Blurb
Dear readers,
the Master Trooper series is meant for all who like their romance reads to be a little more archaic, rougher, more dominant. Although they are clearly romantic stories, they contain ideas of SM, of dominance and submission.
If you don’t like those concepts, you are better off with another series.
Yet to all those of you who want to dive into a world of dominance and submission with strong alpha males and an archaic eschaton plotline – enjoy!
Love,
Alexa
Anno 2354. Earth’s government had a breakthrough in their top secret research project Life Tree. They’ve created perfect soldiers whose abilities exceed scientists’ expectations, thanks to the predator sequence in their DNA. Now project Life Tree is entering phase two, genetic reproduction of the Master Trooper.
Betrayed by her boyfriend and sentenced to penal servitude for drug possession, Larona finds herself among several other women en route to the convict colony on Mars. Turns out it’s not Mars they land on, but planet Terra Alpha, where the women are to be part of a research project.
There, Larona is chosen for program INBREED – she’s to bear the child of a Master Trooper. Her body is no longer hers, but a possession of Life Tree. Upon meeting Torn, who seems to have no qualms about carrying out Life Tree’s orders, Larona is absolutely desperate…
Torn has proven himself as above-average in combat and every test. That’s why he was chosen for program INBREED – to pass on his genes – a task others envy him for because it means luxury in between tours: vacation time, good food, and clean women.
Torn never had any reason to doubt Life Tree, and especially INBREED is a duty he enjoys. To him, women just serve to satisfy a bodily need… but it’s different with Larona. When she tries to kill herself, Torn starts to question Life Tree. Because he’s developing feelings for Larona that he, as a Master Trooper, isn’t even supposed to have…
1
Larona
My gaze wanders to look outside the window of the shuttle I’m in with about twenty other women. None of us have a future. Each of us had to leave behind their old lives – friends, family, children, husbands, jobs – everything. For society, we no longer exist. UG – United Governments – has sentenced us to penal servitude on Mars for the rest of our lives. Some of us likely deserve that sentence. However, I’m innocent – only, no one believed me. Trake, the man I loved, the man I trusted like no one else before, betrayed me to get his own neck out of the sling. Should I have noticed he was a drug dealer? Maybe… but I was wearing those damn rose-colored glasses, only wanting to see his good traits.
He planted three packs of purest white AX on me. There are only two crimes UG punishes with lifelong penal servitude on Mars since abolishing the death penalty: murder and drug trafficking.
I was a naïve sheep. Trake had the better lawyers, the better chances. They pinned the blame on me… and here I am. I can’t forget Trake’s face as he turned around and left the court room. As if we’d never been together. As if all those nights, the kisses, all the promises he made never even existed. Had everything been a lie? Is it possible to be so wrong about a person? Had Trake’s feelings merely been pretend? No matter which way I look at it, I always come to the same conclusion: I’m stupid, young, and naïve… and I’ll never have answers to my questions.
My life is over – at the tender age of twenty-three! The convict colonies on Mars are worse than any death penalty. At least, that’s what I heard, I don’t know for sure. In the fifty years the colonies have existed, no one has ever come back. UG is itching to harvest resources from Mars using mines, since resources on Earth are as good as depleted, so now they are moving on to wring other planets. It’s taxing work that slowly kills you. Dust clogging your lungs, heavy metals… No one survives the mines longer than ten years.
I try leaning forward to look around the woman next to me, but the metal cuffs fixing my arms to the armrest don’t give me much room to maneuver.
“Hey… you,” I say to her, “Can you already see Mars?”
She turns to me and eyes me in an unfriendly way. I instantly regret having chosen to talk to her. Just because I’m innocent, doesn’t mean all the others here are, too. The redhead with the piercing green eyes definitively doesn’t look innocent. In that moment, I’m almost thankful to the metal wristbands cuffing us to the chairs. The redhead would probably twist my neck otherwise.
“Like I fucking give a shit, sweetheart… got that? Where do you think you are? On an intergalactic cruise? Now shut up!”
“Okay, sorry.” I quickly turn away.
The fellow sufferer sitting on my other side offers a sympathetic smile. She’s two or three years older than me, and by far more composed. With her shoulder-length black hair she looks like a woman who has both feet firmly on the ground and knows what she wants. I wonder what she did to deserve ending up here.
“I stuck my nose where it didn’t belong… Should’ve known better,” she answers my questioning look. “I’m Sira, I used to be a reporter.”
“Larona,” I answer quietly, shy.
“What’s that supposed to be? Group sharing?” the redhead snarls from my other side, first glaring at Sira, then at me.
Sira ignores her and continues, “You don’t look like you belong here, Larona.”
I know what she means. With my petite frame, the blonde hair, and large blue eyes, I’m easy prey for women like the redhead. I keep trying to push the thought out of my mind that Mars will be full of prisoners like her, who will be making my already miserable life a living hell. As for the guards… Young, blonde, blue eyes – it’s a real bad combination in my situation.
“I’m innocent,” I answer quietly, even though I know it doesn’t matter anymore.
“Yeah, sure – and I’m a virgin,” the redhead scoffs.
Sira opens her mouth as if to say something. I can see that she pities me… although I doubt she’ll fare any better than me.
Suddenly, a female voice sounds over the speakers from the shuttle cockpit, Attention detainees… We’re about to land. When the shuttle touches down, remain calm, and no talking! Let me remind you that your civil rights, along with your status, have been revoked due to the misconduct you have committed against society. You are now property of UG. Any and all resistance will be punished!
A crackling sound in the speakers lets me know the speech is over. I swallow. So this is it.
“Fuck… that’s not Mars.”
Sira and I turn almost simultaneously. The redhead finally decided to have a look out the shuttle window.
“Wha—what do you mean?” Sira asks, her nervousness palpable.
“That this isn’t the damn fucking Mars!”
“But… I don’t understand,” I say timidly.
Sira remains silent. Somehow I get the feeling she knows something the rest of us don’t.
“Sira?” I ask anxiously.
She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
What’s that supposed to mean? The hell is that supposed to mean, she’s sorry?! Fear is crawling through my limbs. I can feel that something’s wrong. The other women haven’t noticed yet. Even the redhead doesn’t seem concerned. Mars or any other planet, we’re screwed anyway, is what her body language says.
We’re getting a good shake as we enter the planet’s atmosphere. Finally, I can see something. This is definitely not Mars! The planet’s surface looks different – no artificial atmosphere, but water and trees… blue and green… From up here, it almost looks like old pictures of Earth around year 2000, before UG drilled holes into the planet like you would in a cheese to scoop out any last resources.
I stomp down the panic rising up inside me. My bladder is about to burst… I’d love to jump up and use the toilet but I can’t, courtesy of the cuffs around my wrists. From now on, others will decide if and when I’m allowed to use the bathroom. I don’t even have that much freedom left.
We touch down, and get another good shake from the blowback of the turbines, before the shuttle stays still.
No one talks. It’s a tense silence, and fear is tangible.
None of us know what to expect.
Then the doors open, and everything is happening so fast I barely have time to take a breath.
A group of soldiers storms the shuttle, wearing camouflage cargo pants and fitted black shirts… and gas masks. Why are they wearing gas masks? Heavy utility belts encircle their waists with numerous weapons on them: machetes, laser guns, electroshock riot sticks. I stare open-mouthed. Holy moly… they’re huge! Each of them is about six foot seven, and all muscle. I’m almost relieved that I can’t make out their faces behind the gas masks. What are those guys? There are all kinds of soldiers on Earth, but I’ve never seen such monsters.
The other women start screaming, safe for Sira next to me who’s like frozen. The redhead seems to have rediscovered her will to survive. She trashes around, trying to free her hands from the cuffs. She’s fighting desperately, skinning her wrists in the process, but she doesn’t stand a chance.
“No struggling,” one of the guys barks with his deep voice. He merely succeeds to raise the women’s panic level even further. Suddenly, they are all screaming and fighting against their cuffs. Only Sira and I are still frozen.
One of the guys is nodding to the others, and they move towards us. I know this is it for me… The shuttle erupts into chaos. A hunk with black hair pulls out his electroshock stick and presses it against the redhead’s shoulder. Her head bangs back against the seat, her eyes pop open wide, she jerks, then her head falls onto her chest, and she stills.
“He killed her!” one of the other women screams, before the huge hand of a soldier clamps over her mouth.
“No struggling,” he barks at her.
Everything around me is blurring out of focus as one of them comes directly towards me. I can’t see his face behind the mask, but as the huge guy bends down to my level, I can see his eyes: They are dark brown, and staring at me.
“Please… don’t…” I manage with a squeaky voice. His huge hand is coming closer. I open my mouth to scream, and say goodbye to my life. I know he’ll kill me… but then I hear his voice, distorted from the mask.
“Stay calm. Better for you, doll.”
I don’t know why, but I do as he asks. Without taking his eyes off me, he pulls a cartridge about the size of his hand from his belt, and flicks away a pin with his finger. A white gas streams out, and I press my lips together. I don’t want to breathe, but I have to eventually. The last thing I see before losing consciousness are his brown eyes, still staring at me.
When I come to, I’m blinded by cold white light. I moan and close my eyes again right away. My head hurts, and I feel nauseous.
“Side effects of the gas. Lay still a while longer. You’ll feel better in a bit,” a female voice instructs me. She sounds friendly, but that doesn’t mean anything. Regardless, I comply.
After a while, the dizziness and nausea have faded somewhat, and I dare opening my eyes again.
A doctor is looking at me. She’s young, not much older than me, and wears a white bodysuit. I only know she’s a doctor because she’s holding a pulse frequency scanner. “I’m Dr. Barner, Leslie Barner. You’re in Sector A, the research lab of Life Tree, on planet Terra Alpha.”
She helps me to sit up, and I take in my surroundings for the first time. An examination room, sterile and all white, with the latest technology. I’ve been lying on a cot, hooked to a vital functions monitor.
“Don’t worry, everything’s fine. We’ve only been doing some tests while you were unconscious.”
“What kind of tests? And why am I not on Mars?” I don’t get it. Irritated, I notice that I’m wearing different clothes now, too. The light blue detainee overalls have been replaced by a white hospital gown.
Dr. Barner smiles reassuringly. “Health check-ups. You qualify for Life Tree’s INBREED program.”
“What program?”
“I’ll explain. Believe me, being here is far better for you than being on Mars. You’ve been selected. Not just due to your physical suitability, but also for your character.”
I still don’t understand what she’s talking about. Dr. Barner is placing an air pressure injector onto my upper arm, and I jerk away. “What’s that?”
“Vitamins and build-ups… to help relieve the stress.”
I have to believe her… what other choice do I have?
I spot a logo made of polished steel on the opposite wall: a tree over a globe. “Life Tree” is written overhead.
Dr. Barner notices me looking. “Life Tree is a secret UG research project… top secret, actually.”
“But why am I here? And where are the other women?”
Dr. Barner avoids my gaze, and only answers part of my questions, “Like I said, you’re here because you have been selected for program INBREED.” She smiles reassuringly, and sits down on the chair opposite me, which is just as white and sterile as the rest of the room. Obviously, it’s important for her to take her time with me. “The Life Tree research facility was founded for a single purpose: to create the perfect fighter. A soldier whose senses and skills surpass everything, an elite unit named Master Trooper. You’ve met them… at the shuttle.”
I stare at her. Those monsters who raided us? When she notices the fear in my eyes, Dr. Barner puts a hand on my arm. “Don’t worry, it was merely a test. We had to know how you’d act in a stress situation. You have done exemplary well by staying calm.” I can tell she’s thinking of a way to give me the next piece of information without sending me into panic mode. “To make it short, Larona… We want you to carry a child from one of our Master Troopers.”
I open my mouth, jump up, and stumble backwards. “And that’s supposed to be better than Mars?” I squeak.
She stands up and makes a barely discernable sign with her hand for me to calm down. Seems like someone’s watching us, or at least listening in. I don’t know why, but my survival instinct tells me to listen to her. The mere thought about the redhead and the electroshock stick is enough to get the cry for help lodged in my throat – and, of course, there’s the fact that no one would actually come to help me.
“You mean… in vitro fertilization,” I force myself to a say quietly, and calmly.
“No. INBREED doesn’t work that way. We pick out a woman to match a Master Trooper, and leave the rest to nature.”
My bottom lip is quivering but before I can decide to scream, Dr. Barner continues, “We tried artificial means, but the results were… well, not optimal. It’s the Master Troopers’ genes.” She’s looking for the right words again. Can it really get any worse? “Larona… The Troopers’ gene pool is eight percent non-human.”
My legs give out, and I sit on the floor shaking. Immediately, the doctor’s gaze moves to a corner of the ceiling, where I see a camera on the wall. So we are being watched. She shakes her head, signaling that she’s got everything handled. She picks me up, then sits me back down on the cot.
“Non-human…” I whisper.
She takes my hand. “They hold eight percent predator DNA. It makes them more aggressive, enhancing their reaction time and muscle growth.”
I noticed that. I’ve never seen a monster as huge as these guys are.
“Another aspect of their non-human DNA is their sex drive.” She clears her throat. “It’s hard to trick nature in that regard. The stimulation acquired with a real partner has led to better mating results, so now we’re doing it that way. Plus, a suppressed sex drive would ultimately lead to aggression, and we’d have problems controlling them.”
There’s static in my head. I wish I’d faint and wake up on Mars. All of a sudden, the mines don’t sound half as bad as all this.
“But… I’m a human being. You can’t just give me to them like a piece of meat.”
“I’m sorry, Larona, but you lost your civil rights upon your conviction. You are now property of UG, and they chose you for project Life Tree.” In a whisper, she adds, “Believe me, INBREED is the best thing to happen to you here.” The way Dr. Barner is looking at me has a chill racing down my spine. But then she’s back to being all business. “Don’t be afraid. The Trooper you’ll be staying with is a nice guy.”
A nice guy! Is she for real? Eight percent predator DNA says he’s definitely not a nice guy.
She gets up. “I’ll explain more on the way, especially the things you have to mind while around a Trooper.”
I’m back to staring at her. This is a nightmare! All this just can’t be happening!
We have left the research compound. Doctors and other staff of the lab have merely spared me a glance before resuming their work; all men and women in white bodysuits. I’m not important… just a part of the research project who doesn’t get asked if she wants to participate willingly.
The Life Tree lab building is made of shiny mirrored glass, surrounded by a high electrical fence. Two Master Troopers in their cargo pants stand to guard the gate, controlling who comes and who goes. They nod towards Dr. Barner, and let us pass through.
We climb into an electro car; Dr. Barner is driving herself. She doesn’t seem to be afraid of the hulk-like soldiers. I wonder about the heat and vegetation of the planet. The road we take is framed by jungle. There used to be places on Earth that looked like this. Today, there are barely any trees left… only in a number of nature and climate parks. People on Earth wouldn’t survive without artificial oxygen plants.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Dr. Barner asks with a smile, guessing my thoughts correctly. “We brought saplings from Earth to plant our own vegetation. Now we don’t need oxygen plants anymore.”
“You mean… the planet is alive?”
She nods. “Terra Alpha is a self-sustaining ecosystem. Like Earth used to be.”
I see a cluster of houses on our left. Bungalows surrounded by a garden. It almost looks like a holiday resort.
“We’re almost there.” Dr. Barner sighs. “The Troopers are in the field for four months, then two months on vacation. Those chosen for program INBREED are staying
Impressum
Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG
Texte: Alexa Kim, al-kim@web.de
Bildmaterialien: jdesign.at
Übersetzung: Moira Scott
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 13.11.2016
ISBN: 978-3-7396-8307-2
Alle Rechte vorbehalten