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  THE CHRONICLES OF KIN ROLAND

  Enemy of Man

  Son of Orlan

  Weapons of Earth

  Scott Moon

  Copyright © 2016 Scott Moon

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to brave individuals serving their nation to provide freedom and security for the rest of us.

  Contents

  Special Offer

  THE CHRONICLES OF KIN ROLAND

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Enemy of Man CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  Son of Orlan PART ONE CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  PART TWO CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  PART THREE CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  PART FOUR CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  CHAPTER FORTY

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  Weapons of Earth PART ONE CHAPTER ONE - Gods, Family, and Sergeants

  CHAPTER TWO - Ogre

  CHAPTER THREE - Battle Bitch

  CHAPTER FOUR - Captain Trak

  CHAPTER FIVE - Wingers

  CHAPTER SIX - Double Cross

  CHAPTER SEVEN - A Reaper Like No Other

  CHAPTER EIGHT - Ceremony and Shapeshifters

  CHAPTER NINE - The Burning One The Burning One

  CHAPTER TEN - Rickson

  CHAPTER ELEVEN - Mistakes Were Made

  CHAPTER TWELVE - Devil’s Bargain

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Rabbit Hole

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN - Proposal

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Amnesty

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Refusal

  PART TWO CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - Death of an Admiral

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - Exodus

  CHAPTER NINETEEN - Slomn-Reaper

  CHAPTER TWENTY - Turning a Wrench

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - Running the Ror-Rea

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - Ship Assault

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - High Lords of the Ror-Rea

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR - Saving Ceana

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE - Shadow

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX - Kin’s Decision

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN - Rickson’s Warning

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - Who is the Omega?

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - Losing Clavender

  CHAPTER THIRTY - Shock Trooper Down

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE - Deception

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO - Banished

  PART THREE CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE - Revenge of the Winger King

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR - Towers of Hellsbreach

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE - Friends Like Enemies

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX - Orange Sun

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN - Way Station

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT - The Rage

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE - Runaway William

  CHAPTER FORTY - Escape

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE - Gobbi’s Feather

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO - Breakfast of Champions

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE The Fool’s Choice

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR - Jojo Does the Work

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE - Boxed

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX - What Needs to be Done

  PART FOUR CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN - Mech Warrior

  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT - Droon’s Captors

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE - Dog Versus the Demons of Hellsbreach

  CHAPTER FIFTY - Run

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE - Orange Sun, Purple Moon

  CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO - Concentration of Forces

  CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE - Reaper Queen

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR - Droon Lies

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE - Droon Zeabl

  CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX - Fate

  CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN - Infiltration

  CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT - Detonation

  CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE - The Omega

  CHAPTER SIXTY - Sanctuary in Hell

  Also by Scott Moon

  ENEMY OF MAN

  Book One in the Chronicles of Kin Roland

  Scott Moon

  CHAPTER ONE

  HEROES weren’t sealed in space caskets and launched into the void — not while they were still breathing. Kin shuddered. Memories came at night; they came with regrets, fears, and nightmares only a man buried alive could understand. Heroes destroyed the enemy. Heroes saved the day and died before they could wear medals or explain what it was like
to shed the blood of millions.

  This room is too dark.

  Kin needed to go outside and look at the sky, but the wormhole song, the distant groaning of a universe unraveling, reminded him of Hellsbreach — gunfire, plasma bolts, and nuclear explosions on the horizon. Better to dream of Becca, though she was the reason he volunteered for the campaign.

  “Stop thinking of her,” Laura said.

  Kin sat up in bed, dropped his feet to the floor, and watched her drift back to sleep. Her chest rose and fell, a silk sheet accentuating her curves. Her eyes began to move underneath her eyelids.

  “You don’t even know who she is.” He ran a finger behind Laura’s ear and down her neck until she giggled in her sleep. He smiled. “I can share anything with you in moments like these.” He slowly pulled the sheet lower and she didn’t stir.

  Laura would like the game — exposing her skin to the night air and staring until she sensed his attention and awoke, but he stopped, reaching to cup the side of her face instead. Lust didn’t mix well with the darkness still in his mind.

  “I’d fail again, given the same choice. Could you commit genocide, Laura?” he asked.

  “Hmm?” She struggled to open her eyes, it seemed, but pushed him clumsily away with one hand as she rolled onto her stomach, twisting the sheets as she moved.

  “I still love her. You know that, right?” Kin said.

  Motionless on the bed, Laura seemed not to breathe. The wormhole that dipped into the atmosphere quieted. Silence spread across the planet. Sea birds called to each other and waves gently touched the beach.

  Kin pulled on his pants and gun belt, then picked up his boots and go-bag as he crossed the room. Outside, he pressed an ampoule of caffeine against his neck and injected it. Sleep wasn’t a friend. The intramuscular dose was meant to be injected into the gluteus maximus, otherwise known as the place Laura hung on for dear life when they were together, but Kin didn’t want to ruin the feel of her hands by sticking his ass cheek with a needle.

  He watched the sky as he did upon awakening morning, noon, or night, hating the way the wormhole that dumped them on the uncharted planet seemed alive and sentient. Lightning flashed through the undulating red, orange, and purple tube of light as it climbed lazily toward the ring of moons around the planet. The moons, by contrast, soothed his spirit when he could stop thinking about the gaping mouth of the wormhole. They climbed vertically from the horizon like the underside of an arch, brilliant at night and hazy during the day.

  Kin steadied his breathing, forcing his shoulders to relax as he studied the anomaly.

  The Goliath had come through that hole. The enormous exploration vessel had been designed to orbit a planet and send down shuttles, not descend to the surface. No one planned for the uncharted wormhole to catch the ship and drop it inside the atmosphere. Much of the ship had broken apart and scattered along the coast. The survivors existed between the sea and the impact site of the main fuselage.

  Each year, sand covered the available salvage, making building materials scarce. The thought of leading another scavenger mission bored Kin, though he knew the children looked forward to crawling into holes the adults couldn’t reach. He rubbed his neck and decided he was done with caffeine injections for a while.

  Kin had grown more sensitive to his surroundings since the deadly campaign on Hellsbreach. He heard Laura roll out of bed, although the heavy curtains were drawn over the doorway and she was trying to be stealthy. The floor creaked and Kin guessed she paused to scoop her pants and shirt off the floor. He didn’t hear her tug zippers or take the time to fasten buttons. Their relationship wasn’t that formal.

  The ocean breeze and crashing waves soothed his mind but didn’t mask the sounds Laura made. To Kin, there were simply more sounds, distinct and easily identifiable. She would have been smarter to move when the surf broke, but he still would have heard her. Auditory discrimination was why he hadn’t been slaughtered by Reapers on Hellsbreach. They could sound like men or wolves or stalking tigers, but beneath the obvious sounds, there was always a clicking in their throats.

  Laura moved closer to the doorway but stopped, probably listening for him. He measured the pause and assumed she was peeking through the curtain. She wasn’t incompetent at stealth, but he knew her game.

  She moved behind him, wrapping her arms around his trim waist and pressing her body against his. She gripped him hard with no pretense of romance. Perhaps she heard what he said about being in love with Becca. She pretended she wasn’t jealous, but she was. She bit his ear. He continued to lean on the rail, ocean breeze blowing on his face, solid wood under his feet. She bit his neck. He smiled. The bite hurt, but he pretended it didn’t.

  “You put your pants on,” she said. “Did I tell you to get dressed and sneak out of my bed?”

  “I would hate for the Fleet to send a rescue mission and find me out of uniform.”

  “If the Fleet comes to Crashdown, I’ll tell them about you,” she said. Her lips brushed his ear as she spoke and she lingered with a kiss even as one hand went into the front of his pants. Kin smiled and shook his head minutely.

  “Crashdown is a good name for this place.” He thought the planet was huge and extremely dense, because the gravity was heavy and the ocean horizon to the west was flat as a blade.

  “Do you think I’m joking?” she asked.

  Kin didn’t answer. He wished she wouldn’t try to provoke him. He had killed for less. She enjoyed rough sex, danger, and power. Kin was bored with two of the three. She released him, patting his ass before she walked away. He knew she kept them all alive. She was a force of nature. He needed to meet a nice girl, someone like Becca.

  The wormhole convulsed. Kin let go of the rail and stood straight. His hand went to the pistol hanging on his leg. Objects burst from the hazy opening high in the atmosphere. Most ships that crashed on this huge planet came alone — pioneers, explorers, or pilgrims fleeing persecution. Meteors were more common, but during the last three days, a variety of space junk and wreckage had splashed into the ocean and smashed against the mountains east of Crater Town. Somewhere in the universe, an epic battle raged and the debris drifted through the wormhole.

  Pacing, Kin watched the sky until the wormhole began to puke earnestly. Small pops sounded in the distance, but he suspected they were explosive thunderclaps.

  Damn.

  Objects burst into the air close together, sounding like the chatter of machine gun fire. Pop-pop-pop. Pop-pop. Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop.

  That’s a planetary assault force.

  Each cluster of fast-moving smoke trails were troopers in Fleet Single Person Assault Armor units. He had worn an FSPAA unit during his enlistment and recognized the formation. Several larger objects followed, flanked by more troopers in airborne assault mode.

  Laura emerged from the doorway, paused to stare at the sky, and hastily buttoned up her shirt. “I’m going to the meeting hall.”

  “Go to a bunker,” Kin said, but she was already running.

  “Damn!” Kin estimated a division of Fleet troopers were plummeting toward Crater Town. He jumped off the side of the deck and ran to the lighthouse, sprinting up the spiral staircase. When he reached the top, he doused the light and picked up a horn.

  A large ship emerged from the mouth of the wormhole, bow elevated twenty degrees too high and drifting sideways. The ship was still under power, laboriously righting itself as the atmosphere burned it. Kin watched pieces break off. He didn’t recognize the ship’s class or if it were built for entry into the atmosphere, but it was shaped like a Fleet vessel.

  An armada of broken ships, huge things never meant to enter the atmosphere even if in one piece, were the last through. Kin sounded the alarm. Horns answered from every corner of Crater Town. Men, women, and children rushed from their homes with survival kits. He saw many running to the well to form a bucket line and parents rushing their children to crude fallout bunkers.

  Two companies of assault troopers spl
ashed into the water off shore. Two additional companies veered right while another two veered left of Crater Town as flanking elements. Four came straight at him. The command ship and heavy vehicles — Tanks, Strykers, and reconnaissance vehicles — fought for altitude. They soared over the town, landing near the Goliath half buried in the sand between the coast and mountains.

  Kin picked up binoculars from the railing and tracked the progress of each assault force and the efforts of Crater Town’s people. About the time young men surrendered to Fleet troopers in seven-foot-tall armor, the space debris hit. The noise of the plummeting ship parts had been minimal from a distance, but as they neared, they ripped through the air, vibrating the tower where Kin stood. Troopers and townspeople ran for shelters, threw themselves on the ground, or gaped at the destruction. Earth exploded. Water erupted into steaming clouds of death. Fires rampaged like demons.

  Kin risked a final glance toward the wormhole before descending the tower.

  That’s not a Fleet ship.

  He jerked the binoculars up.

  No military emblems. No weapons. And it’s shaped like a blockade runner.

  He watched the small craft drift away from the others, seeming to sneak free of the chaos. Kin didn’t like the feeling in his gut. Dread hollowed him out. He thought of Reapers and stolen technology.

  The faster Fleet vessels and plummeting debris posed the immediate threat. Kin knew it. He needed to ignore the small civilian ship but understood Reapers hijacked anything that would take them from their home world. The creatures didn’t build ships and were notoriously bad pilots, but when they left Hellsbreach, they were on a mission of murder.

  Kin forced his gaze toward the ships and troops already on the ground.

  Don’t think of Reapers. Don’t think of Hellsbreach. Captivity. Death. I should have died. Kin steadied his breathing, unsure if it calmed him or merely suffocated his panic. Should have killed them all.