The Web of Tenebrae
(2017)(The first book in the Chronicle of KL-62 series)
A novel by Alydia Rackham
KL-62 was created in a test tube--a perfect specimen of a human male. His body and life belong to science, but his mind is quiet, cold and sharp. On the way to be transferred to a remote space station, he learns he is about to be the subject of one last experiment--and it will prove fatal.
So he chooses to break out of the only environment he has ever known, and crash-land on an abandoned prison planet called Tenebrae.
Now he must maneuver his way through a perilous web of dark dead-ends and patrol droids with the help of the only other living being on the planet: the intelligent security system.
A woman called LILI.
"Wow, incredible," the doctor breathed, quickly scanning the stats. "So... This is the Anglo-Saxon, specifically-British model of the KL group, conditioned to speak Standard Pronunciation English... White skin, dark brown hair... Six feet, three inches tall, weighing 90.719 kilograms. Is that last bit accurate, Archie?"
"Yeah, according to his weigh-in this morning."
"And it has... turquoise eyes?" The doctor gave Archie a funny look. "What on earth for?"
Archie shrugged.
"Just to see if it would take. You should have a look - Dr. Zephon's pretty proud of himself. KL-62 is the only one of his birth group to have that color eyes."
"Dr. Zephon did this one?" the young doctor gasped, staring at the Monitoring Officer. Archie grinned crookedly.
"Yep. Everybody says KL-62's the masterpiece."
"Wow," the doctor gasped. He took a step forward. "So... So, if Zephon did this one, it must excel in every way, not just physically."
"Mhm," Archie nodded. "Limited Edition. He's the complete package."
"So... " the doctor rapidly tapped the edge of his screen. "It has no need to shave face or body... and it would demonstrate the height of mental perfection as well as physical exceptionalism."
"Theoretically," Archie shrugged. "He doesn't talk much."
"What, haven't you looked at the results of his learning regimes?" the doctor frowned. Archie snorted.
"Yeah - if I'm trying to put myself to sleep."
"Can you pull them up so I can see?"
"Doctor, he's right there," Archie gestured. "Why don't you just ask him a couple questions - you'll find out faster."
Clearing his throat, the doctor stepped closer to the plexiglass of the cell, then stopped.
"You. Corpus KL-62. Rise and stand at attention."
Inside the white cell, upon a slab that served as a bed, a man sat elegantly at rest, his back against the wall, like a panther in the shade. He wore a black, form-fitting, full-length jumpsuit and boots. The bare skin of his face, neck, and long hands was utterly white. His dark hair had been combed neatly back. He had carven facial features like those of a prince - high cheekbones, heavy brow, and an eloquent, purpose-set mouth.
His body lay motionless for a moment while the doctor's request hung in the air. Then, like liquid obsidian, he rose slowly to his feet, and straightened to his full, towering height.
Lean and muscular, he stepped soundlessly toward the plexiglass, settled his feet...
And lifted his stunning eyes to the doctor's.
"Good lord," the doctor breathed. "It's magnificent."
Genre: Science Fiction
So he chooses to break out of the only environment he has ever known, and crash-land on an abandoned prison planet called Tenebrae.
Now he must maneuver his way through a perilous web of dark dead-ends and patrol droids with the help of the only other living being on the planet: the intelligent security system.
A woman called LILI.
"Wow, incredible," the doctor breathed, quickly scanning the stats. "So... This is the Anglo-Saxon, specifically-British model of the KL group, conditioned to speak Standard Pronunciation English... White skin, dark brown hair... Six feet, three inches tall, weighing 90.719 kilograms. Is that last bit accurate, Archie?"
"Yeah, according to his weigh-in this morning."
"And it has... turquoise eyes?" The doctor gave Archie a funny look. "What on earth for?"
Archie shrugged.
"Just to see if it would take. You should have a look - Dr. Zephon's pretty proud of himself. KL-62 is the only one of his birth group to have that color eyes."
"Dr. Zephon did this one?" the young doctor gasped, staring at the Monitoring Officer. Archie grinned crookedly.
"Yep. Everybody says KL-62's the masterpiece."
"Wow," the doctor gasped. He took a step forward. "So... So, if Zephon did this one, it must excel in every way, not just physically."
"Mhm," Archie nodded. "Limited Edition. He's the complete package."
"So... " the doctor rapidly tapped the edge of his screen. "It has no need to shave face or body... and it would demonstrate the height of mental perfection as well as physical exceptionalism."
"Theoretically," Archie shrugged. "He doesn't talk much."
"What, haven't you looked at the results of his learning regimes?" the doctor frowned. Archie snorted.
"Yeah - if I'm trying to put myself to sleep."
"Can you pull them up so I can see?"
"Doctor, he's right there," Archie gestured. "Why don't you just ask him a couple questions - you'll find out faster."
Clearing his throat, the doctor stepped closer to the plexiglass of the cell, then stopped.
"You. Corpus KL-62. Rise and stand at attention."
Inside the white cell, upon a slab that served as a bed, a man sat elegantly at rest, his back against the wall, like a panther in the shade. He wore a black, form-fitting, full-length jumpsuit and boots. The bare skin of his face, neck, and long hands was utterly white. His dark hair had been combed neatly back. He had carven facial features like those of a prince - high cheekbones, heavy brow, and an eloquent, purpose-set mouth.
His body lay motionless for a moment while the doctor's request hung in the air. Then, like liquid obsidian, he rose slowly to his feet, and straightened to his full, towering height.
Lean and muscular, he stepped soundlessly toward the plexiglass, settled his feet...
And lifted his stunning eyes to the doctor's.
"Good lord," the doctor breathed. "It's magnificent."
Genre: Science Fiction
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