The Renegade Read online

  The Renegade

  Apollo Stone Series

  Book 3

  by

  P.M. Johnson

  The Renegade by P.M. Johnson

  Copyright © 2019 by P.M. Johnson

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the written permission of the author, except where permitted by law, or in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews or critical articles.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, organizations, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  For more information about this book and the author, please follow me on Facebook at Apollo Stone Series.

  I also encourage you to review this book on Amazon.com, Goodreads.com, or any other forum where ideas about books are exchanged.

  *****

  Works by PM Johnson:

  The Navigator, Book 1 of the Apollo Stone Series.

  The Warrior, Book 2 of the Apollo Stone Series.

  The Renegade, Book3 of the Apollo Stone Series.

  Coming soon:

  The Conqueror, Book 4 of the Apollo Stone Series.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 1

  We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.

  - Daniel Burton. The Tyranny of the Nine.

  Ravenwood ascended the dais and looked out upon the audience that had gathered together in the assembly hall of the old Hungarian Parliament Building. A magnificent example of Gothic Revival architecture, the Parliament Building had graced the eastern bank of the Danube River since the end of the nineteenth century. Built as an enduring symbol of Hungarian independence, it had been constructed following a long political struggle against the Austrian Emperor, Franz Joseph, who was finally compelled to grant the Hungarians’ demand for sweeping political reforms. These reforms allowed for the creation of a separate Hungarian state on equal footing with Austria.

  Over two centuries after its construction, the Parliament Building was once again at the center of profound political change. Budapest had been selected as the permanent meeting place for a new world organization, the United Earth Council, because of its central location between Europe and Asia and because the UEC had no buildings of its own in which to gather. Indeed, being only six months old, the UEC did not possess even the most rudimentary bureaucratic machinery needed to function for it lacked both an independent stream of revenue and a military. The first problem would be addressed through pending legislation called The Enabling Act. The second problem was at the heart of the present debate, namely whether the UEC would be given authority to draw upon the military resources of its member nations and expand the Earth Defense Force, currently consisting of a handful of volunteer nations, into a fully functioning global military.

  The main chamber was filled with diplomates and heads of state from over seventy-five nations. They looked up to the dais and watched as Ravenwood, a barrel-chested man with thick, short-cropped gray hair, prepared to address the assembly. Though he now held the floor, Ravenwood was not the day’s main speaker. In fact, he was the last of ten orators who had rested their hands on the podium that day to advocate for one course of action or another. Dozens more had spoken during the preceding five days of debate, during which two positions had emerged as leading contenders for the preferred approach to meeting the Sahiradin threat.

  The first position, dubbed “Earth First” by its advocates, urged the UEC to follow a course of strict neutrality, even isolationism. Yes, admitted supporters of this policy, the Sahiradin had sent their fighter craft on punitive raids against many major population centers. Yes, the Sahiradin had announced their intentions to destroy humanity for its alleged connection to the extinct Alamani. And yes, they had landed an assault force on the North American continent several years prior, which had been repelled with the assistance of the Lycians. Even so, these facts did not lead unequivocally to the conclusion that the nations of Earth should declare war on the infinitely more powerful Sahiradin. Nor did these facts require that Earth take up common cause with the Lycians, about whom those now gathered in Budapest knew very little.

  Proponents of the Earth First position also pointed to the dangers of an alliance with the Lycians. Would the Lycians insist on turning Earth into a fortified base? Would human forces come under Lycian authority, and if so, could Lycian commanders be trusted to deploy human soldiers judiciously? And how would the Sahiradin interpret an alliance with the Lycians? Surely it would invite further aggression toward Earth. By contrast, neutrality might allow Earth to escape the war relatively unscathed. It would be better to remain neutral and carefully limit our interactions with both sides, thereby maintaining clean hands in this ancient and complicated conflict. Such a policy would also facilitate balanced relations with all parties when the war has ended, as it someday must. Using these and similar arguments, advocates of the Earth First position drew a considerable number of nations into their camp.

  The second position that emerged during the preceding five days of debate was not, as one might have expected, to take up arms and join the Lycians as full partners in the war. Instead, it was a collection of views which many referred to as the “Fortress Earth” policy. Advocates of this approach called for the rapid militarization of Earth and its environs, such as the moon, using all means at humanity’s disposal as well as acquiring the tools of war from either the Sahiradin or the Lycians. Additionally, Earth would make good use of the powerful ion cannons which the Lycians had already constructed around the planet. In the eyes of the Fortress Earth adherents, these fortifications could be used as the foundation of an array of defenses that would protect the planet and its inhabitants from both armed aggression and undue influence by either side of the conflict. The Fortress Earth policy was not a position of simple neutrality, as some incorrectly believed, but rather one of agnostic belligerence, a sort of “Don’t Tread on Me” approach to interstellar relations. Any
attempt to occupy or bully Earth, whether by the Sahiradin or the Lycians, would be dealt with firmly, and if necessary, with force. Earth would be open to trading with all parties, but would accept no limitations whatsoever on her sovereignty.

  Of the two variations of neutrality, the more conciliatory Earth First position boasted the greatest number of adherents, but neither commanded the loyalty of more than one-third of the total number of UEC representatives. The remaining nations were undecided, some because they found neither option satisfactory, others because they wished to be courted in order to win concessions in exchange for their vote.

  There were of course other minority positions, ranging from formal alliance with the Lycians to the belief that there were in fact no Lycians or Sahiradin and this was an elaborate hoax by certain major powers. And not surprisingly, some nations were already actively fighting the Sahiradin. The League of Free Cities, for example, had made long-term commitments of soldiers and pilots to joint operations with the Lycians. Others, such as the Federated States of America, formerly the People’s Republic of America, contributed troops to Lycian missions on an ad hoc basis.

  On the fifth and final day of debate, representatives of the most powerful nations of the post-Impact world were granted a last opportunity to address the entire body. They included the United Kingdom; the Franco-German Union; the Russian Republic; the Sub-Saharan Federation; the Kingdom of the Sun; the Republic of Da Lu; the United Crescent; the Bharat Ganara; the Republic of Brazil; and the Confederation of Oceana.

  There was no North American nation of sufficient strength and prestige to merit a place among these elite powers, at least not since the recent collapse of the People’s Republic of America. The continent would have been entirely passed over on this final day of debate were it not for two important factors. First, the world was now aware of the role the PRA had played in harboring the Sahiradin castaway, Kurak. It was therefore presumed that the North Americans had the greatest understanding of Sahiradin intentions. Second, the people of North America were the only humans to have engaged in direct, large scale combat against the Sahiradin. For these reasons, time was allotted for the continent to send a representative to the podium, and there was no doubt as to who that person should be.

  Ravenwood patiently waited for the audience to cease its murmuring. The prior speaker, a charismatic and influential Russian diplomat named Vladimir Vasiliev, had spoken for nearly an hour in favor of the Fortress Earth position. He had urged the UEC to pursue a policy of nonalignment and to seek to establish relations, especially trade relations, with both the Sahiradin and the Lycians. What stake did Earth have in this ancient battle between these alien species about whom we knew almost nothing? Better to rapidly build up our strength, he argued; engage with each side from a position of strength but remain neutral. Nothing Vasiliev had said was new to the ears of his listeners, but as the representative of a dominant and aggressive power that spanned from Europe’s Dnieper River to large swaths of land in the upper latitudes of North America, his opinion carried great weight.

  Finally, the storied hall quieted down and people directed their attention toward the man standing at the rostrum. Ravenwood cleared his throat and began to speak, but the microphone squawked loudly with feedback. He leaned forward and spoke again, but the high-pitched distortion returned, visibly annoying those sitting closest to the speakers. With a carefree smile, Ravenwood pushed the microphone to the side and addressed the assembly in a deep, sonorous voice that reached even the farthest corners of the large room with ease.

  “Earth is a beautiful world,” he began with a smile. “It is a brilliant blue pearl floating in a wide black sea. She is adorned with treasures beyond counting: captivating flora and fauna; sparkling oceans, lakes, and rivers; verdant fields and valleys; scorching deserts; and towering, snow-capped mountains. But her most beautiful adornment, her most precious jewel, is a tree, a single tree whose roots reach deep into the soil and stretch far and wide unto every continent. I speak of the Tree of Liberty and her sweet fruits of Peace, Justice, and Equality.”

  “Those who know the Tree and have partaken of its fruits know their power. They can reshape our reality far more effectively than any conqueror, king, or nation. Yet, there are those who have never tasted them. And there are others who have partaken but found them to be bitter. Such individuals often look upon the Tree and its fruits with hate and fear. The fruits’ transformative powers mystify them, terrify them! They gnash their teeth when the spirit of Peace destroys the seeds of discord. They flee from the sword of retribution when the scales of Justice are rebalanced. They bellow with rage when the inequities of false partitions are pulled down and the principles of Equality are reaffirmed.”

  “These enemies of the Tree of Liberty seek to negate the effects of Peace, Justice, and Equality whenever and wherever possible. They have tried many times and failed just as often. For even as one cannot stop the rolling of the tides or the turning of the Earth, one cannot hope to completely destroy the fruits of the Tree. The enemies of the Tree know that it is only by cutting it to the ground and tearing its roots from Earth’s soil that they can hope to destroy it once and for all.”

  He paused and looked out over the audience. Some were listening to his words, but many were paying little attention as they lobbied each other or gossiped in low whispers.

  “Now some of you may believe these words - Peace, Justice, and Equality - are mere notions of fair play,” he continued more loudly. “Or they are part of a beautiful lie we tell our people in order to mollify and control them. These words do not have any true power, goes the argument, especially when compared to the weapons of war and the machinery of the modern state.”

  “But I say these forces of Peace, Justice, and Equality are powerful. Indeed, they are much more powerful than any sword ever forged or edict ever promulgated. They are humanity’s unique contribution to the betterment of the universe. They are expressions of the collective human genius. But unlike other creations, whether they be atoms, planets, or galaxies - satellites, starships, or hypergates, these creations exist only in our hearts and minds. Therefore, they can endure only so long as those who have tasted the Tree’s fruits endure. The Enemy knows this to be true. The Enemy understands that in order to gain ultimate victory over Earth, the galaxy, and beyond, all humanity must be destroyed. It is not enough to simply subjugate or enslave us because we are the Tree and the Tree is us.”

  Ravenwood paused and took in the silence that followed that last statement. The whispering had ceased, for the sound of his voice had seeped into the delegates’ minds, transfixing them and drawing their thoughts toward him like rafts floating along the current of a wide river.

  “And who is this Enemy, you may ask?” he continued. “Who threatens us with extinction? Most would say that enemy is the Sahiradin, a cruel alien species from far away, dedicated to war, and unswervingly obedient to their venomous Queen. Those who believe this would not be entirely wrong. But what is at stake goes much deeper than the current conflict, as colossal as it is. You see, the Sahiradin are merely the latest manifestation of Earth’s true Enemy, a dark force which has attacked us time and again. This Enemy, our true foe, constantly probes our defenses, challenges our sentries, and seduces the weak among us with false promises.”

  “Our true Enemy is the enemy of Liberty,” said Ravenwood, his voice echoing through the hall like rolling thunder. “Our true enemy, my fellow humans, is Tyranny! Tyranny, in its many forms and guises! This is a foe we all recognize, for we have contended against it many times and in many places throughout the ages. From the Plains of Marathon to the cliffs of Normandy, from the narrow passes of Thermopylae to the gates of Stalingrad, from the Coral Sea to the banks of the Mississippi, brave men and women have fought and defeated Tyranny time and again. But victory has always demanded its price. Many courageous defenders took their last breaths on those battlefields and countless others the names of which we will never know. Their blood and bon
es are mixed into the soil on every continent, sanctifying it in a way no prayers of the shaman or priest could ever hope to match.”

  “And so we have gathered here in this majestic and storied hall on the banks of the Danube in order to chart a new course in this, our most trying time. The forces of Tyranny stand once again outside our walls. They clamor for our extinction. They seek to burn down the Tree of Liberty. This time, Tyranny has assumed the guise of the Sahiradin, and I must say they are the most powerful foe humanity has yet faced.”

  He paused and leaned slightly forward, his great shoulders seemingly growing broader, his eyes burning brightly.

  “But we humans are no strangers to war!” he declared loudly. “The sound of roaring artillery, ringing swords, and thundering broadsides are not new to our ears. The Sahiradin live by the sword and believe their many offerings on the altar of Mars have made them invincible, but the capacity to engage in war is just as much in our blood as it is in theirs. Indeed, they have tasted bitter defeat at our hands and know all too well the cunning and courage of the well-trained human soldier.”

  A few nods of agreement and encouraging murmurs followed this last statement.

  “Now we must decide. We see Tyranny standing on the far end of the field of battle. Some among us look across that field and are disheartened. But we are not alone, for we have powerful allies. We have the Lycians, who will equip us with the weapons necessary to gain victory. That noble and determined collection of species has been fighting the Queen’s spawn for generations, and they are absolutely dedicated to victory. We can count on their support.”

  Here he paused for a moment and swept his eyes over the audience before continuing.

  “But let us pretend for a moment that it were it not so. Let us imagine there were no Lycians and we stood alone on the field. If that were the case, our response to Tyranny’s challenge would be the same. We would fight! We would resist! That is what we have always done. It is in our nature. It is in our blood.”