Torkel's Chosen: A World Beyond Book 1 Read online

  Torkel’s Chosen

  A World Beyond Novel

  By Michelle Howard

  Published by Michelle Howard

  Copyright © 2015 by Michelle Howard

  Edited by: bellamedia

  Cover Design: www.estrellacoverart.com

  License Notes

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. The eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this novel with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this eBook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please buy an additional copy for each recipient.

  No part of this book may be distributed in any format, in whole or in part without the express written consent of the author.

  Thank you for respecting the author's hard work.

  This is a work of fiction and is not a reflection or representation of any person living or dead. Any similarity is of pure coincidence.

  Chapter 1

  Faith confirmed her receipt and ticket for the thousandth time. Faith Reid in bold black letters and a red stamp of approval. She took a deep breath and exhaled. Thank God. This was her third application for the off world Singles Program. ‘Find Love Among the Stars’ the advertisement claimed. Great except for the fact that getting in the program was against the odds. Every woman on Earth saved and scrounged to raise enough money to apply for SP. Thanks to the great epidemic women now outnumbered men ten to one.

  If you were a man life on Earth was great. You had the pick of the crop and didn’t have to be monogamous. Stay with a woman long enough until she was pregnant and you could skip away to the next. Faith snorted and unloaded her one allotted suitcase from the trunk of the rental shuttle.

  She wanted a family as much as the next woman but not enough to let a man walk all over her and stick her with the cost of raising a child alone on a world where jobs were slim and housing was astronomical. Don’t even let her start on the citizen funded healthcare. Nope, SP was perfect. The only problem was the fact she wasn’t the only Earth woman to think this.

  After much hemming and hawing, Earth officials had finally announced that human men and women were compatible with over ninety percent of the species on other worlds. No more fighting over a man. No more waiting and hoping to find someone special to start a family.

  “Ticket please.”

  Faith dragged her rolling case toward the bored clerk at the entrance to the space station. She handed over the manila colored ticket and held her breath.

  He scanned the slim document with his handheld unit paying close attention to the digital picture she’d taken on her web cam. He glanced from her face to the ticket for several long minutes. Faith’s heart pounded in her chest. Nothing could go wrong. She’d paid damn near every penny she had to apply. Twenty thousand dollars.

  The amount alone had her leaning against the ticket booth, which drew a quick frown across the clerk’s brow.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled, trying to relax her erratic pulse. Her nerves stretched thin until he finally handed the ticket back.

  “Proceed through the double doors behind me, gate C. You’re due to leave in thirty minutes. Don’t be late or the ship leaves without you and there’s no refunds or rescheduling.”

  “Thanks.” God. Faith clenched her ticket and headed for the double doors, her suitcase clicking on the uneven pavement behind her.

  Security was tight. Grey uniformed-clad officers with deadly weapons patrolled the station in pairs of two. Not even Earth could have imagined the impact of the Singles Program.

  Women inundated the city and state buildings daily. Some slept outside for fear of losing their place in line to submit an application. Millions of women willing to take on an alien husband. Faith was among the million.

  Squinting, she read the overhead signs until she spotted the glowing red letters for Gate C. A single line of women walked or ran beneath the mesh overhang and archway for the gate. Faith picked up her pace though not quite running.

  When she’d first applied two years ago after saving her measly salary and living with three roommates, Faith thought she’d breeze through. She snorted under her breath and joined the jostling crowd at the gate.

  More fool her. It seemed everyone had the same idea and Faith had been wait-listed for six months before receiving her first rejection. Too old. She remembered staring at the big X and the fear grabbing a hold of her.

  How could twenty-eight be too old? She was in the prime of her life and fertile according to her medical records. A patient lady at the state office customer service had instructed Faith to submit her medical records with her next application.

  She had almost, almost given up. The thought of using a fertility center to apply for insemination wasn’t an option. Men weren’t donating sperm as much as they used to. Why would they when they could sleep with any woman they wanted? The sperm at the clinics didn’t come with a guarantee of pregnancy and you were out of ten-thousand dollars.

  No, it was better to spend the extra money for the Singles Program and pray like hell to get accepted. Faith’s next application resulted in a rejection within two weeks.

  Full.

  Too many applicants and not enough slots. She’d been forced to wait. Every day ticked like a time bomb in her head. If she turned thirty, she’d automatically be disqualified. Apparently aliens didn’t want old wives when there were many other Earth women to choose from.

  At least Faith had that in her favor. Earth women were considered prizes. They came in different sizes, shapes and colors which seemed to fascinate other worlds where the populations were mostly homogenous. Every man that received a bride from Earth raved about the match to their friends and family.

  A blonde woman ahead squealed in excitement, hands stretched in the air as she walked through the full-body x-ray scanner. Some of the women in line tittered. Nerves probably.

  “Please stand still for the body scan and don’t move until instructed.”

  Faith jerked. She was next in line. “Um…okay.”

  “Place your luggage to the side.”

  She moved her suitcase to where the lady indicated and stood back on the yellow circle.

  “Raise your arms.”

  Faith put her hands up in the air like the blonde but without the squeal. Sweat trickled down her spine. Her thirtieth birthday was in two months. If anything kept her from this flight today, she could dump her plans down the drain. No man on Earth would want a thirty-year-old, curvy woman with a few extra pounds around the hips. Why would he when his choices were limitless?

  “Proceed through, Ms. Reid.”

  Faith grabbed the handle of her suitcase and followed the arrows to departure bay for Gate C. Women swamped the waiting area. Loud voices overlapped the announcements on the speakers. Women sat on the carpeted floor or their luggage, while others leaned against the available wall space. Not a single chair was available.

  Glancing around, Faith laid her suitcase flat and plopped down. Twenty minutes and she’d be on her way to a strange new world. Fear for the first time since she’d received her approval letter started to creep up her spine. What if this was the biggest mistake she ever made? Was a family that important? Plenty of women on Earth accepted their lot and did without one.

  “Hi, I’m Lindsey.”

  The perky voice interrupted her doom-and-gloom doubts.

  Faith tipped her head up which the squealing blonde from the x-ray line took as agreement to sit next to her.

  “I’m Lindsey Ferra,” she repeated with a bright grin and extended her hand.

  “Fait- Faye Reid.” She�
��d always wanted to be called the less formal Faye and this was a new start so why not a new name. Faye shook the offered hand and stuffed her own back into her jacket pockets. Spring was here but the inside of the space station had a bit of a chill in the air.

  “Nice to meet you, Faye. Have you decided where you’re going?”

  Faye froze. Lindsey meanwhile dug through her navy duffle and pulled out a handful of colorful papers and brochures.

  Faye cleared her throat. Her packet was stuffed inside her suitcase. She’d planned to review the information in her cabin.

  Lindsey jammed papers in her face. “I’ve narrowed my choices down to three planets.”

  Faye took the papers and stared at Lindsey’s blue eyes. “I thought we had the whole trip to decide.” It would take at least a week to reach the first planet on the list for the women making the SP trip.

  “Sure,” Lindsey replied with a casual shrug. “If you don’t care where you’re going. Otherwise you might get stuck on Ontar Z.”

  Was that bad? “I thought most of the planets in SP were compatible with humans.”

  Lindsey curled her lip and offered Faye a stick of gum. Faye waved it away.

  “Well, yeah. Compatible is as compatible does.” She scrimmaged through her duffle and pulled out a wrinkled paper. “Ontar Z.”

  Faye glanced over and blanched at the seven foot hairy giant on the cover. He reminded her of those history texts with images of cavemen.

  “Now him,” Lindsey continued. “I’m not interested in.”

  Faye let loose a nervous chuckle. She couldn’t help it. “I’m not either.” She reached back for the other papers Lindsey had given her. Maybe she should have started her selection sooner. She’d been too overwhelmed and relieved to get accepted. “Why these three?”

  Lindsey leaned over, hitting Faye with a hint of cinnamon from the gum she chewed. “Langhorn.” She tapped the top page. “Men are highly sexual and very fertile. Average families run up toward seven kids per couple.”

  Faye flinched. “Seven kids.”

  Lindsey snickered. “I know, right. But I chatted in a couple of forums and the women are pleased with their lives. They don’t have to work and the men adore them. They just don’t believe in birth control on Langhorn if you decide to go there.”

  “Hmm.” Faye set the paper on the side, not quite sure she was ready for more kids than she could carry in her two arms.

  “Ooohhhhh, this is my top choice.” Lindsey fanned her self and pretended to swoon.

  Faye’s mouth curved up at the display. Lindsey couldn’t be more than twenty-one. Her enthusiasm and attitude were irresistible. It had been a long time since Faye had talked to another woman in such an easy manner. Most women since the epidemic had become cruel and malicious. Sadly, the scarcity of men fanned the competition in every of life.

  “Why is…” she struggled over the name. “Garulax your favorite?”

  “Menage,” Lindsey sighed. “On Garulax every woman is shared by two husbands. Can you imagine? Two men devoted to your happiness.”

  Faye quickly set the brochure of the orange planet to the side. She needed to handle one man, not two. The last paper displayed a purple world with blue skies and two moons. When Faye flipped it open, there were muscled-bound, shirtless men in leather. Long hair, short hair, some holding swords, others flexing fists. Her breath caught on the words in quote. ‘Every woman will be honored and loved by her Chosen.’

  “This one looks good.” Faye could see why Lindsey added it. Enotia

  “Maybe.” Lindsey reached for the paper and tapped her glitter-covered nail on the small print. “You have to go through an auction or something silly. The men line up and the women have to pick which one they want for a husband. No meet and greet or anything. Plus, what if someone picks the guy you’re eyeing.”

  Interesting. “Well why is it in your good stack?”

  Lindsey chuckled. “Duh…did you see what the guys looked like?”

  They both laughed because the men were hot.

  “I think I’m going to Garulax. You should pick early too so you don’t get stuck with just any world. I hear they fill up fast because they include women from other worlds too in the Singles Program.”

  Faye straightened. “How do I do that?”

  “As soon as you get to your cabin, log in with the password in your packet and pick your planet. It’s best to get it out of the way.”

  “Thanks.”

  Lindsey leaned over and hugged Faye. “We women from Earth have to stick together right?”

  “Absolutely.” Faye didn’t have any girlfriends. Despite her age and curves women considered her a threat. On Earth, every woman was a threat.

  “Now why’d you sign up? A man of your own or the thought of little, wittle babies?”

  Faye smiled at the teasing. Only two reasons women on Earth saved every dime they made. “Both. My parents are dead and I was an only child.”

  “They were monogamous?”

  “Yes.” Her parents’ relationship was unusual in the times they lived in but neither had wanted anyone else.

  “I can’t imagine. My dad stuck with my mom long enough to get me planted and went on his way five thousand richer. From last count, I have sixteen siblings somewhere and my donor’s a rich man from selling his stud services.”

  Her new friend came to her feet and slung her duffle over her shoulder, jamming her three choices in the opened zipper. “That life’s not for me.”

  “Now boarding Gate C.”

  They both jerked from the announcement, Lindsey showing her first sign of nerves.

  “It was nice meeting you, Faye. Good luck.”

  Faye rose from the floor. “Good luck.”

  Faye grabbed her suitcase and rushed with Lindsey and the crowd to the line forming for the ship that would take her to her future.

  Chapter 2

  Torkel gazed at the men on one of the three teams he’d served with for the last ten years. As Unit Leader, he had a responsibility for each and every one of them. The five men in the room eyed him closely, knowing he’d called this meeting for a reason. He’d also called his parents, who waited for him in his quarters.

  Torkel wanted to share his decision with his fellow soldiers first. The nature of their job placed them in dangerous situations where they needed to rely on one another. If his status changed, it would impact them. If it didn’t, there would still be a long standing effect.

  After delivering his news, Jaron, the practical joker, was surprisingly serious when he asked what they all were thinking. “Will you stay with the teams as Unit Leader?”

  Torkel nodded. He wouldn’t give that up. “Regardless of my decision, I’m a Jutak warrior.”

  Things would change if there was a female in his life. Changes his heart yearned for but he blocked those feelings for now. He’d committed to his decision.

  “Will you change your mind about the other?” Kyele’s scarred visage frightened those he came in contact with but Torkel trusted his friend probably more than the others because Kyele lived with the same worry as him.

  “No.” The simple answer drew concerned stares but Torkel ignored them. If he was passed over this year, he would spend the rest of his life as a loner, the worst thing that could ever happen to a male. The sense of desolation when he imagined what that would entail almost broke Torkel’s stern demeanor.

  “We support whatever happens, Torkel.” Geile’s blond hair had grooves in it from where the young man had run his fingers through it in agitation. None of them liked how Torkel suffered with the choice he’d made.

  “We have your back,” Geile’s brother Gregir chimed in.

  The others in the room agreed.

  “Do you want any of us to accompany you?” Jaron, one of his team leads, twirled a throwing star between his fingers and slouched against the arm of the sofa. “Team One and I should be done with crowd control during the prison transport in time to attend.”

 
; Torkel controlled three teams of five men. Two of the teams were out on missions under Faruk, another team lead, but they were due back tonight. Shortly, Jaron and the others of Team One would be leaving for a potentially dangerous transportation mission to pick up a Faasil wanted for slaughtering his entire household. The Faasil had thought to hide on Enotia. If not for his plans this evening, Torkel would have led the operation.

  “I don’t want anyone there.” In true support they’d been there every year. This year, Torkel couldn’t handle the shame if he failed to secure a female.

  Their silence spoke volumes. Torkel inhaled deeply. Now for the difficult part. “I have to speak with my parents. Much success tonight and stay safe.”

  The manly grunts in reply were enough. Torkel left the recreation room, his steps reluctant as he headed down the long hallway. His parents would not be pleased. Especially his maman, who continued to treat him as a youth.

  The redesigned community building had been transitioned into the home base for Jutak warriors. Torkel’s unit was the first to move in but two more units would arrive in a few months. Forty-five men, elite fighters housed together.

  The government wanted them at a central location to respond to calls more efficiently. Each Jutak unit would have their own floor but share the training room along with the medical center and main kitchen on the lower level. Torkel reached his door and braced himself for the conversation he was about to have.

  ***

  They’d argued in hopes of changing his mind but finally accepted his decision.

  “This is the last time, maman. I won’t go through this again.”

  At his words, Shaya’s blue eyes fill with tears. Torkel hardened his heart against his adopted maman. She was a master manipulator.

  “I just want you to have what I have with your papan.” She added a sniff to the tears for good measure.

  Torkel softened his expression and kissed her brow. “I want it as well but I have not been Chosen in the last seven presentations.”