The Spectrum Force Volume Two - Heather Ray (intellectual books to read txt) 📗

To those people that are liking the Spectrum Force series so far, thank you! And to those that enjoy reading the books I have been writing, thanks so much! I started writing this series along with Streaks of Purple to get my god-daughter reading (even though I started work on this clear back in high school!) I enjoy writing these series for kids that don't like to read. I was in your guys' shoes when I was younger so I know what you're going through! Hope you guys continue reading these books! Thanks everyone once again!

Also to my good friend, Korin M. Collins: Girl, you and I go WAY back to the days of Talk City and Chatfirst when I was just a bratty teenager using webtv...hard to believe we've known each other that long, right? You did such a great job helping design this cover! I don't know what I would've done without you! You Rock!!

Everything in this story is mine. Once again, it is understood that all aliens are speaking their native tongues. When human beings who do not understand the alien/foreign language are present, I will enclose the non-English speech in parentheses. But when all present understand, I will eliminate that notation.

Thursday, January 27, 2000

A young woman groaned as she blindly felt the space beneath her narrow bed. She then rose to her feet, sighing as she finished buttoning her white blouse. Once she fastened the cuffs, she hurried to her dresser, and pulled out a pair of tawny-toned stockings. After sliding the fine material onto her long legs, she quickly threw on a navy blue blazer and matching skirt, reaching several inches above her knee. She then rushed to her mirror, hanging against the wall just above her dresser, and pulled her dark brown locks into the confines of a barrette. Once she was satisfied with her hair, she stroked a light amount of makeup on her face, enhancing her naturally tan complexion, and emphasizing her large brown eyes with liner. Finally, a conservative spray of vanilla perfume completed the ritual.

She smiled nervously at her reflection, and looked down at her jewelry box. She selected a pair of silver hoop earrings, and a narrow silver band, with the design of leaves etched in its surface, and a sizable amethyst set in the center.

After a final appraisal, she left her small bedroom, and entered the common living room of the apartment.

"Jocelyn?" she called, glancing around the empty room. She then knocked on the door of the bedroom beside her own.

"Come in!" a voice called.

She walked into the room, still in frantic move-in disarray, and observed her roommate sitting at her computer, absently toying with a caramel-colored curl as she stared at the screen.

"Jocie, did you see my navy blue pumps? I can't find them anywhere."

Jocelyn Armand thought for a moment before shaking her head in the negative. "Your feet are two full sizes bigger than mine," she pointed out, "There's no way I'd borrow your shoes, Rachel!"

Rachel Castaneda frowned, folding her arms over her chest. "I hope Tammy gets back soon. She's probably got them."

She sighed inwardly, approaching Jocelyn. She peeked over her shoulder to the computer. "What are you working on? You can't possibly have an essay... we're four days into the semester!"

"Actually, I'm tweaking my schedule," the girl revealed, "I really hated the first lecture of Biology, but I need to take a Life Science course this term."

"Why this

term?" Rachel inquired, "You're a freshman! You don't have to worry about fulfilling the requirements yet."

"Yeah, but I figure if I take at least one course in every basic field, I'll know what field interests me," Jocelyn hypothesized, "And from there, I can figure out which major I'm best suited for."

Rachel nodded, glancing up at the sound of a key turning in the lock. She hurried out of Jocelyn's room, and saw her second roommate, Tamara Fox, stroll into the apartment, an Express garment bag tossed over her shoulder.

"Hey Ray!" she said with a smile, holding up her bag, "You've got to see the skirt I got! It's adorable!"

She noted the frown marring her best friend's face, and rolled her large chocolate brown eyes absently. "What did you lose?"

Rachel's frown turned into a wry smile. "Navy blue pumps. You know, the ones I bought specifically for this outfit, specifically for interviews!"

Tamara sat down on one of the high stools beside the kitchen counter, lying her bag in front of her. She tapped her chin in thought.

"Oh yeah... you know, they match perfectly

with the blue and gold tank dress I wore to the Thalia Theater Troupe dinner last night..."

"And what happened to them after

the party?"

Tamara smiled guiltily. "Last time I saw them, they were in the coat closet."

Rachel sighed, hurrying to the closet and searching the contents. Moments later, she pulled out her shoes, and slid them on her feet.

"Thanks," she breathed, grabbing her purse, "I'm running late!"

"Wait, Ray!" Tamara called urgently, "How long are you gonna be gone?"

Rachel shrugged. "Probably for two hours or so. If they do hire me, they'll probably want to show me around the office. I should be done at seven."

"But you're gonna miss Keith!" she protested, "His flight's coming in at six."

Rachel frowned pensively. "Right." She fished into her purse, and pulled out her car keys. She tossed them at Tamara. "You guys can take my car. I'll take the subway."

"You sure?"

Rachel nodded, opening the door. "Absolutely. And I'll definitely be back for dinner at Cosmos."

Tamara watched Rachel rush through the door, and then turned her gaze to the keys in her hand.

Then, Jocelyn emerged from her bedroom, leaning against the wall and raising her eyes to the ceiling tiredly.

"There's a Microbiology course offered Friday mornings," she announced, "It fits into my schedule."

Tamara frowned in disgust. "Didn't Matt take that course last term? He said it single-handedly ruined his GPA."

Jocelyn's brow wrinkled. "Oh yeah..."

Tamara rose from her stool, grabbing her bag. "Oh, I gotta show you my new outfit! Keith's eyes are gonna pop out of their sockets when he sees me in this!"

Jocelyn smiled in amusement. "Now isn't that a lovely mental picture?"

Swirling in the atmosphere of the planet Jupiter is a massive storm, which has existed for as long as Earth's scientists have been able to observe the planet. It has been called the Great Spot, and is approximately 30,000 miles in diameter. What is not known to Earth's scientists is this storm is in fact the home of a Hyperspace Portal, placed in the solar system by the Fespin explorers who first happened upon it.

However, with the sacred scrolls of the Ohana'Kree in the hands of the Denebian Empire, the secret of the Hyperspace Portal has been made known.

The enormous metal ring, hovering within the atmospheric distortion, began to rotate. It picked up speed, and continued spinning at a blinding speed. Suddenly, a disc of light generated in the very center of the ring, and panned out to the circumference. Through that wormhole emerged a gargantuan airship, it's hull made of a black metal darker than a starless sky, and easily the size of the state of Texas. The ship passed through the ring, and then launched itself through the storm with great ease, sailing through space towards the gleaming star that blazed in the distance.

Within the large ship, enclosed in her private study, sat the Empress at her desk, several scrolls of documents scattered in front of her.

She glanced up from her study at the whisper of the door sliding open. An officer entered, standing at attention before the Empress. Once she acknowledged his presence, he fell to his knees, bowing his head.

"We have arrived in the Sol system."

Phaedra smirked, casting a sharp thumbnail towards the large tinted window. "So I see."

"Your orders?"

"Take us into orbit of the third planet," she decided, rising to her feet. She carried with her one sheet of yellowed paper, and stared at it intensely. "It takes approximately twenty-four hours for the planet to turn completely, and according to these documents the planet rotates on a tilted axis. Because of this tilt, the planet's surface goes through four 'seasons', which are determined by how much sunlight that hemisphere is treated to daily. Currently, the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing 'winter', which is the coldest season with the least amount of sunlight."

She walked to the window, and gazed at the sun. Her ruby eyes narrowed disdainfully.

"This is a powerful star, and it will slightly hinder my conquest. Still, before I launch an attack, I want to know what this planet Earth has accomplished. These Fespin documents are outdated, and I want no surprises."

"Understood, Empress."

She tapped her nails against the glass. "We shall send a small scout party to the Northern Hemisphere," she decided, "Once we arrive at Earth, determine which area of the planet will just be experiencing sunset. That way, we will have the most