Alien Islands

Lisa Gabriella

Prologue

When she arrived on the planet, she wanted to feel alert. If she could sleep soon, perhaps catch a nap on the space transport, she’d be all right. The events of the last months receded, and she began to relax at last. The space flight was, as usual, smoother and faster than expected thanks to the latest in multi-speed light technology. And her nap was a refreshing one.

The spaceship captain announced they were going into the Cygnus system and to the star known on Earth as “RAWR.” From Earth it could be seen, on clear nights, just above the star known as Deneb.

“The coordinates are Right Angle 20 hours, 14 minutes, 11 seconds, and Declination 49 degrees, 31 seconds,” he officially stated.

The sun, known as RAWR to the Terrans, came from an ancient Earth woman named Ruth Audrenne Ward Redmond. Several planets orbited it, including the one with three moons and, of course, Er-Da.

“The planet is Class M with a nitrogen oxygen atmosphere and is only slightly smaller than our Earth,” the captain continued to explain. “Everyone will weigh only one or two kilograms less on the surface, and will be able to breathe normally.”

The space transport reached Er-Da, and the shuttle transport took the passengers downward to their destination: the distant part of the planet, surrounded by the greater fresh water sea, known as the coastal region, an area with a central town and a village. And, farther out in the misty sea, barely visible along the horizon, were the distant and mysterious places known as the Alien Islands.

Chapter One

“Well, that’s just great!” snapped the Terran female, as she staggered to steady the wooden boat in the face of the wind roaring across the larger fresh water sea.

“That’s just terrific! How am I supposed to get off this god forsaken island if you won’t wait for me?”

Waves smacked against the dock, spraying her waterproof jacket and brand-new hiking trousers. She clamped one hand over her wide-brimmed felt hat, the latest fall fashion in The Terran Colony, and gripped her briefcase with her other. Black clouds boiled on the horizon, and the tall Er-Dan trees hissed with a wind so strong it blasted fallen leaves through the tumbled mass of her curly brown hair.

The storm blowing down out of Ontar was surely gale force status. The little Er-Dan owner of the little boat that had brought her across the sea sat stubbornly in the stern of his craft, gripping the rudder for dear life. He raised his voice to be heard over the howl of the wind.

“I’m not staying here all night, Earth Lady! Either you come back with me now, or I’ll get you in the morning when the weather’s settled down!”

“I’ve got a job to do!” she shouted at him. “And I never give up on a job. Don’t you know who I am?”

“No, madam,” yelled the youth, and he looked as if he was about to add something else, like maybe he didn’t care to know who she was.

“I’m Koryanna, you idiot.”

To prove her point, she let go of her hat and flashed a plastic-coated identification tag that she’d wrestled out of her jacket pocket.

“I’ve appeared on the Earth television broadcasts to this planet four times! And right now I’m working on the biggest story of the century. You’re missing your big chance to be a part of history!”

“Earth lady,” he shouted, clearly unimpressed, “there’s nothing worth reporting up here in these islands. Nobody in their right mind would live up here, not unless they’re hiding from the Imperium Security Service.”

“Exactly!”

He peered up at her through the first spattering of raindrops.

“You sure don’t look like the Imperium Security, madame.”

“I’m not the Imperium Security! I’m a reporter. A writer! Don’t you people have holovision up here? Bookstores? Newspapers?”

Unable to keep her secret mission under wraps another instant, she burst out, “I’m here to find Rayal! You’ve heard of him, surely?”

The youth’s eyes popped.

“Rayal? The leader of that infamous singing group? Earth Lady, you’re crazier than I thought. That one’s been dead for ten years!”

“That’s what everybody thinks,” Koryanna bellowed. “But I’ve got a lead that says he didn’t die at all. He’s been living right here, and I’m the one who’s going to write his story!”

The Er-Dan youth shook his head.

“You’re insane! No one lives up here!”

“Oh, no? What do you call that?”

Triumphantly, she pointed at the treetops, where the outline of a steeply pitched roof was clearly visible. A map carefully drawn by her source had brought Koryanna to exactly the right spot. Her guide squinted up at the roof.

“That?” he shouted.

“That’s just Berner. He’s no outlawed singer, lady. He’s just as much of a lunatic as you are! Only he’s dangerous! You better come back with me before he finds out you’re here.”

Koryanna lifted her briefcase and glared at the youth.

“Don’t try to intimidate me! I don’t threaten easily. I live in The Terran Colony!”

Her guide opened his mouth to argue more, but quickly reconsidered and gave up. Without another word, he tipped his nautical cap, which proudly displayed his occupation, and then shoved off. He gunned the boat’s little motor and began his long journey back the way they had come. He left Koryanna, world-renowned reporter back on Earth, who rarely left the safety of The Colony, standing on the deserted shores of a storm-blackened sea.

“You don’t know what you’re missing!”

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