Titan Encounter by Kyle Pratt Read Free Book Online

the wormhole. When we get to Spitzer
we’ll be low on fuel.” 
    Justin nodded. Those
problems were still some hours in the future.  He turned to Naomi.
“Yesterday you said that Dr. Galen was not your father, that he was your
creator. What did you mean? Are you a clone?”
    Mara frowned. “I’ve
already asked. She won’t answer.”
    “It is complicated.”
She looked at both of them, “If I had to tell, I wanted to do so only once.”
    Justin stared at
her. “Okay, let’s get started.”
    Naomi sighed deeply.
“I told you his name was Dr. Carl Saul, but that was just part of the cover
story.  Like I said his real name was Dr. Luke Galen.” Tears welled in her
eyes.  “He was a good man.”
    Touched by her
emotion, Justin sat beside her and took her hand.  
    “I do not know where
to start.”
    He squeezed her hand
gently. “We have time. Start at the beginning.”
    She nodded and wiped
her eyes. “Okay,” she sighed. “Twenty years ago an imperial warship detected a
cloaked vessel running at high speed in the restricted zone between the CFS and
the empire. Thinking it was a CFS spy ship they attacked and disabled it.”
    Mara held up a hand.
“Do we need the history lesson? Just start with why you call this Galen guy
your creator.”
    “This is where my
story begins.”
    Mara looked
confused.
    “Go on,” Justin
said.
    “When imperial
marines boarded the ship the crew destroyed most of the onboard systems and
vented the atmosphere.”
    Mara’s eyes widened.
“They committed suicide?”
    Naomi nodded.
    “But I still don’t get
it. What does all this have to do with you?”
    “Unfortunately
everything.” Taking in a deep breath she continued. “Imperial Intelligence determined that
the crew were Titans.”
    Justin’s breath
caught in his throat and he felt Mara’s surprise wash over him. I could use
a drink.  A good strong one.   He
examined Naomi’s face, trying to grasp the fullness of what she had implied.
“Are you saying that you’re a Titan?”
    “In
a sense.”
    “No,” Mara said
flatly. “That’s something you either are or you aren’t.” Her eyes locked on
Naomi as she slowly stood. “What are you?”
    “Calm down, Sis. If
she were some genetically-enhanced murderer, we’d be dead already.”
    “They were cunning.”
    “Remember,” he said
gesturing toward his chest, “I might be a Titan.”
    She shook her head
and moved to the side and slightly behind Naomi, “Whatever you are, you’re not
a genocidal, killing machine.”
    “Let’s hear her
out.”
    Mara’s hand slid
into a pocket. “Okay.” Slowly she moved back toward the bulkhead.  
    Naomi continued.
“Remember that the Titans were created as soldiers and support laborers to
protect Earth from the Grays. After their surrender, EarthGov ordered the Titans to return to base for resettlement.”
    “They refused,”
Justin nodded recalling the history, “and sent the ten plagues against the
people of Earth.”
    “That was the start
of the Titanomachy War.” Mara said flatly. 
    “Any Titans they
captured were burned at the stake,” Justin shuddered as he imagined flames
inching closer to his body.
    “Before the war was
over, billons had died.” Mara sighed. “ EarthGov and
the Confederation collapsed and the Nephilim were
victorious.”
    Naomi nodded. “The Nephilim defeated the Titans at the Battle of Earth and
eventually were able to restore order but everyone remembered the horror of the
war, the famine and unrest, and sought to guard against it. They ordered the
scientists of the empire to create a Titan-like army for them, but Earth
scientists have not been able to isolate the DNA sequences that give the Titan
their powers.  “Many scientists have paid for that failure with their
life.”
    “Okay, I see.”
Justin said. “The scientists failed until twenty years ago.”
    Naomi nodded.
    Mara shook her head.
“I still don’t understand. What has all that got to do with you?”
    “One of