Synopsis

      A young man struggles to free his people from invaders and becomes a catalyst in a world and an inter-galactic revolution.

Summary

Nordians know little of their origins. They have, for many years, searched for answers.  While living peacefully and pondering on this question, the Nordian territories are invaded.

A Nordian soldier named Jorn mounts a rescue of his people from a conquering race supported by aliens from another dimension. Being the spark to start the fire of resistance, Jorn leads a movement and in the process recruits many allies including those of alien worlds.    

And what of the question of the Nordians' origin.  Will they find the missing puzzle in this conflict or will the search continue?  Perhaps the secrets of the Nordian origin is the answer to their future.

Excerpts from Galaxy Empires...

Chapter V

The M.A.T.  Vehicle  Chase (first aerial engagement)

(Hunters are long range smart missiles equipped with artificial intelligence and multiple sensors.  Jorn and Zandor escaped from a slave camp and are being pursued by their slavers.

...

The light beams were automatically activated by the computers just before the two ships entered a large cavern.  Sensors indicated that the inner chamber ends quickly, and passage is only possible by turning left or right.   

”Zandor, you take the left and I’ll take the right! We’ll bounce some of them off the wall!”,  exclaimed Jorn.

”Right!”  Said Zandor.

“No, you’re left!  I’m right!”, exclaimed Jorn.

“Right…I mean, yeah! Allright!” Uttered Zandor.

In a flash, the two ships zoomed into opposite directions.  The leading Hunter did not have time to adjust and slammed into the wall.  The last one  quickly adjusted and pursued Jorn’s ship.  The other four quickly arrived and split into two sets going in opposite directions.

Jorn and Zandor followed the corridors as laid out by the computer on the visual display.  Jorn zigzagged through the chambers avoiding stalagmites and stalactites. 

The passages narrowed into an almost impassable hole.  MAT3 showed that the ship can get through the hole by looping, rolling, diving into the hole, rolling again, and suddenly rising straight up after coming out of the hole.  Almost an impossible maneuver for a humanoid, but not for MAT3.

Jorn,”Why don’t we just blast through the wall?” 

Copilot,”The ceiling might collapse on us, Jorn.” 

Jorn,”Right.  MAT3, what’s the probability of the ceiling caving in if we blast through the wall?” 

MAT3,”90% probability of cave in.” 

Jorn,”What’s the probability of surviving the maneuver through the  hole if executed by yourself?”  MAT3,”75% probability of survival.”  

Jorn,”There’s our answer.   Everyone strap yourselves tightly, it’s going to be a rough and dangerous  maneuver.  MAT3, release a drone  before entering the hole.” 

MAT3,”Very well.”

Jorn,”MAT3, you are on automatic.  Commence escape maneuver.” 

MAT3,”Acknowledged.  Three seconds to impact.  Releasing drone, now.  Commencing escape maneuver, now.”

The ship climbed up into a loop rolled and dove hard

into the hole.  Everyone held on to something tightly and yelled,”Yahhhhhhhh!......” “Ahhhhhhh!...” “Mamahhhhhhh!....”   “Oooooohhhhhhhh!!!!”

“Khahhaahhhhhh.....”

The ship traveled upside down through the hole for what seemed to be an eternity.  The  wings of the ship hit the sides of the wall five times damaging the tips.  Ten seconds later the ship rolled again, came out of the hole and entered a chamber with only one exit some distance above them.  Thrusters were suddenly ignited.  The crew turned as white as ghosts when they saw the wall facing them.  They were suddenly pulled down as the ship shot upwards and into the clear.  They  were out of the chamber as the ship’s momentum carried itself forward missing the top of the wall by a fingertip.  They let out sighs of relief as the ship continued forward.

The lead Hunter pursuing Jorn’s ship followed and hit the drone two seconds after the ship released it ignoring the ship and passed it by as it looped.

Two Hunters  followed into the hole executing the same maneuver as Jorn's ship. They came out of the hole and went straight ahead.  The leading Hunter lost the trail as it neared the wall.  The following Hunter picked up the trail leading upwards.  The leading Hunter was confused and could not decide what to do, lingered into the wall and exploded.

The seventh Hunter pursued Jorn’s ship and headed for the exit.

Jorn and his men spotted a ravine as the computer detected the last Hunter.  Jorn took the controls from the computer and dove into the ravine as he released a drone.   The last Hunter ignored the drone as it switched to all sensors after exiting the caverns. 

Jorn banked and turned left then right. 

MAT3,”Ten seconds to impact.” 

Jorn,”MAT3, recommended maneuver?” 

”Recommended maneuver, lock on target, fire aft cannons.”  Said the Computer.

Jorn,”Why the hell didn’t we think of that?”

Copilot, ”I don’t know, I guess I was too busy being scared.” 

”This is my first combat flight, I have been so afraid that I completely forgot some of our maneuvers...”,  said the Pilot.

MAT3,”Five seconds to impact.”

Jorn,”MAT3, lock on target.  Fire aft cannons.”

MAT3, “Firing.”

The cannons fired, but the missile was more slippery than a jungle serpent.  It maneuvered evasively and came closer and closer to their ship.  

Computer," Three seconds to impact.”  Jorn zigzagged, dove, climbed, and rolled, but he could not shake the missile nor bounce it off the walls.  He released ion neutralizers and drones, but that did not work either.

Meanwhile, Zandor’s ship was hit by one of the Hunters destroying their shield.  The second was right on their tail.  This Hunter also switched to all sensors making it impossible to fool.  Zandor also tried all the maneuvers made by Jorn to no avail.  

Computer,” Two seconds to impact.”  Zandor followed the narrow but deep  ravine which turned slowly to the right.   Navigation became a problem because of the damage their ship sustained.  However, they can still maneuver.

Jorn’s ship was still firing it’s aft guns as the ravine turned slowly to the left. He could not see what was ahead of him, nor did he notice the computer display that another ship was approaching him dead on. 

 Red lights and buzzers went on. 

Computer,”Ship approaching dead on.  Warning! Warning! Collision imminent.”  

Jorn was horrified as he suddenly saw a ship in front of him.

Zandor was dealing with a panicking crew as his computer announced the two seconds left before impact.  Amidst their panic they did not hear the computer announce the warning until they heard the buzzers as Zandor turned to look ahead.  Zandor’s hair almost stood up from fear as he quickly grabbed the controls, rolled 180 degrees right and dove. Jorn suddenly pulled up trying to avoid the collision.  The underside of the two ships collided and parts of their hulls were ripped. 

 “Warning:outer hull breached.” Computers on both ships announced as the two Hunters faced each other  dead on.  Both missiles were confused and could not follow either ship.  In their split-second hesitation, the  missiles collided and created  powerful explosions.

Silence...

Excerpt from:

Chapter VI

The Queen

(This is the second aerial engagement which takes place at a wide river where Jorn is later rescued and meets the queen of an underground kingdom.)

...

Jorn chased ship 23 as it turned about and fled.  Trainer’s ship powered on and locked on to Jorn’s ship.  It fired several cannon blasts, but missed.  The last blast hit Jorn’s ship on the undamaged wing and took a part of the cockpit as his ship plunged, throwing Jorn out of the ship knocking him out for a moment.

Jorn awakes hanging from the still plunging ship, by his foot, looking down a deep chasm.   His heart pounded in his chest like a sledgehammer hitting an anvil as the fear of freefall stole his breath.  Terror and panic began to set in, until he spotted a passing ship at which time his foot slips.  He was certain this was the end for him unless by some favorable chance of landing on the ship.  But he was uncertain of his path.  Perhaps he will miss the ship and fall into the river below, perhaps landing on a protruding rock or some unknown object beneath the river or hit the bottom of the river.  Perhaps he will pass-out before he lands on the water never knowing what killed him.  Perhaps this is just a nightmare from which he wished to wake up.  His body became inexistent to him as he plunged faster and faster.  Everything below him is getting closer and bigger with nothing to stop him from imminent death.

His ship corkscrewed into the water and separated before exploding as he plunged down that seemed to take an eternity.  The enemy ship was approaching  too fast for him to land on it.  But a change in the wind’s direction slowed it down enough for him to fall beside the ship, bounce off the hull and grab a protruding part.  The ship's sensor quickly sensed his presence and warned the occupants.  A door opened as the ship was descending.  An enemy pilot emerged from the door and prepared to fire a sidearm at Jorn.  Jorn quickly let go just before the pilot fired at him.  He let off a yell as he descended into the river. 

 Trainer," That worthless idiot probably drowned in the river below.  Where did he come from? 

Copilot, “From that ship that just crashed sir.”

Trainer, “It’s raining slaves today I guess.” 

The conversation was audible to the other ships. 

Everyone laughed.