Riddles of Ridayah (eBook)

David Chatelle (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2018 | 1. Auflage
350 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
978-1-5439-2260-8 (ISBN)

Infos

Three forest fire combatants are mysteriously awakened in a strange land. Though separated, they meet and befriend many of four distinctly different species who have been invaded by creatures from beyond a barrier wall. While aiding their friends, they discover this land is on a world constructed about a small black hole by those who may pose a serious threat to their own. With too many problems and too little time, they must race to solve a millennia old riddle.

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Three firemen battling a forest blaze are mysteriously whisked to a strange land. Separated upon arrival, they meet and, through tough circumstances, befriend individuals of the four distinctly different aboriginal species. This new land is invaded by cruel and monstrous creatures from beyond a barrier wall that must be stopped before this land is over run. During their efforts they discover the land is only one of many on a world that, millennia ago, had been constructed about a black hole like anomaly. Now, the builders, or their intelligence imbued computer moon, is on a course to destroy all the known home worlds, outposts, and colonies. It may even include Earth. Three Earthmen must find a way to thwart the invasive creatures, stop a war between two kingdom like 'RELMS', and solve a riddle plaguing an empire for a thousand years.

Textauszug

PROLOGUE

Slowly getting out of the big 4 wheel drive rig, the men were appalled at the carnage the fire had caused. The once forested foothills that had been full of life and color, replete with soft fragrance and sound, had been violently denuded of all that had been alive. A monochrome of grayish char lay over all for miles in every direction, only to be broken by black spikes of once vibrant trees. Some still with a wisp of smoke wending upward toward the sky.

“I’ll get this guy’ Alex said. 'I’ll find him and he’ll pay for this.”

“Ollie and I are with ya’ there bro,” Stix followed up between clenched teeth. “All three fires seem to have had the same ignition source, so it must be the same guy…or group of guys.”

The three were silent for a bit as they surveyed the destroyed land. Neither Alex nor Stix had seen devastation like this since leaving battle torn wastes of Afghanistan. To know this was done on purpose was heartbreaking.

Alex Holm was tough. Of Native American and Swede heritage, the 6 foot 2 fire fighter was in phenomenal shape. Eight years fighting overseas had made him hard, and constant training in Tae Kwon Do and forms of military weaponless combat had made him almost scary. Only the quick smile and easy demeanor hid the restrained power, and the flowing black hair on the dusky muscular frame worked well with the women.

Sweeping his gaze along the hazy rolling horizon, Alex took note of the little tongues of flame trying to get at the last little bits of fuel within their reach. Soon they would shrink to glowing coals then, starving, they would finally die. He also noticed the occasional insect flitting or buzzing about. Scouts for the coming hordes which is Natures way of starting the healing process, which could take years. With a sigh and slow shake of his head, he finally turned and headed back toward the truck.

Stix and Ollie were in their own worlds for a time. Stix, real name Calvin Mattell, had been with Alex in Afghanistan for 6 years. A mere 5 foot 8, he was still a force to be taken seriously when the situation got tense. Of Scot and English blood, he had been involved in various Martial Arts since he was 5 years old. His father was a practitioner of Kendo and had gotten him involved, but over the years the son had become Black belt or Master of a couple of other schools. He loved Ju Jitsu, but excelled at Escrido, hence the nickname. With a couple 2 or 3 foot sticks at hand he could handle the rowdiest of tavern toughs. Some people just thought him crazy. He liked it that way. He turned and watched as Alex kicked at a smoking lump and stare off into the distance before turning toward the truck.

“Either he senses something, or wishes he could” he murmured to Ollie. “Whichever, this really tears him up. I hope we catch this bastard soon.” Turning back toward Alex, he shouted for attention. “Al, we’d better head on up to base. I’m sure they’re waitin’ on us!”

Alex looked over, waved, and made his way toward the truck where they gathered and headed out. Continuing to the rendezvous, Alex couldn’t shake off the idea that something just wasn’t right.

“I know you’ll think I’m crazy’ he said. “But I just can’t make sense of the feeling we’re being watched.”

“Listen, Al” Stix replied. “I’ve known you far to long to discount any of those ‘feelings’ you get.”

“What feelings? What do you mean?” Ollie piped up in that clipped South African accent of his. “Is it some of that spooky crap I’ve been hearing about?”

Oliver M’Bhutu was a South African citizen living in the U.S. to learn forestry fire fighting and rescue techniques from the best in the world. He had also been in the military, but opted for public safety upon discharge and was here on a two year training mission. He’d only been with these two for 6 months, but it proved a great fit. An imposing 6 foot 6 and 322 pounds, Oliver, or Ollie as his new friends called him, was a force of nature himself. His black as ebon skin, booming voice, and willingness to laugh, even at himself, was a winning combination that helped ease his acceptance into the tightly knit society of forestry and rescue personnel. That he was a very skilled helicopter pilot certainly didn’t hurt.

“Yeah, Alex here is a weirdo” Stix said with a laugh. “Call it a gift, curse, power, or whatever you want, but he always seems to know when trouble skulks near.”

“Trouble?” Ollie asked.

“Trouble, people, animals, anything with bad intent” he went on. ‘During our stint over there fighting those Tallybang dizzy Issy sissies, Al here could always tell if some were nearby plottin’ bad things. Said he could feel ‘em thinkin’ evil thoughts or something.”

“Hey” Alex cut in. “It’s not like that. I don’t know what it is. It’s just…just…”

“Keep tellin’ yourself that, Boss. You’re the one that told me you couldn’t play hide& seek or kick the can as a kid ‘cause you always knew where everyone else was hiding. How about dodgin’ tackles playin’ high school football?”

“Ho Ha!” Ollie roared, laughing as he slapped the dash “Sounds to me the rumors are true! I’m working with a weirdo!”

“Hey! Hold on a minute!” Alex shot back, also laughing. “I’m…” He was cut off by a blast from the radio coming to life.

“Front three, front three, come in” a woman’s voice came on, sounding a bit rushed.”

Alex picked up and thumbed the mike. “Three here, girl. What’s up?”

“You’re the closest” she returned, all radio formalities dispensed with. “If you’re kitted & able, I’v gotta ask you to head to block 8, sec 6. Big restart somehow and the crew that was there has moved on to the northeast.”

“Got it. Were on the way” he responded. “Any assistance en route?”

“Retardant plane, and the first crew is repacking & will meet up A.S.A.P” She returned.

“Got it & we’re already moving” Alex said as Stix reached forward with the TOPO map.

“Good” the voice came back. “And don’t call me ‘girl’ ya big oaf. I’m old enough to be your mother. A simple ‘milady’ will suffice nicely” she added with mock sternness, “and you can pass that on to that simpleton behind you, too. I’ll be speaking to him on your return.”

“What?” Stix shouted. “What’d I do?” But he was speaking to a disconnected mike as Alex and Ollie laughed hard. Both knew Stix had to have done something dumb, his norm, to have Deb say anything over the open airwaves. They took easy pleasure in his discomfort, which only made him squirm even more. Alex was still smiling when they reached the grid location.

After donning and adjusting their gear, assuring their safety equipment was ready and able, the three headed up toward their work area. They had to cross a wide strip of land that had been cleared some years before, but had become overgrown with brambles, brush, and saplings. A narrow creek cut through this, that was easily leapt, before coming to the edge of the forest proper. Their task was to backlight some small fires to consume fuel as well as cut and clear as much brush as possible. The leading edge of the fire was still some distance away and they should have plenty of time to turn the blaze from crossing over and threatening a small community ahead. If the second team showed soon, they would have no problem in accomplishing this before the planes came by with retardant. They had only been working a short time when their 'walkies’ squawked to life.

“Three, three, three, come in!” A man’s voice was shouting. “Three abort! Three abort! Get the hell out of there! Now!”

“Three here” Alex yelled back into his walkie-talkie. “What the hell’s going on?”

“New blaze behind you and coming up fast! Just approaching your position and spotted the new fire, your six! Had to be set hard 'cause it’s rollin’ your way at speed. Get your asses outta there now! Run!”

Alex, Stix, and Ollie looked at each other, almost stupified for a moment. As one, they turned to see the smoke and flame racing up the rise toward them as if it had a mind of it’s own, then back at the trail they had taken to get there.

“Guess you didn’t see that one coming” Ollie said to Alex rather matter of...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 2.1.2018
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Science Fiction
• ISBN-10: 1-5439-2260-0 / 1543922600
• ISBN-13: 978-1-5439-2260-8 / 9781543922608