Expiation (Shadeward Book 4)

  EXPIATION

  Book Four of the Shadeward Saga

  by Drew Wagar

  EXPIATION

  Book Four of the Shadeward Saga

  by Drew Wagar

  FIRST EDITION

  First published by Fantastic Books Publishing 2020

  ISBN (ebook): 978-1-912053-98-8

  ISBN (paperback): 978-1-912053-37-7

  ISBN (hardcover): 978-1-912053-35-3

  Drew Wagar ©2020

  All Rights Reserved

  The right of Drew Wagar to be identified as the author of this book has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1998.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher or unless such copying is done under a current Copyright Licensing Agency license. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

  Thanks To:

  My family continues to be of the greatest support behind the creation of these books of mine. I owe them all thanks for their patience in putting up with my … ahem … ‘creative’ moods. Writing a book is an undertaking of weeks, months and years, time that has to be carved out of other things. So, to my wonderful wife Anita, sons Mark and Joshua, and to Abbey – thanks for letting me do this. It’s very hard work, but it is what I want to do.

  To Anita (again!), Jason Hall and Steph Wyeth – proofreaders extraordinaire. Plot-holes, spelling, grammar, scientific accuracy, the list goes on. I rely on them to call out errors in the story for me to correct before it is published. Many changes are incorporated before the book is released due to their insight and oversight, including additional scenes and dialogue.

  To David Stevenson, my ‘informal’ science advisor on all things related to the Lacaille 9352 system. His ‘proper’ (as in non-fiction and scientific) books are a gold mine of information on the properties of exoplanets.

  To Mae, my editor, who goes through my manuscripts and suggests modifications which improve emphasis, pace and clarity. It’s rare she stumbles with her suggestions, so this story is much improved due to her work.

  To Dan at Fantastic Books Publishing for encouraging me to get to the end of this now quite lengthy saga – we made it! This is a saga which doesn’t fit into your traditional genre classifications and is all the better for it, but this is a problem for some publishers. Not so FBP!

  And thanks to you my readers, a circle which continues to grow. I know you share the love of storytelling from the past from which these new stories are inspired. It’s been an honour and privilege to meet many of you in person and I hope to meet many more of you in due course. More books will come, even if this story ends here, there is much more to see and do in the universe of Shadeward, and there will be another ‘Drew Wagar’ book about it!

  Author’s Note

  So here we are my friends, fellow travellers in space and time. This is the end of this series; quite a bittersweet moment.

  The initial idea for the Shadeward Saga came to me in late 2010. Being a keen amateur astronomer, I wanted to write a story on a scientifically plausible world, but one where the traditional trappings of science fiction; spacecraft, laser beams, space battles, hyperspace and so on, weren’t the focus of the story. Any science had to be as realistic as possible, no random suspension of the law of physics for dramatic effect.

  I’ve always enjoyed post-apocalyptic stories too, but was often intrigued to know how civilisation bounced back after such events, a topic not usually covered given most stories focus on the devastation rather than the aftermath.

  So with Shadeward the science is real, the world is plausible, perhaps even likely. Exoplanets like Esurio will doubtless exist out there in the universe, even if Esurio itself is not present around Lacaille 9352. Mayura, the ‘hot Jupiter’ planet used in these stories for time-keeping, is also a common feature in many star systems of this type. The weather and surface conditions of Esurio are based on real scientific data. There’s no magic here.

  The devastation featured in the Shadeward Saga, two-fold, has happened in the dim and distant past, so long ago that the current residents are largely unaware of what occurred. The civilisation they find themselves part of seems to them to be all that is and was. Only slowly do they begin to determine that they came from another place, with other values and concerns.

  This saga thus takes place at a time when civilisation is on the cusp of emerging from a feudal state, on the brink of a renaissance, where the powers of religion and enlightenment both have an equal chance of dominating the future.

  This premise is, or certainly seems to be, unique. It’s drawn fans from the worlds of science fiction and fantasy. I’m rather proud of the fact it straddles genres, pulling themes not just from science fiction and fantasy, but thrillers and romance too. That makes it untouchable by a traditional publisher, so huge thanks go to the team at Fantastic Books for taking on such a risky project and believing in it.

  But to all of you who have read and enjoyed this series thus far – the biggest thanks goes to you. It’s been an honour and a privilege to write these stories and then hear people talking about the characters, the scenes and the adventures I’ve penned (or keyboarded!). It’s hugely rewarding for an author to listen in on these conversations, fascinating to see what depth or interpretation people weave into their reading. Sometimes it’s what I intended, but, more often than not, I find myself surprised by the different views people have. None of these are wrong – they’re just … different. I have a view of the world and people I create; you, as the reader will have another. That’s part of the wonderful bond between writer and reader. We both create the world we see in our imaginations.

  Others too, have commented on the sense of realism my characters have. This is something I spent a lot of time on, trying to ensure the people in these stories are relatable. They’re not perfect, they make a lot of mistakes, get impatient, annoyed and cross. They love, they hate, they argue, they fight. They’re just like us, they just happen to live on a different world.

  It will be a wrench for me to leave these characters behind. Like you, I’ve spent a lot of time in their company, and they almost feel like real people. Many of the comments I’ve been sent via email, social media and in reviews echo these feelings. We care for fictional characters, feel for them, laugh and cry with them. Perhaps that allows us to get in touch with our own emotions in a personal and private way.

  This truly is the end of this saga. I’ve worked hard to wrap up all the threads, give closure to the mysteries I’ve created and give each character a suitable finale appropriate to who they are and what they’ve done. The stories of Kiri, Meru, Zoella and all the others end here and won’t be revisited, I’m not a fan of stringing things out.

  But there will be more stories in the Shadeward universe, perhaps a prequel describing what forced us away from home, or perhaps stories of the other worlds that were colonised alongside Esurio. There will be more characters and more adventures. The fates of those spheres, out there in the darkness of space, are yet to be told.

  Regardless, my type of storytelling will continue as it has done; stories that run chronologically, not applying sleight-of-hand literary tricks, but straightforward to read. The complexity then lies with the characters, what they do, the drama, the action and the politics that are weaved together. That’s my style, or ‘voice’ as it’s sometimes called.

  If you like it, there’s plenty more to come. Thank you for su
pporting me thus far.

  Drew Wagar,

  April, 2020.

  “She needed a hero,

  so that’s what she became.”

  Contents

  Lacaille

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  About the Author

  Epilogue

  Appendix

  Lacaille

  In order to effectively administer the colony it was decided that some of the colonists would be given additional technological capabilities within their biological makeup.

  Various criteria determined that female colonists with the appropriate temperament were selected and enhanced, providing them with significant abilities. The primary purpose was to allow communication between colonists via the augmented booster, without any other equipment being necessary. The planet’s magnetic field was used as a medium for the transmission, with individuals themselves acting as a relay mesh, rendering more traditional radio technologies, which were subject to major interference over long ranges, obsolete. The technology was designed to align itself with reproductive processes, ensuring that subsequent generations would benefit from the enhancement, even if the knowledge of how it worked were to be lost.

  The original administrators of the colony worked under strict guidelines to ensure their abilities were governed and used effectively. The settlements prospered for many generations, the necessary knowledge being embedded in song, tradition and writings.

  The booster itself was designed to be self-regulating, but it could provide status reports and updates to the administrators in case of any variance outside of its ability to manage. When such events occurred, the administrators would be automatically summoned via their in-built communications mechanism.

  The booster itself was the core of Esurio’s terraforming and stabilisation systems. If it were to fail the impact on the planet’s terraforming stability, the ability to defend against Lacaille’s radiative flux and the lives of the colonists themselves would be put in jeopardy.

  The original colonists who retained knowledge of the technology involved in creating and maintaining the booster could see that the long term viability of Esurio depended on keeping the booster functional for periods of time that dwarfed human lifespans. Over the course of several tens of rounds it was determined that artificial intelligence and automation were insufficient for this task and some kind of human oversight would be required.

  The problem was eventually solved in a controversial manner. Whilst this was being carried out, several further adjustments to the environment and the augmented abilities of the administrators were undertaken.

  It was whilst those adjustments were taking place that the first flare hit Esurio. It was not anticipated, either by the semi-automated systems that had been set to guard the colony or by the colonists themselves. Lacaille 9352 was not catalogued as a flare star and no flare had ever been observed from the time of its discovery until the present time. Thus the calamity that overtook the colony was as unexpected as it was devastating.

  Over nine tenths of the colonists were killed in a devastating holocaust. Most were outside when the flare hit and died as a result of exposure to lethal levels of ultraviolet radiation. Still more were caught by deadly firestorms caused by the pulse of infrared that emanated from Lacaille during the flare.

  In the immediate struggle to survive the aftermath, the intentions of the original colonists were lost and the nascent civilisation on Esurio collapsed. Through many generations those who survived began to spread once more across the planet. History became mixed with legend, the origins of the population only dimly remembered. A barely recognisable culture staggered back. It was far different from what had gone before, surrounded by the broken remnants of the past.

  What little technology remained was perceived as magic or religious power, its origin misunderstood. Thus wars were fought, empires rose and fell. Thousands of rounds passed. Civilisation emerged from a dark age longer than those known on the forgotten homeworld but, as always, those who understood even a little of the past grew to be great and powerful.

  The powers of the original colonists were still present, yet they had also adapted in the long rounds since they had first been gifted to the people. The booster still operated, unattended, forgotten by all, and yet still its automated systems continued to discharge the task its long vanished makers had designed it to perform.

  The controversial means by which the booster had been set to operate were stable for thousands of rounds, but, as time continued to erode its ability to function effectively, even those means were found to be insufficient. The booster was failing, it required assistance from outside, from those who still had the administrative gift from long ago.

  Only now, so many generations since any such communication had been received, those administrators knew little of their past and perceived the summons as dreams, fears, or messages from a Goddess that neither existed, nor cared for the salvation of those on the planet below.

  But without their help, the booster would fail.

  And with it, all human life on Esurio.

  Prologue

  Round 2287, Eleventh Pass

  It was clear that even the herg was tired. Dirt cloyed its nostrils and its fans were drooping in the heat. The road beneath its feet was baked hard and cracked dry. Astride it, wrapped in a cowl and thin fabrics to keep out the worst of the wind-blown dust, was a rider, huddled down in the saddle.

  The rider patted the flank of the beast, urging it on. The herg snorted and resumed a slow amble. Before them a shade forest was rising, promising relief from the heat and the unending blaze of the star above, Lacaille.

  As the herg moved forward, the rider checked the road behind for any other travellers. There were none.

  The path wound into the forest. Within, the rider guided the herg to a stream, allowing it to drink its fill of the water that flowed there, before dismounting carefully cradling a bundle that was then lowered gently to the ground.

  The rider straightened, pulling back the cowl.

  It was a man, his brown hair streaked with grey, his skin weathered and lined. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand and took a deep breath, all the while looking about himself.

  At his feet, the pack he had lowered to the ground wriggled. A cry issued from it.

  ‘Alright little one, water is coming.’

  He unwrapped the pack, revealing a baby, swaddled in wrappings. Curly brown hair framed big brown eyes that stared up at him. At the sight of his face the baby smiled.

  The man cradled the child in his arms as he sat beside the stream, scooping water into its mouth by hand.

  Once the child was sated, he lowered it once more and drank his own fill, all the while keeping a close eye on the road ahead and behind.

  Satisfied, he picked the child up again and strode to the herg.

  ‘Just a little further now,’ he said. ‘And our long journey will be over.’

  The child gurgled happily in his embrace as he vaulted up on to the herg. It snorted in irritation, but he ignored it, steering the beast on to the track by the reins.

  The path unwound before them, the tall shades on either side. The man looked up, seeing the light of Lacaille filtering through the few gaps in the canopy. Nargs, small black insect-like creatures, buzzed about him, and he flapped his hand to clear them away.

  He had been travelling for almost a pass, ridi
ng across the land of Scallia, heading sunright towards the coast. His destination lay but a few marks ahead. Already the path was improving, showing signs of being used and cared for. About him, the land was rising, drying out once more. He had turned away from the lowlands and their dangerous bogs, he knew of the dangerous creatures that infested them.

  The forest ended at a boundary. A stone wall with an open gate marked out a field in which hergs were grazing. The path led alongside it, wider now, easily enough for two carriages to travel abreast. The river was flowing adjacent to the path, at the base of a narrow valley, with fields either side.

  Ahead was a building, grand in the nature of such things. It was a hall, surrounded by a well-tended courtyard. The man directed his herg onwards towards it, bringing it to a halt outside. He could see a pond off to one side, underneath the lee of the hall. A faint aroma of wholesome cooking drifted on a breeze. His stomach rumbled in response.

  He dismounted nearby, tying the herg to a fencepost and making sure the sleeping baby was secure on the creature’s back.

  He walked around the perimeter of the hall, seeing a couple of young children sweeping the courtyard. Beyond them was a gardener, with a pair of apprentices assisting him. They were busy working, clearing pathways and tending to the creepers and vines that ran up the side of the building. The scrape of brooms, the sounds of shears clipping and scythes being swung reached his ears.

  A servant saw him and approached.

  ‘A good stretch, sir?’

  ‘I hope so,’ the man replied.

  ‘Might I be of assistance?’

  ‘I seek Lord Tarq,’ the man replied. ‘I hear he lives hereabouts.’

  ‘Why,’ the servant replied, ‘this is his hall, sir. May I announce you?’

  The man nodded. ‘You may, I have travelled some way to meet him.’