Ascendant Saga Collection: Sci-Fi Fantasy Techno Thriller by Brandon Ellis (best novels to read in english .txt) 📗

the ramp open switch. “I think I found Rivkah’s energy. She is in that building and needs our help.”

“You think you found her?” responded Fox. “All you have is that you think you found her? That’s the basis of us changing our plans?” He scowled. “Let me tell you something, Jaxx. I’ve been doing your shit, your favors, and have been your Goddamn major help during our time on Callisto.” Spit came out of his mouth when he spoke. He took slow steps toward Jaxx. “And this is how you thank me? No, this is how you thank us? By again doing what you want, instead of what we want?” He threw a punch in the air. “Not now, not today, Jaxx. We are going after Slade. That is the consensus.”

Jaxx dropped his hand from the open switch. “Kiyo-zan, stay on course. We’re getting Rivkah, then we’ll execute the plan that Fox has for us.”

Fox took another step toward Jaxx. “The hell we are.” He kicked a chair. “Zara, tell him what our plan is.”

“Throw me your phaser, Fox,” said Zara.

Fox stopped. “Why?”

“You are becoming too aggressive and cannot be trusted with a gun. Remember, we are all on the same team.”

“Try saying that to Jaxx-boy over there. He’s making decisions for us, not—”

Zara roared, her eyes like ice. “Get back into your seat, pink-skin, before I throw you in your seat. If it is Rivkah, we need her. She comes first. Your human, unevolved revenge comes on your own time, not ours.”

Fox straightened his lips, clenched his jaw, and flexed just about every muscle in his body. “Try putting me in my seat, pussycat.”

Jaxx, please come to my aid.

It was Rivkah, and to top it off, Fox was getting on his last nerve. He thrust his hand out, and a flash of energy rushed out of him like a river breaking through a damn. Fox lifted off of his feet and toppled over a row of cabin seats.

Jaxx strode over to Okbak, and leaned down, speaking into the lizard’s ear. “Tell your soldiers to exit all buildings, now.”

Okbak shook his head no.

“Then we have no choice.” He straightened, hands on his hips. “Kill him, Zara.”

As quick as lightning, Zara had her bamboo rifle off of her shoulder and pressed against the prime chieftain’s eye.

Okbak lifted his hand. “I will do as you ask.” He tapped behind his ear. “This is Kajka Okbak. Let—”

Fox came leaping over a chair and with a fist, slammed it hard against Okbak’s temple, and followed with a knee to the Kelhoon’s chin. Okbak’s eye slits closed and he collapsed unconscious.

Fox twisted, and lurched forward, planting his hand around Jaxx’s throat, and pushed him against the hull. “Turn this craft around. We’re going after Slade, not some chick you want to put your dick in.”

Jaxx shoved his forearms into Fox’s chest. Fox lost hold and flipped backward and landed on the cabin floor. Zara planted her foot on his stomach. “Don’t move, pink-cheeks. I’m saving you from your friend here. He has grown in strength and is much more powerful than you.”

This is my last calling, Jaxx. I can’t hold them off for long. Send help soon.

“Koko ni,” hollered Kiyo-zan.

Jaxx glanced up and out of the cockpit window. Kiyo-zan was right. They were at the building. “Third floor, eighth window to your left.”

Jaxx ran to the open switch and pounded it with his fist. A loud hiss and a ball of steam expelled at the ramp’s seals, and it began to open.

27

J-Quadrant, Solar System - Namuh Farms, Callisto

A group of Kelhoon stood behind her door, and Rivkah held her rifle as steady as possible despite her shaking, bloody hands. The door knob jiggled, then stopped. It was locked. Clicks and incomprehensible words mumbled loudly behind the door.

But Jaxx heard her calls. Jaxx was coming. She closed her eyes, balancing the rifle’s barrel on her knee. She proceeded to make herself energetically invisible again. After each thought packet she had sent Jaxx, she’d vanish herself in the ethereal realm just like Abdu had taught her.

But the Kelhoon had her dead to rights trapped in this room. Slade most assuredly knew where she was.

The door burst open. Rivkah aimed, her finger on the trigger. The doorway, and the portion of the hall in front of her, was empty. She closed one eye, targeting with her other, waiting.

A Kelhoon’s hand quickly appeared and came up into a throwing position, a round, metallic device in his hand.

Rivkah was faster.

She squeezed the trigger the second she saw the Kelhoon’s throw.

Fffwapooosh!

Her shot connected with the device the moment it left the Kelhoon’s hand. The doorframe and hall went up in a burst of flames, sending a wave of heat into Rivkah.

She rolled away, her injured hand stinging like no other. The doorframe and the carpet danced in a blazing inferno. If she didn’t get out of here soon, she’d burn up all over again.

She dashed out of the living room and toward one of the bedrooms. She’d have to blast through the walls and into another apartment and continue to do so from apartment to apartment until she found herself safe.

A yank on her collar, and she was pulled to the ground and on her back. Her rifle slipped out of her hand and tumbled to the floor. She gazed up, her forearms crisscrossed in front of her head in a defensive position.

A Kelhoon, his clothes and skin on fire, stood over her, a knife in his hand. He swung, the tip of the blade heading for her chest.

Rivkah flipped her legs up and wrapped her lower legs around the Kelhoon’s striking forearm, and twisted her hips. A snap, and the Kelhoon dropped to its knees, the knife falling from his hand. He screamed in a hissing fit of pain.

“It’s not only your arm I’m going to break, you asshole,” yelled Rivkah, moving to her feet and grabbing his knife. She dashed forward, shoving the blade through his chest.