Dunamis Excerpt: Arriving on Gele

Below is an excerpt from my second novel, Dunamis:

The flight was smooth and uneventful, a hallmark of the Temzen Corporation’s improvements and innovations to the program the past few years. Tash eventually joined the others in the lounge area of the shuttle, and they enjoyed a meal in the dining area not long after. Their conversations drifted from one subject to another. They talked about how Yasmin and the other newer Agents were faring, with both concern about their involvement in the case, but also confidence that they would rise to the task. Zane went over his thoughts again about Aron and Razz, while Vincent needled him about possibly having a sister-in-law. Tash updated everyone on Amber, who wasn’t doing much at home besides going to work and caring for their cats. Lana gave everyone a rundown on what to expect once they reached Gele: the customs, the cold, and a little more about her family’s expectations. 

Time passed, and everyone eventually decided to head back to their seats. They continued the conversation for a while longer, with Zane asking Lana to run through Gelean customs again before they strayed to other topics. Vincent asked to see Tash’s escrima sticks, and she reluctantly pulled them from her bag. They were the standard length, just over two feet long, and made of a light but solid steel. Rubber handles covered one end for extra grip. He made a few playful moves with them before handing them back. Tash mindlessly twirled them for a while as the four of them continued to talk.

Everything began to wind down, and they all decided that it was time to attempt sleep. Since they opted not to get a sleeping pod, they all did their best to position themselves to get some rest. They dimmed the overhead lights, and dozed off and on for most of the remainder of the trip.

Eventually, the captain announced that they were two hours away from Gele, and everyone had 15 minutes to buckle themselves back in to prepare for the hyperspace exit and eventual docking. They all stretched and worked out kinks that had formed in their joints and muscles due to how they slept, and Tash offered to go find coffee for everyone before they had to remain seated. The rest made sure that their bags were secure and packed, Tash returned with four full cups, and they all once again fastened the straps over their laps and torsos.

The ride became rougher as the shuttle began to travel through Gele’s atmosphere. The captain announced that they would be docking in a snowstorm, so it would likely be bumpy up until they arrived at the station. This turned out to be true, but the actual point of landing was as smooth as they could expect.

The captain announced that passengers could begin off-boarding, and expressed the usual pleasantries about flying with them and wishing everyone well in whatever brought them to the planet. The foursome shouldered their luggage and filed through the shuttle corridors until they were in the concourse.

The shuttle station had large windows allowing everyone to see where they’d arrived, which presently was difficult to do given how much the snow was blowing over the landscape. From what Lana had shared during the flight, this station was set a few miles outside the limits of Kroneheim, the capital city of Gele and the location of the Royal Palace. 

Commander Beaumont had notified them that a vehicle would be waiting to transport them to the Palace. As they walked toward the receiving area, Zane and the others noted the difference in the crowd’s makeup here versus in the station they’d departed. While there was a diversity among the travelers, the majority were clearly from Gele: much like Lana herself, they had clear, pale skin and blonde, near-white hair, many of whom regardless of gender wore at shoulder length or longer. 

“We’re not in Azure City anymore,” Vincent remarked.

They exited the concourse and quickly noticed a young man in a black uniform with bright brass buttons. His skin and hair matched those of the other Gele natives, and he was holding a sign that read, “Defenders.” He clearly noticed their uniforms, as he immediately approached and knelt in front of Lana.

“Ugh, here we go.” Lana rolled her eyes. “Stand up, you don’t need to do all that.”

The man sprung to his feet, his eyes bright and expectant. “It is so wonderful to have you home, Princess Lana. My name is Inar. I’ll be driving you and your friends to the Palace. Your family is anticipating your arrival.”

“I’m sure they are,” Lana replied. “Inar, these are my teammates, Zane Sarian, Tash Jackson, and Vincent Pegasus.”

“Greetings,” Zane said. “We’re glad to be here.”

“Welcome to you all,” Inar began before staring at Tash. “I must say, we don’t see many of your complexion here.”

Tash’s eyes narrowed. “Watch yourself, Inar.” 

“No, no! I just mean that…look around,” Inar stammered. “The climate has caused our race to be…well, you can see. You and your blue friend add to the tapestry of our populace and enrich its beauty. I’m very glad that you are here.”

Tash turned sheepish. “Well…thank you.”

Vincent bumped shoulders with her. “Look at us, enriching the beauty of the populace.”

Tash chuckled. “Our guy here is a poet.”

“The car is right outside,” Inar said. “Do you need help with your bags?”

“I think we’re good,” Lana replied. “Lead the way.”

The five headed for one of the station’s exits, the doors opened for them as they approached. Inar led them to a white extended town car at the curb. He pressed a button on a fob, and the trunk popped open as they approached.

“Traveling in style,” Vincent whistled. “I dig it.”

Lana grumbled something unintelligible as they hefted their bags into the trunk. Inar again asked if anyone needed assistance, and they all politely declined. He shrugged, and once everyone’s luggage was accounted for, he closed the hatch and rushed to open one of the rear passenger doors for them.

“Please allow me, distinguished guests of King and Queen Freis.” Inar beamed with excitement.

“You really don’t need to do all this,” Lana said.

“Oh no, I insist.” Vincent grinned. “Thank you, good sir.” He bowed slightly to Inar before ducking and sliding into the car.

Lana sighed before climbing in next. Tash and Zane followed, and Inar gently shut the door behind them. They saw him hurry around to the driver’s side, and a moment later they were on the road.

“I don’t know, Lana. This isn’t all bad, as far as I can see.” Tash examined the contents of a miniature refrigerator.

“It’s not. I just…I’m a little embarrassed for you all to see this side of my life.” Lana folded her arms. “I don’t need or want this pomp and circumstance shit. I just want us to be able to handle our business here so we can go home.”

“I get it, but couldn’t we just enjoy this for what it is in the meantime?” Zane asked. “Clearly we’re going to have comfortable accommodations while we investigate. That should make things easier for us.”

“Only if we don’t get too comfortable, and if my parents stay out of our way,” Lana snapped back.

“I don’t see us getting too comfortable,” Tash replied. “I mean, I’m definitely hoping for a giant bathtub with all the oils I can find, but are any of us really going to get caught up in all that?”

“I just…worry,” Lana grumbled.

“Well, I volunteer to get caught up on all of your behalf,” Vincent said. “I’ll let you all know how it goes. Pick me up when it’s time to leave.”

“We’re going to be fine,” Zane assured Lana. “We’re watching out for each other. Remember?”

“Yeah,” Lana replied. “Yeah, I remember.”

Zane smiled. “Good.”

Their attention turned to the scenery through which the car passed. They were near the city now, which from a distance looked like a series of tall white icicles piercing the sky. The storm had passed, and now the sun was out, causing everything, including the buildings, to sparkle. As they entered the city, they saw many residents on foot, bundled in thick coats with hoods, long blonde-white hair peeking out around their necks and shoulders. While the architecture was strikingly different from that of Azure City, the storefronts seemed ordinary: boutiques, restaurants, and miscellaneous shops lined the sidewalks. 

Up close, the buildings still resembled icicles, but they could more clearly observe the material that gave them this look. It appeared glassy in nature, but there were other elements mixed in somehow. 

“What are these structures made of?” Tash asked.

“It’s a mixture reinforced from crystal,” Lana replied. “They mine it in the mountains. It’s used for all kinds of stuff. But a long time ago somebody realized it really helped buildings hold up in harsh elements. And you probably noticed that the elements can be way harsh here.”

“Crystal,” Zane repeated, half to himself as he gazed out the window.

“Yeah, a particular kind that as far as we know can only be found here,” Lana explained. “It rivals diamonds in hardness. It’s also a powerful conductor. It’s a big part of our electrical grid and it powers our cars. It’s a major part of our society and economy.”

“That’s gotta take a lot of people to keep finding more, right?” Vincent asked.

“Oh, definitely,” Lana replied. “There are thousands of miners working around the clock to find the stuff. They collect it and haul it to factories to be tested, cleaned, and processed. Then other companies buy it to make it usable for construction or energy or whatever.”

“Sounds pretty valuable,” Vincent mused.

“Oh, it is,” Lana agreed. “We keep it here for our own use, though. We need so much of it for ourselves that we don’t sell it. My dad can tell you way more about the reasons for that.”

“Why?” Zane asked.

“Because he’s the king,” Lana said. “He oversees all of it. Well, not personally. He has people appointed to report to him. The mining, the processing plants, everything.”

“So if you don’t mind me asking,” Zane began, “who are the rebels that Commander Beaumont mentioned? What do they feel the need to rebel against?”

Lana sighed. “It’s the mine and factory workers. Some of them think they’re not being treated fairly. They protest and demonstrate and meet with supervisors all the time, but there was a group that decided they needed to be more…theatrical. So we’ve had some car bombings and vandalism, stuff like that.”

Vincent’s eyes widened. “Whoa.”

“Yeah. My dad doesn’t mind the peaceful ones. He meets with them regularly and has made improvements in response. He’s always trying to root out the ones doing the worse stuff. But some have avoided detection or have just quit, and they’re trying to whip up others to their way of doing things. Those are the ones deemed rebels. It’s not always clear that they really want to help. More like they just want the chaos, and this is a convenient reason to cause it.”

“And now they want to help cause chaos on Earth, too,” Zane said.

Lana nodded. “Apparently.”

Inar’s voice crackled through a speaker from the front. “My esteemed passengers, I want to let you know that we are nearing the Royal Palace. I will drive you to an enclosed area to shield you from the elements. So please sit tight until I am able to park and open the door for your exit. It has been my absolute honor and pleasure to be the one entrusted with transporting you today.”

“He really lays it on thick, doesn’t he?” Tash was amused.

“I think that’s just how he is,” Zane replied.

The Royal Palace loomed large in front of them now. It was the same brilliant white as the rest of the city, but with more spires and a parapet, all trimmed with sparkling blue. At the center of the outer doors was the royal seal, shaded with the same blue adorning the soaring fixtures and walls. 

The doors parted, and the limousine cruised into a vast courtyard. The car crept around to the left, following a road to another inner door that raised upon their approach. The car eased down a ramp and wove through a parking garage lined with other vehicles, many of them clearly very expensive and well-maintained. Due to the increased length of the vehicle, Inar took his time maneuvering the turns.

Vincent pointed out a window at a sleek yellow sports car. “Can we commandeer that one for the case?”

“I doubt it,” Lana replied. “Most of these are my family’s personal collection.”

“Which one do you get to drive when you’re home?” Vincent asked.

“There are some sensible ones down below for work-related outings,” Lana said. “SUVs and town cars, mostly.”

“So, in other words, boring.” Vincent’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

The car crawled to a stop, and they could hear Inar climb out and jog around to open their door. “Welcome to the Royal Palace.” He grinned.

Zane turned to Lana. “You want to go first?”

“I guess,” she mumbled.

Lana stepped out of the car, followed by Zane. Tash and Vincent were right behind them. Other than the structure’s white, crystal-infused look, the garage was comparable to any found on Earth: large pillars to bear the weight, guardrails to protect pedestrians, and the driving spaces angled for vehicles to ascend or descend to other levels. The doors leading into the Palace were glass featuring the same blue royal seal they had already seen on the way in several times.

A man stood in front of the doors, smiling pleasantly. As with other Gele residents, his white-blonde hair cascaded to his shoulders, framing a light-skinned face. He wore a black suit with the royal seal on his right breast pocket. Double sets of brass buttons dotted his jacket. He wore white gloves, and a blue stripe matching the seal ran down both sides of his pants. He was flanked by two other men wearing the same attire.

“Welcome, Princess Lana,” he said. “I am so very pleased to welcome you home.”

Lana gave a small wave. “Hey Ward.”

He nodded before addressing the others. “And welcome to the Princess’ guests. My name is Ward Hushnew. I serve as Chief of Staff to the King and Queen. We are so very glad to have you stay with us over the course of your investigation. Please don’t worry about your luggage.”

Ward motioned to his two companions, and they walked briskly to the limo, where Inar had already popped the trunk.

“Your items will be placed in the rooms that have been prepared for each of you. In the meantime, please follow me.” Ward turned on the balls of his feet and approached the double doors, which opened for him. Lana and Zane shared a look before following him down a corridor to an elevator. He pressed the button and waited. 

He turned back around and looked at Lana. “It would be difficult for me to describe how excited your family is to have you back, even if only for a little while, Your Highness.”

Lana forced a smile. “It’s always nice to visit, Ward. But I hope they understand that this is a work trip for me.”

“Of course! But they still hope to be able to spend time with you along the way. Meals, an outing here or there, things of that nature.”

“We’ll see. I can’t make them any promises.”

The elevator doors opened, and they all stepped inside. Ward pressed a button for their floor, and they quickly ascended. A moment later, the doors opened, and they entered another corridor. Unlike the previous one, however, this one was ornately decorated: plush blue carpet provided an accent for white walls lined with paintings framed in silver. Chandeliers hung above them, their silver furnishings matching the frames on the walls. 

While Ward and Lana kept their attention facing forward, the others took in as much as they could.

“Amazing,” Tash whispered. 

The hallway opened into a larger space, the carpet giving way to light hardwood floors. Tall windows lined each side of the room, and a much larger chandelier hung overhead. 

“The grand ballroom, I presume?” Vincent asked.

“This is actually one of the smaller ones,” Lana replied.

“Holy shit!” Vincent blurted. “Sorry,” he quickly added.

Tash gave Vincent a soft punch on the arm as the group followed Ward through a side exit into a large foyer adorned with the same features as the hallway that they’d passed through. This room also included plush velvet couches and tall cocktail tables. A stack of white tablecloths sat on a long table against the wall.

“Setting up for something?” Lana inquired.

“Of course,” Ward replied without looking. “The Princess of Gele’s return calls for a celebration.”

“Today?” Lana couldn’t hide the alarm in her voice.

Ward chuckled. “Oh no, we recognize that you’ve all had a long and tiring journey. The party is planned for later this week. There is, however, a dinner being prepared to welcome you this evening. Your parents and a few other special guests will be in attendance for that.”

“That sounds nice,” Tash said.

“It will be,” Ward replied, smiling. “Our cooks are preparing quite the feast.”

They were led down another hallway and turned a corner when a voice called out, “There she is!”

The group turned to see a man walking confidently toward them, a big grin on his face. He was tall and muscular, and wearing a white double-breasted suit with gold trim. His buttons shone under the chandeliers, as did his black shoes.

Lana’s face lit up, and she hurried over and stood on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck.

“Okay, this seems like a good development,” Vincent muttered. 

“Yeah,” Zane agreed. 

The pair broke their embrace and approached the group. 

“Everyone, I want you to meet my brother Ren.” Lana was beaming. “Ren, these are my friends Zane, Tash, and Vincent.”

“Greetings.” Zane and the others bowed slightly.

“Hi everyone. Welcome to our home.” Ren bowed himself. “How was the trip?”

“Long, but not bad,” Zane said. 

“Great. I’m glad to hear that.” Ren turned to Lana. “When I heard you’d arrived, I ended our meeting to find you. Ice negotiations can wait when my baby sister is finally home.”

“Oh, he has you doing that now?” Lana seemed surprised. 

“Sure, he’s working me into that stuff more and more. ‘The future king needs to be prepared,’ and all that.” Ren shrugged.

Lana looked around. “Where is he, anyway?”

Ward cleared his throat and took a step forward. “He had some other business to attend to, but plans to see you at dinner later.”

“I passed through the kitchen earlier. You’re going to love what they’re preparing.” Ren grinned. “Sea crabs from the north, seasoned just how you like.” 

Lana closed her eyes and smiled. “My favorite.”

“We know.” Ren removed his arm from Lana’s shoulders. “So, how long will you be around?”

“That’s kind of open-ended,” Lana replied. “It depends how long it takes us to find what we’re looking for.”

“Well, hopefully it takes you a while,” Ren quipped. “Besides the dinner, you know he’s setting up a big event to celebrate you being home.”

“Yeah, Ward filled us in. But like I told him, this is a work trip. We’ll need a lot of time to focus on that.”

“Sure, sure, we all get that.” Ren nodded. “But I hope you’ll make time to have a little fun. Besides the crab, I think I saw some caramel tarts back there, too.”

“Oooooh, really?” Lana held her hands prayerfully to her lips.

Ren grinned again. “They were just adding the cream as I was leaving. Plus, we haven’t been up on skates together in years. You have to right this terrible wrong at some point while you’re here.”

“I can’t make promises, but we’ll see,” Lana said. “But I will fight everyone for the last caramel tart.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” Ren replied. He turned to the group. “I look forward to spending more time with all of you, starting with dinner. But please, our house is your house. Get some good rest, and I’ll see you in a while.”

Ren and Lana hugged again before he walked back the way he came. Lana turned back toward the others and noticed Zane grinning at her. “What?”

“I swear that’s the first time I’ve seen you smile since we landed,” Zane replied.

Lana tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “Ren and I have always been close. No matter our royal duties, we’ve always been able to be real with each other. That never changed, even when I went to Earth.”

“No, that’s a good thing,” Zane assured her. “I’m glad to see that. I think we all are.”

“Definitely,” Tash agreed.

“Any chance Daddy’s going to let him work with us on this case?” Vincent asked. 

Lana’s shoulders sagged. “I doubt it. I don’t know how much Ren’s workload is, but I’m betting my father will want to be the one checking on us himself.”

“That is correct, Your Highness,” Ward said. “But we’ll have time to talk all of that over later. For now, allow me to show you your rooms so you all can rest before dinner.”

Dunamis is now available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, and Smashwords.