Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 130317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
“Thank you—that’s good news.” Sev tried to make his voice hearty and glad, though inside he still had grave misgivings about this mission.
“Stand by for landing coordinates,” the voice told him. “Our landing area is some distance from the main Dome.”
“Understood,” Sev said, though he wondered why they would need to keep the landing area and the Dome separate. A moment later the coordinates popped on the screen and he steered for them.
“Why are we landing so far from the Dome?” Mia asked, frowning as the vast entrance of an enormous cave came into sight. “Wouldn’t it make more sense to be closer?”
“I don’t know.” Sev shook his head. “What I’m mainly concerned with is the atmosphere—the air on T’zgarian is extremely thin and it doesn’t contain enough oxygen to support life for most humanoid species. It might not even be safe to get out of the ship. Oh, wait—look.” He pointed to the mouth of the cave.
“What am I looking at?” Mia asked, squinting at the viewscreen.
“They have a permeable atmosphere bubble over the front of the cave—the same way the Mother Ship has one over their Docking Bay,” Sev explained. “It keeps the breathable air inside while still allowing ships to fly back and forth through it.”
“Huh. Okay.” Mia shrugged. “Still doesn’t explain why they put the parking so far away from the place where they live.”
“I’m sure they have some kind of explanation.” Sev spoke distractedly as he flew carefully into the large cave. It was almost as big as the Docking Bay of the Mother Ship but not nearly as well-lit. He didn’t want to hit any other ships as he landed.
Luckily, there were only a few smaller craft and one much larger one that looked like it could hold a whole colony full of people, parked off to one side of the vast cavern. Sev wondered grimly if the PPP was intending to transport all their people to Earth using the large ship if they got the okay from the World Council.
Which they won’t, he promised himself. He and Mia were going to expose this place and its phony leader. He might have had some misgivings about taking the mission in the first place, but now that they were actually here, he was fully committed.
“Oh look—I think someone’s waiting for us. Is that ‘The Prophet’—Chud Brumpkin himself?” Mia asked, frowning at the small figure on the viewscreen who was waving at them.
Sev frowned.
“I don’t think so, though he does have the same pale blue skin and silver hair. Clearly he’s from Chakioun Prime, like The Prophet is.”
“Well, I guess we’ll find out,” Mia murmured. As the ship settled into place and Sev turned off the engines she turned to him. “Are you ready?”
“Hell yes!” Sev assured her. “Come on—we have a cult to bring down.”
He just wished he felt as confident as his words indicated. But deep down, he still had a very bad feeling about this place…
SIX
MIA
The man who had come to meet them did indeed have pale blue skin and silver hair, which was swept dramatically back from his high forehead. He had a long thin, beaky nose and was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt, black trousers, and black shoes, just like all the men in the PPP ad they’d seen. All his clothing was extremely plain—Mia thought he might almost have looked Amish if he’d had one of those chin beards with no mustache.
However, their PPP escort was clean-shaven. He was also smiling broadly as Sev helped her down from the ship and they walked over to him.
“Well, well—welcome to the PPP! Brother Severith, we’re so glad to see you and we’re pleased you brought your wife with you as well,” he exclaimed.”
“Well, thank you—of course we came together,” Sev said politely. “Mia and I are both interested in checking out the Peaceful People of the Prophet.”
“That’s excellent—the PPP really is a place for couples—we don’t have many singles here,” the man said. “I’m Brother Jonash, by the way—I’m one of the Key Holders as well as an Elder and I’ll be your Spiritual Advisor while you’re here with us.”
He shook Sev’s hand heartily but ignored Mia’s offered hand so completely she wondered if he even saw it.
“Hi,” she said pointedly, determined to catch his attention. “I’m Mia, Sev’s wife.” She held out her hand again but though he looked at it—rather distastefully, she thought—he still didn’t take it.
“I believe my mate is trying to make your acquaintance,” Sev said mildly.
Brother Jonash shook his head.
“Forgive me, Brother Severith, but we don’t believe in touching other men’s wives here in the Dome. We may bear witness to them during a required punishment if their husband deems it necessary, but touching is off limits.”
“I see,” Sev said and Mia said,
“What kind of punishment?”
It was as though she hadn’t even spoken. All of Brother Jonash’s attention was fixed on Sev.