Seers of Verde: The Legend Fulfilled: Book One Read Online Free PDF Page B

Watanabe confirmed Taryl’s warning. “Yes, captain. It’s four small ships and a larger vessel. It must be the mother ship.”
    Surprised that the Tanlians hadn’t waited for the Colonia Nueve to make the first move, Hector ordered the landers to launch. “Give me an open frequency,” he ordered.
    When Yoshi nodded he had one, Hector began, “To the commander of the Tanlian ships. I urge you to call off your ships. We are prepared to defend ourselves.”
    Hearing the message, Rolid signaled his brother. “What are your orders, Commander?”
    “Keep pursuing those ships. I will deal with that mother ship,” Yermak barked. “Let’s see what this Earth captain is made of. Direct link me to that ship.”
    Once the link was established, Yermak spoke again. “Earth ship captain, this is Commander Yermak Halpan of Independent Tantalum 2. I order your lander ships to set down at the first available site and surrender. If there is no trouble, we may leave a few of your pathetic colonists alive. You will stand down from that seeder ship, captain, and be prepared to be boarded. It will make a fine addition to the Tanlian fleet. Offer no resistance, and we will return you and your officers to an Earth colony after the proper reward has been paid.”
    Hector looked at Yoshi Watanabe. “Did we expect anything else from these bastards? Let’s see how bad they want us.”
    Yermak watched in disbelief as the Colonia Nueve turned away from the planet.
    “Commander? Our fuel supplies are low. If we chase that ship . . . ” Ossor didn’t get a chance to finish.
    “Intercept her,” Yermak yelled. “They are trying to trick us. Tell the collectors to find the colonists on the planet. There may be no one on board those landers.”
    Hector watched with grim satisfaction as the Tanlian mother ship turned to follow his departing vessel. “Whoever said divide and conquer better be right,” he told his crew as they waited for the inevitable.
     
    ¶ ¶ ¶
     
    Sitting apart from the other colonists as they scrambled to safety in the large valley, a frightened Taryl Bryann broke from her trance and spoke into her communicator. “Lar, two of the Tanlians have broken away and are headed toward us.”
    The security chief winced as he flew the first lander full of colonists toward the planet. He had hoped to get his cargo safely on the ground before the Tanlians followed them in.
    “Taryl, is someone with you? One of my officers?”
    “Yes. Lieutenant Navrakov is here,” she said.
    “Lieutenant, you may get a good shot at one of the Tanlian ships. Make it count,” Lar said. Uri Navrakov was an efficient and competent military man who would do his duty to the death.
    “That second ship will be the problem, we don’t know what kind of weapons they have. If they spot you … ” Lar stopped, knowing he did not need to say more.
    Lar had one last order for Uri. “Lieutenant, you must trust Taryl completely. I have full faith in her. She may be your best hope for survival.”
    “I will, Security Chief,” Uri said, looking at the frightened young woman. A twenty-year veteran of deep-space missions, the lieutenant had been skeptical about heeding the advice of this strange Seer. However, he did not question Lar, whom he respected without question.
    “We will defend the colonists,” Uri answered. “Good luck to you, sir. You have your own Tanlians to worry about.”
    “We’re entering the atmosphere. I pray we all survive this. Good luck,” Lar signed off and concentrated on getting the ship to the ground.
    “I wish I knew when we could expect the Tanlians,” Uri said, as he turned toward the colonist encampment.
    “The Tanlians estimate arrival in eight minutes,” Taryl murmured, her eyes closed.
    Uri spun around, his mouth open in shock and then remembered Lar’s words. “Are you sure, Seer?”
    “Yes,” she answered as if in a dream. “One of the pilots just signaled his crew.”
    Uri clicked on his comm and spoke