The Chronicles of Aallandranon - Episode One - Ant-Lion

The
Chronicles of Aallandranon

Episode One

Ant-Lion

By Benjamin Allen

A Science Fiction-Fantasy
Series

Smashwords Edition

First American Edition

Copyright ©
2016
Benjamin
Allen
. All Rights
Reserved.

Copyright © 2000 The Chronicles of
Aallandranon, created by Benjamin Allen

This
E-book is licensed for the personal enjoyment of interested
readers. This E-book may not be re-sold for profit, but may be
loaned at the purchaser
’
s discretion. This E-book may be reproduced,
copied, and distributed for non-commercial purposes provided the
E-book remains in its complete original form and all due credit
goes to the original author, Benjamin Allen. Thank you for
respecting the hard work of this author.

This
story is intended for mature readers. Scenes depict graphic murder,
drug use, and sexuality. This book is also a work of fiction. Any
references to historical events, real people, or real locales, are
used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents
are products of the author
’
s imagination. Any
resemblance to actual events, locales, or
persons
–
living or dead
–
is entirely coincidental.

For my wife, Suyoung

And, for all who wish to become lost in the
fantastical,

swept away by the miraculous, and bask in the
extraordinary:

This series was made for you.

1

“
You
are under arrest for the deaths of 5,000 people aboard the Star
Ship Enigma, and the total destruction of the Pluto
Station.
”
Those were the first words Jonathan Tabith was able to
comprehend after waking from four months in cryostasis. His vision
was filled with fuzzy light. His head felt enormous. It took him a
moment to realize that he was sitting upright in a hospital bed. He
tried to move his right hand to massage the pain in his forehead,
but it was handcuffed to the bed rail.
“
Do you know
where you are? Are you aware of anything?
”

Jonathan savored the fleeting moments his brain took to
realize who he was and why he was here
…
and what he had done.
The memories of murder, blood-lust, and the impossible feats he had
accomplished refilled the spaces of his recollection. For once, he
was glad to feel absolutely powerless.

“
Your eyes are open so say something.
”
The
woman
’
s voice from nearby spoke to him again. He
didn
’
t
recognize that voice. There was the muffled sound of
movement.
“
He’
s not
talking.
”

“
We
should jettison him from the airlock,
”
spoke a different
woman
’s voice.
“
He
doesn
’
t deserve to live after what he did to Pluto
Station.
”

Pluto
Station? Jonathan remembered the Enigma, but what had he done to
Pluto Station?
“
I…”
He tried to speak and the two listeners moved
closer.
“
I’
m
sorry
… I’
m sorry for everything.
”

H
is world dissolved into
darkness
.

Jonathan could see clearly when he opened his
eyes later. His head felt at least half the size it had felt
before. He was in an empty conference room aboard one of the
transport vessels from Earth, still handcuffed to the hospital bed.
He smelled the aroma of tobacco for the first time in eight years,
and looked over to see a woman wearing a white shirt with the
sleeves rolled up to her elbows. She wore black slacks and rested
her hand upon her knee with a dwindling cigarette between her index
and middle fingers. The woman had neat blonde hair that had been
done up in a ponytail.

“
Feeling better?
”
She asked, raising the cigarette to
her lips to pull the last few centimeters of its life.
“
We gave you some Fresolantium: a new drug
we
’
ve
been experimenting with on Earth. You remember Earth, right, where
you were born?
”

“
Of
course I remember Earth.
”
Jonathan spoke through a dry, groggy
voice.

“
My
name is Detective Jocelyn Sizemore. I
’
ve been assigned to
figure out the details of what happened on the Star Ship Enigma.
All of the records from your Falcon class military spacecraft have
been wiped except for the last order you gave to go into
cryostasis. Now, why would you go and do a thing like that,
Jonathan?
”

“
Because what happened is too difficult for you to
understand.
”

“
Unfortunately, that
’
s not good enough for
me.
”
Jocelyn finished her cigarette and put the butt in an
ashtray on the small table beside her where a stack of
Jonathan
’
s pre-Enigma files lay.
“
You gotta give me
something, Jonathan. 5,000 people don
’
t just got missing
overnight.
”

“
They
’
re not missing. I know exactly where they
are
…
at least, those who are still alive.
”
Jonathan
said.

“
Now
we
’
re
getting somewhere,
”
said Jocelyn said.
“
How do we find the
rest of the Enigma survivors?
”

“
I
wouldn
’
t even know how to tell you.
”

Jocelyn looked displeased.
“
Can’
t and won
’
t are two different words with the same meaning in
your situation.
”
There was a long time of waiting for
Jonathan
’
s response, which never came.
“
Okay, how about the
Pluto Station. How do you explain that one?
”

“
As
you know from the date of my cryostasis record, I
couldn
’
t possibly know what happened at Pluto
Station.
”
Jonathan said.
“
How about you fill me
in and we go from there.
”

“
Your ship was lodged in an asteroid, an asteroid
that
’
s
trajectory was set for the Pluto Station. Since we had no record of
an asteroid
’
s trajectory being in line with Pluto Station, no one was
able to stop it in time. The station was destroyed two weeks ago,
Jonathan. There
’
s nothing left, and you
’
re being held
responsible.
”

Jonathan glared ahead at this.
“
I was on my way
back to Pluto Station and nearly out of power, so I used all of my
Falcon
’
s remaining energy to push an asteroid at a trajectory that
would eventually meet with my destination. That someone at the
Pluto Station didn
’
t take counter-preventative measures with an imminent
collision of space debris is entirely not my fault. I was trying to
stay alive. Incompetence here is what led to the destruction of the
Pluto Station, and that is sickening.
”

Jocelyn looked like she needed another cigarette.
“
Our reports were clear of debris when the computer ran them
seconds prior to the collision. Our alert systems went off, but the
impact happened almost immediately. We were also in the midst of an
important gathering after the tragic death of Gary
Rudolph.
”

Jonathan
’
s eyes widened.
“
Rudolph is
dead?
”

“
Most definitely. He was hit by a bolide while out with a
repair team. It hit Jimmy Golding
’
s ankle and nearly cost
him his leg, but they saw Rudolph floating away. His life-signs
were in the negative, and he had a hole through his
suit.
”

“
That
’
s extremely unfortunate,
”
said Jonathan, thinking.
“
I wonder how fast I was going after
….”
He trailed off,
looking at Jocelyn

She
narrowed her attention on him.
“
The station was
designed to withstand a catastrophic event so we were able to
evacuate the station and get all the survivors onto C class star
ships en route for Earth. And, of course, save your ass from the
asteroid that caused all the damage. Imagine our surprise when it
turned out to be you inside that ship. Now, everybody in the solar
system is waiting to hear the outcome of the other catastrophic
event that took the Enigma.
”

“
That is a long story, one that
’
s going to take too much
time to explain from beginning to end.
”

Jocelyn lifted her hand into the air.
“
We have six
months until we reach Earth. Until we present your story to the
five remaining members of the Pluto Council and hold a proper
trial, you
’
re not going anywhere. Get the details of your story
straight and tell me what happened after your departure from the
Pluto Station a year and a half ago.
”

Jonathan took a few minutes to consider how to explain. He
had known that he would have to tell the people of Earth what
happened and had prepared the majority of his story during his
trip. But what happened
…
before
…
seemed like a lifetime
ago.
“
All of this is being recorded,
right?
”
Jonathan drawled, meeting Jocelyn
’
s green eyes. Jocelyn
stood up and nodded.
“
Good, because I
don
’
t
want to tell this story more than once. I
’
ll answer questions, but
this is all you
’
re going to get.
”

“
All
right. Whenever you
’
re ready.
”
Jocelyn said. She took another cigarette from a
dwindling pack in her breast pocket, and stuck it in her mouth. She
put her thumb to the tip and pulled, breathing out
smoke.

Jonathan took a deep breath.
“
It starts with the
day of our departure
….”

2

Jonathan Tabith opened his eyes to the
titanium ceiling of his cabin at five in the morning. Pluto, with
the ring of the Pluto Station circling it, slowly drifted across
his window as the Star Ship Enigma performed routine tests. The
distant shine of the sun glimmered from the center of the solar
system against the backdrop of stars. Today was an important
day.