Chapter 1

A Painful Awakening

Roland and the five marines who accompanied him were the only survivors of a once proud platoon. After rescuing the colonists Roland's eyes befell a sight that was almost too much to bear. On the journey back to Mar Sara, he was greeted only by the cold silence of space and an empty seat beside him. The seat that Dallas would have been sitting in, had he survived. Despite his own grieving, he knew what had to be done. He knew that he had to tell Dallas' family the news. Simply thinking about the task made him weak at the knees. He felt as though he had swallowed acid, leaving his insides to turn to mush.

The sun was high in the sky when he reached his deceased friend's house. He knocked on the door, his heart pounding in his chest, his mouth dry. He wore his formal military suit. For all the badges and medals which hung upon his uniform, there was nothing that could take his feeling of failure away.

Dallas' wife, Jill, opened the door, a smile on her face as she expected to see her husband. Her light brown hair fluttered in the gentle breeze which seemed to exacerbate the silence. She looked at Roland who held a folded Dominion flag with Dallas' medals strewn atop it. He could not speak, for he was trying too hard to hold back the tears, but as he saw the smile drop from her face and tears well in her eyes he could do naught but yield to his emotions. She placed a hand over her mouth, shaking her head in disbelief. "No," she said, tears running down her cheeks. "No, no. Please no!"

Roland hugged her in a comforting manner, but in truth he needed as much comfort as she did. Dallas was like a brother to him, and losing him was like losing family.

It was at the doorstep they stayed, both weeping in the pain of the tender wound which had opened up in their hearts. It seemed like hours before they pulled themselves together. The two moved to the kitchen, where they talked over a cup of coffee. Jill had called various close relatives to inform them of the bad news. Roland knew that he had to tell Dallas' son the ill fated news as well. "How do we tell Adren?"

"He's been quiet lately. He won't talk and he's barely eating," she took a deep breath and wiped away a tear. "I think he already knows. I think he's a..." Jill turned away from Roland's gaze as tears welled afresh in her eyes.

He placed a hand on her back. "It's alright, I know. Dallas told me he may be a telepath," he nodded. "I can feel it now. There's definitely something powerful lurking inside him."

"But how do we protect him? I won't let them take him away. I can't let them."

"Don't worry, he'll be safe. Wranglers don't pass through here. That's the advantage of being in a small town."

"And if they do?"

"Then it'll be they're unlucky day to say the least. Dallas was a great man. The soldiers here would stop at nothing to protect your family, if for nothing else to at least honour his memory. And you know I wouldn't let anything happen to him."

Jill nodded, her tears having ceased but her breath still quivering. There was a knock at the door, startling the two for a moment before Jill stood up to answer it, Roland following close behind. The door opened, revealing another woman on the other side. She wore simple light brown coloured pants and a plain top of a light khaki colour. She had brown hair and dark eyes from which tears rolled down her cheeks. Roland had seen the woman several times before. She was Jill's close friend, Robin.

The two women hugged each other in a comforting embrace. The three stood and conversed for a moment before Jill placed a hand over her mouth as she remembered her son. She had been so caught up in all that was going on that telling him the ill fated news slipped her mind. "Adren," she said. "We need to tell him now."

"It's alright," said Roland. "You two stay here, I'll tell him."

Jill nodded before the two women walked into another room. Roland walked through the house to the Adren's room. He gently pushed the door open, seeing the young boy sitting on the floor, simply staring out the window at the sky. Roland carefully entered the room, seeing several toys strewn across the floor. "Adren?" he said, receiving no response from the boy.

He looked down at one of the toys, kneeling and picking it up for closer inspection. It was an action figure of a male soldier, but Adren had torn the head off it. As Roland looked across the floor, all the toys of a similar appearance had been treated in the same manner. Roland put the toy back down and sat next to the child. "You know don't you?" asked Roland in a gentle voice.

Adren simply nodded. "Are you going too?"

Roland wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders. "No. I'm not goin' anywhere."

He noticed a spider on the windowsill. He raised his hand, preparing to strike it when he realised it was already dead. It looked like it had died while it was still walking.

"I looked at it and then it died," said Adren.

Roland nodded in understanding. "You have a powerful gift, Adren. You've gotta learn how to control it, or bad things could happen."

"I don't know how," said the boy, looking up at Roland.

"Don't worry, kiddo. I can teach you."

The funeral for Dallas was held two days later. The field was crowded as a great many of the soldiers came to pay their respects to the fallen Lieutenant and his family.

Dallas' coffin was adorned with wreaths of flowers and lush plants. The Lieutenant's family and close friends stood closest to the casket, their eyes shedding tears freely.

Roland stood next to Adren, his hand on the boy's shoulder as they watched the coffin being lowered while a priest spoke. Five men with rifles fired blank shots into the air three times. Though they stood some distance away, many who were present blinked at the very least during each shot, but not Adren. He simply stood staring at the grave. Roland could feel the hatred emanating from the boy. His desire to kill those responsible seemed to grow with every shot which was fired.

The next few days to pass were hard on everyone. Roland did his best to teach the boy how to control his powers so that he could avoid being detected by Wranglers. It was no easy task, for Roland saw that Adren did not wish to hold back his powers but simply wanted to unleash them.

Just over two weeks after the burial of Dallas, Adren's seventh birthday came. Many showed up to assist in the celebrations. Children roamed about the house as mothers and fathers spoke with one another. No one spoke of Dallas's death while they were there. They all saw how hard Roland and Jill were trying to make the day a happy one for Adren. One which was not haunted by the memories of a fallen loved one. Adren could feel the inner turmoil of his mother and so he smiled and feigned happiness for the day. He ran around, playing and laughing with the other children. Roland knew what the boy was doing, but seeing Jill smiling for the first time since the ill fated news brought him some peace. Adren was at least happy that his plan was working, for smiles had a habit of being contagious.

And so time went by and the pain of Dallas' passing eased. It never left completely, but it was no longer an unbearable agony which drained away their very lives. Roland continued to train the boy, and progress was made, albeit rather slow. The child still held a passionate hatred for those who slew his father. A year had passed since the death of Adren's father and the war between the Confederacy and the Kel-Morian Combine continued to rage across the stars.

A cool night breeze yielded a pleasant reprieve from the day's searing heat. As the bustling work of the day calmed into a restful night, Adren and Jill sat by the television. The news was on. With it came stories of the war ravaging entire communities and laying waste to people's livelihoods as fringe worlds were relentlessly targeted.

The anchorman was addressing the next story when he suddenly paused, placing a finger to his ear in order to hear an incoming message. He looked back up to the camera. "We've just received word that there has been an attack on a large mining complex on Mar Sara close to one of the major military compounds. We cross live to our reporter Anna Geila."

The image flicked to the brunette reporter who had her hair in a bun and wore a maroon jacket. She stood with a Confederate Colonel who had a grey moustache and was wearing his military uniform, his hair covered by a beret. "Colonel, this is indeed a daring attack by the Kel-Morian Combine, so close to a large military base. What do you think they hope to achieve by this?"

The reporter held her microphone to the Colonel who spoke with a clear, confident voice. "These men are essentially nothing more than terrorists, and they will be treated as such. It is my belief that they hope to spread fear into our forces. They are trying to send a message that no one is safe, but I feel differently. We will show the civilian populations that there is nothing to fear. We will mobilise a force and we will crush all opposition swiftly."

The interview continued, but Adren could sense his mother's despair. "What's wrong?" he asked with a child's curiosity, looking his mother in the eyes.

"It's nothing," she said, forcing a smile.

There was a knock at the door. Jill walked over and opened it, seeing Roland standing in the doorway. "I know why you're here," she said, keeping her voice low so that Adren could not hear. "It's all over the news. I recognised the Colonel they interviewed. The Kel-Morians are close to our town, aren't they?"

Roland looked down and nodded. "I've been ordered to get to the military base. I'll be going with the Confederate forces to engage the enemy."

"Don't go. Please," Jill pleaded. "You've always been like a father to Adren. If he loses another, I don't think he'll be able to cope. You're like a brother to me, and I don't think I'd be able to cope either."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine, trust me. My concern is for the two of you. If any of their forces somehow manage to slip past us, the town will be defenceless. If you see or hear anything, if you so much as suspect there's something wrong, you hide. You find a safe place and you don't come out until we get back. I'll find you, no matter where the two of you go."

"I will, just promise me you'll stay safe. If anything does happen to me, then you'll look after..."

Roland held up a hand. "Don't even say that. Nothing's going to happen to you."

"But if it does..."

"Then you know I'll take care of him," he cut her off again. "No matter what happens I'll look after him."

She nodded in acceptance and smiled as she wiped away a tear. Knowing her mind was at ease, he also smiled before walking over to Adren who sat watching the television. "Hey, buddy," Roland said in a gentle voice. "I'm going away for a little while but I'll be back."

"Are you going to stop the bad men?" Adren looked into Roland's eyes.

"Yes," He nodded. "I'm going to make sure they can't hurt you or anyone else."

"Can I come too?"

Roland smiled. "No, not this time. You have to stay here but I'll be back as soon as I can."

He gave Adren a hug before the two walked to Jill who still stood by the door. He placed a hand on Jill's arm. "You take care of yourself," he looked back down at Adren. "And you, mister, stay out of trouble and look after your mother while I'm gone," he ruffled Adren's hair, who gave him a salute.

Roland entered the darkness of the street beyond, his body illuminated by naught but dim street lights. He rounded a corner and his figure disappeared out of sight.

The night wore on and before long Jill had to put Adren to sleep. She was truly fearful for what was to come, not for herself but for her son. That night she slept next to Adren who slumbered peacefully. Even in his dormant state he could sense the inner-turmoil of his mother. He subconsciously entered her mind, quelling the thoughts and bringing her a sense of peace which she had not felt for a long time. Her eyes closed and she fell into a deep sleep.

Morning light burst through cracks between the closed curtains on Adren's window, waking Jill up. She stretched and her eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the light. She had a smile on her face as she reached a hand over to her son. The smile faded instantly as her hand grasped nothing but an empty space next to her. She rolled over to see that no one lay next to her. "Adren?" she said.

Panic took a hold, her heart beating faster. "Adren?" she called.

The sound of something breaking in another room caught Jill's ear. She rushed to the source of the sound, her heart pounding in her chest now. Fear claimed her as she prepared for the worst. She walked into the kitchen, seeing naught but a broken plate on the floor. She heard the soft pattering of footsteps, footsteps which appeared to be sneaking. 'Sneaking or stalking?' She thought.

She looked around the kitchen, the knife rack catching her gaze. She walked carefully and quietly towards it, gently sliding a large, sharp knife from the holder. She grasped it firmly and tried to calm her breath so as to make as little noise as possible. The footsteps drew closer. They appeared to stop for a moment, then turn into another room. Her heart beat so hard it felt as though it would burst free of her chest at any moment. She saw a glimpse of movement from the crack beneath a closed door leading into the kitchen. The door knob slowly turned and the door creaked open a crack. She could not see through the crack for she stood face-on with the door. The door creaked open a little more, but still she could see nothing. Her grip tightened around the handle of the knife, readying herself for what was to come. All of a sudden, the door opened faster until a hand could be seen, then an arm. The panic which grasped her desisted as she saw her son standing with a dust pan and brush. She dropped the knife on the table top and moved over to hug him tightly. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"I was getting myself breakfast and I dropped the plate. What's wrong?" he asked inquisitively.

"Nothing," she said, hugging him again. "Nothing's wrong. Here, give me that, I'll clean this up."

She set about the task of cleaning up the mess before making him breakfast. The day wore on as the sun burned brightly in the sky. Night came without anything remarkable having happened throughout the day. As Jill watched the news, the reporter claimed that the forces which had set off had engaged the enemy earlier in the day and been successful in the preliminary strikes. As it crossed live to the reporter on the scene, gunshots and explosions sounded in the near distance. The reporter spoke of the battle still raging through the night, but a confident commander on the scene predicted victory before sun rise.

Soon weariness claimed both Jill and her son, and so they departed for their beds. She once again found herself sleeping on the same bed as Adren. As they lay in the silence of night, the faint sounds of explosions could be heard in the distance.

The next day was tedious on Jill. She attempted to relax but every time she tried, anxiety would nestle itself in the very depths of her heart. She found herself unable to simply sit still and thus she decided it best to go on a walk with Adren.

As they left the house Jill looked cautiously about her, but all was normal. A man walked past the two, giving them a nod and a smile as he went by. Jill took Adren's hand and the two set off down the concrete path which flanked the asphalt road. Some of the red desert sand had blown onto the paths and roads, splattering colour on their lifeless surfaces.

As they walked, there was a silence in the air. There were people still populating the streets and every now and again a vehicle would go past, but a certain feeling gripped Jill. It was strange to her, almost like a feeling of impending doom.

After a short walk, they stopped at a park. Benches and tables were set into the red earth with play equipment a short distance away. The area was surrounded by a short wooden fence, creating a circle with several gaps in its circumference where people could enter or exit the park. There were several people sitting on some of the benches, conversing with one another. Adren and Jill sat on one of the empty benches, simply enjoying the calm surrounding.

Time passed by quickly as they sat and talked. They were sitting in silence when Jill heard a strange humming sound in the distance. She looked up at the cloudy sky. She caught a glimpse of an object flying as it passed through the crack between two clouds. She took Adren's hand. "We should head back now."

He nodded and the two stood up and walked at a somewhat hurried pace. As they walked along the streets, Jill noticed a sense of panic in the people. An eerie silence took a hold as the only sound to be heard was the light tapping of their footsteps.

A thunderous sound erupted as an explosion tore through a building not far away. Two gunships flew overhead, flying low to the ground in an attack formation. The crackling of gunfire pierced the silence as a multitude of explosions and screams ensued. Jill spun around to see three Kel-Morian soldiers in powered combat suits. "Stop right there!" one bellowed as they closed in rapidly.

The two ran as fast as their legs would allow, the Kel-Morian soldiers following close behind. Screams and bullet fire continued to burst out around the once peaceful town. Adren reached the front gate of their house. He stopped to wait for his mother who was several paces behind.

One of the soldiers following them took aim and fired. Blood poured out of a fresh wound in Jill's left leg, the impact causing her to fall to the ground.

"Run, Adren," said Jill. "Run as fast as you can, I'll be right behind you!"

"But..." he started to protest.

"Just go! There's no time!" she interrupted.

As Jill knelt on the footpath one of the Kel-Morians grappled her and dragged her away. Adren ran into the house, slamming the door shut and running towards the kitchen. Gunshots and explosions continued to ring out, though the walls of the house muffled the sounds. He picked up a knife and hid in the pantry.

There was a loud crash as the soldiers broke through the front door. Adren tried to steady his breath thus that they would not hear him as easily. Their clumsy feet gave away their position as they stomped on the ground while searching the house. He could sense two of them in the house.

Their footsteps drew closer to the kitchen until at last one entered. The Kel-Morian looked cautiously around, his gun ready to fire at any second. "Come out come out wherever you are," he taunted.

The soldier's visor was retracted, allowing Adren to see the man's face. The man had brown eyes and hair of a matching colour, his face bearing the scruff of a two-day-old beard. He turned around, his back now facing Adren.

Something took hold of Adren. An anger that burnt away all other rational thought. Silently and carefully he opened the pantry door and slipped out, the knife still in hand. He climbed silently onto a table just behind the soldier, holding his knife high in the air, the point of its blade ready to pierce into its target.

"Hey," he whispered, causing the man to turn around in surprise.

As Adren's enemy turned, he plunged the knife into the man's forehead with all his strength, pulling it out and stabbing it in again before the man fell to the floor with a crash. Blood ran over Adren's hands.

He ran behind the table, hiding from sight. He heard footsteps rushing towards the kitchen as the sounds of battle continued in the background. The second Kel-Morian entered the room. Adren heard the man curse as he saw the carnage. "What the hell? Where are you?" he shouted.

The man turned for a split second before Adren sprang out from hiding, slashing the man's neck. The man fired his gun in desperation as he placed a hand to his neck, trying to stop the heavy bleeding. The shots missed and Adren plunged the blade through the soldier's eye.

Adren looked at the bodies for a moment in shock. It was only then he remembered his mother. He ran to the front door to look outside.

The town was in disarray. Dark smoke poured forth into the air as fire crackled and gunshots sounded. Explosions shook the ground and distant screams still filled the air. Adren stood at the door, watching the chaos in utter shock. Along the street a civilian man was gunned down as he ran from the Kel-Morians. A car speeding further along the road erupted in a ball of fire a hail of gauss rifle shots tore through its fuel tank.

By the time he noticed an enemy soldier approaching it was too late to do anything. The man was standing before the boy, his gun raised and ready to fire. The man's index finger gently started to squeeze the trigger on the gun. The man's mouth curved in a wicked smile just before a bullet hole burst into his forehead. His lifeless body fell to the ground.

Adren's eyes were open wide in fear at coming so close to death. Kel-Morian soldiers began retreating, many falling as they tried. Adren watched as two turned around to fire a salvo of bullets before one fell to the ground. The other tried to ran but fell as a hail of bullets swiftly felled him mid-step. A Kel-Morian gunship flew in the near distance, smoke leaking out of a flaming hole. It plummeted towards the ground and erupted in a loud explosion as it collided with the earth.

Confederate forces moved into the vicinity, driving off the attackers. One of the Confederate soldiers clad in a CMC powered combat suit approached the boy, who still stood silently, looking at the blood covering his hands. The soldier knelt in front of Adren and placed his gun on the ground beside him, the barrel still smoking. The man retracted his visor, revealing Roland's face. "Adren, are you alright?"

The boy opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Roland embraced the child in a hug. "Don't worry. I'm here now. The bad men are all gone now and they aren't coming back. Where's your mother?"

"I don't know," said Adren, almost choking on his words. "They took her."

"It's okay, we'll find her. I promise. For now you can stay with me and I'll look after you."

"I want to learn how to fight," said the boy.

Roland opened his mouth to protest but considered for a moment before nodding. "Okay."

He took Adren by the hand and they set off down the war-torn road.