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  “I found out what the Centaurus Project was, so I’ll tell you the key points. In the early days of space exploration the wormhole was discovered. Governments established secret projects to study and learn to control it. With the discovery of U-999 they found they could do just that. Heedless of the dangers that U-999 presented, they created a device that opened the wormhole.

  “Several manned and unmanned ships were sent through the wormhole, the most notable being Spirit and Opportunity which were named for the Martian rover probes. None ever returned. The project was scrapped, the evidence destroyed, and Alamo Drift was set free in the Asteroid Belt to be forgotten.”

  “What does that prove?” growled Revelier, right before being struck in the gut again. Hall smiled.

  “In and of itself...nothing.” Revelier was feeling more confidant now that the gunfire had stopped. “But, the falsified Moon Police Service report dated before the robbery, located in your secret files, proves a bit more.” Hall enjoyed the shocked look on Revelier’s face.

  “It’s all there. The robbery, the false witnesses, the involvement of Moon Police and the Marshals Service.”

  “So? I do some time for making a false report. Big deal, my lawyers will get me out in no time.”

  “Hmm. Then there’s the dead informant on Churchill Drift with a wormhole file in his holophone. A holophone that received calls from you. How unlucky for you that I am one of the most brilliant forensic technology experts in the Commonwealth; there is almost nothing that I cannot get data from. Not even a holophone with a self-destruct sequence.”

  Revelier paled but said nothing more.

  “And while you were watching Ryevolutzia closely, the Secret Service was watching you. They knew you had been in contact with them, but they just couldn’t pin down what you were up to. Until you had their agent murdered. That dead informant was a Secret Service agent.

  “With Revelier’s connections in government, the Secret Service was worried that any military action would be compromised by leaks from the inside.”

  “So you enlisted Virgil’s help, made them official, and came after the Ryevolutzia,” said Heck.

  “Yes. The Secret Service has the power to issue Letters of Marque, signed by the PM, to aid in policing the solar system. With Virgil’s sizeable fleet, and his willingness to help you, it was the logical choice.”

  “What was the payoff?” Heck said as he turned and faced Revelier. “What could possibly motivate you to sink this low, selling weapons and secrets to criminals?”

  “Power,” began Hall when Revelier wouldn’t respond. “Once the Ryevolutzia had succeeded in building a working Centaurus Device, Revelier was going to try to use the Bureau to destroy them and get back the Centaurus Device. After gaining possession of the device, there is no telling what his twisted mind would have convinced him to do.”

  “And Doolin was feeding you my information all along, wasn’t he?”

  Revelier smirked.

  “The missile and identity signatures, the CS Marauder, Espinosa. All of it was coming from him.”

  Heck reached out as if to grab Revelier by the throat, but stopped when he saw something on the launch pad that he hadn’t seen before.

  Another shuttle.

  “Hold it, Dooly!” shouted Heck as his ex-partner tried to open the sally port leading to his freedom. “You do it and you’re a dead man.”

  “I’m sorry, Heck,” said Dooly, his hands high. “For what that’s worth.”

  “It’s worth nothing,” said Heck, his finger itchy. “And so are you, now.”

  “Just trying to get my freedom, Heck. That’s all.”

  “Nope. There’s a Centaurus Device on that shuttle and you plan on selling it to the highest bidder.”

  “Oh, I get it,” he said, laughing as he slowly turned to face Heck. “You think you’re going to go and rescue her?”

  “The thought crossed my mind.”

  “Be reasonable,” he said.

  “I’m listening.”

  “Look, that device could earn us enough money to buy an entire drift. Palace Drift even!”

  “You’re not convincing me yet, Dool.”

  “You’d really throw that away?” he asked. “For what? A piece of ass?”

  For some reason, that smug, condescending statement had the effect on Heck that nothing else had over these past days. Over his entire life, in fact. It caused him to intentionally put business mode in the ‘off’ position.

  CRACK!

  And Dooly was dead.

  Footsteps sounded in the corridor leading down to the shuttle craft as Heck returned to Stalin, the sally port closing with a loud CLUNK behind him. The Centaurus Device was now in his possession and he walked, grim faced and determined, back up the corridor that led to the laboratory. Virgil and Hall met him in the corridor.

  “Where’s Doolin?” asked Hall.

  “Dead,” he replied simply. “You are in my way.”

  Virgil knew Heck Thomas well enough to know when not to tangle with him, he stepped to the side.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To finish this,” he said simply, evasively. They would try to stop him but he couldn’t let them do that.

  “Marshal Thomas,” said Hall. “You have been reinstated. You have your life and your career back. You’ll even receive a medal for thwarting a plot to overthrow the Commonwealth.”

  “No thanks.”

  “What?”

  “No thanks. Now, if you will excuse me I have somewhere to go.”

  “Well, I won’t stop you. But I’d like you to leave that device with me.”

  “Why?” he demanded. “So you can bring it someplace ’safe’? Someplace where it will be studied and put to ‘good’ use?”

  “That was the idea,” Hall said, nodding. “But when you put it that way...”

  “Maybe the Centaurus Device needs to disappear forever,” offered Virgil. “At least one made from that God-awful U-999 crap!”

  Heck nodded, quiet determination plain on his face.

  “What will you do?” Hall called as Heck stared up the corridor. “Where will you go?”

  “It’s better you don’t know, Agent Hall.”

  “Heck, please,” he said. “You’re about to go down a one-way road. There’s no coming back.”

  Heck nodded, then continued back along the corridor. He thought about the events of the past few days and he had regrets. He regretted not giving himself to Laylara, not letting her get inside his wall of protection. He regretted not finding a way to save her. But the past was over. Business mode had been turned off. Perhaps for good.

  Heck Thomas was going to put a few things right.

  Follow the further adventures of Heck Thomas in The Orion Deception.

  About this book:

  Thank you so much for buying and reading my book. The Centaurus Legacy was written to be a segway into the world of Marshal Henrick (Heck)Thomas. Although the characters called Marshal Heck Thomas and Deputy Marshal Stephen W. Doolin are purely fictional, there was in fact a Marshal Heck Thomas and a William Doolin. Marshal Heck Thomas was a hero of the American West while William “Bill” Doolin was the leader of one of the worst gangs in Old West American history.

  Marshal Andrew Henry (Heck) Thomas was a United States Marshal in the late 19th Century. A Georgian by birth, Heck served as a courier in the Civil War at the age of 12 under his uncle, General Edward Thomas. Heck later became a member of the Atlanta Police where he earned a reputation as a fearless fighter.

  In the 1870’s Heck had moved to Texas where he worked for the Texas Express Railroad and later became a member of the Fort Worth Detectives Association. Following his appointment to the Marshals Service, Marshal Thomas was assigned to police the lawless Indian Territory. By 1889 the lawman had partnered with fellow Marshals Bill Tilghman and Chris Madsen; the trio became known as “The Three Guardsmen,” and were largely responsible for bringing law to the lawless territory.

 
; The Doolin Gang (AKA the Doolin-Dalton Gang) was one of the most violent gangs of the time. For four years they robbed trains and committed other crimes in Kansas, the Indian Territory, and Texas. In 1896 the Three Guardsman caught up to the gang and the notorious Bill Doolin. Eventually every member of that gang died fighting, refusing to surrender to the law. Bill Doolin was killed in 1896.

  The Three Guardsmen were credited with arresting 300 wanted men during their tenure. Heck Thomas retied in 1909 and died in 1912 of Bright’s Disease. He was buried in the Highland Cemetery in Lawton Oklahoma where his grave remains today.

  - “Heck Thomas,” Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia Information retrieved 15 December, 2011 http://en.wikipedia.com/wiki/heck_thomas copyright 2012 Wikipedia

  - “Wild Bunch,” Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia Information retrieved 15 December, 2011 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doolin-Dalton_Gang

  This is a work of fiction.

  All of the characters and events portrayed in this novel are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to real persons or events is purely coincidental.

  A Tide of Shadows

  Copyright 2011 by Tom Bielawski.

  All rights reserved.

  Map created by Tom Bielawski.

  Cover art by Ronnell D. Porter (www.wix.com/ronnelldporter/design)

  Interior art created by Tom and Christie Bielawski.

  P R O L O G U E

  Pathways.

  A Deal With...

  The darkness swirled around him, caressing him, teasing him, daring him to step off the disc upon which he stood. He didn’t really know if he was standing at all; he had been before he stepped into the magical doorway. Using a Pathway was a very difficult and disorienting ordeal; only those truly powerful in the ways of the arcane would dare attempt it without fear of going mad. Losing control here would certainly mean death to any novice. The Pathways were created millennia ago, not by powerful arch-magi as was commonly believed, but by the immortal races, some of whom were called Cjii. These were the beings employed by the Greater Powers, they believed themselves to be gods and played their parts with vigor.

  These simple truths were not widely known in the Far Realms from which Shalthazar haled. Most of the common beings there barely grasped the concept that their world was not flat, never mind the complicated laws of interplanar travel, the existence of immortal beings, and that their own gods were not much more than children with a lot of power and a weak grasp of reality.

  Shalthazar was no commoner, however. He had been alive for a few centuries and was very wise in the ways of the arcane. He was patient, methodical, and extraordinarily determined to topple one of those beings who purported themselves to be true gods. He had hatched his plan nearly two centuries ago, and it was an elaborate one that he was quite certain would work.

  The prickling sensation on his skin brought him back to reality and self-control. Even the briefest of mental wanderings and lack of intense focus on the present could be deadly on these Pathways. Although the wizard had not sensed any of the immortals nearby, the spirits of the damned who were enthralled by them were everywhere. The presence of the damned was inescapable. Their sinuous tendrils accosted him, their thoughts barraged his mind. Shalthazar repelled their assaults with ease, but not without cost; his strength was leaving him.

  Suddenly, the Pathway through the complex spaces between the many planes of existence ended before a portal to his chosen destination: Llars.

  He stood there a moment, looking through the hazy doorway to the bright and uncomfortably warm world beyond, still repelling the silky tendrils that were the longings of the damned who were ever trying to trick him into wandering from the Path; a deadly mistake. He shook off the thoughts, remained focused, and prepared to enter the portal. Two centuries of preparation brought him to this moment, to the very doorstep that would take him to new levels of power and greatness. He was giddy, and he was ready to begin.

  But then -

  “SHALTHAZAR AZAH FARAHNAN!” thundered a familiar voice.

  “STAND AND PAY YOUR DUES!” the rumbling distorted his vision and threatened to sway his balance. Any deviation from the Pathways would be disastrous for the mortal. But the immortal Cjii gliding towards him would face no such troubles; in fact this ancient being had probably helped create the Pathways.

  Shalthazar turned slowly and purposely, face ever stoic, as he contemplated his last meeting with Nephlazubit, the Pathway Collector.

  “What is it Neph?” he asked with forced calmness.

  Fortunately most Cjii cared little for mortals and thus, knew little about them. Nephlazubit was no exception, having seen precious few mortals, and was unaware how fragile the mortal body really was. Had he truly known how puny and weak mortals were, things might have gone very differently for the wizard.

  The great titan lumbered down the Pathway and stood before Shalthazar, the butt-spike of his giant halberd planted firmly, the blade gleaming with its own light as milky tendrils of the misty Pathway air pulsed and flowed about the menacing weapon. The face of the great Cjii split into a wide grin, fangs dripping with saliva, his broad nostrils flaring as he laughed.

  Shalthazar did not let the friendly demeanor of the Cjii fool him. The Cjii were notoriously unpredictable and chaotic, ruled by their emotions. This encounter could still end very badly for the dark wizard. However, his immeasurable self-discipline continued to allow him to maintain his wizard’s air of indifference as he faced the massive immortal.

  “You owe me ten souls, Shalthazar,” he said in a friendly voice. The wizard did not miss the slight twitching of the immortal’s left eye. He did not immediately know what it signified, but it couldn’t be a good sign with the chaotic Neph.

  “I believe the price you demanded was seven souls, Neph,” he said calmly, very calmly. Shalthazar was fairly confident that his own powerful array of spells and weapons would help him prevail in a one-on-one match with even this powerful immortal. However it was very unlikely that there weren’t other Cjii hiding nearby, Cjii who would presumably enter any fray on the side of their own.

  The giant creature leaned down to stare at Shalthazar for a moment; the wizard didn’t flinch. Satisfied by whatever the immortal saw, Neph stood straight again and nodded. “Seven it was then, wizard. Ten it is now. I have taken a measure of your worth and I have foreseen what you will become,” the creature laughed in grim satisfaction. “I am giving you leave to travel the Pathways as you please. Be certain you send me my due, it should be no problem for one such as you!”

  Shalthazar bowed in acceptance of the Cjii’s gracious offer which seemed to satisfy the giant immortal. Then Neph flashed an oddly jovial grin and lumbered away from the greatly relieved, if somewhat perplexed, wizard.

  Mentally vowing to examine this experience later, Shalthazar turned back to the portal and prepared himself to step through. No telling how many more of them are around. Best be quick about it! He grumbled to himself.

  “Going somewhere?” the voice floated towards him from every direction at once it seemed. It was like that in the Pathways. Was there another Cjii after him? Had he forgotten something?

  Shalthazar looked around wildly but saw no one. Wildly? His composure was slipping. Then, with chagrin he saw that his portal had moved. This too was common in the Pathways; he wasn’t certain if it was due to the chaotic nature of the Pathways or the whim of some mischievous Cjii. The wizard centered himself and walked toward the portal, thankful it hadn’t moved very far, and hoping it wouldn’t move again. Then he started feeling panicky and began to run. Panicky? He cursed himself for a weakling and a fool, but he continued to run anyway.

  Shalthazar, as calmly and reasonably as he could, ran to the portal, focusing only on sliding through to the other side.

  Shalthazar stumbled out of the portal and into an apparent chamber of ice. The sudden planar shift from the in-between realms to solid ground was quite a shock to one’s senses. It was similar to the way a
man felt after spending time on the deck of a heaving ship, then stepping onto dry land; it always takes a few moments to gain back your land legs. Shalthazar sensed no imminent threat and risked a moment to center himself and reach for his magic. He found that he was able to sense the energy in this place in much the same way as he could back home, yet the connection was tenuous and energies were much harder for him to connect to. This was not unexpected, however.

  Quickly he blinked his eyes as he adjusted to his new surroundings. Ironically, it was not particularly cold in the icy chamber. He must be thousands of miles from where he wanted to be. The chamber was filled with bluish green light that descended through long shafts in the ceiling. He brushed himself off and wondered where his calculations had gone awry. His chart of the Pathways had cost him dearly, it was a price he would not soon forget; there should have been no errors. He saw his chosen destination from the other side of the portal, he should have been someplace far warmer. Truth be told, Shalthazar despised heat and he was not really displeased at this comfortable waypoint on his journey; if he could only figure out where to go from here. And, how to avoid those damnable Cjii!

  He noticed that there did not appear to be any door or way out of this chamber. The portal that led him here had vanished, as it should have. Shalthazar reached into the pocket of his vest and felt for the reassuring presence of his ring; a powerful item he had created centuries ago, which would enable him to escape this type of unanticipated circumstance. This chamber was devoid of decor and anything to sit on, he noticed wryly. At the far end was a doorway leading to...another chamber.

  This one was far different. There was something in the shadows at the far end of the new chamber, an altar seemingly made of ice. He perceived that he was in some sort of temple, perhaps within a glacier, and began to see that he had not come here by chance. The dark wizard had discovered this gem of a world a very long time ago. Hidden in a dark corner of the universe, he had been studying it for some time. Powerful god-magic had been used to hide this world from prying eyes, magic which he had sensed over the better part of a century but which he could never discern the source of. Always could he sense its presence, but never could his own powerful magic deduce the location this tantalizing world. Finally, after many years of searching, he found an artifact of tremendous power, which he ultimately destroyed to enhance the sensing magic of his detection spells; it worked.