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3000 YEARS AGO...

2500 Years ago... A brutal war of extinction ends with the hand full of survivors from each race crashing to the surface of an unknown planet...

As the survivors make ready to continue the fighting on the ground; God Almighty, the All Father, manifests himself in their midst. the survivors are stopped in their tracks and shown that the All Father is creator of them all. He gives them the name khozos for their new home, and the image of a five-fingered palm as his holy symbol of unity... 1500 Years ago... Society started over from scratch. What little technology survived the crash landings, soon went into disrepair with the lack of trained mechanics. As they progressed, the people of Khozos relearned their past achievements. The Minotaur, Aerolis Taurinis invented the first telescope. Upon doing so, he discovered that the third moon of Khozos was a giant mechanical construct, of Elven design... 1000 Years ago... in the Eastern quadrant of Khozos, a mysterious being appears in the middle of its largest city. He is named Rexus Luminomo by the doctors who examine him. He becomes the most powerful wizard in Khozos history, and lives to this day...

500 Years ago... the gnoll, Rufus Goldstein becomes prime minister of Khozoss first unity government. It is not well supported, but is the beginning of all four quadrants of Khozos working together under one body of government...

Khozos timeline...
350 Years ago... Khozos continues to explore the space around its planet. On the neighboring planet a manned-expedition finds the fossilized remains of a highly advanced Orc outpost...

200 Years ago... The culmination of Khozoss blending of magic and technology comes when The Dwarf Captain Heronimous Vladivostok successfully tests the MageTech hyper-engine. The people of Khozos can now explore space at faster-thanlight speeds...

175 Years ago... At the edge of Khozoss solar system, a longrange salvage ship discovers a mass grave of over a dozen space hulks, looking of human origin...

150 Years ago... The unity government of Khozos, long since the only ruling body on the planet, christens a grand commission, to systematically explore the farthest reaches of space to discern the lost history of Khozoss peoples. The Vocation of Astro-Archaeologist is created...

80 Years ago... Since the creation of the MageTech hyper-drive, corporations, pioneers, and enthusiasts have been settling the space ways. All of these new settlements and space stations fell under the jurisdiction of the Khozos unity government. Chafing under that authority, a secret cabal of leaders form an organization called the sunderists. Their goal, through any means necessary, is the free rule of themselves, and freedom from all Khozos taxation...

PRESENT DAY...

ExcelLent. The excavation team has the perimeter secured. Why is that goOd?

It means hal hasnt gotTen here yet and smashed the place up.

What are we after again?

The rod of ahkrumin, old human artifact.

I dont like these smash and grab jobs for private ColLectors.

They pay betTer than most museums, you know that.

Im not interested in going to prison, you know that.

Ffisher, check it out. Go straight and take a left at the First corner.

You got it, bosS.

I felt a strange magical interference as I was casting The spelL. Somethings wrong, I can feEl it. I almost Miscast -SnifF -SnifF snifFsnifF-

Dont worRy about it. This is an easy job. WelL be done in About thirty minutes. I doubt we neEd you to get the piece. The magetech equipment the excavators run Sometimes make the fields surge, then cut out for up To threE hours. ItlL be like taking candy from a baby we Dont even have to disarm the item; theyve done alL the Work for us.

AlL clear!

T he Adventure of Buck Halisson Chapter 1

by Davis & joe KetTerer
Khozos: The Adventure of Buck Halisson #1 is published by Manic Repressive. All characters, art, and text is 2012 Manic Repressive. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. Manic Repressive 200 Baron Ct. Stockbridge, GA 30281 www.ManicRepressive.com First eBook edition. ISBN: 978-0-615-59109-4

Which way? Left or right? But the interference came from inside the ruin

Right.

If anything unexpected hapPens welL handle it. At most it wilL adD on ten minutes. Theres a nasty piece of halL that way. When I say Back flatTen yourselves against the left side of the walL.

Only the left. PretTy sure I saw spikes on the right side. Watch for the rolLing razors in the floOr some kind of Laser pendulum toO. Everyone ready?

Im getTing toO old for this.

Not much farther. In fact, its just around that

What is that?

Thanks, rex. I couldnt move. It reminded me of a girl I used to date

ReEta?

Yeah.

Guardian of the artifact, no doubt.

I hate robowraiths.

They always jump out of nowhere. WelL, at least we toOk it out quick enough.

Crap. Rex shoulda beEn there to slice her in the head toO.

Karma! This is what you get for talking bad about Women.

I liked rita. She had a nice smelL.

Trust a man of my height; you werent snifFing the Right part

What do you know? Your drug-dulLed senses cant Distinguish a lily from a carburetor.

Stop being stupid!

Rex, blast through em alL!

Something is interfering.

Double crap.

Gah!

The light burned it! I have to widen that hole