Tempered Flight (Extended Adventure)

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Book 2 of the Calen Natari Saga

Another scrape with Imperium patrols has forced Calen Natari into hiding on the exotic and highly dangerous planet Zink. Born a desert nomad, the confinement is intolerable for Calen but necessary if she wants to stay out of an Imperium prison.

While biding her time, she encounters a man who offers to help her with her less-than-impressive piloting skills. But it seems that this man is no ordinary teacher...

This young adult science fiction novelette is approximately 8,000 words.

Worth the Risk: The Calen Natari Saga (Extended Adventure)

This E-book is available for $1.99 on:

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Book 1 of the Calen Natari Saga

The assassin profession is proving to be more difficult than Calen anticipated. Not exactly overwhelmed with job requests, Calen is forced to land on a nearby planet to repair her badly damaged ship.

A stranger she runs into at the local cantina may be the solution to her problems. He lost his honor but is rich enough to pay Calen to help him regain it. All she has to do is risk her life...

This young adult science fiction novelette is approximately 7,500 words.

Pay Up (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 18

Councilor Chum made it to the island in record time.  Calen grunted in approval.  She must have impressed him because the councilor was a busy man.

"I see my source was correct about you, Ms. Natari.  I assume your urgent message means you've been successful."

"I've completed your task.  You'll find the body of a spy behind that rock over there.  I hope you're not squeamish.  Next to the body you'll find a transmission device.  I've checked the internal records and they date back several years, all sent from this planet to various Imperium controlled planets.  You'll find a list of other potential spies here," she handed him the data pad she had obtained from the resistance.

"Good work," the councilor said as he scrolled through the list of names.  "You realize that you have potentially just changed the tides of history, Ms. Natari."

Calen shrugged.  "I care little for your political squabbles.  Make no mistake: I'd take the same type of assignment for the Imperium."

Chum studied her for a moment with his expressionless eyes.  "Perhaps.  You may also end up changing your mind about the Imperium.  They are not a forgiving sort when mistakes are made."

Calen put her hands on her hips.  "I don't make mistakes very often," she said.  It was not a boast.

"No.  I suppose not.  Well, either way, I am grateful for your services.  You've become a wealthy woman today, Ms. Natari.  I'll put the word out in the right ear as well.  You'll find job requests a bit easier to come by in the future."

The Island (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 17

The simplicity of the spy hideout made Calen want to laugh.  Of course the informants were on an island, the last place a race with thriving underwater metropolises would think to look.

Calen had watched as her suspect headed toward one of the larger masses of land before veering off to give him a wide berth.  She would have to land a fairly good distance away in order to avoid raising suspicion.  Dipping the Oboi beneath the waves, she piloted the vessel away from the island for nearly ten standard minutes before looping back toward what her calculations said would be the side of the island opposite where the suspect landed.

She hoped her calculations were accurate.

Tracking prey on land was one thing.  This whole tracking prey in a water environment seemed to be testing every skill that she had.  The hunter in Calen thrilled at the challenge.  This was exactly why she had left her home planet.  She wanted to be a legend.  To achieve what no other scarlati had ever dreamed of.

Calen pulled her vehicle to a halt a few meters from shore and flipped on the autopilot to keep the ship from drifting.  A vessel sitting on land would be more easily spotted than one sitting in the water.  Opening up the cockpit hatch she jumped into the water and swam the rest of the way to shore.

She immediately removed the helmet on her environment suit and took a deep breath of fresh air, flicking her tongue out to test for smells.  Her prey was close.  Closer than she would have liked but she couldn't smell any fear so he obviously still had no idea he was being followed.

Calen checked the charge on her cloaking device.  Half charge.  Enough for her to get close and make her kill.

The island was littered with small trees and rocks.  Not much in the way of cover but Calen would make do.  Sticking close to the larger boulders, Calen darted to and fro with the silent stealth of a highly experienced hunter.  To move without being heard was something the elders taught all scarlati from a young age.

Calen had already learned the hard way that these zelenca were highly sensitive to their surroundings while underwater.  She was unsure how many of those senses carried over to land but she was not about to make the mistake of underestimating her prey.  A hunter unable to learn from her mistakes was as good as dead.

Climbing up a large cluster of rocks, she peeped over to get a feel for the lay of the land.  Her target was about 400 feet away working at a small transmission station.  Calen tasted the air again.  Still no fear.  Her target must have operated like this for years without incident, lulling him with a false sense of security.  Perfect.

She activated her cloaking device and pulled her knife out of her boot.  She made short work out of sloppy prey.

Tailing the Suspect (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 16

The airlock filled with water and Calen did her best to avoid needlessly bumping into others.  The airlock was crowded but she wanted to take no chances.  The room filled quickly, however, and most of the workers seemed to be distracted with getting home.  All creatures have habits, the elders had told her.  We assume things will go a certain way.  It makes life simpler.  When tracking prey the best disguise is to work your way in to the creatures habits.  If you are part of what they assume, they will not be looking for you.

Calen watched how the workers reacted to the change of environment.  They stood there relaxed and patient.  As the water made it impossible to stand, they allowed the currents to dictate their movements. Calen did the same.  To accidentally bump into someone this way would be expected.

The pressure equalized and the doors swooshed open.  Her target walked over to the landing pads where the employees kept their vehicles.  Calen had guessed that she might be in such a position so she had parked her Oboi close by but out of view.

Flipping on the submarine's engines she peeled away in the direction of the landing pads, hoping she had missed the suspect.  The zelenca could move much faster through the water than she could so there was a chance he had already reached his own vehicle and left.

Dozens of ships were leaving the landing pad area all at once.  Calen cursed under her breath.  Even if he was still here, it would be easy to miss him in all this chaos.  No wonder the poorly organized resistance never got beyond this point.

Not knowing what else to do, she followed the swarm of ships as they all headed toward the more residential portions of the city.  Calen noted with interest that the ships seemed to move together as one, not too unlike some of the schools of fish she had seen swimming around.  Not connected to whatever sense they used to do this, Calen did her best to mimic their driving style.

After traveling for a few minutes a few of the vehicles began to break off in different directions, presumably to go to their respective homes.  Calen slammed her fist against a control panel in frustration.  She felt so helpless so... out of control... in this environment.  It was not a feeling she was accustomed to when hunting prey.

Suddenly one of the ships veered off and began to head in the opposite direction.

That's strange.  Why would the pilot head back to where he just came from?

It was possible that he had just changed his mind about his destination.  But worth checking out nonetheless since she had nothing else to go on right now.  The vehicle increased speed and Calen punched her own throttle to match, staying back just far enough to be inconspicuous.

The tiny sub wove its way through rock formations and structures for quite some time before suddenly shooting toward the surface.  Calen smiled grimly.  The Spirits had favored her hunt.  This had to be her suspect.  From what she gathered, the zelenca almost never traveled to their planet's surface.  But if one were trying to hide from the planetary authorities, the islands would be the perfect place to do so.... 

The Dome (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 15

Calen shifted her weight ever so slightly to relieve the cramping in her arms.  She had broken into the Dome several hours before the workday began, wanting to have time to examine her surroundings.  A falsified key given to her by the bartender had granted her access and after that it had been easy to avoid the basic security measures in place.

It was a relief for Calen to not be floating around.  She felt like her prey was now on her terms now, something a hunter always desired.  But the first thing she noticed was the presence of bright lights everywhere to illuminate the work place.  Her cloaking device would not last long in such an environment so it was necessary to find a hiding spot in order to preserve the charge for when she needed it most.

She ended up climbing on top of a large storage tank that was almost touching a portion of ceiling.  It was a tight fit but Calen had long ago become inured to staying in uncomfortable positions for long periods of time.  Worthy prey and the honor of making a difficult kill always made the wait worthwhile.

The images of the two suspect officials were burned into her memory.  Carrying around a data pad on such a mission was impractical.  If they showed up, she would recognize them.  Many hours had gone by since the large airlock doors opened up to admit the first wave of workers and bots into the Dome and there was still no sign of either suspect.

Two more shifts left and entered before the first suspect finally walked in.  Finally, Calen thought.  She watched the zelenca with interest as he immediately went to work overseeing a portion of the factory floor.  The bartender had been correct in that if messages were being sent, it was not from the Dome.  The official was constantly surrounded by employees giving him little chance for privacy.

Calen could see that the zelenca had limited power at best.  He supervised but Calen counted at least eight others that he seemed to answer too.  If the man valued position or wealth he would be ripe for bribery.  He was also in a key location to give the Imperium valuable information.  Invasion on a water planet such as this would be difficult.  But it would make strategic sense to try and cripple the economy by destroying its factories.  All it would take is a handful of precise attacks to completely undermine the government.

The zelenca's behavior changed subtly and he began to glance at the airlock as if expecting someone.  The change in behavior would have been imperceptible to a less experienced hunter.  Another wave of workers and bots entered and with it came the second suspect.

So, there is a connection between them.

The two exchanged data pads, a seemingly normal occurrence between the supervisors of each shift and the first suspect began to head toward the airlock door.

'Vert!

Calen either had to take her chances following her first suspect or stay where she was and watch the second.  Making a split-second calculation she activated her cloaking device and climbed down the storage tank with impressive agility, slipping into the airlock mere seconds before the door closed.

Brainstorming (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 14

"No names," the bartender said firmly.  "I don't want to know who you are and you don't know me."

Calen shrugged.  "Fair enough.  Now tell me what this resistance of yours has uncovered so far."

"Not much, I'm afraid.  Most of us are civilians and not in positions of power to really do any deep digging.  But we do know that the spies are zelenca traitors.  As you've probably figured out, it's not easy for an outsider to get around our underwater cities.  It would be impossible for a stranger to live for years here without anyone noticing.  We think that the spies probably have an interest in Shawm joining the Imperium."

"A reasonable assumption.  What actions have you taken?"

"We have no wish to undermine our own government.  Which is why you are such a convenient discovery.  We have made a point of following around those that we suspect.  But they are tricky, these traitors.  They are careful to hide their tracks."

"Tell me who you suspect," Calen asked as she idly toyed with her knife.

The bartender shook his head.  "Nothing is positive.  And we have no names.  But I can give you the images that we took of them.  There are two.  Both of them are high level officials at the Dome."

"What's that?"

"We have found that some manufacturing is best done in an oxygen based environment.  So the Dome was built to house such productions.  The thing is, that building only has interplanetary communications.  So if messages are being sent to the Imperium, it's not from there."

"It would be too suspicious to send messages directly from the Dome, anyone.  It would compromise their position."

"We thought that too.  But we have yet figure out where they could be sending the messages.  Our cities have very tight security.  This is partially why our government foolishly believes that invasion is impossible."

She slid her knife back in her boot.  "Leave that to me.  I'm going to follow up on this lead.  I'll be back if it turns out to be a dead end."

"And if it doesn't?"

She laughed.  "Consider your problem solved."

Temporary Allies (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 13

"What makes you think I'm going to tell you anything?" the zelenca asked as he warily let go of Calen.  You're a long way from home and from the looks of it a little too young to be doing the job of an experienced assassin."

"I'm not as inexperienced as you think.  It's not every day that I'm asked to infiltrated an underwater city."

"I suppose you have a point there."

"I've been watching you at your bar.  I think you and I have some common ground."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play stupid with me.  As I said, I'm an experienced hunter.  I may be hampered in this environmental suit but I can still read the signs.  You're working with a resistance movement."

It was difficult to read a zelenca's facial expressions, but the man's body language told Calen that her guess had been correct.  "So what if I am?" he asked, casually.  "Do you know how easy it would be for me to kill you and no one would even know?"

"Probably quite easy.  But you don't want to do that."

"I don't?"

"I'm on your side.  I've been hired by a member of your government to... shall we say... find proof of Imperium spies on your planet.  Something tells me that this would be an appealing prospect for you."

The zelenca was silent for long moments, only the slight opening and closing of his gills moved.  Finally he said, "My race is an old one.  But our leaders our fools.  They fail to see the danger we face. What do you want from me?"

Calen shrugged.  "Nothing much.  Food and supplies.  A corner to sleep in.  Your silence and discretion."

The bartender's eyes gleamed.  He was becoming excited.  For years this resistance had been trying to think of ways to penetrate Shawm's spy network and here this young assassin was the solution to all of their problems and with almost no risk to their movement. "I think I can help you."

Uninvited Guest (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 12

Calen followed the bartender to his home but had to put off paying a visit for a few hours while her cloaking device recharged.  She sighed with exasperation.  This demand for secrecy in an underwater city was going to make every task three times longer than it really had to be.

At last, the power bar reached full charge and Calen pushed herself away from the small crevice she had hid in and swam toward the dwelling.  There was only a single door and no windows, a feature Calen found to be extremely alien as her people lived in wide-open tents.  But given water currents and pressure, the lack of windows made sense.

The door was locked by a basic keypad.  On land, Calen would have easily been able to bypass such security measures with a trick she learned from raiding with her tribe.  Unfortunately,  the trick required a pistol.... how was she going t--

The door slid open, startling her.  The bartender swam out, very nearly running into Calen as he deposited what looked to be a pile of trash in a receptacle a few meters away.  Calen had been a breath away from reacting but then remembered that she was invisible.  But there was no telling how accurate these zelenca were with their other senses.

Never one to waste an opportunity, Calen slipped into the dwelling, taking care to disturb the water around her as little as possible.  She moved to a dark corner and watched as the bartender returned and paused for a moment in his doorway as if he sensed something.  Could he have seen her slip inside?  She was almost positive that he hadn't.

Calen forced herself to stop moving in order to avoid detection, causing her to float freely around the cave.  The effect was difficult for her to handle.  As a land hunter she felt more than a little vulnerable floating above her potential target.

Her plan seemed to have worked.  The bartender shrugged and swam over to what appeared to be some sort of food preparation area.  Attacking this man was not going to be easy.  Calen was completely out of her element here.  Her normally lightning-fast reflexes would be slowed.

She carefully removed her knife from her boot and allowed herself to drift all the way to the ceiling.  Then, lining herself up as best she could, she pushed off with all of her might.  It was only a short distance to charge but the bartender must have felt the movement in the water because he dodged to one side, easily evading Calen's assault.

Calen retaliated but the bartender was able to move around her with the natural grace of one born for the water.  He was still not able to see Calen but as soon as she attempted to stab, he deflected.  Foregoing the knife, Calen attempted to grab her target and wrestle him into submission.

They were evenly matched, each vying for the dominant position.  The bartender was slowed only by his inability to see Calen's limbs and Calen was unable to get a firm grasp on the zelenca's slippery skin.  As they thrashed and tumbled about the cave, Calen's cloaking device somehow got knocked off of her wrist.

Calen flickered into full view and the man stopped mid choke-hold when he saw who is assailant was.

"You're not from around here," he said, his voice sounding like a gurgle in the water.

"No, I'm not."

"A zelenca would have known better than to make direct attacks underwater.  Always move with the current.  Why are you here?"

"I need information.  And you're going to give it to me."

Infiltration (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 11

As an air breathing scarlati, this underwater city was not going to be the most hospitable of environments.  But if there was one thing being a desert nomad had instilled in Calen it was survival instincts.  And she knew if she was going to survive, she was going to have to quickly adapt to her surroundings.

Activating her cloaking device, her first order of business was going to have to be to figure out where she was going to hole up for the foreseeable future.  This mission would require deep penetration into the spy network on Shawm.  Certainly a daunting task.

Her environmental suit help her propel through the water as she pushed off from the parking dock.  She headed for what appeared to be a cantina of sorts.  It was as good a place as any to start.  Local watering holes were fertile grounds for gossip.

She slipped in, careful not to touch anyone so they weren't alerted to her presence.  One thing that would definitely take some getting used to on this planet was the potential of having to move up and down.  The cantina tables were spread out so there were a few floating above and below Calen.  This was going to make observation more difficult since there would be no possibility of watching the whole room from a single vantage point.

Choosing an abandoned corner, she decided to position herself in a way that would allow her to observe the bartender.  It was Calen's experience that bartenders usually knew more than they let on.  Also, the patrons would probably venture back every so often for more drinks.

Calen stayed in her corner until closing time, carefully watching the comings and goings of the customers with a trained eye.  The establishment was clearly busy but she saw nothing out of the ordinary except for the occasional private conversation with the bartender.

She had a feeling that her hunch was correct about the bartender.  At the very least he could maybe be persuaded to part with some food and supplies.

This evening he was going to receive an unexpected visitor at his home.

Scouting the Situation (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 11

Shawm's ocean depths hummed with life and activity.  Schools of fish swam by and underwater plants danced with the current.  Occasionally Calen noticed a distant, hulking shape and she tightened her grip on the Oboi's controls, preferring not to think about what the creature could be.

But soon all thoughts of the unknown threat left as she took in her first view of a zelenca city.  It was much larger than she had expected.  She was well aware that the zelenca were politically respected but the rumors of their military might were based solely on speculation.

Calen was not one to pick sides.  But she realized now that the Imperium vastly underestimated these zelenca.  This highly advanced city was no "fish tank" as she had heard many Imperium soldiers crudely term it.  If it was any indication of what the other cities on Shawm were like... they would be a force to be reckoned with.

Not wanting to attract attention to herself she nudged the Oboi into what seemed to be the main flow of traffic.  Calen flipped a switch to turn on the sun reflectors, hoping it would more or less cover her face from curious onlookers piloting by.  This planet, for obvious reasons, did not have a lot of tourists.  The presence of a non-zelenca would certainly be noted.

Most of the dwellings were made out of the natural surroundings.  Calen was vaguely reminded of the coral reefs she had seen holo pictures of on data pads when she was young.  Only this was exponentially larger than anything she had seen before in pictures.

Following the coordinates on her nav-screen Calen noted that the portion of the city she was piloting through was looking less and less glamorous.  The dwellings were not quite so well-maintained and there was less sunlight.

Calen pulled her Oboi to a halt on what seemed to be a long abandoned docking station.  Upon looking around she realized grimly that the councilor had led her to the slums; the underbelly of this thriving metropolis.  The type of area where life was cheap and a being could disappear for the right price.

Perfect.

Descending through the Depths (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 10

Artwork by Andrew de Guzman

Calen couldn't help but be a tiny bit flattered by the job the councilor had offered her.  Such an assassination could only be entrusted to someone highly skilled.

Or... highly expendable...

She had little doubt as to which the councilor thought she was.  But Calen fully intended to prove her worth as a hunter.  If the The Spirits guided her well she would achieve a kill that no other scarlati could ever hope to achieve.  There would be glory in the afterlife for her.

Her first order of business was penetrating the zelenca's underwater city.  Not an easy feat since she could neither breathe underwater or swim.  The next thing she would have to do is procure a method of avoid detection while she tried to discover the spies.

Fortunately, Councilor Chum had provided a solution on both counts.  Calen had to give him credit for thoroughness.  Her data pad indicated a location on one of the larger islands where she could find her supplies.

It was a quick flight.  She landed Blue Sun, jumped out and then touched a button on her wrist control panel to send the ship into autopilot.

Calen eyed the Oboi sub warily.  The councilor had assured her that it would be just like flying her own starfighter.  Only in water.  In truth, the prospect terrified her.  Coming from a desert planet, her people viewed water with awe.  It was something to be respected and feared.  And now she was about to pilot through it.

She opened the small cabin and found the remaining supplies.  An environment suit designed to fit most bipedals and a cloaking wristband.  The suit was designed by the zelenca for when, on those rare occasions, they had distinguished air-breathing visitors.  Essentially it was a second skin that filtered the oxygen out of the water for the visitor.

Doning the suit, she climbed into the submarine's cabin and powered up the engines.  The ship hummed to life and lifted off the ground.  Gripping the controls a little tighter than normal, Calen aimed the ship toward the vast ocean and plunged into the water.

For a moment she forgot about the suit and panic briefly took hold as the cabin filled with water.

But the suit seemed to have no trouble with its job because despite being surrounded by liquid she had no trouble breathing.  Calen calmed herself and then adjusted the ship's heading toward the zelenca city.

As the ship sliced through the ocean's depths effortlessly, Calen couldn't help but pause and absorb her surroundings.  She had never before seen anything so alien.  Or so beautiful.

The Meeting (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 9

Calen stood on a small island and clenched her fists in an effort to control the need to pace restlessly.  She didn't like this situation.  A zelenca councilor had contacted her and told her to meet him at this precise location on his home planet.

Most of the planet was entirely covered with water but there were still a few small islands.  The one Calen stood on was completely bare of any features and was just large enough for her to land her ship.

She felt totally exposed.

She had no idea how friendly the zelenca were but she imagined it would probably be fairly easy to pick her off right now if anyone felt so inclined.

Calen had been standing in this spot for over one standard hour with no sign of the councilor.  If she hadn't been so on edge the gentle sound of the lapping waves might have lulled her to sleep.  She found her reaction to the sound odd since this was the first time in her life that she had ever seen so much water in one place.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught a small movement beneath the ocean surface.  She responded instantly by pulling out her pistol.

The being seemed to be swimming toward her.  Calen climbed on top of her ship for a better angle and aimed her gun at the movement.  She wasn't sure what it was but she refused to die a coward's death.

Councilor Chum emerged from the water.  Calen watched with interest as he stood up on land and his fin separated into two legs.

She holstered her gun and jumped down.  "You're late, councilor."

"I've been in this area for some time.  I had to make sure neither of us were followed."

Calen put her hands on her hips, hoping to convey her annoyance.  "Get to the point."

"You understand that I am counting on your absolute discretion?"

She nodded.

"My planet is in danger, Ms. Natari, and I need your help.  Suffice to say that I... know... there are Imperium spies here.  However, the board refuses to listen to me unless I have more... shall we say... hard proof?"

"I see.  So wish for me to expose these spies.  And my compensation...?"

The councilor handed her a data pad.  "These are some leads along with the price I am willing to pay for such a service."

Calen scrolled through the data pad for a moment.  "You must care about this a great deal.  Your price is more than acceptable.  I'll take the job."

"My planet means everything to me, Ms. Natari.  I refuse to let it fall to those Imperium scum."

First Flight (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 8

Calen's former employer had left her alone in the warehouse/hangar with her new ship.  She was still in awe of her new acquisition.  The ship was perfect.  Everything and more she could have ever hoped for.

She climbed up the side and touched a small button that make the cockpit slide open.  She lowered herself into the pilot's chair.  Everything fit perfectly.  As if it had been custom made for her alone.

Calen had some experience with flying.  She had flown interplanetary shuttles and hover taxis.  But this was her first lightspeed ship.  Her first chance at real freedom.

Her employer must have told someone that a ship would be departing because the hangar doors began to slowly grind open, letting the outside heat and sun pour in.  It was time to leave this place and make a name for herself.

Calen turned on the power and the ship thrummed to life.

She slid her hands over the controls, enjoying the rough, metallic texture.  She raised the landing gear and urged the ship forward slowly.  Calen could feel Blue Sun's energy.  As if the ship was as eager to leave as she.

As soon as she cleared the hangar doors, she threw the throttle forward and blasted toward Rebec's upper atmosphere.

Paid for Services Rendered (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 7

Calen returned to the home of her employer two full days after her kill was completed.  She had wanted to make sure she had escaped cleanly.  She spent much of her time wandering the streets and eating in plain view in public eating facilities.  While the assassination was the number one topic of conversation, no one seemed to know that they were sitting next to the assassin herself.

The servant she had seen before answered the door.  He said nothing but merely handed her a data pad and closed the door.  Calen tapped through the data pad; it's only contents being a single address.

She found the address easily enough.  It appeared to be some sort of warehouse on the outside.  She walked in and saw her unnamed employer sitting there smoking something out of a pipe.

"Calen," he nodded in greeting.

"I've come for my reward," she commanded without preamble.  "No tricks or you'll end up like your target."

Her employer chuckled and puffed his pipe.  "Never fear.  There will be no tricks.  Your assassination was brilliant and I am grateful to you."

He motioned for her to follow and they walked deeper into the warehouse.  It was then that Calen finally noticed the lone occupant: a brand new Veolen fighter.

She inhaled in awe.  It looked sleek and fast.  It was black but she could see in certain angles there was a hint of dark blue to the coloring.  It was perfect.

"Do you like it?"

She nodded.  "It's perfect."

"It's yours.  This particular ship has been custom built.  It has more armor than your standard Veolen fighter but is still just as fast and maneuverable."

Calen walked over and ran her hand over the smooth contours of the ship.  "I'll call it Blue Sun to remind me of where I came from."

"Remember your first employer.  I will have need of you in the future."

An Artful Murder (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 6

The intense blue sun disappeared below Rebec's horizon and with it the penetrating cold set in.  Calen paid it no heed.  Her defining moment would soon be here.  The moment where she would go from a nobody to someone who is feared.

The guests for her prey's dinner party were starting to arrive.  She would wait until they were all seated and settled.  She had quickly realized earlier that day that her escape would be the most difficult part.  A man of power and position would surely have a security team of some sort.  This theory had been confirmed when she noticed beings of various species pacing around strategic areas.

She decided that distraction would be her best bet.  A single shot from her C6 would be easy enough to track.  Any fool would be able to see the general angle from which she fired and fire back.  Unwilling to spoil her first job, she "found" herself two high-powered remote control turrets.  She imagined it would be at least a day before the owner noticed they were missing.

Calen had wired the turrets to fire from separate rooftops coming from different directions once she pulled the trigger on her C6.  Aim had not been a priority for the turrets.  Her own shot would, of course, be the kill shot.

The guests were digging into their first course with gusto.  Plenty of rebecan ale was being served it seemed.  Perfect.

Calen adjusted the scope to zero in on her target.  He was relaxed and talking to the guest on his left.  Totally unsuspecting.

Calen took in half a breath and held it to steady her hands.  She squeezed the trigger.

Both turrets fired at the same exact moment.  The result was exactly has she had planned.  Her target was slumped over in his meal dead and the guests where all screaming, looking around wildly from an assailant that had apparently fired from three different directions.

Calen secured her rifle and slipped into the shadows.  Her work here was done.  The public execution should be more than enough proof of her success for her employer.

Studying The Kill (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 5

Much of what determined a successful hunt was how well the hunter knows the prey.  This concept had been drilled into Calen Natari since birth.  Whether or not her tribe would eat depended on her ability to wait and watch.

She had followed the coordinates on the handwritten map to the circled building.  It was a large private residence.  The data pad that she had first been handed had contained a variety of general articles about a particular politician.  There were several pictures of him but everything else was extremely general.  The kind of data pad that could be easily explained if she was caught.

The location she had been sent to was the home of this politician.  She had been watching his comings and goings through the scope of her rifle since dawn.  There had been numerous occasions where she could have killed him with ease as he sat working at a desk near a window.  But Calen had been watching the rest of the house as well.

She had noticed on the top floor there was a large dining area.  The servants had been decorating it for several hours now.  Calen didn't know a whole lot about the life of the wealthy politician but she knew enough to realize that this man was going to have a large social function this evening.

The meaning on the note had become clear in her mind.  Her employer didn't just want this man dead.  He wanted an example made of his death.  He wanted his rival killed in front of his supporters as they sat around enjoying their success.

It would make her job much more difficult.  But she noted with surprise that the request strongly appealed to her ego.  This would not be some crude killing.  This would be an artful assassination. 

Cryptic Note (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 4

Calen decided that it would be best to remain unnoticed until nightfall.  Though it was easy to be lost in the crowds, someone unfamiliar with the city environment stood out.  She would spend this evening becoming acquainted.

She ignored the ache in her muscles from sitting crouched in the ally.  She had been trained since birth the art of hunting.  Though she was slightly better than most, everyone in her tribe had learned to ignore the pains of the body and mind.  It was either ignore the pain or starve.

Very little fuss is made about sunset on Rebec.  Night and the outside temperature falls quickly.  As with all  scarlati, Calen's vision could adjust to low light conditions.  In the desert this was definitely an advantage.  In the city, less so.  Automated lights turned on and illuminated most of the main streets.  However, Calen's ally was still pitch black.  At least it provided some cover.  Silently, she untied the pack the stranger had given her and examined the contents.

The stranger who had hired her was definitely thorough.  Food rations, a map and extra ammo cells for her C6 had been had been provided.  Digging deeper into the pack, she found what seemed to be a black jumpsuit of sorts.  Needing a fresh change of clothing, she stripped out of her more native looking garb and dawned the jumpsuit.  Though seemingly thin and skin tight, the garment proved to be surprisingly warm against the night chill.

Calen pulled her own black boots  back on and then examined the final item in the pack.  It was essentially a utility belt with clips for ammo cells and pouches.  Calen buckled on the belt, loaded up the ammo clips and put the food rations in one of the pouches.  She then turned her attention to the map.

She found it interesting that the map was hand drawn.  Even in her far more rustic nomadic tribe almost everyone used data pads.  They did not wear with age and took up far less space than thousands of scrolls.  A single building was circled on the map along with a note written in the margins saying "Tomorrow.  Evening Meal."

Calen pondered what the cryptic note might mean.  Deciding not to waste any more time, she threw aside the now empty pack, secured her rifle, and melted into the shadows as she made her way toward the building circled on the map.

Target Acquired (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 3

The stranger never gave his name.  Calen did not care.  He was a means to an end.  All that mattered was making this kill and collecting her reward.  Still, he seemed more than pleased to assist her.  As she followed him to his dwelling he murmured something about "not letting such talent go to waste."

Though they were the same species, the stranger's dwelling seemed completely alien to Calen.  Useless decorations were on every wall.  It had obviously been many years since he had had to pack up all his belongings to follow a herd.

"You will need equipment," he stated.

His tone of command offended her.  She was no slave.  "My belongings will suffice.  I need nothing else."

"You've never had to make a kill like this before."

He pressed a button and a side door instantly opened up to admit a servant.  The servant was a species Calen had never seen before but he was obviously well-trained and probably very discreet.

"I'm sending this young woman on one of my very... special... diplomatic missions," he told the servant.  "Please see to it that she is well prepared for such a mission."

The servant left and then came back mere moments later with a large pack that he handed to Calen.

"Go through the contents in your own time and use what you will," the stranger instructed.  He handed her a data pad.  "On that data pad is a list of the information you will need to know about your target including probable whereabouts."

"Why do you want him dead?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Curiosity."

"You should ask fewer questions.  But if it makes any difference, the man is one of my biggest rivals here on this planet.  Let's just say I have great plans for Rebec and he is making these plans rather difficult."

Calen shrugged.  Politics did not interest her.  She wanted her ship and that was that.

"Report back to me here as soon as you have completed your task.  If you want your ship I require proof of the kill."

Different Path (Adventure) - Calen Natari Saga 2

The city was enormous.  Bigger than anything she had ever seen.  Her tribe lived mostly in tents made of animal skin.  In the cold season they would have makeshift mud huts.

But this...

This was beyond anything she could have imagined.  There were beings everywhere.  Merchants lined the street selling goods.  Crowds flowed through the street like blood through veins.

Where should she even begin?  Who should she talk to about the invaders she had found?

Calen shifted her pack slightly to a more comfortable spot.  The blood had already drained from the severed heads of the Imperium soldiers that she had killed.  Still, they were heavy.  Taking a calming breath she decided to trust The Spirits to guide her and pushed her way forward in the crowd.

She wandered for what seemed like an hour.  The streets grew more crowded.  Calen started to look around for a place where she might rest when a voice cut through all the noise to address her: "Where are you headed, young one?"

She turned and saw an older scarlati sitting at what looked to be like some sort of food establishment.  She walked over to him.  "My name is Calen Natari.  I come from a tribe two days journey from here.  I would like to talk to the leader of this place."

The old stranger chuckled.

"You mock me?"

He sobered.  "No.  There is just much debate late as to who is really in charge.  But I bore you.  Why do you wish to find the leader?"

Calen hesitated a moment.  Why should she trust this stranger?  She shouldn't, but at least it was a starting place.  Perhaps The Spirits led him to her.  "I have evidence that the Imperium may be scouting out our planet and possibly invade."

"What evidence?"

She dropped her pack onto the table with a thunk and opened it for the man.

He viewed the contents without so much as a flinch.  "This is serious," he observed."

"I thought so."

"You killed these soldiers?"

"I did."

"By yourself?"

"Yes."  She found his tone to be slightly insulting.

"Leave the evidence with me.  I will see it reaches the proper hands."

"Why should I trust you?"

"You shouldn't.  But I am a person of.... influence... on this planet.  Besides, who else would you go to?"

Calen conceded the point with a shrug.  "I will give you the evidence.  But I will need a reward."

"What kind of reward were you thinking?"

"A ship.  I want the freedom to leave this planet.  The Spirits have told me in a dream I am destined for greater things."

The stranger looked at her for long moments; as if he were measuring her.  He seemed to come to a decision.  "The Spirits may be right in this case.  I'll give you a ship.  I'll even give you a job, if you choose to take it.  A job that will most certainly take your life down a different path."

"What job?"

"I want you to kill someone for me."