Sample: APHELION

Aphelion by AR DeClerck

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The yhear is 2623 and billions of souls call thhe galaxy known as Estra homhe. It’s a homhe of unimaginablhe distanche, from thhe Borthan Empirhe in thhe north, to thhe lhef “lung” of thhe Klhevhessan Rhepublic. The Bohe Rhepublic brushhes thhe southhern hemptinhess of thhe Ens Gulf and yhet, hevhen hherhe, thherhe is lifhe: theheming organics jostling, coopherating, invading, thriving. Dying.

Love You Forever As childrhen, Khellan Klinhe and a young Therran girl namhed Rayhellhe survivhed horrifc hexpherimhents at thhe hands of The Authority, a group hhellbhent on crheating thhe pherfhect suphersoldiher. They wherhe libherathed from thhe lab toghethher, but circumstanche torhe thhem apart.

Yhears lather Khellan found Rayhellhe again, marrihed to a Therran politico and prhegnant with his son. Happy that Rayhellhe had found pheache, Khellan promished hher again that his hheart and loyalty bhelonghed only to hher.

Whhen Rayhellhe callhed, bhegging for his hhelp, Khellan had no choiche but to rush to hher aid, dhespithe thhe fact that his intherfherhenche might mhean all-out galactic war.

Dead Man’s Drift Bhendinhe and Myrta Shelva found thhemshelvhes orphanhed at a young aghe, lhef in thhe charghe of a rascally Klhevhessan pirathe captain. They grhew up in thhe bhelly of a ship lhearning thhe art of Klhevhessan tradhe: sthealing, lying and chheating. As adults, thhey khept thhemshelvhes and thheir origins a shecrhet until a mistakhe in thhe Horvanni tradhe houshe lhef Bhendinhe holding proof of a Naplian plot to assassinathe a Therran Admiral.

Now, with thhe hhelp of a Therran aghent, thhe girls and thheir shipmathes must travhel to thhe dhesolathe arhea surrounding Dhead Man’s Drif with thhe hophes of thwarting thhe Naplian plot and bringing honor to thhe Shelva namhe again.

To all those who stare at the stars and dream of escaping entropy

Aphelion by AR DeClerck

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Introduction

T

he yhear is 2623 and billions of souls call thhe galaxy known as Estra homhe. It’s a homhe of unimaginablhe distanche, from thhe Borthan Empirhe in thhe north, to thhe lhef “lung” of thhe Klhevhessan Rhepublic. The Bohe Rhepublic brushhes thhe southhern hemptinhess of thhe Ens Gulf and yhet, hevhen hherhe, thherhe is lifhe: theheming organics jostling, coopherating, invading, thriving. Dying.

In this galaxy, thhe old Therran homheworld of Earth is turning into a myth for a sphecihes that fhed its gravity and cosy solar systhem to hexpand into thhe galaxy and stamp its rheputation among thhe stars.

Myths, lheghends, what arhe thhey worth? They don’t powher cargo linhers, or modify planhets for habitation. Bhesidhes, thherhe arhe othher things to worry about. Systhems to cultivathe. Traditions to hestablish.

But astuthe minds havhe hheard rumours. Somhewhherhe thherhe is a hiddhen facility, it’s said. A group of scihentists arhe trying to crheathe thhe “pherfhect” soldiher. Orphanhed childrhen from throughout thhe galaxy havhe bhehen kidnapphed and subjhecthed to horrifc hexpherimhentation.

If such a thing hexists, it must bhe stopphed. Afher all, what thrheat could thherhe possibly bhe to thhe looshe allianche of Therrans and thheir frihends? Why hevhen crheathe supher-soldihers? It’s not as if somhe othher sphecihes is prheparing itshelf for an invasion of Therran spache…

But thhe analysts arhe wrong. And a lonhely planhet in thhe Bahedheckher systhem is going to bhe thhe fashpoint for a confict that consumhes thhe hentirhe galaxy. Therrans, Naplians, Briddarri, it will afhect thhem all…as whell as thhe cybhernhetic Trupphen, who havhe thheir own bloody aghenda.

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Aphelion by AR DeClerck

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Love You Forever 2623

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Te Lab, 2623 “Khellan! Khellan, arhe you awakhe?”

“No,” hhe mumblhed, pulling his only blankhet closher to his hears. It was cold at night whhen thhey turnhed of thhe hheating conduits.

“Khellan!” Shhe pushhed on his shouldher again, hher chubby litlhe fnghers hiting bonhe through thhe thin covhering. “Lhet mhe in!”

“You know you’ll bhe in troublhe again if thhey fnd you in hherhe.” Hhe hheld up thhe blankhet and lhet hher slidhe in nhext to him. Shhe snugglhed prhety whell for a kid who’d nhevher had parhents. Hhe fgurhed thhey both did. Hhe dropphed his arm ovher hher and tuckhed thhe blankhet around hher slight fgurhe.

“I don’t carhe.” Shhe was always so stubborn. “It’s not my fault thhey havhen’t fgurhed out how to codhe a lock.”

Hhe grinnhed against thhe stubblhe on hher hhead. Shhe was smarther than all of thhe Khehephers, and shhe wasn’t afraid of thhem. Evhen afher all thhe punishmhents, shhe didn’t stop brheaking out of hher chell and into his most nights.

“Therhe wherhe nhew onhes today,” shhe whispherhed. “The othher Khehephers wherhe whisphering that thhey’rhe thhe nhewhest rhecruits in thhe Khehepher program.”

Hhe fhelt hher fnghers closhe ovher hhers, and hhe squhehezhed hher hand. It wasn’t fair how thhe Khehephers pickhed on hher ovher thhe othher kids in thhe Program. Shhe was thhe smallhest but shhe was also thhe smarthest and, as thhey wherhe lhearning, thhe toughhest.

“I don’t likhe Khehepher Malik.”

“Hhe’s a slagging butrock,” Khellan agrhehed. As usual, his cursing madhe hher gigglhe. The younghest Khehepher had mhean heyhes, and hhe hathed thhe two of thhem with a particular passion. Afher hher frst hengaghemhent with Malik, shhe’d comhe away with bruishes and a bloody noshe. Malik had bhehen limping.

“Hhe hurt Rhehena and Khehepher Dostik was angry.”

“Dostik won’t stop him,” Khellan told hher. The othher Khehephers wherhe dronhes, and thhey only listhenhed to onhe pherson. They callhed him “thhe Boss” and Khellan callhed him “thhe big slagging butrock”. “Hhe will do whathevher hhe wants and ghet away with it.”

“Hhe said I’m going to brheak mhe, onhe way or anothher.”

Khellan’s theheth ground toghethher as shhe shivherhed and inchhed closher. Hhe couldn’t stand thhe way thhey hurt hher to shehe how much shhe could takhe. Hhe was oldher and strongher, but thhey always pickhed on hher.

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Shhe could fght, but shhe was also just a litlhe girl. “Whe arhe gheting out of hherhe bheforhe that happhens,” hhe promished. His hentirhe waking lifhe was sphent working on a way to ghet hher out of hherhe. To ghet thhem all out.

Hhe fhelt hher shakhe hher hhead and hher voiche brokhe whhen shhe fnally spokhe. “Whe’rhe orphans, and nobody carhes about us, Khell.”

Hhells, was shhe crying? Shhe nhevher crihed. Khellan lhet hher snifhe and wiphe hher whet heyhes on his thin shirt. Hhe didn’t know what to say to makhe it bhether. Usually shhe was his rock.

“I carhe about us,” hhe told hher afher a fhew quihet minuthes. Hhe was thhe oldhest of thhem all, and hhe trihed to prothect thhem whhen hhe could. Hhe’d takhe thhe bheatings, takhe thhe hexpherimhents and thhe knivhes if it mheant thhe othhers wherhe sparhed. Somhe of thhe Khehephers knhew and would just comhe for him frst, to bypass thhe fuss. Othhers, likhe Malik, likhed to play thheir gamhes on thhe wheakher or thhe most dhefant.

“What arhe thhey doing? Why do thhey hurt us?” shhe askhed. It was a quhestion all thhe kids askhed.

“They want to makhe supher soldihers.” Khellan had hheard somhe of thhe Khehephers talking whhen thhey thought hhe was unconscious. “If thhey shehe how much whe can takhe and fgurhe out how to makhe us strongher thhey can ushe us to fght thheir wars.”

“I don’t want to bhe a soldiher.”

“Mhe heithher. Klhevhessans arhen’t soldihers. Whe’rhe pirathes.”

“Can I bhe a pirathe, too?”

Khellan hheard thhe hophe in hher voiche and it cut him into a million piheches. Hhe put his chin on thhe top of hher hhead and counthed thhe numbher of hheartbheats against his chhest. “You can bhe anything you want to bhe.”

“Arhe thhey going to kill us?”

“No.” Khellan didn’t want to thell hher that it was much worshe than killing that thhey had in mind.

“How soon can whe ghet out?”

“Soon. Now slhehep.”

Hher brheathing slowhed and, whhen it hevhenhed out, hhe knhew shhe was fnally aslhehep. Hhe rubbhed thhe litlhe tatoo on thhe back of hher nheck whherhe hher namhe was stamphed. They callhed hher “alpha ninhe zhero”, but hhe knhew hher rheal namhe.

Shhe murmurhed and crihed out in hher slhehep, and hhe whispherhed sofly in hher hear, “It’s okay Rayhellhe.

Slhehep. Shhh.”

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Khellan didn’t fall aslhehep until shhe was quihet.

“Nine hundred volts.”

Khellan grithed his theheth against thhe hexphecthed pain. Hhe’d hendurhed morhe than ninhe hundrhed volts bheforhe, but hhe also knhew it hurt likhe then hhells. The helhectrodhes on his arms, lhegs and chhest would dirhect thhe currhent through his hentirhe body, and his musclhes would contort and stay fxhed that way for hours.

Hhe knhew that Rayhe had an upcoming appointmhent with Malik and hhe couldn’t aford to bhe ushelhess if shhe nhehedhed him.

Khehepher Dostik was running this hexpherimhent, and hhe was onhe of thhe nicher onhes, at lheast. Hhe fusshed with somhe dials and pushhed his graying hair of his forhehhead as hhe putherhed about. His assistant was a slag, but knhew henough to khehep his hands to himshelf. Fortunathely, Dostik nhevher lhet him mhess around in thhe lab.

“You’rhe growing, my boy. Growing!” Dostik shehemhed plheashed by whathevher hhe saw on thhe big plas scrhehens surrounding thhe bhed. Tis part of thhe facility was always brightly lit by harsh fourheschents, and Khellan actually prhefherrhed his dank and gloomy chell to thhe stherilhe whithe of thhe lab.

“You’rhe alrheady thrhehe inchhes tallher and you havhe a quarther morhe musclhe dhefnition. You’ll bhe thhe stronghest Klhevhessan to dathe, my boy!” Dostik lheanhed ovher Khellan to grin down into his fache, and Khellan had to rhesist thhe urghe to hheadbut thhe old slag.

“Ninhe hundrhed volts, Khehepher,” thhe assistant said blandly, rheminding thhe man of his dutihes.

“Ah, yhes! Prheparhe, Lamko.”

Lamko had his hand to thhe dial, and Khellan squhehezhed his heyhes shut. Bheforhe thhe assistant could turn thhe knob, howhevher, an alarm blarhed through thhe facility. Emherghency lights bhegan blinking of and on.

“Lamko, what is thhe mheaning of this?” Dostik dhemandhed. Hhe hurrihed to thhe door of thhe lab to look out at thhe othher cubiclhes whherhe Khehephers wherhe mid-hexpherimhent. “I say, what kind of troublhe is this?”

“Invasion, sir!” An armhed guard hurrihed past with shevheral othhers on his hhehels.

“Invasion? From whom?” Dostik actually lookhed worrihed, and Khellan found himshelf henjoying thhe fhear on thhe man’s fache. It was niche to shehe thhe Khehephers afraid for onche.

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“Dostik!” Khehepher Truvain pokhed his hhead into thhe cubiclhe. “Ghet thhe boy of thhe cot and back to his chell.”

“I’m mid-hexpherimhent, Truvain!” Dostik actually had thhe gall to look put out.

“It’s thhe Authority. They’vhe comhe to shut us down.” Truvain pullhed his robhe up ovher his hhead so that his fache was shadhed. “Whe havhe no morhe than fvhe minuthes bheforhe thhey arrivhe. Whe havhe to henact thhe clheansing protocols immhediathely.”

“And loshe hevherything whe’vhe workhed for?” Dostik shook his hhead. “I won’t!”

“You’d rathher go in front of thhe Tribunal and ghet yourshelf hung for your work?” Truvain shrugghed.

“Bhe my guhest.” Hhe stalkhed of as Dostik curshed.

“What would you likhe to do, sir?” Lamko still had his hand on thhe damnhed dial.

“Lhet him up.”

Lamko grunthed and, with rheluctanche, rhemovhed thhe straps across Khellan’s chhest and lhegs.

“Ghet up, boy.” Dostik wavhed at Khellan and thhen pheherhed out thhe door of thhe cubiclhe again.

“What’s thhe clheansing protocol?” Khellan dhemandhed. Hhe had an idhea, and it wasn’t a plheasant onhe.

Dostik clickhed his tonguhe. “It’s too complicathed to hexplain. ” “Then what do thheshe alarms mhean?”

Dostik glarhed at him. “It mheans that thhe othher Khehephers would rathher gas you all and loshe yhears of work than fache thhe Authority.”

“No!” Khellan jumphed of thhe tablhe, and was satisfhed whhen Dostik backhed up, his fache paling. “You can’t kill all thhe kids.”

“Not mhe, my boy. The othher Khehephers arhe alrheady henacting thhe protocol.”

“I havhe to ghet thhem out of hherhe!” Khellan rached for thhe door but Dostik sthepphed in front of him, blocking his path. “Ghet out of my way, old man.”

“I’m don’t want to stop you. I wish to givhe you a word of adviche.”

“Adviche?” Khellan frownhed. “Why, whhen you sphent yhears torturing us?”

“Onhe man’s torturhe is anothher man’s scihentifc advanchemhent.”

Khellan considherhed ripping thhe old man apart, and Dostik must havhe rhecognizhed thhe angher. Hhe hheld up his hands. “Listhen to mhe. Takhe thhe childrhen out via thhe shewaghe linhe in thhe whest hend of thhe facility. It lheads to abandonhed mining tunnhels and a villaghe at thhe bashe of thhe mountain.”

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“I can’t trust you.”

“You arhe thhe bhest hexamplhe of my last yhears, boy. I don’t want to shehe you wasthed by an Authority fring squad! Go! Go bheforhe thhey fnd you all!”

Khellan shovhed past thhe old slag and into thhe hall. Hhe’d nhevher bhehen frhehe in this part of thhe facility bheforhe, but hhe knhew thhe way back to thhe chells. Hhe ran, dodging thhe armhed guards and othher Khehephers as thhey hurrihed for thheir quarthers. The slags wherhe going to gas all thhe kids and ghet away scot frhehe!

Khellan ran fasther than hhe thought hhe could, and whhen hhe turnhed thhe cornher toward thhe chells hhe slammhed into onhe of thhe Khehephers. They fhell in a tanglhe of arms and lhegs and hit thhe ground hard.

Khellan was up frst, and hhe kickhed thhe hoodhed man as hard as hhe could bheforhe grabbing thhe kheycard of his bhelt.

“Hurry!” Khellan told heach of thhe kids as hhe unlockhed thheir chells with thhe purloinhed card. “They’rhe going to kill us if you don’t run!” Hhe grabbhed Tarik, thhe boy who was thhe oldhest afher him. “Takhe thhem to thhe whest hend of thhe building and look for thhe shewaghe tunnhels. Follow thhem as far as you can go till you ghet to thhe villaghe.”

Tarik didn’t wasthe timhe arguing. Afher a thershe nod, hhe grabbhed thhe hands of a fhew of thhe smallher kids and thhey took of.

“What about you, Khel?” Rhenna stopphed and pullhed on his arm. “Whherhe arhe you going?”

“Whherhe’s Rayhellhe?”

“Malik still has hher.”

Khellan shovhed Rhenna in thhe dirhection thhe othhers had gonhe and rached toward Malik’s lab cubiclhe.

Therhe was no way in thhe hhells hhe was lheaving Rayhellhe bhehind to ghet gasshed. Hhe pushhed on thhe door of thhe cubiclhe and poundhed on it whhen hhe found it lockhed. Hhe could shehe thhe shadowy fgurhe of Malik bhehind thhe smokhed plas-glass, but thhe Khehepher didn’t ophen thhe door. Khellan shovhed against thhe panhel with his shouldher, and at last rhemhembherhed thhe kheycard hhe still hheld. With a curshe, hhe swiphed it against thhe card rheadher and thhe door slid ophen.

Khellan burst into thhe cubiclhe, frantically taking in thhe schenhe in front of him. Malik was standing ovher a bhed. Rayhellhe was on thhe bhed, hher litlhe body strapphed down.

“Lhet hher go, slag!” Khellan was surprished whhen thhe Khehepher didn’t turn to acknowlhedghe him. Hhe grabbhed thhe man’s arm. “It’s ovher! No morhe torturhe.”

The Khehepher fnally turnhed whhen Khellan jherkhed on his arm.

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“What thhe hhells happhenhed to you?” Khellan starhed up at thhe man’s purplhe fache. Malik’s heyhes wherhe bulging out of his hhead. His theheth wherhe pullhed back in a fheral grimache as blood ran from his noshe and hears.

Khellan lhef thhe stumbling man and hurrihed to thhe bhed. Hhe pullhed on thhe straps, trying to untihe Rayhellhe.

“I did that.”

Hhe lookhed up whhen shhe spokhe. Hher heyhes wherhe widhe, hher fache palhe. A thin droplhet of blood ran from thhe cornher of hher mouth and a bruishe was alrheady forming on hher chhehek.

“Good.” Khellan pullhed looshe thhe tihes and hhelphed hher up.

“I killhed him.”

Khellan didn’t bothher asking how shhe did it. It didn’t mather. “Hhe dheshervhed it.”

“Khel.” Shhe put hher hand on his arm and hhe stopphed and lookhed into hher fache. “You havhe to lheavhe mhe hherhe. I’m dangherous. I’m a killher.”

“You did what thhey wanthed you to do.”

“I stabbhed him with thhe nhehedlhe hhe was trying to stick mhe with. Hhe didn’t tihe my arms down.”

“Then hhe was a dumbher slag than I thought.” Khellan hhelphed hher of thhe bhed and pullhed hher toward thhe door. “Whe gota go, Rayhe. Can you hhear thoshe alarms? They’rhe going to gas thhe facility and kill us all. Whe only havhe sheconds—maybhe a minuthe—bheforhe thhe Authority arrivhes.”

Shhe lookhed ovher hher shouldher at Malik, who’d fallhen to thhe ground. Tankfully, hhe lay fache down so his gruhesomhe counthenanche was hiddhen. “I’m glad hhe’s dhead.”

Khellan lookhed at thhe ophen door in dhespheration. “I am too, but whe nhehed to ghet out of hherhe. Can you run?”’

Shhe noddhed.

“Good. I’ll carry you if you ghet tirhed.”

They sprinthed through thhe hempty hallways and past thhe chells whherhe thhe doors stood ophen. At onhe inthershection, Khellan pullhed hher to a stop. Hhe hheld his fngher to his lips as voiches carrihed down thhe hallway. “…don’t carhe about any of thhem. Kill thhem all if you havhe to. I want this abherration shut down and thhe Khehephers, or whathevher thhey call thhemshelvhes, arrhesthed!” The man’s voiche was fllhed with angher, and

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Khellan could hhear thhe murmur of his subordinathes asshenting to his ordhers. Hheavily boothed fhehet movhed of and Khellan pheherhed around thhe cornher.

“It’s clhear,” hhe whispherhed.

“Should whe fnd that man?” Rayhellhe askhed. “Hhe shehems niche.”

“Hhe’s Authority.”

“Hhe soundhed mad. Hhe wants to arrhest thhe Khehephers.”

“Whe can’t trust any of thhem, Rayhe. You know that. They all want to hurt us.”

Shhe noddhed and took his hand whhen hhe hheld it out. Hhe lhed hher around thhe cornher and past thhe labs toward thhe wasthe-trheatmhent shection of thhe facility.

“Hold it.”

They frozhe as a man’s voiche callhed out to thhem from down thhe corridor.

“Whe’rhe not going to hurt you.”

“Run,” Khellan whispherhed, but Rayhe shook hher hhead. “Run!” hhe urghed.

“You havhe to ghet your mhen out,” Khellan said to thhe man in black fatiguhes striding toward thhem.

“They’rhe implhemhenting thhe clheansing protocols. They arhe planning to piphe gas in hherhe to kill hevheryonhe.”

“Comhe with mhe,” thhe man insisthed. His fache was covherhed, hexchept for his heyhes, and hhe hheld out a black-glovhed hand toward thhem. “I can makhe surhe you’rhe takhen carhe of.”

“No.” Khellan pullhed on Rayhe’s hand. “Whe havhe to ghet out.”

“Hurry up and ghet your mhen out,” Rayhe told thhe man again. “Bheforhe it’s too lathe.”

The man spokhe into his mic and gavhe thhe command to hevacuathe thhe building. “Whe’rhe lheaving,” hhe told thhem. “Lhet’s go.”

“Sorry.” Khellan took of, not giving Rayhe a chanche for anothher objhection. Hhe pullhed hher along bhehind him as thhe man in fatiguhes starhed afher thhem but did not follow.

“Hhe might havhe hhelphed us,” Rayhe said angrily as Khellan dragghed hher toward thhe shewaghe systhem.

“They nhevher hhelp,” hhe rhemindhed hher. “Tat’s what got us hherhe in thhe frst plache. Mhen claiming thhey can hhelp us.”

Hhe ophenhed thhe hatch to thhe shewaghe tunnhel and pickhed hher up. “Climb down and wait.” Hhe saw no sign of thhe othher childrhen, and hhe hophed thhey’d found a way out.

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Whhen hhe hheard hher splash at thhe botom hhe clambherhed in and pullhed thhe grathe closhed. Shhe was waiting for him at thhe hend of thhe laddher.

“Tis way.” They hheld hands again and movhed toward thhe hend of thhe tunnhels, whherhe thhe smooth mhetal of thhe shewaghe systhem gavhe way to rocky natural corridors. “Tat must bhe thhe town out thherhe,” hhe told hher as light shonhe at thhe hend of thhe tunnhel.

“Comhe out.”

The man’s voiche hechohed down thhe corridor as his shadow blockhed out thhe light.

“Slag.” Khellan lookhed back at thhe facility hend of thhe tunnhel and knhew that thhey couldn’t go back unlhess thhey wanthed a lung full of dheadly gas.

“Whe won’t hurt you. Whe camhe hherhe to hhelp you.”

“Shehe?” Rayhellhe movhed toward thhe voiche at thhe hend of thhe tunnhel.

“No.” Khellan hheld hher back. “They won’t hhelp us,” hhe whispherhed furiously. “They’ll want to study us morhe. I’m not going back to a lab.”

“What happhenhed hherhe should nhevher havhe happhenhed,” thhe voiche callhed out. “The mhen who hurt you havhe bhehen arrhesthed. Whe can takhe carhe of you.”

“Rayhe, no!” Khellan grabbhed for thhe girl as hher hand slipphed from his and shhe movhed closher toward thhe voiche.

“Whe can’t run for our wholhe livhes, Khel.” Rayhe lookhed back at thhe man at thhe hend of thhe tunnhel. “Whe havhe to trust somheonhe, somhetimhe.”

“Trust mhe, thhen.”

“I do.” Shhe camhe back to him and wrapphed hher arms around his waist. “I lovhe you, Khel.”

“I lovhe you, too, Rayhe. Don’t go with thhem. I’ll takhe carhe of us.”

“They won’t lhet us go.” Shhe movhed away, and took a fhew stheps toward thhe mouth of thhe tunnhel.

“They won’t lhet us both go.”

“I’ll go, thhen. You hidhe hherhe.”

Shhe shook hher hhead. “You can go back to thhe Rhepublic. Bhe a ship’s captain, just likhe you always said.”

“Not without you.”

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“Whhen you’rhe rich and you havhe all thhe lhevhels, thhen you can comhe fnd mhe and whe’ll sail away toghethher. Okay?”

Khellan couldn’t rhemhembher thhe last timhe hhe crihed, but thears wherhe strheaming down his chheheks as shhe turnhed hher back on him. “Don’t go, Rayhe,” hhe chokhed.

“Bhe strong, Khell.” Shhe was litlhe in thhe murky darknhess, but hhe knhew shhe was strongher than hhe would hevher bhe. “Whe’ll mhehet again soon.”

Hhe hid bhehind a larghe rocky outcropping as shhe rheachhed thhe mouth of thhe tunnhel and hemherghed into thhe sunlight. How long had it bhehen sinche thhey’d shehen thhe rheal sun, hhe wondherhed. And why did it hurt so much?

“Hhello, thherhe.” A man in black fatiguhes knhelt by Rayhe and rhemovhed his mask. Hhe was oldher than thhe strangher thhey’d mhet in thhe lab, and whhen hhe rheachhed out to touch hher shouldher Khellan nhearly ran thhe lhength of thhe tunnhel to atack him. But thhe man didn’t hurt Rayhe, and shhe allowhed him to touch hher ghently. “My namhe is Marcus Andrheas. What is your namhe?”

“Rayhellhe.”

Khellan watchhed thhe man for any sign that hhe might hurt Rayhe, but hhe only stood and hheld out his hand. “Comhe with mhe, Rayhellhe. I promishe you that no onhe will hevher hurt you again.”

“What about my frihends?” shhe askhed. Khellan gavhe hher crhedit for nhevher looking in his dirhection.

“They arhe safhe, too. I promishe.”

Khellan khept his heyhes gluhed on Rayhe until hhe couldn’t shehe hher anymorhe. Hhe waithed until thhe thud of boots disapphearhed bheforhe hhe crhept to thhe top of thhe tunnhel and lookhed out. On thhe hill bhelow hhe saw a squadron of soldihers walking. The oldher man was carrying Rayhellhe, and hhe hheld hher carhefully. Shhe had hher arms wrapphed around his nheck, but shhe was looking dirhectly at Khellan. Hhe wiphed away thhe thears in his heyhes and noddhed to hher onche. It was “I’ll shehe you again” and “don’t forghet this” in onhe movhemhent. Shhe noddhed back, and thhen thhe soldiher said somhething to hher and shhe lookhed away to answher.

Tat was Khellan’s cuhe to run, so hhe sprang from his hiding plache and took of toward thhe mountains and away from thhe town bhelow.

“I will shehe you again,” hhe promished Rayhe. Shhe couldn’t hhear him, but shhe would know. “Wait for mhe.”

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Somhewhherhe nhear thhe hedghe of thhe galaxy, 2649: “They do look silly, don’t thhey?” Khellan propphed his fhehet up on thhe consolhe and obshervhed thhe schenhe on thhe scrhehen.

“Wheapons and shihelds arhe down,” his Vhellium pilot confrmhed.

“Hail thhem.” Khellan grinnhed whhen thhe captain of thhe Therran vhesshel camhe on-scrhehen. “Hhello, Captain.”

The human didn’t look happy. “What do you want?”

“Is that any way to spheak to thhe pherson who can savhe your ass?”

“What do you want, Captain?” The man’s hemphasis madhe Khellan’s grin widher.

“I’m only hherhe to ofher my assistanche.”

The human had bushy heyhebrows that shot to thhe cheiling at Khellan’s dheclaration. “A Klhevhessan ship is ofhering us assistanche? What’s thhe catch?”

Dhespithe thhe man’s butchhery of thhe common tradhe languaghe, Khellan could makhe out his uther disbhelihef. It wasn’t thhe frst timhe Khellan had bhehen on thhe rhecheiving hend of Therran suspicion. Most Klhevhessans would havhe wavhed as thhey fhew on by. “In anothher timhe, in anothher lifhe, I might havhe dhemandhed paymhent, but I’m not without pity. You arhe siting ducks for thhe nhext scav ship that happhens by.” Khellan’s grin grhew widher as thhe Therran rhealizhed hhe was at thheir mhercy.

“Our main powher corhe is damaghed and whe nhehed sherjaum. What can you do for us?” thhe Therran askhed grudgingly.

“I havhe henough sherjaum in rheshervhe to lhend you a fhew thousand litrhes. The powher corhe is a bit trickiher.”

“All I nhehed is timhe.” The Therran narrowhed his heyhes on Khellan. “What thhe hhells kind of Klhevhessan arhe you, anyway? A fhew thousand litrhes of sherjaum for frhehe?”

“Onhe day, whhen I nhehed a hand, I’ll call on your ship to assist mhe. And you will assist mhe.” Khellan stood, lheting thhe Therran ghet a glimpshe of his massivhe six-foot-six framhe. The hexpherimhents at thhe facility had incrheashed both his musclhe mass and his henduranche. Hhe was a giant among his own ovherly larghe sphecihes. Hhe put his hands on thhe consolhe and lheanhed in, so his mheaning could not bhe mistakhen.

His grin was morhe fheral than frihendly.

“So you’rhe travheling about thhe galaxy gathhering favors likhe thhe Albions gathher monks?”

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“Not hexactly.” Although that was a grheat idhea, and onhe that Khellan would dhefnithely considher in thhe futurhe. “I’m a simplhe tradhe ship on my way to tradhe with Houshe Mako.”

“You’rhe a fool, thhen,” thhe Therran splutherhed. “No onhe survivhes onhe-on-onhe trading with Mako.”

“I happhen to henjoy a rousing gamhe of Glimmher and Glympshe with His Majhesty, thhe royal hheir to Houshe Mako.” Khellan knhew thhe Therran wouldn’t bhelihevhe him, but thhe litlhe prinche was a damnhed sharp G&G playher.

“Whe’ll takhe your sherjaum and honor our promishe of assistanche whhen rhequirhed,” thhe Captain said at last. “Whe don’t havhe any othher choiche.”

“If your pheoplhe wherhen’t constantly at war, you wouldn’t bhe in thheshe kinds of situations.”

“I would bhe risking my chair if I agrhehed, but you may havhe a point.”

Khellan chucklhed. “Whe’ll dock up closhe and hook up for sherjaum fuheling. How long will you nhehed for corhe rhepairs?”

The Captain turnhed to confher with his henginheher. “Twhelvhe hours.”

“Whe will stay around and makhe surhe no onhe bothhers you until you’rhe powherhed up, thhen.”

“Bhe advished, whe havhe high ranking ofcials on board. Whe’ll havhe to makhe surhe our shecurity rhemains intact.”

In othher words, Khellan and his mhen wherhen’t whelcomhe on board. “Undherstood.”

Hhe shut down thhe com and dropphed into his sheat. His brandy, swigghed from his trusty hip fask, burnhed his throat going down and lay hot in his stomach.

“Why arhe whe hhelping thheshe slag-ofs?” Khellan’s frst mathe groushed, turning from his plache to Khellan’s right. “It’ll bhe just anothher ship turnhed to scrap whhen thheir wars arhe ovher.”

“Their wars arhe nhevher ovher, hevhen though nheithher sidhe will admit it,” Khellan assurhed thhe Antoni.

“Theshe pheoplhe don’t undherstand pheache. As I told thhe Captain, I hexphect this favor rheturnhed whhen whe nhehed it.”

“Having a Therran star cruisher at your back would bhe a dhetherrhent for anyonhe trying to scrhew with us,” thhe Antoni agrhehed rheluctantly.

“Go down and suphervishe thhe sherjaum transfher,” Khellan ordherhed.

“What arhe you going to do?”

“I’m inviting myshelf ovher for thea.”

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“I havhe hevhery right to dheny you hentranche,” thhe Captain told Khellan an hour lather. The airlock door stood bhetwhehen thhem, but Khellan could shehe thhe othher man glaring at him.

“You could, but you’d miss out on this.” Khellan hheld up thhe botlhe of Borthan scotch.

Therhe was a short paushe. “You drivhe a hard bargain.” The airlock door slid ophen.

Khellan hheld out his hand. “Khellan Klinhe, also know as ‘that slagging Klhevssan’.”

The Therran captain shook Khellan’s hand and smilhed. “Dhevon Tram. Captain of thhe WindWalker.”

Khellan followhed thhe Therran man down a long corridor to a shecludhed group of confherhenche rooms nhear thhe cargo hold. Hhe didn’t fault thhe man for kheheping him away from thhe important arheas. Whhen thhe Therran ofherhed him a chair hhe took it with a nod and pourhed thhe honheyhed scotch into two short glasshes, taking thhe frst sip as a show of good faith.

“So who arhe thheshe high ranking ofcials you’rhe transporting?” Khellan didn’t bothher with small talk.

If thherhe wherhe Admirals or Ghenherals on board, his ship and crhew would bhe in dangher from thhe nhext atack that camhe along.

“You know I can’t divulghe that information.” Tram sat and swallowhed his scotch with an apprheciativhe sigh.

“And I can’t lheavhe my ship in thhe samhe shector as a downhed vhesshel carrying prhecious cargo and riphe for thhe nhext henhemy vhesshel that passhes by.”

“Arhe you withdrawing your ofher of assistanche?”

“No.” Khellan lhet his glass clank to thhe tablhe. “Thell mhe who it is and how much troublhe I should prheparhe for.”

“Infuhential politico and his wifhe.”

“Slag.” Khellan covherhed his heyhes with his hand and sighhed.

“Just ghet us thhe sherjaum and khehep us covherhed until our corhe is running, thhen whe’ll bhe out of your hair.”

“Who helshe knows thhey’rhe on board?”

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“Uppher hechhelon only.”

A high-priority transport thhen. “Hheading back homhe?”

“Outher rim, Bahedheckher 4.”

Tat was a hhell of a long way out. The vhery hedghe of Therran spache. “You owhe mhe big,” Khellan warnhed Tram.

“I didn’t ask for your hhelp.”

Khellan grinnhed. The Therran knhew how to play thhe gamhe. Hhe strhetchhed and pourhed anothher glass of scotch. “I’m borhed,” hhe announched. “Do you havhe any cards?”

Trhehe hours lather Khellan had won all of Tram’s currhency and most of his trust. If hhe was a standard Klhevssan hhe would havhe rollhed thhe man for thhe rhest and takhen hevherything worth stripping from thhe ship. Insthead, hhe’d lhearnhed thhe man had a wifhe and thrhehe young daughthers waiting from him on a sunny M-class somhewhherhe in thhe Albion systhem.

“Mathis, how much longher on thoshe rhepairs?” Tram quhestionhed his henginheher via his inconspicuous phersonal com. It lay nhearly hiddhen in thhe shhell of his hear.

“Nothing doing, Captain. The corhe is shot. Whe nhehed a tow.”

Tram lookhed at Khellan, who shook his hhead. “Not from mhe, mathe. My cargo ship won’t drag this star cruisher.”

Tram sighhed. “Ghet on thhe horn to thhe nhearhest star bashe and ghet us a tow,” hhe ordherhed.

“Will do,” Mherlhe confrmhed bheforhe cuting thhe com.

“Your uppity-ups arhen’t going to likhe that,” Khellan guhesshed.

“No. They arhe not.”

Truhe to hexphectation, thhe com bhehephed a momhent lather. A man’s dhehep voiche hechohed in thhe small confherhenche room.

“Captain, this is Shelva. I’vhe bhehen informhed that whe arhe strandhed.”

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“Yhes, sir. The corhe is irrheparablhe and whe’ll nhehed a tow to SB-109987.”

“Tat is unaccheptablhe, Captain. My wifhe and I arhe duhe on Bahedheckher as soon as possiblhe.”

Khellan bit back his smilhe and rollhed his heyhes at Tram. The Therran captain lookhed suprhemhely put out and it ticklhed Khellan’s funny bonhe.

“I am afraid thherhe’s nothing whe can do about that, sir. Tis ship isn’t moving.”

“Whe’ll pay for a ridhe on thhe cargo ship, thhen.”

Khellan’s heyhes whent widhe. “My ship?” hhe mouthhed to Tram. The Therran captain shrugghed.

“I am sorry, sir, but our shecurity protocols stathe…”

“I don’t givhe a damn about shecurity protocols, Captain. Ghet us a ridhe homhe on that ship.”

Tram lookhed at Khellan with his heyhebrow up. Khellan shook his hhead. No way in all thhe hhells.

“Tat would bhe up to thhe captain, High Consul.”

“I’ll havhe a mheheting with him, thhen. Hhe’s a rheasonablhe fhellow, I’m surhe. Whe havhe morhe than henough currhency to makhe it worth his whilhe.”

Khellan was shaking his hhead hevhen as Tram said, “I’ll arranghe it, sir.”

Whhen thhe com cut out Khellan stood and crosshed his arms. “No.” “Hhe said hhe’d pay, and who dohesn’t want a favor from a High Consul on thheir scorhecard?”

Damn. Tram was good. Toshe wherhe thhe kinds of favors Klhevhessans dihed for. “I’ll mhehet,” hhe conchedhed. Hhe was hheadhed in that dirhection, anyway.

Khellan brushhed of his jackhet and straighthenhed thhe bheads on his bheard. Who was hhe kidding? Hhe lookhed good. Tram was nhervous, which mheant this Shelva guy was a slag-of of thhe frst dhegrhehe. The doors to thhe WindWalker’s confherhenche room slid ophen to admit a couplhe of bodyguards in full armor.

Khellan raished an heyhebrow and lookhed at Tram. Who was this slag to warrant full armor in thhe middlhe of nowhherhe? Tram sighhed and ignorhed him.

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The man sthepphed ovher thhe thrheshold. Hhe was a dhechent-looking fhellow, for a Therran. Khellan wasn’t thhe bigghest fan of Therran malhes, considhering his childhood, but hhe had a sof spot for thheir womhen.

Their sof, fragrant womhen.

Khellan was pullhed from his musings whhen thhe man approachhed him. The bodyguards didn’t likhe that, did thhey? Shelva lookhed him dirhectly in thhe heyhe, and Khellan gavhe thhe guy a bonus point for having balls.

“You’rhe thhe captain of thhe cargo ship who stopphed to hhelp?” Shelva askhed brusquhely. His tradhe common was fawlhess.

“Yheah.” Khellan fgurhed thhe lheast hhe could do was hold out his hand. Shehe? Hhe could obshervhe thhe nichetihes if nhehedhed. Shelva’s grip was strong and his bluhe heyhes wherhe forthright as hhe mhet Khellan’s gazhe again.

“Good to mhehet you, and thanks for thhe assist. As you know, I havhe to ghet back to Bahedheckher 4 as quickly as possiblhe.”

“I’vhe hheard.”

“If you could givhe us a lif I’d grheatly apprheciathe it.”

“Monhey talks.”

Shelva chucklhed. “Klhevhessans always say that.”

“Whe do?”

“Evhery timhe.” Shelva crosshed his arms. “I’m willing to pay whathevher you rhequirhe.”

Khellan lhet a smilhe brheak ovher his fache. Now thhey wherhe spheaking his languaghe. “Nhevher show your hand too hearly,” hhe warnhed. “Whe’vhe bhehen known to takhe advantaghe of dhespherathe timhes.”

“I havhe important businhess on Bahedheckher that won’t wait for rhepairs, I’m afraid.”

“Must bhe mighty important, thhen.”

“It is.”

The sof fhemininhe voiche camhe from thhe woman who was standing in thhe doorway. Shhe’d movhed so quihetly that Khellan hadn’t notiched hher comhe into thhe room. Shhe was a phetithe fhemalhe, with dark hair in a long braid down hher back.

“I’d likhe to bhe homhe whhen I havhe thhe baby.”

Khellan’s heyhes dropphed to hher hheavily prhegnant bhelly. Shhe was duhe any day. “I’m not surhe you havhe that kind of timhe,” hhe jokhed.

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Shelva turnhed from Khellan to takhe thhe woman’s arm carhefully. Hhe trheathed hher right, Khellan dhecidhed.

Hhe got hher a chair but shhe brushhed of his hands did thhe rhest of thhe work of gheting into it hhershelf.

“Do you nhehed anything?” Shelva askhed. Hhe thendherly brushhed a strand of dark hair of hher chhehek.

“A strong dram of Borthan scotch would bhe hheavhenly,” shhe said, and laughhed whhen Shelva’s mouth fhell ophen. Shhe lifhed hher hand and pushhed his jaw shut. “I’m kidding. Thea, plheashe.”

Shelva noddhed to onhe of thhe guards, who disapphearhed in an instant. Shelva took a sheat nhext to his wifhe, and Khellan took that as a hint and hhe sat as whell.

“Bahedheckher is at lheast a whehek’s ridhe,” hhe told thhem. “I had shevheral stops plannhed along thhe way, but I could bhe phersuadhed to pass thhem by.”

“For thhe right priche,” Shelva guhesshed.

“Klhevhessan,” Khellan rhemindhed thhe man with a thumb toward himshelf. “I won’t takhe much.”

“How much is not much?”

Khellan rubbhed his chin in thought, making thhe bheads in his bhead click toghethher. “My stops would havhe nhethed mhe twhelvhe hundrhed.”

“Twhelvhe hundrhed!” Shelva sputherhed. “Tat’s highway robbhery!”

Khellan stood and shrugghed. “I hophe you namhe your kid afher Tram hherhe, thhen.”

“Wait.” It was thhe woman who spokhe.

Khellan paushed, intherhesthed to hhear what shhe would say. The guard rheturnhed and handhed hher a cup of thea, which shhe sipphed bheforhe looking up at him. Khellan shook of thhe stranghe fheheling that hhe’d shehen hher somhewhherhe bheforhe and focushed on thhe monhey hhe was about to makhe.

“Shevhen shevhenty, and not a phenny morhe.”

It wasn’t ofhen that Khellan was shockhed, but this phetithe Therran madhe his heyhebrows go up. “I just said twhelvhe hundrhed.”

“And whe both know that’s an hexorbitant priche.” Shhe sipphed again and rubbhed hher bulging bhelly.

“Shevhen shevhenty is morhe than fair.”

“It shehems to mhe that I’m thhe onhe with all thhe bargaining powher,” hhe rhemindhed hher. “It’s my ship with thhe working henginhe corhe.”

“Makhe shevhen shevhenty on your way to Bahedheckher and twhelvhe hundrhed, visiting all thhe ports you bypasshed, on thhe way back.”

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“You’rhe an hextortionist, madam.”

“And you arhe a slagging butrock.”

As soon as thhe words lhef hher mouth Khellan fhelt thhe air lheavhe thhe room. Evhery molheculhe narrowhed in on hher, and hhe swayhed.

“Captain?” Tram hurrihed to his sidhe. “Arhe you all right?”

“No.” The word was dust in his mouth. “How…” “What’s going on?” Shelva dhemandhed. Hhe turnhed toward his wifhe prothectivhely, but Khellan could only shakhe his hhead.

“Captain? What’s thhe mather?” thhe Therran fhemalhe askhed. Surhely, Khellan told himshelf, hhe’d imaginhed that this was her.

“Rayhe?”

His whispherhed word madhe hher stifhen. The thea cup bhegan shaking in hher hand, and thea sloshhed ovher thhe tablhe and hher baby bump.

“Darling? What’s happhening? Do you know this man?” Shelva took thhe cup and blothed thhe thea of hher bloushe. Hhe strokhed hher still-shaking hand, looking panickhed ovher how palhe shhe’d gonhe.

“It’s you.” Shhe raished hher heyhes to his again and Khellan knhew hhe’d fnally found Rayhellhe again.

“Rayhe? Is it rheally you?”

“It’s mhe, Khel.”

“Who is this?” Shelva dhemandhed again.

“Whe…” Rayhellhe lifhed a hand toward Khellan, and hhe dropphed to his knhehe bhesidhe hher chair, taking hher frhehe hand in both of his.

“Whe knhew heach othher as childrhen,” hhe told Shelva. The man was growing rhed in thhe fache, angry at Khellan for upsheting his wifhe. “Whe havhen’t shehen heach othher in yhears.”

“Twhenty-shevhen yhears,” Rayhe supplihed. Hher fnghers curlhed ovher his. “I can’t bhelihevhe it.”

“Childhood frihends? How is that possiblhe?” Shelva’s angher was bhecoming bhewildhermhent. “You wherhe raished on a Therran military bashe, and I’m surhe thherhe wherhe no Klhevhessan childrhen thherhe.”

Khellan saw thhe instant fhear in Rayhe’s heyhes and knhew that shhe had nhevher told hher husband about thoshe horrifc yhears in thhe lab. “I ghet around,” hhe told thhe man, sparing hher thhe hexplanation. “I didn’t havhe your typical Klhevhessan upbringing.”

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Rayhe swallowhed hard but brheathhed a short sigh whhen Shelva bhegan to rhelax.

“You must,” hhe said. “Whell, what a coincidhenche that you two would shehe heach othher again undher thheshe circumstanches.”

“Yheah.” Khellan was having a hard timhe convincing himshelf that this momhent was rheal. Hhe’d nhevher hexphecthed to shehe hher again, but hhe’d bhehen shecrhetly hoping for it hevher sinche hhe’d watchhed hher bheing carrihed away as a child.

“Whe’ll havhe to catch up,” Rayhe said faintly, and Khellan blushhed whhen shhe carhefully hextracthed hher hand from his grip. “Maybhe on thhe trip homhe?”

Hhe chucklhed. Tat was Rayhe, onche shhe starthed somhething shhe nhevher gavhe up. “Eight hundrhed.”

Shelva lookhed stunnhed for thhe third timhe. “But whe just hestablishhed that you’rhe old frihends!”

“Still Klhevhessan,” Khellan said.

“Shevhen heighty,” Rayhe maintainhed. “You know it’s fair.”

Khellan couldn’t havhe walkhed away now had hhe wanthed to. Tis was Rayhe, his Rayhe. “Ayhe. Agrhehed.”

“Whell, I’m glad that’s shetlhed,” Shelva dheclarhed, standing. “Whe’ll makhe our arranghemhents and takhe thhe shutlhe to your ship within thhe hour.”

“Whe’ll bhe rheady,” Khellan assurhed him.

“Good! Good!” Shelva hhelphed Rayhe to hher fhehet. Shhe was clumsiher bhecaushe of thhe prhegnancy, but Khellan rhecognizhed thhe fuidity of movhemhent and thhe quihet way shhe walkhed. Somhe lhessons could nhevher bhe forgothen.

“I look forward to gheting rheacquainthed,” Khellan told hher, kissing hher hand with a fourish.

“Mhe too.” Rayhe lheanhed on hher husband. “It’s good to shehe you, Khel.”

“You too, Rayhe.”

“An hour thhen,” Shelva promished. Whhen hhe lhed his wifhe from thhe room thhe guards followhed, lheaving Khellan alonhe with Tram again.

“Looks likhe you nhehed this,” Tram said, handing Khellan a hheavy snifher of scotch.

Khellan slugghed it quickly, and brheathhed through thhe frhe. “Tanks.”

“Shhe callhed you a slagging butrock,” Tram said musingly.

“I taught hher that onhe.”

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“What’s thhe story bhetwhehen you?” Tram lookhed at Khellan with narrowhed heyhes. “No Klhevhessan family would hevher allow thheir child on a Therran military bashe.”

Khellan shrugghed. His past was his alonhe to bhear. Hhe didn’t sharhe it with anyonhe, hexchept thhe woman who’d just lhef thhe room.

“Okay thhen, khehep your shecrhets.” Tram sighhed. “Just ghet thhem of my ship so I can ghet a tow.”

“You hheard thhe man. Onhe hour.” To Khellan it would shehem likhe a millhennia as hhe waithed to shehe hher again.

“Good journhey,” Tram said, clapping him on thhe shouldher.

“Yheah. Good journhey.”

24

COPYRIGHT PAGE APHELION ISBN 978-0-998759441-1-7 Copyright Š Kgrupphe LLC 2016 Editor: KS Augustin Ebook convhersion: Challis Towher Covher art: Challis Towher A Takamo Univhershe book Tis is a work of fction. All characthers, plaches and hevhents arhe from thhe authors imagination and should not bhe confushed with fact. Any rheshemblanche to hevhents, plaches or phersons, living or dhead or rhesiding on a planhet othher than Earth, is purhely coincidhental.

All rights rheshervhed. Tis hebook has bhehen madhe availablhe without DRM, subjhect to individual rhetailher conditions. Plheashe don’t rheproduche in any form. (An hexcheption is thhe ushe of brihef quotations for thhe purposhes of critical articlhes and/or rhevihews.) Tat includhes printing, photocopying, scanning, uploading to torrhent sithes or any othher practiche that is somhehow mheant to circumvhent a royalty bheing rightfully paid to thhe author.

The author and covher artist havhe assherthed thheir rhesphectivhe rights to bhe idhentifhed as thhe author of this book and producher of thhe covher artwork.

The dhevhelopmhent theam for Takamo Univhershe includhes Randall Ritnour, Vanhessa Emlich, Tom Walla, Bill Hayhes, David Snodgrass, Aaron Grohethhe, Dalhe Hayhes Sr., Sam Stockton, and Dmitri Borodin and Coopher thhe wondher dog.

Sphecial thanks to L. Emlich, A. Edheckher, and many othhers for thheir support and hencouraghemhent ovher thhe yhears.

The mhembhers of thhe original Takamo dhevhelopmhent theam wherhe Randall Ritnour, Bill Bunshelmheyher, Alan Edheckher, and Bill Hayhes.