The Sacrifice of Knowing: The Conscious Dreamer Series Book 3: A Dystopian, Alien Invasion Thriller

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Chapter One

Roxal squeezed her eyes shut tightly as she counted to five in her head. Then she took a deep breath, stood from behind the metal slab that was providing cover for her, and shot toward the opposition fighters four times in rapid succession with the small, handheld kinetic weapon she was most comfortable using.

As soon as she had taken the last of the four shots, she quickly returned to cover and squeezed her eyes shut again. While closing her eyes did nothing to block out the sounds of weapons fire, explosions, and skyships flying overhead, it did block out the schematic information scrolling across the front screen of her transparent helmet. And blocking out that information seemed to calm her nerves. The controller on her wrist vibrated, letting Roxal know it was time for her to provide suppressive fire again.

Just as before, she counted to five, stood, shot into the air four times, and then returned to cover. As she waited for her turn to shoot again, she did everything not to think about what was about to happen. After failing to convince The Keepers to close the gate, Roxal had watched as the conversation among the various Resistor faction Heads of Security fell into chaos. During their bickering, Roxal had not been surprised when Terk finally spoke up and ended the argument. He had rallied all of the factions together by announcing they were going into battle. If The Keepers would not close the gate, the Resistors would destroy it.

So now, Roxal was on the front lines of a battle where, if she and the other Resistor fighters were victorious, her link to Lauren would be severed forever. She was not on the front lines by choice, but the call for battle had happened with little planning. Which meant the fighters were grouped according to how they drilled when all of the factions were together at Tau faction’s compound. And Civort’s team, which still included her, had been chosen to be part of the first wave.

First wave, check your weapons. It is time to advance, a voice said through the ansible comm device in her ear.

Roxal opened her eyes and checked her ammunition level. Satisfied that she had enough for the relocation, she turned to her left and prepared to move. As everyone got into position, Edo, who was positioned in front of her, briefly looked at her over his shoulder, nodded, and moved forward. Roxal did not respond in any way, she was too nervous about messing up. As part of the first wave, their job was to get to the gate, plant the explosive, and then hold off any forces that would come to disarm it.

Roxal did not like the idea of blowing up anything. In her mind, the memory of the gnarled, misshapen tree she had seen during her visit to Clyr Encampment kept coming into focus. It had been the result of the Resistors using an atomic weapon in an attempt to destroy The Keepers. It had not worked, obviously, but many thousands of people had died. She did not want to be responsible for killing thousands more. When Roxal had voiced this concern, she had been told this explosive was nowhere near as powerful as the atomic one they had used. Still, she felt uneasy.

The roar of battling skyships grew louder as the Resistor skyships dropped the next row of barricades that they would use for protection into place, and The Keepers’ skyships tried to shoot them down. The loud thuds and the ground tremors that accompanied the placement of the metal barriers signaled to Roxal that it was almost time.

Now that the first wave was changing positions, the second, third, fourth, and fifth waves were responsible for providing enough suppressive fire to allow them to get to their new covered location. Edo began crawling toward the end of their protective barrier. Roxal followed suit. Once he made it to the end, he looked around once and then ran for the next barrier positioned closer to the gate. During this vulnerable moment, she watched the area in front of him for potential attacks. The fighter that had been in front of Edo, Nawad, watched from her position behind the closer barrier to protect him from behind. The run from their current position to the new position only took a matter of daqits, but it felt like haunis.

When Edo was in position, he turned and watched her. It was now her turn to move. She exhaled a shaky breath and launched herself toward the barrier, trusting that Edo would protect her from anything that attacked her from behind, and the person behind her, Tano, would protect her from any dangers that were ahead. Just as when Edo had made the run to the new location, the amount of time it took to dart from one protective barrier to the other seemed to stretch on and on as she pushed herself to run as fast as possible. With every step she took, Roxal fully prepared herself for the feel of a projectile entering her body and searing her flesh. Finally, she was close enough to dive behind cover. She had made it.

She cried out in relief. But she had no time to celebrate her survival, because now she needed to get into place to protect Tano, who was following her. When Tano arrived a few daqits later, Roxal moved along the protective barrier, took her position, and waited for the signal that it was time for her to stand and fire her weapon.

Vibration on wrist. Count to five. Stand. Four shots. Return to cover.

This time, when she closed her eyes to calm her nerves, Roxal was suddenly reminded that she had no idea what she had said to Lauren during their last conversation. There was nothing that stood out about it. Had she hugged her friend? How had they said goodbye? Had she said anything that would let Lauren know how much her forgiveness and her friendship had meant these past several lunar cycles? If Roxal had known it would be the last time they would talk, she would have…. Her thoughts trailed off into oblivion. What did someone say during a final conversation?

A loud klaxon sounded. Roxal opened her eyes and looked around. This was new. And not only was it new, but it was also unexpected. And though her battle experience was limited, Roxal knew enough to know that unexpected sounds on the battlefield were rarely a good thing.

Fighters! Do not stop firing!

The loud command in her ear brought Roxal back to attention. Whatever the sound was, she had to ignore it and focus on the task at hand. But before receiving the signal that it was time for her to shoot, she received information that all of the Resistors had feared.

The gate has been activated! I repeat, the gate has been activated! First wave, if you are within range of the gate, set the explosive and detonate.

The gate being activated meant Lauren and the people of Earth had failed. Now all of Trebor was at risk. For the Resistor forces, this was the worst-case scenario.

The next voice Roxal heard in her ear was Civort’s. He had activated the comm on the frequency that connected just to their team. Pruda, you and Gerig take your explosives and head for the gate. Everyone else, provide cover for them.

Now, instead of waiting for the vibration of the device on her wrist to signal her action, Roxal stood and aimed her weapon at the opposing fighters. But it turned out the opposing forces were retreating back toward their compound in the distance. Apparently, The Keepers’ fighting forces, or K-fighters as the Resistors now referred to them, were not expecting the gate to be activated either.

Now is our chance! Move! commanded Civort.

Pruda and Gerig ran toward the gate. Roxal looked beyond them, into the activated gate, and saw what looked like a room and something standing in front of the opening. Before the gate had activated, she had been able to see the solid metal plate that formed its back. Now, she believed, she was looking at a room on Earth.

She returned her attention to Pruda and Gerig. Soon, they would be close enough to set the explosive on the gate. However, before they could get there, something came through. Roxal stared in astonishment. Something from Earth had fallen through the gate and was lying on the ground. On Trebor.

Is that the explosive Lauren warned us about?

As Roxal continued watching, the thing that had fallen through the gate seem to get on its hands and knees. And as it moved back toward the gate, Roxal realized it was a person. Or rather something that moved like a person. Then, just as suddenly as the gate had activated, it deactivated. Once again, she could see the metallic surface that filled the ring-shaped gate.

Retreat! Everyone return to the extraction points now! The explosive is on Trebor!

As the command to withdraw from battle rang in Roxal’s ear, she could not help but wonder if this meant Lauren and her people had been defeated. Further, Roxal wondered if Lauren was still alive.

As Roxal thought of Lauren, she heard someone exclaim, No! No! No! This can’t be happening! I can’t be trapped here!

Roxal stopped running. The voice sounded like Lauren’s. But that did not make any sense. As she turned to look at the gate once more, someone ran up beside her, and a voice shouted in her ear over the comm, Do not stop running!

It was Pruda. Apparently, she and Gerig had caught up with the withdrawing forces. Roxal turned her back to the gate and resumed running.

I must be hallucinating, she thought. There is no other explanation for why I am hearing Lauren’s voice in my head right now.

Roxal? Is that you?

Roxal stopped again and looked toward the gate once more. "Lauren? You can hear me? Where are you?"

Yes, I can hear you, but I don’t know how. I’m trapped here on Trebor. We stopped Cain from coming through the gate, but I ended up falling through instead.

Roxal felt a wave of sadness and fear.

You fell through the gate? We just saw something fall through the gate here on Trebor.

That’s me! I’m here beside the gate right now. But where are you and how am I able to talk to you now? Oh God, am I dead?

Without giving it a second thought, Roxal turned her back on the Resistor fighters who were running for the extraction points and ran back to the gate. She did not know if it was a trick. She had no idea how it was happening. But if there was even the smallest possibility that Lauren was what had fallen through the gate, she had to know.

Roxal! What are you doing? The withdrawal command has been given. We need to leave before that thing explodes.

Now Edo was yelling at her over the comm system. Roxal hit her wrist controller to activate it. She held it up to her mouth and said, Gamma three frequency. A few moments later, she tapped the comm device resting in her ear and said, Edo, that is not a bomb. That is Lauren. I am going to help her.

Multiple voices overlapped as they replied to her statement over the communication frequency reserved for use by Civort’s raid team. Though the wording differed, all of them essentially said she was wrong and should turn around now. Except for Pruda’s voice, which said, Just let her get herself killed if she wants.

Roxal, I do not know what you think is happening, but that is not Lauren, said Edo after Pruda had spoken.

Edo, I cannot explain now. You continue on to our extraction point with the team. I will join you once I am finished.

Vap! Edo swore. Team, I am going to help her. The rest of you continue on to the extraction point.

Roxal pressed on the comm device again, applying pressure long enough for it to turn off. She did not want to have their voices in her ear as she did this.

Running around the barricades and making her way back to the gate was beginning to take a toll on her. As her breathing became ragged, she thought, Lauren, I am almost at your position. You will see me coming around the barricades soon. Just to make sure it is you, can you stand and wave your arms in the air?

Barricades? Oh, I see them. I don’t think I can stand by myself in this suit. I was barely able to get onto my hands and knees when I fell through. I’ll wave one of my hands. Is that okay?

Yes.

Roxal ran around the final barricade, the one she and her team had hidden behind only moments ago. As she got into the open, she saw the figure on its hands and knees on the ground.

Lauren? she called out.

Just as the thought that she had made a mistake crossed her mind, the figure raised a hand in the air and waved.

I was waiting for you to get closer before I waved. It’s hard to move in this thing, said Lauren.

Summoning all of her remaining strength, Roxal pushed herself to run faster. As far as she could tell, everyone had fled from the battlefield as soon as Lauren had fallen through the gate, but she had no idea for how long. Especially once they saw her running back to the gate.

Finally, she was standing beside the person claiming to be Lauren.

Roxal? Is that you? I can only see boots and pants, and I can’t raise my head any farther. I’m going to need help standing up.

Roxal slid her hand under the person’s arm, got a tight grip, and began pulling up. As she struggled to help the person in the bulky suit stand, another set of hands started helping from the other side.

Roxal looked at Edo and smiled. Finally, the person was standing upright. The top of the heavy, bulky uniform she was wearing stopped below her chin. Roxal looked down into the helmet. The helmet’s curvature distorted the face behind it, but the person looking up at her resembled Lauren, just as she appeared in their dreamscape. Though somewhat shorter.

It’s really you. I can’t believe it, said Lauren. Then she grew silent. Another wave of sadness and excitement washed over Roxal. I’m sorry for crying. I’m just so happy to see you, Roxal. I had no idea what I was going to do when the gate closed.

Is it her? Edo shouted, his voice overlapping with Lauren’s and drowning it out.

Yes, she said to Edo. Then to Lauren she said, Lauren, it is difficult for me to talk to you and Edo at the same time. Let me talk to him first to find out what we are going to do next.

That’s Edo? she heard Lauren ask before the woman turned to Edo.

What do you think we need to do now? asked Roxal.

He lightly tapped his comm device. I am getting instructions now, he said and then tapped it again. Yes, identity has been confirmed. Understood.

Edo walked closer to Roxal. We need to bring her to the extraction point. A team will meet us to assist with bringing her in. She will need to be screened.

There was something about the way Edo said screened that made Roxal feel uneasy.

What just happened, Roxal? I felt fear coming from you.

Roxal paused before answering. Apparently, with Lauren here on Trebor, they did not need to be in the dreamscape for their emotions to travel through their link. Finally, she said, Edo said that once we reach the extraction point, a team will bring you in for screening. And while I do not know what screening will entail, I am sure it will not be pleasant.

I understand, Lauren replied hesitantly.

Roxal felt a wave of sadness roll off her friend.

Chapter Two

Lauren did her best to steel herself for what was to come after hearing Roxal’s words of warning.

This thing you are wearing, what is it? asked Roxal.

It’s a protective suit. It allows us to go into potentially inhospitable environments and survive. We didn’t know if Trebor could support human life from Earth.

So, you cannot remove it. Roxal paused and then said, I know you said it is hard to move in it, but I assume you can walk in it.

Yes, Lauren replied. I can walk in it, but not very fast.

Okay. You need to follow Edo and me, said Roxal. We will help you as much as we can.

Lauren nodded. Then Roxal, and the person she identified as Edo, began walking toward one of the barriers. Lauren followed. Now that she was upright, she realized that the suit she was wearing did not feel as hard to control as it had when she was trying to stop Cain from coming through the gate.

As she walked, Lauren took the time to look around. Regardless of whatever was going to happen to her, she was excited about the fact that she was on an alien planet. Walking beside real live aliens. She stared at Roxal and Edo.

They were both wearing dark gray uniforms that were similar to the modular, hard-shell combat uniforms the ENL fighters wore back on Earth. However, the Treborian version seemed easier to move around in. Also, instead of having their heads fully enclosed in a thick, heavily padded headpiece, Roxal and Edo wore clear, lightweight helmets that looked like they were made of plastic.

This is Trebor, she thought.

Yes. This is my planet, said Roxal.

Through the clear glass of her helmet, Lauren looked into the distance and saw copper-colored grass all around them. She looked up into the sky and saw shades of red and orange. She raised her hand and shielded her eyes from the bright blue sun.

I think I’m the first person from Earth to take a step on an inhabited alien planet.

Yes, I believe you are, responded Roxal. If my recollection of Earth history is correct.

Okay. It appears that we’re directly connected to one another’s thoughts. So maybe we need to come up with some sort of ground rules so that we’ll know when a thought is directed to the other person and when a thought is just a thought.

Yes, I agree. We will definitely need to learn how to manage this new ability, said Roxal.

Suddenly, the calmness of the walk was disturbed when a team of three soldiers ran up to them. Their weapons were raised and pointed at Roxal, Edo, and Lauren. Maybe this was what Roxal had been afraid of.

As Lauren watched, Edo jumped in front of her and Roxal. One of the three soldiers lowered his weapon and walked up to Edo. She saw them communicating back and forth with one another, but through her suit, all she heard was muffled noise. She tried to follow the conversation, to see if she could decipher anything. But the words sounded like nothing more than a weird assortment of inaudible grunts and mumbles. And the little bits and pieces that weren’t muffled sounded as if they were a combination of Mandarin, Latin, and Spanish almost. It was peculiar to Lauren’s ears.

Roxal, what’s going on?

Terk and some of the other faction Heads of Security have sent this group of fighters to take you into custody. Edo is telling them that they do not need to take you because we are capable of escorting you anywhere you need to go.

Lauren stayed as still as she possibly could. She knew there was nothing she could do to help the situation. She did her best to seem nonthreatening.

But Neb, she is my Earth Connection. I can talk to her, even now. It does not make sense for you all to take her away from Edo and me. I am the only one who can communicate with her. How will you tell her anything if I am not there?

Lauren easily determined that Roxal was not talking to her, but instead about her to someone named Neb.

I know. I understand that you have your orders. Edo, you can go back to Civort and the rest of the raid team. I am going to accompany Lauren with Neb and the rest of his team.

Even though Lauren knew Roxal didn’t have a position of power, it still made her feel better to know that her friend would be accompanying her wherever they took her. Neb looked at Lauren, then he said something to the two soldiers who had accompanied him.

Lauren, Alivo and Zyli are going to escort you to one of our extraction skyships. You will have to comply with their commands. But I am here with you, and I am not going anywhere. Do you understand?

I understand. But I would feel a lot better about this if you were the only one who was bringing me in.

The person who Lauren assumed was Neb watched her as the two female soldiers with him flanked her. Roxal stepped away from Lauren, said something to Edo, and stood to the side of Lauren’s new guards. Edo walked away, leaving her and Roxal alone with this new group of fighters.

Lauren took slow breaths. Edo was only one person. No matter how it felt, his departure did not mean she was any more at risk than if he had stayed.

Stay cool, and this’ll all be over soon. They’re merely taking precautions, just as ENL would have if someone from Trebor had come through the gate to Earth, she thought. Roxal didn’t respond.

Apparently satisfied with the two soldiers on either side of her, Neb turned his back and began walking. Once he’d taken several steps, Lauren began to follow him. Roxal walked along with the group just in front of Lauren on the right, though behind Neb.

They kept a fast pace, which forced Lauren into an awkward jog. Still, she was thankful her suit seemed easier to manage on Trebor than it had back on Earth. The walk was quiet. Not only did no one speak, but Lauren didn’t even hear Roxal say anything in her