Hot Commodity

A Kingdom Ship Story
By Iolanthe Portmanteaux

“If the Grays have really left, that means you'll be the only woman on this planet for a good long time. You're going to be one hot commodity. So stay hidden. I will come back for you. Do not let yourself be seen. Do not let yourself be heard. Do not answer any call. I will come back for you.”

Josie slaps the alarm clock as it goes off. She pulls the blanket back over her head. She had another nightmare last night. She had woken up scared and frightened again. The nightmares were becoming less from her ordeal from last year.

Josie falls asleep again and after the alarm goes off a second time. She turns it off and drags herself out of bed. She wasn’t looking forward to work today. She had to go and see her counselor, before reporting to work. It was mandatory, because of what she went through last year.

In the year 490, Fiach began the phase 2 of Operation Harmony. In Africa, 4 Army Groups of Raven Raiders moved north out of the South African colonies. Another 4 Army Groups launched from the southern boundary of Corvoian Africa. In Madagascar 1 Army Group landed. What little native opposition that arose was simply obliterated and the tribes subdued and assimilated. By 492 all of Africa and Madagascar were part of the Clan Corvo.

The same accident that caused the loss of his leg at age six also stimulated the latent genetics that ran in his family to trigger a mutation. Although becoming one of the ‘exo-humans’ the government monitored would prove to be the least of his worries once he stumbled upon his family’s secret.