Treason, p.1
Treason, page 1
Treason
The last thing Commander Neenja KahSandra wants is to be babysitting Zoem Malderyn, an orphan who can barely remember her past, and who has just regained consciousness after being used as a template for an army of changer clones. Despite herself, she comes to care for Zoem, whose courage and vulnerability is difficult to resist.
But as Zoem starts to remember more, a deadly countdown to destruction occurs inside her. She needs to discover why the malevolent changers programed her, and how to stop herself from carrying out their plan. Can the famous sisters, Caya and Briar Lindemay, help save Zoem and the Gemoconians, or will Zoem end up sacrificing herself—before she kills them all?
What Reviewers Say About Gun Brooke’s Work
Wayworn Lovers
“Wayworn Lovers is a super dramatic, angsty read, very much in line with Brooke’s other contemporary romances. …I’m definitely in the ‘love them’ camp.”—The Lesbian Review
Thorns of the Past
“What I really liked from the offset is that Brooke steered clear of the typical butch PI with femme damsel in distress trope. Both main characters are what I would call ordinary women—they both wear suits for work, they both dress down in sweatpants and sweatshirts in the evening. As a result, I instantly found it a lot easier to relate, and connect with both. Each of their pasts hold dreadful memories and pain, and the passages where they opened up to each other about those events were very moving.”—Rainbow Reviews
“I loved the romance between Darcy and Sabrina and the story really carried it well, with each of them learning that they have a safe haven with the other.”—The Lesbian Review
Advance: Exodus Book One
“Advance is an exciting space adventure, hopeful even through times of darkness. The romance and action are balanced perfectly, interesting the audience as much in the fleet’s mission as in Dael and Spinner’s romance. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series!”—All Our Worlds: Diverse Fantastic Fiction
Escape: Exodus Book Three
“I’ve been a keen follower of the Exodus series for a while now and I was looking forward to the latest installment. It didn’t disappoint. The action was edge-of-your-seat thrilling, especially towards the end, with several threats facing the Exodus mission. Some very intriguing subplots were introduced, and I look forward to reading more about these in the next book.”—Melina Bickard, Librarian, Waterloo Library, London (UK)
Pathfinder
“I love Gun Brooke. She has successfully merged two of my reading loves: lesfic and sci-fi.”—Inked Rainbow Reads
The Blush Factor
“Gun Brooke captures very well the two different ‘worlds’ the two main characters live in and folds this setting neatly into the story. So, if you are looking for a well-edited, multi-layered romance with engaging characters this is a great read and maybe a re-read for those days when comfort food is a must.”—Lesbians on the Loose
Soul Unique
“This is the first book that Gun Brooke has written in a first person perspective, and that was 100% the correct choice. She avoids the pitfalls of trying to tell a story about living with an autism spectrum disorder that she’s never experienced, instead making it the story of someone who falls in love with a person living with Asperger’s. …Soul Unique is her best. It was an ambitious project that turned out beautifully. I highly recommend it.”—The Lesbian Review
“Yet another success from Gun Brooke. The premise is interesting, the leads are likeable and the supporting characters are well-developed. The first person narrative works well, and I really enjoyed reading about a character with Asperger’s.”—Melina Bickard, Librarian, Waterloo Library (London)
Fierce Overture
“Gun Brooke creates memorable characters, and Noelle and Helena are no exception. Each woman is ‘more than meets the eye’ as each exhibits depth, fears, and longings. And the sexual tension between them is real, hot, and raw.”—Just About Write
September Canvas
“In this character-driven story, trust is earned and secrets are uncovered. Deanna and Faythe are fully fleshed out and prove to the reader each has much depth, talent, wit and problem-solving abilities. September Canvas is a good read with a thoroughly satisfying conclusion.”—Just About Write
Sheridan’s Fate—Lammy Finalist
“Sheridan’s fire and Lark’s warm embers are enough to make this book sizzle. Brooke, however, has gone beyond the wonderful emotional explorations of these characters to tell the story of those who, for various reasons, become differently-abled. Whether it is a bullet, an illness, or a problem at birth, many women and men find themselves in Sheridan’s situation. Her courage and Lark’s gentleness and determination send this romance into a ‘must read.’”—Just About Write
Coffee Sonata
“In Coffee Sonata, the lives of these four women become intertwined. In forming friendships and love, closets and disabilities are discussed, along with differences in age and backgrounds. Love and friendship are areas filled with complexity and nuances. Brooke takes her time to savor the complexities while her main characters savor their excellent cups of coffee. If you enjoy a good love story, a great setting, and wonderful characters, look for Coffee Sonata at your favorite gay and lesbian bookstore.”—Family & Friends Magazine
“If you enjoy a good love story, a great setting, and wonderful characters, look for Coffee Sonata at your favorite gay and lesbian bookstore.”—MegaScene
“Award-winning author Gun Brooke has given us another delightful romance with Coffee Sonata. I was so totally immersed in this story that I read it in one sitting.”—Just About Write
Course of Action
“Brooke’s words capture the intensity of their growing relationship. Her prose throughout the book is breathtaking and heart-stopping. Where have you been hiding, Gun Brooke? I, for one, would like to see more romances from this author.”—Independent Gay Writer
“When we first picked up this book we glanced at the author’s profile and upon finding that Gun Brooke lives in Sweden wondered how on earth she could write a believable story centered around something as American as Hollywood. But, she did it, and did it big. …You can’t put this book down. Brooke’s ability to weave a story through her characters has us anxiously waiting for her next effort.”—Family and Friends Magazine
“Brooke gets to the core of her characters’ emotions and vulnerabilities and points out their strengths and weaknesses in very human terms.”—Just About Write
“The setting created by Brooke is a glimpse into that fantasy world of celebrity and high rollers, escapist to be sure, but witnessing the relationship develop between Carolyn and Annelie is well worth the trip. As the reader progresses, the trappings become secondary to the characters’ desire to reach goals both professional and personal.”—Midwest Book Review
The Supreme Constellations Series
“Protector of the Realm has it all; sabotage, corruption, erotic love and exhilarating space fights. Gun Brooke’s second novel is forceful with a winning combination of solid characters and a brilliant plot. The book exemplifies her growth as inventive storyteller and is sure to garner multiple awards in the coming year.”—Just About Write
“[Protector of the Realm] is first and foremost a romance, and whilst it has action and adventure, it is the romance that drives it.The book moves along at a cracking pace, and there is much happening throughout to make it a good page-turner. The action sequences are very well done, and make for an adrenaline rush.”—The Lesbian Review
“Brooke is an amazing author, and has written in other genres. Never have I read a book where I started at the top of the page and don’t know what will happen two paragraphs later. She keeps the excitement going, and the pages turning.”—MegaScene
Treason
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Treason
© 2019 By Gun Brooke. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13:978-1-63555-245-4
This Electronic Book is published by
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, NY 12185
First Edition: January 2019
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editor: Shelley Thrasher
Production Design: Susan Ramundo
Cover Design by Sheri (hindsightgraphics@gmail.com)
Cover Art by Gun Brooke
By the Author
Romances:
Course of Action
Coffee Sonata
Sheridan’s Fate
September Canvas
Fierce Overture
Speed Demons
The Blush Factor
Soul Unique
A Reluctant Enterprise
Piece of Cake
Thorns of the Past
Wayworn Lovers
Supreme Constellations Series:
Protector of the Realm
Rebel’s Quest
Warrior’s Valor
Pirate’s Fortune
Exodus Series:
Advance
Pathfinder
Escape
Arrival
Treason
Novella Anthology:
Change Horizons
Acknowledgments
As a writer, I owe many people many things. Yes, I come up with the plot, the characters, and the whole shebang, but that’s just the beginning.
For some reason, I tend to mention the readers last in my acknowledgments, but that is not because you guys matter the least—on the contrary. I write for myself, of course, but mainly I write for you. Your comments, reviews, emails, and critiques mean so very much. I love when a story I wrote has brightened your day somehow. That is what I experience when I read and that’s what I aim toward when I write. So, thank you, you amazing, very loyal readership.
Len Barot—aka Radclyffe—publishes my stories year after year and it’s nothing I take for granted at all. Rad’s faith in me means so much. This is what I do, this is the part of my life that is all mine.
Dr. Shelley Thrasher, my beloved editor, is equally important. I know Shelley has my back and never has she made me feel I can’t do this—to the contrary. Shelley’s encouragement and the way she delivers her edits with kindness and a matter-of-fact approach work so well for me. The fact that we are really good friends doesn’t hurt.
This year I had the good fortune to be able to attend my publisher’s writers’ retreat in Nottingham, UK. It did me a world of good, and I want to thank Carsen Taite, Stacia Seaman, Cindy Cresap, Radclyffe, Ruth Sternglantz, Victoria Villasenor, Robyn Nyx, Sandy Lowe, Amy Dunne, Barbara Ann Wright, all the other BSBers, writers, and above all the READERS that attended the BSB festival during the weekend.
In my personal life, of course there are people who take an interest in my writing, and my first readers are of course worth a shout out: Sam in South Africa, and Yara in Germany.
As you can tell from the dedication, my family means everything to me, and without their support and pride in me, I think writing would be even harder than it is sometimes. My friend Soli is what we Swedes call a “fire-soul” in her encouragement and interest. My friend Birgitta always manages to take an interest and she reads all my romances.
I hope you will enjoy the end of the Exodus series and miss the characters as much as I will, dear readers!
Dedication
For Elon, Malin, and Henrik
You are my life
For Pentti
You are like a son to me
For all my grandchildren
So very, very precious
For Jack
Always
Prologue
“Mama! Mama!” Her ear-splitting screams filled the hovercraft, echoing between the closed doors, but the creature that held her firmly did not react. Instead, it held onto her arms tighter, squeezing so hard, it hurt. Nobody had ever hurt her before.
“No, you can’t! You can’t!” Her mother threw herself forward, clawing at the closed hover-craft door, her face contorted from agony. “She’s mine. She’s my daughter, my baby. Please don’t take her. I’ll do anything if you just don’t. Please, please, please…Take me instead.”
“Mama!” She hammered her small fists on the window and cried big, fat tears, more for the anguish on her mother’s face than the pain the bony hands caused. Until now, she rarely cried. She was a big girl, her mama said. Seven years old and going to school. A big girl, yes, but now she wanted her mama’s arms around her and papa to come and take her back to their house.
“Shut up.” The guttural, gurgling voice of the monster frightened her. It smelled bad, and its black cloak was dusty and grimy. Mama wouldn’t like her to be with someone dirty. Every day before school, Mama brought freshly recycled, clean clothes for her and her siblings. The monster next to her in the hovercar, so tall when it hunched over it still towered over her, was not fresh and clean. It was horrible.
“Mama!” she screamed as loud as she could and pushed at the terrifying creature.
The being yanked her back, almost breaking her skin where its nails dug into her bare arms. “Sit still and be quiet, little girl. You’re going to be a tool for our cause. It’s a great honor, girl. You will be the next one.” It laughed, a horrible, hissing sound that made the small hairs on her arms stand up. The creature was going to kill her, take her to some awful, dirty place and kill her and eat her and…She couldn’t be quiet. Crying, she sobbed wildly and pushed at the being everywhere she reached. Then she used her feet, kicking and screaming between sobs, wanting to hurt the horrible, horrible creature that had stolen her from her parents.
The creature captured her arms again and pushed its face, which was hidden far into the hood of its cloak, close to hers. Its breath smelled worse than anything else. “Quiet now, or I will send some people to deal with your mother and father…and your siblings. They will be punished in your stead. Do you understand, little girl? If you do as I say, your family will live.”
The creature’s hands moved to her neck, squeezing her until she went limp. Its fingers reminded her of the claws of an Umbia bird—crooked, and pale. She had once witnessed how the long claws dug into its prey as the small animal tried to escape. Was she going to be this tall being’s prey? What plans did it have for her that were so important, he had to steal her from her family? Where was he taking her? Would she ever see her family again?
Curling up in a small bundle, she obeyed the man, so he wouldn’t carry out his threat. She had to keep her family back home alive by being obedient. Right there, on the backseat of the hovercar, she swore she would be a good girl who didn’t question anything the tall, dark entity said. She would make sure nobody had any reason to hurt the people she loved.
Keeping others safe—nothing could ever be more important than that.
Chapter One
Commander Neenja KahSandra stopped just inside the door to the hospital room. For the past several months, the unmoving woman, known as Zoem Malderyn, had sat in the hoverchair by the window, much like a silver-marble statue. Her flowing red hair lay in glowing waves around her shoulder, and she gazed out the window, her green eyes striking. If you wanted to make sure she blinked, you had to be patient. It happened only every thirty seconds or so.
The room around her was sparsely decorated, as it was still a part of cube eleven of Pathfinder, the official designation of the Exodus ship. Even this cube, like the other nineteen that had landed on Gemocon, their new homeplanet, would eventually be dismantled and rebuilt as a hospital that better fit the needs of the new capital.
Neenja turned to the nurse standing next to her. “Has she spoken yet?”
“No, not yet, sir.” The nurse shook her head. “I don’t get it. It’s been three months since she woke up, and she hasn’t uttered a single word despite all tests coming back normal. She follows directions, but she doesn’t take any initiative. If we didn’t tell her to eat, and literally feed her, she’d starve. We even have a schedule for taking her to the bathroom.”
Neenja groaned inwardly. Too much information. She visited once a day to check on the silent young woman before her, poring over the reports from the day they had found the secret cave where malevolent mutant changers were creating clones, for lack of a better term. Zoem had been kept in a canister, where a computerized apparatus had pulled something from her to help create new, exact versions of her. Neenja overheard one of the less-humane generals call this woman “the template,” which President Tylio, together with Admiral Caydoc, had put a stop to. Neenja wasn’t crazy about her assignment, as it had a “babysitting” element to it, but she agreed with the president: this was a person, not an object. They had no way of knowing if this woman was there voluntarily. Four other people in similar canisters hadn’t made it after a vast explosion. Once they got this woman and their fallen team members out, they had sealed the entrance to the cave.
