butt end closer to his right thigh, with the weapon placed diagonally upwards so the business end of the weapon was near the left side of his jaw. All around him, humanoid male and female soldiers of various species all mirrored the same stance. Each faced the same direction in their crimson military uniforms, with polished black boots rising just below the knee where it met black piping that went up each side of the pant legs. The trim continued to the torso as it melded into similar piping that rode up the sides of each soldier’s military jacket. For Sergeant Faerre, it was a beautiful sight to behold.
A light rain was beginning to fall on the parade ground, and the general gray overcast skies had begun to thicken and blacken in the distance. Many of the soldiers in his squad had commented how they should bring their field sack and wear their weather gear instead of their dress reds. It was not an unusual sentiment, taking the planet’s weather patterns into consideration. The senior officers were hoping for merely a dry overcast day, but nature was working against them.
The layer of breathable air enveloping the planet of Je-Fin had long been a haven for strong atmospheric disturbances, from constant squalls and months of rain, to ferocious storms that battered coastal areas with intense lightning strikes. Sunny days weren’t necessarily a rare occurrence on Je-Fin; just so unpredictable that it was difficult to plan for events outdoors without the fear of getting wet. Because of this, many of the outdoor activities were planned for with rain in mind.
The group of senior officers on the dais far ahead of Sergeant Faerre took turns speaking to the assembled soldiers, trying to turn the opening ceremonies of the military exercise into a rally. The one currently speaking was rambling on about the Shalothans, and their religious beliefs, and how great it was to be a part of the Fe-Ruq system, where the truth was evident. There was no god, the senior officer preached. Only evolution. And therefore, the only ones who could protect their planets, their lifestyles, each of their families from the scourges of the galaxy such as the Shalothans would be the soldiers themselves. The speaker was pointing and waving his arms at the assembled group in an animated way, making a feeble attempt to electrify the crowd. Sergeant Faerre heard, but didn’t listen. He knew in his heart there were no such creatures as gods or goddesses, one omnipotent being, one maker of the universe. Logically, if not scientifically, it didn’t make sense. He had known nothing else, so this thought process, this certainty of knowing, was second nature to him, as it was to all of those assembled in the stadium. And it all changed in an instant.
The rambling senior officer was in midsentence when a bright light suddenly filled the sky, blinding all who were present. Sergeant Faerre dropped to the ground, instantly positioning himself in a protective stance, pulling his weapon into firing position. He heard the other soldiers around him dropping to the ground as well, and murmurs rose from whispers to questions as the light continued. He squinted against the searing brightness, trying to see the source of the light. He could feel warmth on his skin, and heard other soldiers asking if anyone else could feel the heat. He began to wonder if it was some new weapon variant. Suddenly a voice boomed across the parade ground:
Behold the Son of God!
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In a few weeks I'll post the first chapter of the EC:Descent novel. Now, for those of you that are cheap and don't want to actually purchase the novel itself, I have a bit of disappointing news for you - I will not be posting the entire novel chapter by chapter. My intention is to post the first three chapters for your perusal, and let you make the decision if you'd like to continue or not. Either way, comments (or rants against my writing) are welcome and appreciated.
See you next time!
Erik
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