The Survivors (Book 10): The Academy Read online

  Contents

  Title

  Copyright © 2019

  Books by Nathan Hystad

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-One

  Twenty-Two

  Twenty-Three

  Twenty-Four

  Twenty-Five

  Twenty-Six

  Twenty-Seven

  Twenty-Eight

  Epilogue

  Old World (The Survivors Book 11)

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  The Resistance Series

  Copyright © 2019 Nathan Hystad

  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 non-commercial 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.

  Cover art: Tom Edwards Design

  Edited by: Scarlett R Algee

  Proofed and Formatted by: BZ Hercules

  Books By Nathan Hystad

  Keep up to date with his new releases by signing up for his Newsletter at www.nathanhystad.com

  Nathan’s books are also available on Audible!

  The Survivors Series

  The Event

  New Threat

  New World

  The Ancients

  The Theos

  Old Enemy

  New Alliance

  The Gatekeepers

  New Horizon

  The Academy

  Old World

  The Resistance Series

  Rift

  Revenge

  Return

  Lights Over Cloud Lake

  Red Creek

  Return to Red Creek

  One

  “To the stars,” Rivo whispered into the mic, and the massive screen beyond the dais displayed her father’s grave-pod shooting outward from orbit, into the deep darkness of space.

  The entire congregation stood and applauded, most with visible tears streaming down their faces. Some alien races didn’t cry as we did; others released various smells and sounds as their bodies sought a way to release their anguish as they said farewell to Bazarn Five’s leader and founder.

  It was hard to believe Garo Alnod was dead. He had been such a powerful man in life, and standing among the three thousand attendees at his funeral, it felt like he was even larger in death.

  We were standing on the edges of the Duup mountains, the local ten-foot-tall Duupa all gathered below the valley chanting a sad song from their homeland, amplifying the emotions of the crowd. The sun was high, indicating the middle of the day, and I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead.

  The image on the screen cut to one of the peaks of the Duup range here in the middle of Bazarn, and a drone hovered around the top of the mountain, revealing a carving of Garo’s likeness in the stone. His face was so lifelike, his expression spot-on. Mary sobbed beside me as the image hung there, allowing the gathered attendees to gaze upon the tribute to their lost benefactor.

  Rivo cleared her throat, garnering our attention. She appeared so tiny up there on the stage, all alone on the rocky platform with nothing but a screen behind her. She stood up taller and blinked before speaking. “My father was a great man, and I want to thank the Duupa for honoring him in this way. These mountains were transplanted here from their home planet, for them to carve him into the peak…” She faltered and covered her face with a tiny blue hand before continuing. “I’m speechless. Thank you. And thank you, everyone, for attending. Father would have been thrilled to see so many friends all in one place.

  “With that being said, please enjoy each other’s company for the next few hours while we celebrate the memory of Garo Alnod.” Rivo stepped away, and I noticed her mother waiting for her at the edge of the stage.

  The ceremonies were over, and I stretched, scanning the open area for people I knew.

  “Papa.” Jules tapped me on the arm, keeping her voice low. “Why did they send him off in space like that?”

  I peered at my daughter and suppressed a smile. She was growing up so fast, already eight years old. Her head came to my chest now, and I imagined she’d be as tall as her mother in another three years.

  “That’s their custom, honey,” I told her.

  Mary pulled Jules close, and she kissed our daughter’s head. Jules’ dark curls were extra wavy today, and Mary had braided both of their hair to mitigate the humidity. “It’s like how we bury our loved ones when they pass.”

  “That’s gross. I like the space thing better,” Jules said with a glimmer in her eyes. They were green but dim, no longer glowing. Not since the vortex three years ago. I knew Jules was upset about losing her powers, but she’d taken it far better than I’d expected. Now it was almost like she’d never had them.

  “I’m hungry,” a small voice said from my other side. Hugo sat in his chair, arms crossed, teeth clenched.

  “You’re always hungry, Hugo,” I told my son.

  He grinned at this. “Where’s Slate? He eats lots.”

  Mary rolled her eyes. This was my wonderful family.

  The crowd around us was thinning out as people moved toward the edge of the natural stone outcropping in the side of the Duup Peaks. The sun radiated over the entire area, bringing with it a looming thunderstorm: one predicted by the humidity hours before, then cracked open as the air began to cool in the evening. We’d be in the hotel by then.

  “Speak of the devil,” I whispered as I caught the familiar spiky blond hair of my good friend, Zeke Campbell. Loweck was trailing beside him, and he was making a path through the crowd of people, moving toward us.

  “Devil?” Hugo asked, eyes wide.

  “Never mind. It’s Slate!” Mary covered for me, giving me a rebuking stare.

  I shrugged as the two approached.

  “Quite the procession, hey, boss?” Slate stood tall, glancing around as if he were nervous about something.

  “You okay?” I asked him.

  Loweck set a hand on Slate’s forearm and answered for him. “He’s worried about security. This event has garnered a lot of attention, and we know Lom’s people are ever-present.”

  “Any sign of trouble?” I asked.

  “Nothing yet.” Slate tapped an earpiece, as if listening for updates. “There are a hundred vessels defending Bazarn in and out of orbit, and the portals are on lockdown. It doesn’t seem like anything went wrong.”

  I searched the funeral attendees, wondering if any of them might be working for Lom, conspiring with the Kold to destroy our Gatekeepers’ Academy. Three years, and Haven had remained at peace. It was almost worse not being attacked than expecting it every day of your life. Maybe that was part of their plan. Maybe they weren’t ever going to attack. Only time would tell.

  “Shall we?” Mary asked, motioning toward the now-empty pathway leading to the food and beverages.

  “That’s where the others are,” Slate said, nodding to the long lines.

  “Did you see Karo?” I asked.

  “You bet. The rest are there too.”

  Mary and I had arrived a day before everyone else, and I hadn’t seen them since we were on Haven. Magnus and Natalia had been away on another mission for the Alliance, but we held monthly meetings, alternating between Horizon and Haven, using the starship’s portal to easily visit one another.

  We passed a row of grieving Molariuns, and I stopped, telling them I was sorry for their loss, then moved on, finding our friends all sitting around two tables, pushed together.

  “The Parkers are here,” Ableen said with a soft smile on her face.

  I glanced around, seeing so many familiar faces. Clare and Nick were side by side, the doctor pecking away at some sort of crumb cake.

  Hello, Dean.

  I searched for the source of the thought, and found Regnig waddling over to us.

  “Regnig!” Jules shouted, wrapping her arms around the small bird-man. He flapped a couple of times and shook his head when she let him go.

  Regnig’s tongue flicked out of his beak. Miss Parker, a pleasure to see you again.

  “I’m sorry you lost your good friend, Regnig,” I told him.

  We all knew it was coming. I was able to spend some time with him at the end. I also received quite specific instructions from him.

  “What were they? If you can share,” I asked.

  Regnig peered around, and I noticed the shift in the depth of his thoughts, meaning he was directing only me in this conversation. I’m to move the library.

  I kept my voice quiet. “Move it? Where?”

  He suggested I collaborate with you on the task, but he thinks that Haven might be the best spot. With Bazarn being such a target, he considered that having the library at the fi
ngertips of the Alliance of Worlds capital might be advantageous to his allies. Regnig gave me what could only be passed off as a grin.

  “That’s great, but I’m not sure Haven is any less dangerous. You remember the Kold, and Lom’s people wanting to destroy the Academy,” I whispered.

  Regnig nodded. I do, but it’s been three years since their attack. If they were planning an invasion, I suspect it would have happened by now. Think about it.

  “You’d be leaving the only home you’ve known for hundreds of years,” I told him.

  Yes, but perhaps it would be good for me to… His clawed hands stretched out. Stretch my wings a little bit, before I too expire.

  Moving the fabled library to Haven. It would be so great to have access to the materials there, and to have Regnig closer to us. He was a wonderful friend and an unparalleled resource for the Alliance. “We’ll speak more about this before we leave.”

  Mary had sat at the edge of the table, talking with Natalia, Ableen, and Suma. Karo stood near the opposite end, and I waved at him. Magnus was there with Silo and Sarlun, and I noticed Leonard had made the trek as well.

  “Gents. Why is it that no matter what the social setting, the men and women always separate and hold their own conversations?” I asked them.

  Sarlun shook my hand, gripping it tightly. “Because no matter the race or event, we’re drawn to social norms, I suppose.”

  “Good to see you all. Karo, where are the kids?” I asked him, and he searched around.

  “Dean, I have no idea. They’re here somewhere. You know how kids are,” he said.

  I saw Hugo tailing after Jules, who’d found her best friend, Patty. Magnus’ son Dean was talking with a young Molariun girl, his hair falling over his eyes as he stared at the ground.

  “How have you been?” I asked Silo, and he shifted on his feet. His prosthetic leg made a slight whir and hiss as he moved.

  “I’m doing well, Dean. I’m really enjoying my stint on the Horizon,” he said.

  “And he’s doing a hell of a job too,” Magnus barked, clapping the Shimmali man on his shoulder.

  “Thanks, Captain.”

  “You’ve earned it, son,” Magnus told him. I noticed Sarlun’s gaze linger on Silo, and instantly knew Suma’s father approved of his daughter’s partner.

  “Dean, how have the kids been behaving?” Magnus asked me.

  Patty and Dean had been living with us for the last couple years during the school semesters, heading to their suite on the Horizon for the weekends each week.

  “You know how they are. Patty and Jules are thick as thieves, and Dean is…” I started as Magnus cut me off.

  “Mopey, depressed, sullen?” Magnus counted them on his fingers.

  “Yeah, those.”

  “I’m trying to figure the kid out, but he’s so quiet. I don’t know why he won’t talk to me about it,” Magnus said.

  A massive Duupa lumbered over, carrying a tray of drinks and snacks in her huge grip. “Refreshments?” she said in a deep, rumbling voice.

  “Thank you,” Slate said. “Can you leave the tray?” It had to have at least twenty drinks and five plates of food.

  “Of course.” She set the food and drinks on the table and walked off.

  “Everyone, help yourselves,” Slate called to the group, and soon we were all chatting, remembering the man that was Garo Alnod. Without him, I’d never have rescued Mary from the Iskios, and for that, I’d forever be grateful.

  Time moved on, and the crowd thinned with each passing hour, until there was no one left but our group. As the sun set beyond the peaks, Rivo arrived alone. I noticed a few Molariun guards standing a hundred meters behind her, but she sat with us and reached for a full wine glass, drinking it in two large gulps.

  “How are you holding up, Rivo?” Mary asked her.

  “Considering today, not too bad.” Rivo found the bottle of wine in the center of the table and refilled the glass. She appeared exhausted, her blue skin pale, her posture slouching.

  “How’s your mother?” I asked.

  “She’s doing okay. She misses him,” Rivo said. “The last few years have been hard on her, harder than on me. I was off gallivanting around the universe on the Horizon while he was on his deathbed. What was I thinking?”

  Natalia leaned forward and grabbed her hand. “You were thinking that you needed to live too. He knew how much you loved him. He wanted you to be out there, exploring space and being the best version of yourself.”

  Rivo’s chin fell to her chest, but the gesture didn’t last long. She lifted her head, sitting up straight. “Either way, I don’t have time to wallow in self-pity. I spent the last two hours in a meeting with lawyers and stakeholders. I’m officially the head of Alnod Industries now.”

  I’d known this was coming, but there were a few gasps of surprise from the others. Some of them had probably suspected Garo’s wife would take charge of the board, or one of his long-time employees; not the strong-willed pilot who loved adventure more than meetings.

  “Congratulations, Rivo!” I said excitedly. Her eyes lit up at the words, and everyone else chimed in with their versions of praise for the new title.

  “I take it this means you won’t be returning to the starship with us?” Magnus asked her.

  “That’s right. I have too much to do, too many things to learn.” Rivo squinted at her full cup and set it down, some red liquid spilling to the stone table’s surface. “Guys, can I do this?” Her words were soft, unsure of themselves.

  “If anyone can carry the Alnod scepter, it’s you,” Suma told her friend from across the table.

  “Thanks. That means a lot. Thank you all for coming. Father would have loved this.” Rivo’s gaze lingered away, as if she was focusing on a star in the distance. I knew she loved to be in a spaceship far more than to be grounded, stuck behind a desk making financial decisions, but she’d grow into the role. Maybe even learn to love and accept the task.

  Jules and Patty sat beside one another at the edge of the table, chatting about who knows what. The two kids were always together, conspiring about some topic of the moment. I wished I could sneak inside Jules’ head every now and then. She was so open with me in a lot of ways, but I sensed there was a part of her that was closed off to Mary and me.

  Hugo dozed beside me on the bench, his head resting on my thigh. I set a hand on his chest and gently roused him. “Time to go to bed, buddy.”

  Jules’ head snapped up, and I noticed her staring behind us, toward the Peaks hotel. Mary didn’t notice, but I was sure something was afoot with my daughter.

  Two

  Jules felt the urgency rise within her. She’d grown accustomed to this sort of thing over the years, and with her powers all but lowered to a trickle, only the strongest sensations could break through her barrier.

  “What is it?” Patty asked, her head close to Jules’.

  “I don’t know. Someone’s in danger.” Jules craned her neck and noticed Papa staring at her. Did he know? Could he tell she still had her Iskios-gifted powers? She didn’t think so… no, he was just an over-concerned parent. She didn’t suspect that would change any time soon.

  She heard him telling Hugo it was time to go to bed, and excitement rolled through her veins. The danger she felt was emanating from their hotel. Maybe she could help them.

  “Are you girls ready to pull your heads from the sand?” Magnus asked them, standing with outstretched arms as if he’d been sitting there for weeks, not hours.

  Jules never wanted to be that old. Her parents and their friends were always grunting and groaning at the simplest of tasks. She didn’t understand why everything was such an effort.

  “We weren’t in the sand,” Patty said, and Jules rolled her eyes. Her friend was nine and quite pretty, but sometimes she wasn’t the brightest star in the galaxy. Jules didn’t care, though. Patty was her best friend and always would be.

  Patty smiled at her, a knowing grin that meant she was game with helping Jules when their parents went to bed. It had become a bit of a trend, and now that Patty was staying with them during the school year while they attended the Academy, they were able to do so many fun things.

  Last week, they’d saved a dog from being eaten by one of those terrible bears with the ugly faces on Haven. It had wandered too close to the city, and when Jules had heard about it from her mom, she’d decided to venture out and make sure it made its way home.