Star Rising: Heartless Read Online Free PDF Page B

best are chosen to become Alioths. In the past, it was our job to put a stop to terrorist groups, space pirates, and things of that nature. Lately, however, we’ve had other problems.”
    “Deargs.” The word left Xalen’s lips without a thought.
    The man’s eyebrow lifted. “Yes. Glad to see that you’re not totally lost.”
    Xalen stood up a bit straighter. For some reason, he found himself yearning to impress this man. It was a desire he could not truly explain. “What do you know about the Deargs?” Reave continued.
    “Not much. Just that they appear out of dark holes that suddenly crack the ground. No Dearg is physically similar. Some are large, others small. There are some that speak, while others only communicate in grunts or with hand signals.”
    “Go on.”
    “All Deargs have a face that resembles that of a stitched marionette, and in fact, they move as if they’re being controlled by some type of puppet master. Which is why…” Xalen stopped talking, certain that the next thing he was going to say would send Reave into a fit of laughter.
    Mud and grime fell from the man’s boots as he tapped them against each other. The clean carpet was now full of dark patches of dirt. “Don’t stop now.”
    “The people from the markets say that the Deargs are being controlled by Yashvir. They say he was a great man who—”
    Reave’s eyes widened. “Great you say? That great man you speak of nearly eradicated all human life in the universe. There was nothing great, about that monster.” He put special emphasis on the past tense word, was . “Besides, Yashvir was destroyed. He’s not coming back.” Reave spoke with such conviction, that Xalen found himself nodding in agreement. “It is far more likely that the Black Sanction is behind this.”
    “The Black Sanction?”
    “Think of them as the total opposite of the Bastion. While the Bastion strives to maintain peace between the races of the universe, Black Sanction’s goal is to cause strife between them. In their skewed opinion, the races should not mix. Humans should live, befriend, love, marry, and socialize only with humans, Oblisks with Oblisks, Milthos with Milthos, Gerts with Gerts, and, well you get the point. They also believe that only the human race is worth saving, and they will gladly eradicate an entire species if it means saving one human life.” As Reave spoke, the ship shook over so slightly. A second later the darkness of space came into full view through the window. Countless stars near and far shined brightly. The mass of purple that was Vintra’s moon hung silently, its inner violet and white colors swirling in a violent vortex. Xalen stood, drawn to the window. His mouth had gone dry, his jaw hung open in awe.
    “I never thought I would be this close the stars,” he said. All previous doubts were erased. He was born to do this.
    “I had the similar reaction the first time I saw it. Even now, after all these star cycles, it takes my breath away.” Reave was looking out the window, at nothing in particular. He zoned out, speaking more to himself than to the boy before him. “This universe does not belong to one species. It’s home to all of us. It is an Alioth’s job to defend it.” The Alioth looked down at him, and Xalen had to make a conscious effort to not let his gaze focus on the terrible scar mutilating part of his face. “Of course, you don’t have to be an Alioth if you don’t want to. There are plenty of jobs at the Bastion.”
    “No!” Xalen exclaimed, more forcefully than he’d intended. “This is my dream.” He felt an explosion of pride for the Alioths organization, an organization he knew so very little about, but one that already stirred a sense of belonging. “I want to do all I can to help those in need.”
    The veteran Alioth smiled. “I knew you would say that. You have the same fire in your eyes that stirs within me.”
    The boy tried not to grin too widely as he spoke. “There’s