The Copernicus Deception (The Human Chronicles Saga Book 15) by T.R. Harris Read Free Book Online Page A

Visidor has no cause for incarceration, that is not to say the Juireans would not.”
    “And why would they do that?” Riyad asked. “The Juireans and the Humans—”
    “Are on the brink of war. Everyone knows that. And with recent actions by the Juireans, you are in Expansion territory without authorization.”
    Adam blinked hard when the words sank in. “Authorization? What are you talking about? This is the Frontier; it borders the Union. We have every right to be here.”
    “Now it is you who are ill-informed. The announcement has been made, and Visidor was instrumental in bringing about the annexation. The Kidis Frontier is now part of the Expansion.”
    “Bullshit!” said Copernicus. The reaction by the Visidoran was like all other aliens when first hearing the translation of the word. “When did this happen?”
    “Only two days prior,” answered Manis, shrugging off her confusion.
    Riyad rose from his seat. “Then we best be leaving before the mane-heads arrive.” He locked eyes with Marshal Manis. “You’re not going to try to keep us here until they arrive, are you?” The implied threat was obvious.
    “You stand upon my world, Human,” said Manis with a thin grin. “You arrived without interference; leaving it may not be as simple.”
    Adam led the Humans to the conference room door. He threw it open wide—and ran headlong into the armored chest of a much taller creature. Looking up, he met the yellow eyes of a white-haired Juirean Overlord. A quick survey to the left and right revealed eight other Juireans crowding the hallway, weapons drawn.
    “They are set on level-1, Human,” said the Overlord, referring to the power setting on the flash weapons. “You see, we have learned much since the last time Juireans and Humans were in conflict.”
    Adam matched the alien’s look of amusement. “That you have,” he said. “But you still seem to have missed the most important lesson of all.”
    The seven-foot tall Juirean frowned. “And what might that be?”
    Adam smiled, exposing a full set of pearly-white teeth. “Just a very simple truth: You don’t mess the Humans.”

 
    Chapter 7
     
    Adam’s statement to the Overlord went over about as well as expected. With a wicked smirk, he allowed his guards to work over the three Humans in a rather rude and savage way before shoving the bloodied and bruised trio into the back of an armored truck for transport to the closest prison facility.
    The Visidoran official had already mentioned its name: Fasnis.
    The journey took two hours, and although there were no windows in the back of the transport, Adam could tell they had left the paved road almost immediately outside the city and were now slogging through mud and snow, traversing the Visidoran landscape.
    Before leaving the Judiciary Building, each of the Humans had been fitted with thick collars, with a brief explanation that they were both trackers and restraints, capable of delivering a debilitating electric shock should they become unruly or try to escape. None of them were in any condition to test the effectiveness of the collars, at least not yet. Instead, they spent the bumpy ride nursing their wounds and trying to come to grips with the new paradigm the galaxy had apparently entered.
    Being alone in the back of the truck, they spoke freely. “What the hell, it only took us two days to get here,” Riyad said. “And now we’re essentially at war with the Juireans?”
    “Maybe we should have been watching the news during the trip,” Copernicus commented. “I saw this coming.”
    “You did?” Adam queried.
    “Yeah, ever since the mane-heads got serious about annexation. That started about the same time you and your buddies left on your all-inclusive Sol-Kor vacation. Since then it’s been pretty tense around here.”
    “But annexation?” Adam countered. “Something more than a bunch of political maneuvering must have happened. Earth isn’t going to stand still for this.” He