Gravity Storm: Order of Scion book 3, page 1
GRAVITY STORM
ORDER OF SCION
BOOK 3
TOBY NEIGHBORS
Gravity Storm (Order of Scion Book 3”
Copyright © 2024 by Toby Neighbors
ISBN: 978-1-952260-76-6 ebook
Print: 978-1-952260-77-3
Mythic Adventure Publishing, LLC
Idaho, USA
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Author’s Note
Supernova Chapter 1
Supernova Chapter 2
Supernova Chapter 3
Also by Toby Neighbors
CHAPTER 1
There was no need to kill the alien that hung from the ceiling. The moment that Mitch nudged it with a little additional gravity, it fled. Not just from the hospital where he had taken Sergeant Mara James of the Colonial Marines Corps, but out of the colony. Using the Power taught to him by the Order of Scion, he could sense everything in Alpha Colony, from the aliens nesting in the old school building, to the ants working their way through mounds of rubble in search of food.
He felt the other aliens scurrying away too, out of the school building and a mechanics garage. Mitch could sense the dead bodies as well. They were cocooned in silky wrappings that were airtight, their bodies slowly decaying, turning the cocoons into nutrient rich food for the spidery aliens. They would need to be collected and buried. There were some buildings that were on the verge of toppling. They felt like a jacket draped over one’s shoulders that was slowly sliding off. He was tempted to help them along. His control over gravity could give the buildings the nudge they needed to fall down before people returned to the colony that might get hurt if the structure collapsed on or near them. But his focus was on Mara and on what he needed to do next, which was to make contact with the military authorities.
New Terra was an unoccupied world since the colonists were evacuated. Mitch knew the Lymies who had overrun the human colonies, but were fleeing at the first sign of him, would do the same from every town and settlement. It wasn’t Mitch they were afraid of specifically, but what he represented. The Order of Scion was a powerful and respected group of like-minded beings from dozens of different species. They used the power of gravity in an effort to restore the universe to a habitable place, and to travel through space at speeds that were unheard of. But it was probably that same power that the Lymies feared. Mitch had recently used it to thwart an entire army of the spidery invaders. He had crushed some, and sent others flying so high into the air that when they dropped, they were injured or killed. It wasn’t called power for no reason. The Order of Scion had taught Mitch to sense and control gravity waves. And he had joined their Order, with the aim of helping humanity, to move forward in peace and branch out through the galaxy in ways that were currently impossible despite all the technological advances of mankind.
But unlike the Lymies, humans had no idea who or what the Order of Scion was. It would be up to Mitch to show them, and to convince them, that cooperation and peace was possible. Eventually, as he continued to learn and grow his skills, he would be able to bend space so that humanity could travel great distances very quickly, and occupy new worlds in undiscovered systems. If he was able, he might gain enough power to move entire planets. He could adjust their orbits so that barren and lifeless worlds were moved into the Goldilocks zone around their star system. Some members of the Order of Scion could even move great quantities of breathable air from gas giants to the newly habitable planets, giving them a kickstart toward a viable atmosphere.
The Order of Scion could do incredible things, but it was their commitment to what they called the Knowledge. The Knowledge was their mandate to help restore the universe to the orderly place it was designed to be by a being they called the Creator. Mitch had never been a religious person, but his experience in sensing and controlling gravity was changing the way he felt about things. There was still a lot to learn. He didn’t feel ready to be the spokesperson for the Order of Scion to all of humanity. That was a daunting task. Fortunately, he was on New Terra, and he would only need to convince the military commanders in orbit of his intentions and keep them from setting off nuclear weapons that would render entire swaths of the verdant planet uninhabitable for decades or longer.
“You look tired, Lieutenant,” Mara said in a raspy voice. She was just waking up after getting her first bags of hydration via the IV drip Mitch had set up. “And those clothes… it’s an interesting fashion choice.”
“You prefer fatigues and battle armor,” Mitch said, sitting down beside her.
“Yes,” she said.
He took her hand. It was warm, the skin dry and callused. The fever she had been plagued with was ebbing away, but it had taken a toll. She was still dehydrated and weak. Mitch had carried her from the battlefield south of Alpha Colony back to the abandoned hospital. The building was damaged, but structurally sound. The Lymies had done some damage to the facility, but the medicines and supplies were still there. Mitch was running the saline water into her veins at a fast drip, which had cooled her down somewhat, but she needed more fluids to get back to a healthy state.
“I’m gone for a few weeks and you nearly die,” Mitch said.
“Where did you go?” She asked.
“You get right to the point,” Mitch replied with a grin. “It’s hard to explain. I met some people… aliens, yes, but with amazing power. They invited me to join them, to learn from them. I couldn’t say no to that.”
“And they took you away?”
“It’s more like I was recruited,” Mitch said, getting to his feet. “There are things in the universe we don’t yet understand. I’m trying to get an education.”
“Sounds like you’re dancing around the question. Maybe I’m too foggy headed from the fever. I never said thank you, did I?”
“You just haven’t had the chance,” Mitch replied.
“Thank you for saving my life,” she said. “What about the squad?”
“They’re fine,” Mitch said. “The refugees too.”
“Somehow you saved us,” Mara said. “I want to know how.”
“And I’ll explain it,” Mitch said. “But maybe now isn’t the right time.”
“Ugh, sometimes you’re such a guy.”
Mitch laughed, but Mara’s eyelids were drooping. He put a hand on her forehead. It was still warm, but also damp. The fever was breaking. A few more hours and she would be fine, but she needed more rest.
“I’ll be here when you wake up,” Mitch said. “And we’ll talk. I’ll answer your questions as best I can.”
“Don’t hold out on me, Lieutenant,” she said softly, closing her eyes.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Mitch told her.
She fell asleep, and Mitch stood up. He had work to do. The Fleet was probably on the verge of panic over what had happened during the battle. And he was anxious to see the stealth bomber headed back to the Sol System. There was no need for nuclear detonations on New Terra, not with Mitch and the Order of Scion watching over the planet.
CHAPTER 2
The reports were coming in fast, with the ship’s officers calling out reports.
“Here,” the radar operator said as he sent a video from his console up onto the CIC’s bid display screen, “we’re getting visuals.”
“My pilots are reporting total losses on the drones,” the squadron commander announced.
“Would you look at that,” Colonel Jerome Banks said.
“The Lymies are completely wiped out,” General Mercer said with a chuckle. “When will we have coms?”
“Working on it,” the communication officer replied. “There’s still too much interference to get a signal.”
Major Elaine Swift was in awe. Like everyone else in the Command center of the S.F. Marathon she had expected Leo Squad, and the band of refugees they had picked up on their race through the forest, to be wiped out. But the drone bombers had gone down before reaching the battlefield. Yet, somehow it was the spidery aliens that were dead. She could see a group of humans trekking across the battlefield, like a line of ants, on the video display.
“What happened?” Admiral Darcy Wilcox demanded. “We have to know.”
“I have a guess,” Major Swift said. “It has to do with the alien ship.”
“It landed several hundr
“He’s right,” the radarman said. “It landed. We’ve had satellites over that area. It never moved.”
“But something happened,” Admiral Wilcox snapped. “Something those Marines on the ground aren’t capable of.”
“I’m not sure I would agree with that assessment,” Major Swift said.
“The SSO Squads are surprisingly resilient,” General Mercer said with a smug smile.
“That,” Admiral Wilcox said, pointing at the screen which showed hundreds of dead aliens lying motionless on the battlefield, “wasn’t residency, or martial prowess. They had help.”
“Precisely,” Major Swift said. “Something, or someone of great power turned the tide and acted against the bomber drones. I can’t say who or what, but that’s what happened. And if I had to guess, I’d say it was Lieutenant Mitch Murphy.”
“That’s a leap,” Colonel Banks said.
“The missing super soldier?” Admiral Wilcox asked. “What makes you think it was him?”
“That’s his squad,” Elaine pointed out. “We know he left with the aliens on the crescent-shaped ship. It came back. Maybe it’s all circumstantial, but the evidence seems to point to the Lieutenant returning and saving his squad.”
“That’s good news then,” General Mercer said.
“Maybe,” Elaine replied. “Maybe not. You were planning to drop bombs that would have killed Leo Squad.”
“I was planning to destroy the enemy,” the general growled, obviously not liking Elaine’s implication. “Sacrificing one squad to destroy an entire enemy army is an acceptable loss.”
Elaine didn’t disagree. On paper, in a report, losing five special operators was indeed an acceptable loss in comparison to an entire enemy force. In fact, it would be considered spectacular to the Brass back in the Sol System, which was exactly what General Stanley Mercer was banking on. But Elaine had a sneaking suspicion that Mitch Murphy didn’t agree. And if he was really behind the unexpected victory, she wondered what else he might be capable of.
“Why wouldn’t that be good news?” Admiral Wilcox asked.
“Someone that powerful,” Major Swift suggested, “who isn’t happy about the way their friends were treated…”
“She’s got a point,” Commander Hughes said. “Whoever was on that ship may not be on our side.”
“We have scans,” Admiral Wilcox countered. “No shields, no propulsion, not even a power plant.”
“That we can detect,” Commander Hughes said. He was in charge of the ship, but was forced to let Admiral Darcy Wilcox give the orders. “They’re obviously far more advanced than we are. You saw how it moved through the system. Nothing we’ve got can match that kind of speed.”
“Wait a second,” General Mercer said. “Let’s not go making enemies out of friends. They stopped the Lymie attack and saved our people down there.”
“They also wrecked our drones,” the pilot in charge of autonomous aerial vehicles said. “That’s a lot of expensive equipment we can’t get back.”
The tension in the small command center was increasing as the conversation went on. Elaine was fascinated by the situation, and even more curious about the aliens who had intervened. They were a completely novel species, with incredibly advanced knowledge. She couldn’t help but hope she might get the chance to meet and study them.
“Admiral!” the communications officer said. She spoke so loudly it was almost a shout. “I have contact with the surface.”
“The survivors?” Admiral Wilcox asked.
“Negative. It’s Lieutenant Murphy.”
That brought a sudden and complete silence to the room. The admiral nodded, and made a circular gesture with her finger. The communication officer made an adjustment on her console and said something that Elaine couldn’t hear. Suddenly, Mitch Murphy’s voice was heard on the ship’s speakers.
“This is Lieutenant Mitch Murphy, SSO squad Leo. Who am I speaking with?”
The admiral cleared her throat and was on the verge of responding, but General Mercer beat her to the punch.
“This is your commanding officer, General Mercer. What’s the sitrep Lieutenant?”
“The Lymie threat is neutralized,” Mitch said. “I’m sure you’ve seen that. You have enough satellites in orbit now. I’m in the medical center at Alpha Colony. It’s clear. The other colonies will be cleared soon as well.”
“Lieutenant, where have you been?” General Mercer said. “We saw you board an alien ship over a month ago.”
“That’s right. And I’ll explain it all, but that’s a long story. Before then, I’m going to need you to send that stealth bomber full of nuclear warheads back to Sol.”
Admiral Wilcox stepped to the communications console and pressed a button to mute any sounds happening in the command center. General Mercer was on his feet too, and looking angrily at the admiral.
“What the devil is he talking about?” Mercer growled.
Elaine saw shock and surprise on the faces of the Space Force officers as well as the Marines. Only the admiral seemed to know what Mitch was talking about.
“Redundancy,” Darcy Wilcox said in a cold, commanding voice. “Standard Operating Procedure when engaging with a hostile alien force.”
“Nukes?” General Mercer said.
“Not everyone was convinced that we could retake the planet,” Admiral Wilcox said. “Don’t look so surprised General Mercer. You’ve known the contingency plans for New Terra as long as I have.”
“I didn’t know they sent a ship with nukes on board,” General Mercer said. “We have Marines down there. We have a chance to take full control of the system.”
“And we can’t discount the fact that we might get wiped out by a superior force of aliens we know very little about,” Admiral Wilcox said.
Mitch’s voice interrupted the debate. “There’s no need for nuclear weapons. In fact, there are other beings watching us. If the stealth ship remains in the system, they will intervene.”
“Is that a threat, Lieutenant?” General Mercer said.
“It’s a warning message I needed to pass along. Sent it up the chain of command.”
“How do you even know about that ship?” Admiral Wilcox demanded.
“The short answer is my new friends spotted it,” Mitch replied. “Send it away, and bring whoever you want down here to talk. I’ll explain everything to them.”
“What about Leo Squad?” General Mercer asked.
“What’s left of Leo is on their way here. I have Sergeant Mara James with me. Corporal Cameron Gustav and Lee Jenkins are escorting the refugees back through the forest.”
“And how did you get to the colony so quickly?” General Mercer asked.
“The answer to that question is easier to show you, than to tell you.”
“Does it have to do with your friends on that crescent-shaped ship?” Major Elaine Swift interjected.
General Mercer shot her a menacing look for interrupting, but she ignored him.
“You could say that,” Lieutenant Murphy said. “I’m sure you’ll have a lot of questions, Major Swift. Send the stealth bomber out of the system, and I’ll make some introductions.”
“And if we don’t?” Admiral Wilcox said. “You’re saying that we’ll be attacked, is that it?”
“Attacked isn’t the right word,” Mitch replied. “But the stealth ship will be disabled. You’ll be forced to evacuate the ship and lose it along with whatever munitions are on board.”
“Lieutenant Murphy, let me remind you of the oath you took to protect colony resources and follow the orders of your superior officers. You are still under my command, Marine. Don’t you forget that.”
“I haven’t forgotten anything,” Mitch said. “But I’ve learned a lot and it’s time to share it with you. I’ll be in the medical center at Alpha Colony. Murphy out.”
“No!” General Mercer snarled. “I give the orders here, not you Lieutenant!”
“It’s too late,” the communications officer said. “The line went dead on his end.”
“It seems we have a mutineer,” Admiral Wilcox said.
“He just saved our forces from the Lymie army,” Captain Frank Marcs said. “He’s on our side.”
