Read Online Wrath of Axia (The Arcadian Jihad) by Eric Schneider - Free Book Online Page A

be violent, so you’re taking a huge risk letting a vagabond into your home. It could be anyone. Unless you have anything to tell me before you’re taken away?”
    Max shook his head. “I don’t know anything, so there’s nothing to tell you.”
    Bose nodded. “We’ll see.” He snapped at the sergeant, “Bring him along.”
    Under the house, Blas led the way through the narrow passage, counting the paces until they reached the steps that led to the door. He pushed it open and went inside the warehouse. Wooden boxes lay scattered around and some sacks that he assumed were foodstuffs of some sort. Other than that the huge open space was empty. That is, empty except for a vehicle, a large, covered ground transport of the kind used for carrying goods over the planet. Like all ground transports, this one utilized wheeltracks. The strange, part wheel, part track, part air cushion was an increasing feature of ground transports. They gave the ability to move a transport over almost every variety of surfaces. Flat, uneven, marshy or a combination of any of these had made them invaluable. As had the reduced fuel costs, transports fitted with wheeltracks used half the energy of conventional vehicles. With the Nine Planets suffering a shortage of virtually everything after two wars that had left a trail of devastation, fuel was in short supply factor, at least until the Systems recovered. If they ever recovered, and provided there wasn’t another destructive war.
    “Karn, do you know anything about this particular vehicle?”
    Karn Vansen laughed. “I’ve driven it many times for Berg and Max. I’ll check it all out, but it shouldn’t be a problem. They keep it ready for instant use.”
    “Good. In that case we can travel to Tulum and get aboard the ship that Ban Cantar is arranging for us. What are you planning to do, Karn?”
    He chuckled. “It looks as if I’ve thrown in my lot with the rebels, doesn’t it, Mr. Blas? If Max and Berg are for it, then so am I. I’d like to visit Cadmus anyway. I’ve never been there before.”
    “That’s excellent, Karn. President Tell, it looks as if your army is growing.”
    “I welcome you, Karn. But our army will grow of its own accord. A great man once said, ‘you must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean, if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty’. The ocean has indeed become dirty. Whoever these people are who have usurped the government, they cannot destroy the great will of humanity. Our army will come to us, never fear.”
    He smiled. “During my years of captivity, these great words were my only weapon to fight off depression, the hunger and brutality. They gave me hope for my freedom, and I intend to use them as weapons in the fight for humanity’s freedom.”
    They were silent, awed by the strength and wisdom of this great man who had spent five long years in cruel captivity. But it was no time to reflect on philosophy. Besides, Blas had better things to do than listen to it. In the absence of a well-armed squad they had to make practical use of what fate had given them. It was time to leave.
    “Karn, finish getting that transport ready. We need to get moving. The hunt for President Tell will intensify as they call in reinforcements. The longer we leave it, the more desperate they’ll be.”
    “I’ll get on it.”
    Blas smiled as the little Hesperian jumped into the cab and started making his checks. Barely five feet tall, with the dark skin of a Hesperian native, it was obvious that his skills were many and varied. Karn shouted down to them.
    “She’s all ready to go. I suggest President Tell stays out of sight and rides in the back with Admiral Rusal and the lady. You can join me in the cab, Captain Blas. Admiral, I recommend we load some boxes and sacks in the truck for you to hide behind in case we’re stopped and searched. We’ll also need some weapons. If they stop us we may have to shoot our way