Knacayn: A Terraneu Novel (Book Seven) Read online

  Knacayn

  A Terraneu Novel (Book Seven)

  By

  Stormy McKnight

  Copyright and Disclaimer

  Copyright pending, Stormy McKnight

  Cover Art by Brandi Doanne McCann

  Published by Stormy McKnight

  http://www.stormymcknight.com/

  Knacayn is the seventh book in The Terraneu series. I would advise that the books be read in order, to enhance the experience. However, I do try to write them as stand-alone as possible.

  Knacayn is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and dialogue found within the story are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, either living or deceased, is completely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or shared in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including but not limited to digital copying, file sharing, audio recording, email and printing without the permission in writing from the author.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright and Disclaimer

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Other Titles available:

  About the Author

  Prologue

  How did all of the electronics on Earth manage to get wiped out? Causing what the survivors dubbed “The End.” Well, that is a long story and takes us across the Universe and into what has to be one of the longest running family feuds in history.

  Thousands of years ago, the human population of Earth reached a pinnacle in technology, art, culture, and medicine. Along with this new age of plenty, there were factions that felt they were not receiving a fair portion of the wealth. To stem off violence, the reigning King married the daughter of a neighboring Warlord. They had five sons, all darkly handsome and accomplished in their own way. Kniam and Knuan were the firstborn. Kniam was born 3 minutes and 20 seconds before his brother and, therefore, trained to replace his father as King. Knuan, as the second born was trained to help Kniam and if the worst should happen, he would be King.

  The third in line was Knollig. His temperament led him into the Diplomatic Corp. The fourth was Knaleg. His tactical mind and physical energy was best placed in the Military Corp. Kneus was their fifth and last son. His brilliant mind earned him a place in the Halls of Science.

  What none of them could foresee was the madness that would claim their mother. Elyon was driven to horrible heights in her attempts to kill her husband and sons…all except for Knuan. He would replace the husband she despised and they would rule together.

  In a bid to save his family, the King sent his four sons into the far reaches of space. Using the technology available, he would join his sons on a new world and start over. Only he never got the opportunity. In her rage at her inability to get to her sons, the Queen unleashed a biological weapon which decimated the human population. Her last request of Knuan was to find his brothers and destroy them.

  Kniam, Knollig, Knaleg and Kneus along with those trusted warriors, craftsman, and workers all landed on the new planet they named Terraneu. They tried to reach Earth with the port pad device that had been sent with them, but they were not successful. The port pad on Earth was not responding. They were only able to reach a planet they named Antilles, and over the years became allies with the native insectoid lifeforms.

  To add to their burden, the males of Terraneu had no females to help populate the new planet. All they had been supplied with were emergency cloning eggs, and those had been stripped of all DNA. The only way to survive was to clone themselves and when the cloning eggs were gone, they would perish also. To increase longevity, they started altering their DNA to use the suns of Terraneu to replenish their cells. This worked so well over thousands of years the males didn’t even remember there had been females. The fact they had genetically manipulated themselves to forget Earth and everything that came before didn’t hurt either. Until they came to the last of their cloning eggs.

  The males who made the decisions presided over a council. This council knew they were on the brink of extinction but were at a loss over how to avoid the inevitable. Over the years, they had tried to reach other worlds. Any creature they came across, a DNA sample was taken for cloning compatibility. Nothing was ever found to be a match. They found things like sacath, gnowlers, and sorrem. Sacath were large cat-like animals they domesticated for pets. Gnowlers were herbivores and entirely docile, these animals grazed on the grass around their community. Sorrem were a pack animal they used for transportation.

  Into this dire situation dropped Amber Anderson. The males of Terraneu had given up hope thousands of years before that life on Earth had survived. They were wrong. Human life had not only survived, it had thrived once again. Amber was on vacation in what her people called Scotland. What the males of Terraneu would have called Hedal. She slipped on an icy path and after sliding down a hill…landed on the port pad the males of Terraneu had tried in vain to reactivate. The blood on her hands was some kind of genetic “on” button. The portal activated and Amber was swept to the last dialed location. The port pad the males of Terraneu had placed on Antilles for safe keeping. (After they had reverse engineered a copy to dial Antilles.)

  Landing on Antilles and then wandering into an Antillean hunting trap, Amber was bartered to the males of Terraneu as a primate of sorts. Since she was wearing an animal hoodie, large furry coat, and boots, it was an easy mistake to make. She fought Kniam over being “tested” and passed out when the air was knocked out of her by accident. The male of Terraneu put her into one of their medical devices to collect a DNA sample. The unit would not do the autopsy he requested, thinking her deceased. Hitting the auto diagnostic button, Kniam unknowingly set the new path for Terraneu.

  Flash forward and you have more women on Terraneu. Flash forward again and you have children. Now, the males of Terraneu had forgotten all about Earth. Including their father, mother and Kniam’s twin, Knuan. It wasn’t until Knaleg and his mate, during an away mission to Antilles, that they came face to face with other humanoids. Violent minded humanoids. Little did they know the fate of Terraneu was going to be tested again and the fate of Earth was in the balance as well.

  Knuan had found the port pad to Earth and left a little something to go through the next time it was activated. The satellite he sent through the portal to Earth had a CEMPS payload. Which stood for Cloaked Electromagnetic Pulse Satellite. This device would cloak itself, launch into a geosynchronous orbit. When it was at peak power it would uncloak and fire a magnetic pulse killing anything with electronic components susceptible to the pulse. On Earth, that meant almost everything. Automobiles, computers, and machinery were all made inoperable. It wouldn’t have been so devastating if the satellite didn’t cloak and repeat the process over and over again. There was no finding it to destroy it and by the time it was finished, there was nothing of modern Earth left. “The End” had happened and the planet was in chaos.

  Now, this is where we pick up the story. The people of Terraneu found out about the plight of Earth and were doing their best to erase some of the damage. Since Earth only has one sun and the
people of Terraneu need two, the decision was made. There would be no missions longer than six months. At every active portal period, a team was sent to bring additional equipment to, or remove equipment from Earth. It was during the last mission before leaving Earth humans to evolve as they would, a son of Terraneu was taken prisoner. His six-month stay on Earth was not optimal. Upon returning to Terraneu, he was forced to spend another six months isolated on their beach getaway of Hu’lani in order to recover from the ordeal.

  The males of Terraneu have a very strong sense of honor. Life for them was black and white for so long it is ingrained in their genetics. Therefore, the Rebel faction that helped get Knadyn to the portal in time to save him was deserving of assistance. The Government faction which held and tortured him was not to be rewarded. However, the fighting on Earth would never end if they helped the Rebel’s and isolated the Government. Additionally, not all of the Government survivors were to blame for their leadership. It was decided all survivors of Earth would get help. The only thing the councils, male and female, of Terraneu requested, was the current leadership of the Government would step down. They would not be allowed to sit on the newly formed Earth Council. This was accepted and agreed upon with only a few dissenters.

  Kniam, Amber, Knollig, Mairi, Kneus, Gwen, Marcael, Brennae, Knacayn and others from Terraneu are currently on Earth building a new community. The elderly and infirm of both the Rebel and Government camps have been given the “change”. Their bodies have been altered to use the single sun of Earth for cell regeneration. They will live for approximately one hundred and twenty years and will not have to consume food. The only thing they require besides sunlight is mineralized water. Their bodies are young and healthy again. A perfect genetic version of themselves if you will.

  In three months, the new community will start taking the other members of both the Rebel and Government camps.

  Chapter One

  Makenzie Kincaid rolled over on the cot she had been assigned and slowly looked over the female dorm of the Rebel camp. Her heart jumped with excitement at the thought of going to the new combined Earth camp today. It wasn’t the meeting she attended every week that made her anxious to get on the road. It was the male who would be at the meeting, that had her jumping out of bed and hurrying through her morning routine. There wasn’t a lot of primping you could do when your hair was an inch long, your clothes consisted of old military fatigues and water was rationed like it was the most precious commodity on Earth. Which it was. It all came down to the simple fact. She was looking forward to seeing Knacayn. He was one of the males from Terraneu. A humanoid race that was helping them build a camp for the Rebel, Government and other survivors who had agreed to live together.

  Three months ago, her faction of survivors known as the Rebels had helped some strangers find and rescue one of Terraneu’s own from the Government faction. The government survivors were led by a man named Renee Rousard. He wasn’t completely intolerable. It was his son Jeromy who was a nasty bastard you wanted to avoid. When she had convinced the Rebel leadership to help, she had never dreamed it would lead to where they were today.

  In helping rescue Knadyn, they had earned the respect of his father, mother, aunts and uncles. This was no small thing since they made up half of the male council of Terraneu and almost all of the female council. When it came to a vote to help the remaining survivors of Earth or leave them to their own evolutionary path…the community of Terraneu had voted to help.

  So…here she was, hurrying to get on the road to the new community they were helping to build at the site of an ancient port pad. Not that the last three months had been all smooth sailing. There were some males from the Rebel faction she was ashamed to admit were unruly, along with a majority of the males from the Government side. She had learned from Knacayn that the males from Terraneu had a strong honor system. Therefore, dealing with the males from Earth had been a challenge for them. Luckily, they had Steve Howard to help as liaison to the Government faction and she was the liaison for the Rebels. She heard all the complaints the men of her community had and relayed them to the Terraneu leadership. Knacayn was the representative at those meetings. She figured he must have drawn the short straw since nobody in their right mind would volunteer to listen to the odd complaints her community had.

  “Kenzie are you ready?” Hearing Stephanie call her from outside Kenzie opened the door. Her friend was sitting in a modified Jeep in front of her dorm. “It’s about time. I’ve been waiting forever. A few more minutes and I would have started honking!”

  Kenzie didn’t take offense. She knew Steph and one of the males of Terraneu were dating. “Could your impatience have anything to do with a certain male?” she teased.

  Raising her eyebrow, Steph ignored her question and teased back, “As if you are not as excited to see Knacayn. I know you told me you weren’t interested in a male from Terraneu Kenzie, but I see the way you act around him.”

  Kenzie grimaced and joined her friend in the vehicle. She was hoping the others of their community hadn’t noticed anything amiss. She was a member of the leadership and was held to a higher standard. “You know I am going to the meetings out of a sense of duty. It takes a whole new level of patience to deal with the way some of the males are acting in the new community. Sometimes I wonder why Knacayn doesn’t just throw our two factions out the door.”

  Steph hit the accelerator and they took off down the road. “They have agreed to help, so nothing will make them back down.” Her friend drove with one eye on the road and one eye on her. “Mallex asked me to go with him to Terraneu.”

  “Steph…that is…” Kenzie struggled for something to say. She had been best friends with Steph as long as she could remember. “Are you thinking about accepting? I mean it has only been three months…” Her voice trailed off when she saw the crestfallen look on her friend’s face. Steph wanted her to be excited, not the voice of reason.

  “I know it is fast Kenzie.” Steph swerved to avoid a pothole and then looked back to her. “I care for him deeply. I know you don’t believe in love at first sight or love at all for that matter.”

  Kenzie raised her hand and went to protest but Steph jumped in, “No, don’t deny it. We both know that is how you are and it’s okay Kenzie. I understand how hard it has been for you to work your way up in the leadership. You have sacrificed a lot to make your goals a reality.” Her friend turned imploring eyes to hers. “You have to believe me when I say Mallex is the best thing to ever happened to me.” Laughing softly, she added, “Besides having you for a best friend.”

  “Aren’t you worried he has someone else waiting for him on Terraneu? If the women from Knacayn’s family are any indication the women on their planet must be very good looking.” Kenzie hated herself for saying the words, but it was a real possibility.

  Steph just shrugged and snorted, “Honestly Kenzie. Didn’t you learn anything at all from the briefing they gave us, not to mention all the time you have been spending with Knacayn?” Swerving to avoid another pothole her friend hardly paused in her speech. “Their men are totally open. They don’t believe in subterfuge, playing games, or dishonesty. If I wanted to know how Mallex feels, or if he has a girlfriend, a partner…or mate as they call them, all I would have to do was to ask! He wouldn’t lie.”

  Kenzie was worried for her friend. She knew it was wrong to place Earth values on the males of Terraneu but she couldn’t help herself. The women of Terraneu were so perfect, how could any of their men possibly be attracted to sore ridden, twig figures like her and Steph?

  “Did you ask Mallex exactly how he feels? And what this decision would mean for both of you?” Kenzie was sure her friend would say “no” and was shocked to hear the opposite.

  “Yes. After our first encounters around the compound. He seemed interested so I broke down and asked him outright.” Steph laughed happily and continued, “He is attracted to me…sores and all. We began seeing each other as a couple, and now things are taking an even
more serious turn with me going to Terraneu. I will have to wait to have the change on Terraneu in order to live there.”

  Kenzie knew “the change” was on everyone’s minds. It was the plan the councils of Terraneu had come up with to keep the factions from fighting over limited supplies and food. They were going to change the population to use the Earth’s sun for energy like they had done to themselves over thousands of years on Terraneu. Instead of consuming food, they would be like solar panels. Their cells would absorb the sun's energy and use it to maintain a healthy body. They would still need mineralized water, but their new stomachs would absorb the moisture like a sponge. The upside is they would live for a very long time. Their genetics “reset” to a perfect version of its code. There wasn’t a downside as far as she could see, although the females from Terraneu had stressed not to try to eat anything...ever. Their new bodies would violently reject any solid food.

  “If you had gone through the change on Earth and then wanted to go to Terraneu with Mallex, is that even possible?” Kenzie asked her friend. The only thing she knew for certain was the single sun of Earth was not enough for anyone from Terraneu. If they stayed longer than six months between portal activity, it would be deadly. Some of them were already feeling the impact of the single sun, and it was only three months into their stay.

  “From what Mallex explained, I could wait for another active portal time to go with him. If I have any doubts I can stay here and have the change done for Earth’s one sun. If after being apart, in six months I wanted to be with him, I could have the change done again. This time for the two suns of Terraneu. The only thing he warned me about was the fact it seemed to cause a reaction in the hair follicles. In other words, you end up with stark white hair. Not blond…but snow white.” Steph laughed again, “He seemed very worried it would upset me to have white hair.” She ran her fingers over her scarred and patchy scalp. “I assured him any color hair would be better than no hair at all, but since I am going in three months, and only having the change done once, it won’t matter.”