The Arcadian Web, page 1
Table of Contents
The Arcadian Web (The Outlawed Colonies, #6)
GAIL'S OTHER BOOKS
COPYRIGHT
ABOUT THIS BOOK
FIVE YEARS AGO...
A SILKEN THREAD
ALONG CAME A SPIDER
WHAT A WEB WE WEAVE
PRACTICE TO DECEIVE
COME INTO MY PARLOR
THE TANGELED WEB
THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES
THE WASP’S MELODY
A TIME & PLACE FOR ALL THINGS
WEDDING BELLS
LAUGHING MOUNTAIN - THE PORTAL YEARS
ONCE UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
EARTH: GATEWAY TO OTHER WORLDS
ARCADIA
PLANET DESCRIPTION
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A NOTE FROM GAIL
GAME THEORY
HEIRS OF AVALON
APEX PREDATOR
BABYLON SHATTERED
CLONED AMBITION
PALADIN
QUANTUM LIGHT
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Further Reading: The Clone Initiative
THE ARCADIAN WEB
OUTLAWED COLONIES 6
GAIL DALEY
GAIL'S OTHER BOOKS
SPACE COLONY JOURNALS
Options of Survival
Destiny Rising
Tomorrows Legacy
The Interstellar Jewel Heist
The Designer People
Alien Trails
Quantum Light
Soturi—A Novella*
PORTAL WORLD TALES
Rulari – Land of Myth & Magic
Federation Colonies & Civilizations
The Outlawed Colonies
ST. ANTONI – THE FORBIDDEN COLONY
Warriors of St. Antoni
The Enforcers
The Gaslight Bandits
The Portal Lawman
Cradle of Fire
The Clone Initiative
THE OUTLAW COLONIES
Game Theory
Heirs of Avalon
Apex Predator
Babylon Shattered
Cloned Ambition
The Arcadian Web*
City of Deception*
Riddle of the Halivaara Wheel*
Daughter of Shadows*
Day of the Clone*
MAGI OF RULARI TRILOGY
Spell of The Magi
Magi Storm
The Paladin
NON-FICTION
The Complete Modern Artist’s Handbook
PAMPHLETS
Introduction to The Internet #1
The Hard Stuff – Handbook #2
Art Show Basics – Handbook #3
Framing on a Budget – Handbook #4
Are You Making Money? – Handbook #5
For Writers Only – Handbook #6*
*Working Title. Release dates TBA
COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2023 The Arcadian Web by Gail Daley dba Gail Daley's Fine Art
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
e-book ISBN: 979-8-88627-278-9
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-68489-186-3
Hardback ISBN.
ASIN:
For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed "Attention: Permissions Coordinator," at the address below.
Gail Daley
5688 E Sussex Way
Fresno, CA 93727
www.gaildaley.com
Ordering Information: Quantity sales. Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the "Bulk Sales Department" at the address above.
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to any persons living or dead is unintentional and accidental.
Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Book Layout ©2017 BookDesignTemplates.com
Book The Arcadian Web Gail Daley—1st ed. Copyright © 2023 by Gail Daley dba Gail Daley's Fine Art
Cover Art Copyright © by Gail Daley dba Gail Daley's Fine Art
2023
ABOUT THIS BOOK
A lone investigator finds himself in trouble up to his neck when he uncovers the murder of an old friend.
The illicit drug business followed man when he colonized new planets, creating deadly new drugs with new names like Love Potion.
Whether it was Karma or just plain bad luck, trouble has dogged Cosimo’s footsteps all his life. Fictional secret agents never had the kind of ill luck Cosimo Bedingfeld has. His job as an undercover investigator for the HIVE is interesting, even exciting, but somehow he always ended up hip deep in a pile of dung.
When his mother arranges for him to meet Abigail Trelawney, he finally has a chance at happiness, but can he overcome his past mistakes to take it?
Table of Contents
GAIL'S OTHER BOOKS
COPYRIGHT
ABOUT THIS BOOK
FIVE YEARS AGO...
A SILKEN THREAD
ALONG CAME A SPIDER
WHAT A WEB WE WEAVE
PRACTICE TO DECEIVE
COME INTO MY PARLOR
THE TANGELED WEB
THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES
THE WASP’S MELODY
A TIME & PLACE FOR ALL THINGS
WEDDING BELLS
LAUGHING MOUNTAIN - THE PORTAL YEARS
ONCE UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
EARTH: GATEWAY TO OTHER WORLDS
ARCADIA
PLANET DESCRIPTION
CAPITAL CITY: EARTHBURY
LEHAVRE REEFE CITY
LEHAVRE REEFE ISLANDS
TECH LEVEL
1. LOYALTY
2. DUTY
3. RESPECT
4. SELFLESS SERVICE
5. HONOR
6. INTEGRITY
7. PERSONAL COURAGE
ANIMALS
PLANTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A NOTE FROM GAIL
GAME THEORY
HEIRS OF AVALON
APEX PREDATOR
BABYLON SHATTERED
CLONED AMBITION
PALADIN
QUANTUM LIGHT
FIVE YEARS AGO...
COSIMO HADN’T shared his own interview with Colonel Terrence McAdams, his brother’s superior in the HIVE , with Mathias. McAdams always looked a little rumpled. He was going bald and what hair he had left was turning grey. His unmilitary appearance was one of things making it possible for McAdams to serve as the Head of the HIVE , the secret order charged with keeping abreast of threats to the Junta and Junta Rex without arousing suspicion.
When he was brought to the interrogation rooms for the third time in a week, Cosimo was a little apprehensive, but none of his inner turmoil showed in his face. Keeping company with Marconi had taught him that at least.
McAdams studied him. Cosimo knew he didn’t look much like his younger brother. He had inherited his father’s good looks before Gregory Militas had ruined his face and body with too much rich food, drink and lack of exercise.
“I’m McAdams,” the man said. “I’ve spoken with your brother about your involvement with the Blades. According to Mathias, you got pulled in an attempt to keep an eye on your father’s activities. Is that true?”
“Yes. He actually introduced me to Marconi and Boone.”
McAdams tapped his chin with his index finger. “Hummn. Why did he do that, do you suppose?”
Cosimo looked down at the table, a little shame-faced at having to admit this. “He owed them a lot of money. He never actually said so, but I think he wanted me to find something damaging he could use to make them write off the debt.”
“And did you?”
‘Oh, I found out stuff, but I didn’t tell him what was going on.”
“Why not?”
“My father—my father is a little naïve in some respects. I didn’t tell him because I realized they would probably kill both of us if he tried to use what I found.”
“What exactly did you do for Marconi and Boone?”
“Nothing for Boone, I did—I suppose you could call them errands—for Marconi.”
“What kind of errands?”
Cosimo shrugged. “Things like dropping a message at a dead drop and sticking around afterwards to see who picked it up and what they did with it. Sometimes he had me pick something up. Everyone in the Blades under Marconi’s command spent half their time spying on each other. It was what made me not take them seriously as a threat at first. It was like a game of spy vs spy.”
“Did you know about the attack on the Rex?”
“Nobody knew. We were just told to report to the Lake House. I almost sent an excuse, but I knew Mathias and Ivette were living there. I wanted to know what had happened to them. When I arrived, there was a firefight going on between the Blades and my brother’s security people. I didn’t see either Mathias or Ivette anywhere. When I asked Marconi about them, he told me Mathias had left early that morning and Ivette had taken the children
“Your brother said Marconi told you to shoot her down if your group couldn’t force her sled to land. Is that true?”
“Yes, it’s true he ordered it. I saw her dive into the lake, but I told the other sleds we lost her. She had some type of stealth tech going, but the water displacement was unmistakable. Marconi was angry but he had other things on his mind, so he let it go beyond a few snide remarks.”
“Lieutenant Bedingfeld believes your story. I’m not so sanguine. If I hadn’t heard the same story from another source, I might not have put much weight behind it. He’s your brother, after all.”
“Another source? Did my mother speak to you about me?”
“No, it was your father.”
“My Father?” Cosimo’s surprise showed in his voice.
“Ah, what exactly did he tell you?”
“Mr. Militas said he asked you to join the Blades to see what they were up to.”
“He admitted it?” Cosimo asked incredously.
“Yes. You sound surprised. Why?”
“I didn’t expect him to put himself at risk for me, that’s all.”
McAdams nodded. “It’s hard parenting a parent. For what it’s worth, your father appeared genuinely upset that his request had resulted in your arrest.”
“I see. Why am I here?”
“How much do you know about The HIVE ?”
“I’m pretty sure it exists,” Cosimo said cautiously.
“It does,” McAdams said. He appeared to study Cosimo for several minutes. “We’ve dropped any charges against you for Marconi’s plot. One of my General’s has an opening for a good undercover investigator. Would you be interested?”
“Maybe,” Cosimo said. “What would I be investigating?”
“Lewellyn’s people mostly investigate criminal activities. There aren’t any kudos for working for us. No public recognition of heroism, but if you are looking for a way to make up for past mistakes, this will be ideal.”
Cosimo sipped his coffee in silence while he thought about the proposal. The Marconi plot had left him with a bad taste in his mouth. It would be a relief to do something positive for a change.
“My mother is in marriage negotiations for me. Would it affect that?”
“One of Lewellyn’s most successful operatives was married. I don’t see how it would matter.”
“Alright. I’m in. What do I do?”
“You’ll be contacted. In the meantime, go about your business as usual.”
A few days later, Cosimo left his brother’s home with relief, his thank you visit accomplished. He had barely started his sled before the com chimed.
“Hello, Mom,” he said. “I’m just now leaving Mathias’s house. You didn’t need to check up on me.”
“I never doubted you,” she said. “Can you come by the house? There is something I need to discuss with you.”
“Okay,” he said. He closed the com and changed the sled destination to his mother’s home.
The sensor on the ornate wrought iron gate recognized his sled and opened automatically. He parked in the tiled space in front of the gabled, two-story home and walked up the shallow steps.
The wide double doors were opened by Marco Jensen, the stately butler who ruled his mother and stepfather’s home. Cosimo wasn’t sure how old Jensen was. He had been in charge of the house as long as he remembered.
“Welcome Master Cosimo,” he said. “I believe your mother is in the library.”
“Thanks,” Cosimo replied.
Christina Bedingfeld was a tiny sprite of a woman with bright blue eyes and a cap of white hair. She was alone, curled up in one of the overstuffed armchairs. When he entered, she set her coffee cup down and came to give him a hug.
“Thank you for coming.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“What makes you think something is wrong? Can’t I ask to see you just because I want to?”
Cosimo accepted the cup of coffee she poured and sat down opposite her. “Maybe,” he said, “but I don’t think that’s the case this time.”
His mother gave him a wry smile. “The Pines have backed out of the marriage negotiations.”
“Are you surprised?”
“You were cleared of the charges!” she said indignantly. “Bunch of stuffed shirts!”
“It’s alright. I’ve had a job offer, so I may be too busy to do much courting for the next few months anyway.”
“Oh? Who will you be working for?”
“His name is Gavin Lewellyn. Mathias’s mother-in-law works for him.”
“I’ve heard of him,” Christina said. “I’ve also heard he isn’t always conscientious about his agents safety. You will be careful won’t you?”
Cosimo smiled at her. He had always known his mother loved him, despite his father’s attempts to drive a wedge between them. “I’ll be careful Mom,” he said.
In an obvious attempt to change the subject to a more pleasant one, Christina said, “I wanted to tell you I’ve had several other inquiries about your marriage prospects from a couple of other families. Ida Trelawny was one of them.”
“Trelawny? I don’t recognize the name.”
“They’re merchants. Jonathon purchases the cloth he uses in manufacturing his armor from them. They have three daughters also. The eldest, Abby has been running the Marabunta Plantation since the accident that killed her brother and injured her father.”
Christina added, “The Trelawny’s raise Marabunta for their webs.”
“Those big spider things?”
Marabunta were a large insectoid species of wasp/spiders. The webs they spun were nearly indestructible and could be spun into cloth-like material. Marabunta were dangerous. Their sting could cause brain damage similar to Alzheimer's, although their bite was said to have aphrodisiac properties.
“Yes, I suppose so.”
Cosimo immediately found himself picturing some kind of farm girl with a sword. Not a particularly appetizing image.
“What does she look like?” he asked cautiously. His mother had done very well choosing a bride for his younger brother, but he wasn’t so certain she could do as well a second time.
Christina smiled, answering the question about the girl’s looks. “Abby is very pretty. Ida sent a couple of vid stills.”
She touched her bracelet com and a vid still appeared on the house screen. All three girls in the vid had dark blond hair. Two of them had delicate almost fairy-like bodies and looked to be teenagers. They wouldn’t be eligible for marriage. The other girl was perched on a bay window bench with one shapely leg outstretched and the other drawn up resting a booted foot on the edge of the bench. She wore a peacock blue skin suit clinging in all the right places. She was apparently laughing at something one of the younger girls said.
“Do the Trelawney’s know about my part in Marconi’s rebellion?”
“Ida does. She said it didn’t matter since you were cleared. It’s only a preliminary inquiry, of course. There are a few others I’m in contact with as well.”
A SILKEN THREAD
THE OUTLAWED COLONY of Arcadia was around one hundred fifty years old, although plans for it had been in place for ten years before that. It wasn’t supposed to exist; the colonists had not gained permission from Earth-Gov to develop Arcadia, (the Arcadians were too independent to submit to the amount of control Earth-Gov’s Portal Authority exercised over their sanctioned colonies). The Arcadia Group had approached the community of Laughing Mountain to develop an illegal portal, and the outlawed colony of Arcadia had been born.
The planet Arcadia bore a remarkable resemblance to earth before any sentient species had developed; it had one large moon in close orbit, an axel tilt only a few degrees different from earth giving the planet seasonal changes. It was colder in the polar regions and warmer around the equator. The seas were salty and teemed with edible fish. It did take Arcadia more time to complete its yearly orbit, but the colonists had solved this issue by adding a few more days to each month. The ground was fertile and readily accepted the transplanted food crops the colonists had spent two years planting prior to actually moving there. The native plants and animals, although some had evolved a little differently than on earth, were close enough genetically to those on earth the Arcadians were able to adapt them to serve as food, guard animals, and other things.
Cosimo Militas-Bedingfeld was a product of the colony. A native-born Arcadian, he had served his three years in the military as did all of Arcadia’s children. Afterwards, he hadn’t been able to settle on a career path, although his term of service had convinced him he didn’t want a career in the military.
