Moon Mark
Authors: Scarlett Dawn
Moon Mark
Copyright 2016 Scarlett Dawn
First Edition
All rights reserved as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976. No part of these publications may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the Author. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, 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 coincidental.
Cover Design and
Formatting by
ShoutLines Design
Editing by
Rogena Mitchell-Jones Manuscript Services
T
ABLE OF
C
ONTENTS
I sat at the bar in a small inn and sipped on an alcho-brew. I squinted at the paper that lay on the table, my blue eyes narrowing. I had been staring at it for the past two days on our travel. The President had demanded my presence for a meeting of Joyal governing agents. I had to be there by tomorrow.
The welcome heat of my beverage burned my throat as I chugged the rest of it. I did
not
want to attend. I knew the reasoning for the meet. It was clearly written on the summons.
I lifted a hand to the barkeep, and barked, “Another one, please!”
The woman shook her head, her sweet eyes full of sympathy. “You’re not allowed. You’ve reached your allotted amount for the day.”
The sheet on the table taunted me. I raised my eyes to her, pleading silently.
Her lips thinned before she quickly used her own card to scan the machine. The door opened, and she removed a fresh, frosted drink from the interior of the preservation unit. I doubted she would have done it if there had been any more patrons inside the bar. Jasmine, the woman who had birthed me—one of the surrogate’s on Joyal—pretended not to notice when the barkeep sat it at our table with a small nod of her head of pity.
When the woman moved to clean a table that was already pristine, Jasmine tentatively placed her hand on top of mine. I flinched and glared at the warm contact. Ever since the letter had arrived, she had been touching me every so often. Her gentle brown eyes held mine and removed her hand only after she let it rest there for a few more awkward seconds.
“Madeline, you must get used to it. The Mian and the Kireg are nothing like us. They touch.”
“I know,” I hissed and dropped my forehead into my palms. I stared down at the wooden table and clenched my hair. This couldn’t be happening. This… “This is not why I chose to be part of the governing body of Joyal. I wanted a quiet life outside of the government. Free to work on advanced engineering. Except, the only way to do that was to accept their offer.” I had tested at ten-years-old. My scores had been off the charts for engineering and political science. I loosened my grip on my hair and peeked up at her. “
How
could this have happened?”
Her brown eyes lifted, and she stated in a sarcastic tone, “Well, child, there was this really big wave that destroyed Plata, one of our largest cities—”
I dropped my hands to my lap and scowled.
“This isn’t the time for humor.”
The woman who had birthed me was…unique. Most surrogates never spoke to the children after they birthed and housed them. They sheltered the adolescent until they were five-years-old and then shipped them off to school. Jasmine had taken a shine to me, though. She acted more like a mother where I was concerned just as they had, once upon a time, on Earth—before the humans selfishly destroyed their home planet. She kept in contact with me all through my education, even moving closer to my school to see me during the evening hours when I was free.
I lifted my new, cold drink and gulped a large mouthful. It went down much smoother than before. “But I am a child. I’m only twenty-two. If I’m kicked off this planet, how am I going to survive? I don’t have the experience or knowledge of an older individual—someone who might be able to handle the stress better.”
Jasmine chuckled softly. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. You will be fine. You are highly intelligent, and you are capable of adapting to change—unlike an older individual set in their ways.”
To prove her point, she placed her hand on top of mine again and left it there. I still winced, but I didn’t pull away. I knew I needed this preparation. The barkeep ignored the illegal interaction, keeping her eyes far from us. Jasmine squeezed my hand.
“It is only a matter of adjusting to the new life, the new people, and their ways. You may not have initially joined the government to be part of the politics, but you did join it to create change.”
I sniffed and took another drink with my free hand.
Her eyes were patient on mine. “And what will create more change? You staying here to work on your little gadgets? Or you moving to one of the other planets and garnering even more information than you already have, and possibly joining their technology and ours together for those projects you adore working on?”
“I’m an operator-in-training.” I peered down my nose at her, my mood lightening with her words. But I teased her, declaring, “My gadgets are not
little
. They are profound and benefit Joyal.”
Her words were dry. “The last gadget you worked on blew up when it came in contact with water. There were two injured people and a whole section of your workplace that needs massive renovation. It may have been
profoundly
unexpected, but I’m not entirely sure how that benefited Joyal’s finances.”
I shrugged a shoulder and drank down the last of my alcho-brew. “Trial and error.”
“With an emphasis on error.”
“That time, perhaps.”
“That time, definitely.”
I sighed and pushed my empty drink aside. “What makes you think the Kireg or Mian will even allow me to continue my work?”
“Honestly? They may not. But I know you too well. You will find a way.”
I hummed under my breath. The woman made a valid point. I was known as a rebel, often times being chastised by my superiors. Just recently, I had received a loss in pay because I had switched my designated chair with another person’s chair. Theirs had been much more comfortable for my long hours of sitting and scrutinizing data. With my penchant for disobeying orders and manipulating the system, I did have extreme knowledge on pushing the limits and enduring punishments.
I nodded, definitely feeling better now. I sat straighter on my chair. “You may be correct.”
She patted my hand and then removed it. “See? It shall all work out if you are chosen.” She nodded her head in a grand stroke, completely believing in her statement. “You may have bumps along the way, but you will be fine.” Her head tilted, eyeing my features. “You may even enjoy it when you’ve finally acclimated.”
“That is highly doubtful.” I leaned closer to her and winked. “You won’t be there.”
She smiled, her eyes pinching at the edges. “I will miss you, too.”
I sighed and leaned back in my chair. My eyes caught on the paper again. I lifted it and folded it for the hundredth time, the creases well worn by now.
“We should rest now. We still have a long day of travel tomorrow.”
She pointed at all of my empty drinks, her lips twitching. “Sure you don’t want to swindle another drink out of that poor employee?”
I waved a hand and stood to my feet. The landscape seemed to sway a moment before it righted. I shook my head and stayed steady on my legs. “That probably wouldn’t be wise. Now I see why the government only allows three a day.”
Jasmine rose to her feet, humor sparkling in her eyes. “Let’s get you up to bed then.” She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and led me to our room. She flicked a finger at the paper I held in a tight grip. “Try not to ruin it.”
I glared straight ahead. “I wish I could.”
“I know. I know.”
I growled, “I could handle the Mian on Triaz…”
Jasmine glanced at me, waiting for me to continue.
I swallowed hard, attempting not to lose my hard edge. “The Kireg on Egyac terrify me.”
Her words were soft and assuring. “If you are sent, it will all work out. Just remember that.”
My nostrils flared. “They can read your mind, Jasmine. And bend it to their will.”
She nodded. “And it will all work out if that is where your fate takes you.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“I do.” Her smile was content. “You were my fate, and you changed my life.”
I peered into her kind gaze, searching. “For the better?”
“Oh, yes. I have learned much and loved even more.”
“Do you honestly believe that will happen for me with the Mian or the Kireg?”
“I believe your life is your own. And how you decide to handle life’s gifts is all up to you.”
I lifted the horrid paper. “This is not a gift.”
“It is if you make it so.” She winked. “Try to remember what I’ve said.”
My sigh was heavy as my shoulders slumped. “I will try.”
My tongue darted out, wetting my dry lips. I sat with a ramrod straight back, my hands strangling each other on my lap. My knuckles were white. I was sure my face was too as I listened to the President speak, a light sheen of perspiration cooling my forehead. All individuals called to this culling were in attendance, the room stifling with its quietness.
Not the Kireg. Not Kireg, please.
The President’s eyes traveled from left to right, his eyes reaching each of us. “Out of the thousand in this room, there will be three hundred sent to Triaz and three hundred sent to Egyac.” He lifted the paper in his hand and began reading from it. “First, I’ll start with the individuals randomly picked for Egyac. If you hear your name called, please exit through the door on your right. Kireg representatives will be waiting there, and you will leave within the hour.”