Alura's Bind_Book One Read online

  Contents

  CHAPTER ONE Title Page

  CHAPTER TWO Copyright Page

  Comments

  CHAPTER THREE Chapter

  1 Ahead of the Posse

  2 Premature Destination

  3 Exploring the Ghost Ship

  4 Captain's Report

  5 A Surprise in Stasis

  6 Enemy Attack

  7 We've Got Company

  8 It Keeps Getting Better

  9 An Unstoppable Beast

  10 The Patience of Schwarz

  11 Stasis Ended

  12 Reunion and Recreation

  13 The Skolean Vexation

  14 The Girl Awakens

  15 The Monster's Monster

  16 Puzzle Pieces All Over

  17 Jumped

  18 A Worm in the Apple

  19 Bound and Screwed

  20 Engineered Perceptions

  21 You Should See the Other Guy

  22 She's Had Enough

  23 Reunited and It Feels So Good

  24 Getting to Know You

  25 After the One-Armed Man

  26 The Pressure Is On

  27 Negotiations

  28 Are We Doing This?

  29 The Other Side

  CHAPTER ONE

  Title Page

  Alura's Bind

  J.P. Douglas

  CHAPTER TWO

  Copyright Page

  Alura's Bind is a work of fiction. Any names, places, characters, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, either living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2018 by Douglas Pratt

  All rights reserved.

  Thank you for taking the time to read Alura's Bind. This novel will be released in February on Amazon. Alura's Bind is the first in a new series I hope you have a chance to enjoy. By downloading this book, you have opted into receiving news of my books and new releases. I'm also hoping that you, as readers, can give me some feedback on Alura's Bind. My email is [email protected]. Please drop me a note about your thoughts whether about what you like, or about some stupid typos that have been missed.

  Thank you again, and enjoy your read.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Chapter

  Ahead of the Posse

  "Damn, damn, damn," Shaltia cursed at the screen. Brushing a stray strand of purple hair from her face, she toggled a control on the nav board to activate the intercom. "Cooper! Why do we have Browmar planetary defense hailing us to heave to?"

  "Uh..." Cooper's voice came through the speaker. "I'm not sure."

  Shaltia had just left the planet Browmar about an hour earlier. Alura had delivered a collection of musical instruments. The instruments had been camouflaging the real shipment, firearms for a small sect of rebels that were seeking to start a coup. The head of the rebels had reached out to Shaltia about brokering the arms deal. Shaltia agreed after some discussion with Cooper.

  The bridge doors opened, and Cooper stepped through and slid into one of the other chairs. A brown and black bulldog trotted along beside him.

  "Did they find Rida?" he asked about the rebel contact from the arms deal.

  "I don't know. I doubt it? Did you do anything?"

  The bulldog paced the bridge sniffing at the edges for something new.

  "What could I do?" he asked.

  "You had sixteen hours to yourself in the capital," she pointed out.

  "Yeah, and I played cards and drank."

  "Vessel Alura, please respond," the transmitter speaker blared. "You are requested to return to Stratton City immediately."

  "Alura set a course and prepare to activate the particle drive," Cooper said, then he keyed the mic to respond to the planetary defense. "We are on a set time schedule. Can you confirm what this is about?"

  "The admiral wants to have a word with you, Mr. Montbarts."

  "The admiral?" he asked.

  "Yes," the pilot responded. "Admiral Garza."

  The dog sniffed at Shaltia's ankles.

  "Mitch, sit down," Shaltia ordered the dog who turned his head to Cooper and then let his hindquarters rest on the deck of the bridge.

  "What does an admiral want with you?" Shaltia asked Cooper.

  Cooper shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't meet him anywhere."

  "What does the admiral want?" Shaltia said.

  "Please turn around now, Vessel Alura, or we will open fire."

  Cooper looked at Shaltia confused. Shaltia said, "Alura, are we plotted?"

  "Yes, Captain Shaltia," the ship's feminine voice said.

  "She's not the captain," Cooper uttered through gritted teeth.

  "Shut the fuck up, Cooper," Shaltia said. "Hit it, Alura."

  The ship shuddered as a blast from the planetary defense ship struck Alura's aft. Mitch let out a bark of warning before the black of space swirled out the window as Alura's particle drive ignited and launched the vessel at light speed away from the Browmar pilots and the curious admiral.

  "Alura," Shaltia asked, "do you know who Admiral Garza is?"

  "According to Browmar data, Admiral Garza is retired from the Browmar Planetary Fleet. He lives in Stratton City with his wife."

  A three-dimensional hologram of Admiral Garza and his family appeared on the conn. The admiral was wearing a Planetary Fleet uniform. The wife, a brunette a few years younger than Garza, wore a slimming gown. The two children were in their teens. The girl was the oldest of the two. She looked to be nineteen with blond hair and blue eyes.

  Cooper cringed and asked, "Alura, how old is this image?"

  "This image was taken six years ago at a state dinner honoring Bellev Pose, a Planetary Defense Corpsman who was receiving a Crystal Star, the highest military honor on Browmar."

  "Shit," Cooper said. "Garza's daughter. What's her name?"

  "Alecia Garza. She recently graduated from..."

  "Fuck," Cooper interrupted.

  "What the fuck did you do?" Shaltia asked.

  "Garza's daughter."

  "What?" Shaltia said.

  "I met Alecia at a party after the game. We ended up back at her place."

  "So the Admiral is an overprotective father?" Shaltia asked. "Seems like a lot to send the Planetary Defense after you."

  "According to recent reports," Alura stated, "Alecia was betrothed to Regal Maun to be wed in two weeks."

  "What...or who is Regal Maun?"

  "He is the heir to the throne of Browmar," Alura stated. "Marriage to a royal family member is subject to the purity of the betrothed according to Browmar law dating back to the Browmar year 131."

  "You fucked a princess?"

  "She didn't say she was a princess."

  "What did she say?" Shaltia said.

  Cooper twisted his face. "Not much. She was drinking a great deal."

  "Alura," Shaltia said, "what would the admiral want with Cooper?"

  "Under Browmar tradition, restitution is paid to the father of the betrothed for the purity. In the event that the purity of the betrothed is polluted, then the offensive party is responsible for the financial loss of the father."

  Shaltia turned her head to Cooper. "How much is this restitution?"

  "It is dependent upon the individual agreement. The average restitution is around one hundred million in Browmar currency or twenty-five million credits."

  "Damn Cooper! Can't you keep your dick in your pants?" Shaltia demanded. "That's what we needed, a pissed off admiral daddy chasing you."

  "How did he even find out who I was?" Cooper asked. "I never told her my name."

  "Oh yeah, because a fast-talking off-worlder in a stupid felt hat and a leather jacket isn't easily recog
nizable."

  "Fuck it, we're gone now," Cooper said. "We'll be in the Nove system in a few days. We don't have to worry about it. We can enjoy the beaches of Everosa."

  "You think that this admiral, who has a small fleet, is going to just forget about you."

  Cooper said, "He has to find me."

  Cooper rose to his feet and left the bridge. Mitch jumped to his paws and padded after his master.

  Shaltia stared out the window at the swirl of light as the Alura traveled through space at the speed of light. The past six months had been a tole on her. Shaltia liked to be on her own. The constant interaction with a flashy personality like Cooper's was a constant drain on her. He was always on. Always talking. He was impulsive and selfish.

  Shaltia wanted to strike a blow to the corporations and governments that were tyrannizing the systems across the galaxy. Cooper, though, just wanted to profit himself. If he didn't see a way to benefit himself, then he simply didn't seem to care.

  Three times in the last six months she found herself digging her way out of some trouble that he'd gotten her into. Each time, she ended up at the wrong end of someone else's guns.

  Damn, if she hadn't gotten stuck in this partnership. She had expected him to be bored with the whole endeavor and jump ship in some system. Instead, he seemed to enjoy it. All of it. The running from gunners like on Browmar, the day to day ship life, even the close quarters with Shaltia. He seemed to love it all. She figured he found some rush in this. Like he was some space pirate.

  "Alura," Shaltia spoke to the ship, "calculate the time to the Nove system, please."

  "At our current rate of speed, we will reach the Nove system in seven point three days."

  Seven days.

  "Please play the message, Alura."

  A holographic image appeared. A man wearing a white tunic and holding a relay unit. He had a curly mop of brown hair. His cheeks were freckled, and his eyes held a sadness that came from seeing the inevitable.

  "Shaltia, I am not going to be around long. I can't let them have this ship. They will use it to wreck havoc. It's DNA locked, so only I, or my children, can operate it. It will be a giant hunk of metal to anyone else. Please, come. Find a way to get this ship and don't let it be used to hurt people.

  "If, and when, you do, take this vessel away from this system. Don't let it be used the way they intend it to. I know you aren't grown yet, but I know you will be a noble woman that I will be proud to call my daughter. All my love."

  The transmission ended. She had watched it hundreds of times in the last six months. Her father had designed the ship and built it. Alura was one of the most advanced ships in the galaxy. Designed with an energy shield that worked on multiple layers and constantly adapted so as to regenerate itself. Her father had added nanotechnology in order for Alura to self-repair. Nanobots could regenerate hull material and work to fix any damage. The plasma cannon could fire plasma blasts with spreads so small they could destroy a single house on a planet's surface or so wide that they could destroy entire cities with one blast. The artificial intelligence that Shaltia and Cooper had dubbed, Alura, could run the vessel fully automated forever. Like so many scientists, the design and build came easy, until Shaltia's father, Deneb, realized the weapon he had created. When the corporation that commissioned him to build it had him executed, they found a surprise. The state of the art vessel was worthless without living DNA from Shaltia's father. Shaltia was working on a plan to acquire Alura when Cooper showed up and won the vessel in a game of prodo.

  At least the Alura was no longer in the hands of the Croneshaw Corporation that had intended on using the ship to take over planets and steal their natural resources. Cooper was just part of the deal.

  Shaltia leaned back in the chair and watched the blur of space. Alura's artificial intelligent systems could navigate the entire way to Nove. Shaltia just enjoyed the bridge. It was often quiet and gave her a place to think. She dreamed that one day Alura would have a bigger crew that could do all manner of damage to the oppressing bureaucracies of the galaxy. She saw the damage these tyrannical organizations caused to the individuals. She wanted to see them all fall.

  After some time on the bridge enjoying the quiet hum of the ship slipping through space, Shaltia stood.

  "Alura, alert me if there are any problems."

  "Yes, Captain Shaltia," the computer responded.

  Shaltia smiled at the title as she exited the bridge.

  Alura's bridge was also a detachable vessel capable of light speed so that should Alura endure a damaging blow to her aft section, escape could still be possible. As a result of this design, there is a small catwalk to the bridge that retracts during separation. This was all theory to Shaltia, who had yet to attempt a separation .

  Navigating the corridors, Shaltia passed the galley. Cooper was not around, most likely in his quarters or the lounge area working on a whiskey. The man drank incessantly, yet seemed to always remain sober. The one night Shaltia drank with him had left her a drooling mess with a hangover the next day that she thought would kill her. Cooper, on the other hand, remained clear the entire time. He, even, took care of Shaltia's duties the next day.

  Shaltia stepped into the galley and saw a pot of coffee. She poured a cup and grabbed a meal bar. An actual meal sounded like a good idea. With a seven day crossing, she had time to make something worthwhile.

  Just not tonight.

  Tonight, she wanted to find her berth, drink her coffee, and get some sleep. It was going to be a long seven days.

  Premature Destination

  "It smells good," Cooper said. "What is it?"

  "Roast tamaroon. It's like chicken. With some of those vegetables, we got last week and some rice."

  "Sounds delicious," Cooper smiled. "Need some help?"

  "No, I got this," Shaltia said stirring a pot.

  Mitch trotted around the galley and looked up at Shaltia. She looked down at him.

  "I said 'No begging,'" she reminded. "I don't care what your daddy does."

  "Mitch," Cooper commanded, "come here. Leave Shal alone."

  Mitch plodded away from Shaltia disappointed at the lack of treats.

  "You've been quiet," Cooper said. "We've hardly talked for two days."

  "Sorry," she stammered. "I get quiet during crossings."

  "I've noticed. No big deal." He was scratching behind Mitch's ears. The dog holding as close to a grin as he could.

  Shaltia smiled and said, "You could make some of those cookies you do."

  "Good idea. I think we still have some of that oatmeal."

  Cooper stood and rummaged through the lockers looking for the ingredients. His grandmother's chocolate bourbon oatmeal raisin cookies had been one of the few successes he had with Shaltia.

  Cooper watched her. Running the ship was a passion to her. She wanted to run headlong into any fight she thought was unjust, but she was so weighted with caution that she stayed on the edges of the fights.

  Cooper wasn't like that. He'd been a gambler since he could walk. He had left Earth when he was only seventeen. He had nothing there. Most of his family was dead. The only person he left on Earth was his father, a raging asshole as it was. Cooper didn't think much about him. His mother, he remembered fondly. She died when he was eleven, leaving him in the hands of his father. Or maybe leaving him to the hands of his father.

  After his mother died, Cooper had learned to play poker from an uncle that his father hated. Gambling became second nature to him, and by the time he was fourteen, he could read the other players fairly well. He gathered enough money from the winnings of small backroom games by the time he was seventeen to buy passage off Earth.

  He jumped ship in Centauri where his money ran low. There he met a man that Cooper would regard as more of a father than his own, Jonathan. Jonathan was a con man. He knew how to tell a story to anyone to get what he wanted. But Jonathan wasn't what Cooper expected. Jonathan had a conscious. He fancied himself with a nobility that didn
't come with birth. He had no problem stealing or cheating someone, but his own code of honor, though askew, guided his marks.

  Cooper mixed the batter as he thought about Jonathan. It was Jonathan's wife that taught him this recipe, not Cooper's grandmother. But the truth is not as appealing as the fiction. The cookies taste better when coupled with the tale of how Cooper's grandmother learned this recipe from her grandmother in Louisiana before it was covered by the sea. Everything needs its own fiction to make it that much easier to swallow.

  Cooper was adding the chocolate to the bowl when the entire ship shuddered.

  "Captain Shaltia," Alura's voice came over the intercom.

  Cooper's face contorted.

  "We have dropped out of light speed due to a distress transmission," the ship continued.

  "We are on our way," Shaltia responded.

  "She has to stop calling you 'captain,'" Cooper groaned. "It's my fucking ship."

  Shaltia smiled. "You should tell her that."

  "I fucking have," he said as he followed her forward to the bridge.

  "Why would a distress signal kick us out of light speed?" Cooper asked.

  "I have been programmed to cease operation of the particle drive in the event that a distress transmission is received," Alura answered.

  "Who programmed that?" Cooper asked looking to Shaltia for a response.

  "Not me," she said.

  "That is an initial design protocol created by Deneb, Captain Shaltia's father."

  "Alura, she isn't the captain."

  "Yes, sir. The transmission is coming from these coordinates."

  A holographic image of the quadrant appeared showing a flashing beacon.

  "How about we just fire the particle drive back up and continue to Nove?" Cooper said.

  "We can't do that," Shaltia insisted. "We have to help if we can."

  Cooper sighed, "Seems like the beaches are better than some god-forsaken spot in space."

  "Shut up, Cooper. We have to help."

  "Alright," Cooper said, "let's take a look. Take us there. What system are we in?"