Yanada
Geoff O'Callaghan
language
(Best Global Publishing, Nov. 3, 2009)
Description Yanada A story in three parts. 1. The Tree 2. The war with Yanada 3. Scion The Tree Daniel Rex Masson (Drex) travels with his parents, Julie and Philip, to survey a remote planet with a view to having it terraformed as a tourist resort. The planet is supposed to be devoid of life, but it has a colony of slime-mold trees that have a strange relationship with a group of boys who shouldnât exist. They call the tree âYanadaâ. The planet had a violent history, and the trees seem to be a genetically altered organism capable of creating and destroying life. When Drex is killed by a tree, the expedition leaves and sterilizes the planet with nuclear radiation. Meanwhile, Drex is taken back in time to learn the origins of Yanada which seems to be an intelligent organism that owns the planet. The War with Yanada Julie and Philip return to Yanada which has been opened as a resort owned by Gannon Corporation. One of the scientists is killed, and Julie, now divorced from Philip, finds herself caring for a strange boy without a past, named Robbie. Julie discovers that Yanada is alive and well in the form of Robbie and Drex who claim the planet as their own. Gannon Corporation begins a war with Yanada and uses a nannite developed by Thylons, a dinosaur race, to destroy Yanada. Drex travels to Thyla and destroys the planet with an anti-matter device. The war is over, but some traces of the nannites survive, along with several vengeful Thylons. Scion Drex, now Lord Masson, is senior peer of the Empire, and the emperorâs leading warrior. Because of his Yanadan super-powers, he is respected, but feared. When the Emperor, Dagon IVth is assassinated, his queen keeps his death secret. She orders Drex to travel to the prison planet to rescue her son, Denny, who was imprisoned on the planet as an infant, in order to prevent court intrigues and further civil wars. Drex discovers that the Thylons under their leader, Bairiki, have already rescued Denny and are holding him on the planet Quaggos. They know he is important, but donât know who he really is. Denny doesnât know his real position, either. He escapes the clutches of the Thylons and a pursuit ensues, with Denny as everyoneâs target. He discovers that he is the Galactic Emperor when Robots begin to obey him with the words: âAt your command, stars move.â Finally, he meets up with a Yanadan warrior boy, Yaltso, who helps him to find Drex. Gannon Corporation unleashes a war against Yanada using the nannites created by the Thylons. Drex discovers a cure for the nannites and finally defeats Gannon. Denny prevents a war between Earth and the Thylons by acknowledging them as overlords and protectors. The Galaxy returns to a state of peace, and Yanada survives as a planet open to all species. . About the Author Geoff was born in Jersey, then under German occupation, during World War II. Soon after the war, his family moved to Brisbane, Australia. He was educated at All Soulsâ School, Charters Towers â a rather traditional boarding school after the English style. What knowledge one didnât learn through the ears was well and truly belted in through the rear end, complete with blood blisters. His first contact with the cane was for not running around a sports oval fast enough. He now prides himself on a complete disinterest on sports and knows nothing about cricket. This led to his creative and artistic sides developing. He had a way with words, and was a skilled debater. After secondary school, he took to teaching, graduated, and then obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Aboriginal Education. For the next thirty years, he lived with remote aborigines in the Great Western Desert, firstly as a primary school teacher, and later as a School Principal and Administrator. During this time, he took up writing, mostly short stories and film scripts. It was a good way to while away lonely hours in the desert evenings.