Crusade, Book 4 Of The Turner Chronicles

Aaron and Kim return to the city where Aaron gives up his power and vows to use his money for a new cause. Armand and Faith reunite in luxury where Faith reveals a secret while enjoying her newfound power over her husband. Patton fights for his new position and his woman. Brenda Montpass comes clean to Aaron, revealing her true self, her past, and her desires. Amanda's involvement with her is also revealed. For the first time ever Aaron finally feels at peace with himself and his decisions as he and Brenda face a future together. Elsewhere, Lioth has her own journey's to travel as she comes to grips with her wild Talent curse. To help her she has the God given aid of a nameless, toungeless and much abused one-time slave who bears the Lady's blessing.

Aaron divorces Melna and punishes Harvest Patton in a surprising way before leaving the city to confront Prophet personally, bringing his Zisst boosted One God aura with him. Faith and Brenda get mad and Prophet is somewhat disapointed with the results. Kim confronts her father, Clack. Delmac takes a rather violent hand with unhappy results for most everyone involved except maybe Kim.

His city besieged, Aaron confronts Patton about sleeping with Melna. instead of anger, he makes a surprising move. Heralda is called by the One God. Brenda is undone by Prophet. Armand is put in a very uncomfortable position which leaves him leading the charge against New Beginning. Aaron's forethought comes in handy.

Brenda Montpass mostly explains herself to Armand and Faith, the reason she is interested in Aaron and why she has the steel balls, and even about murdering her husband. Armand is hoist on his own petard in regards to flirting with other women, or worse, giving Faith a thoughly strong hand in their verbal sparing. Lioth is now completely disillusioned with war and with Han Chuk, her one time idol. Her feelings for Delmac grow, and Martha Hines takes matters into her own hands.

Defying, well, everybody, Amanda enters the cave, drawing Aaron's anger. However, she brought a bunch of interesting rocks out with her, one's very important to Chin, and the world. These rocks are not Talent Stones, exactly. Instead, they interact with male Talent in a strange way. Too much can kill them, but a little provides a miracle in this male starved world. It provides men with the chance to create healthy male children...but it takes a bit to get there. The cave is raided by just about every female. Amanda is sent home, shaking her head because Aaron has not met somebody she thought he should have by now. Aaron has a chat with Chet and Bret about thier mother.

Aaron changes his mind on asking Martha Hines, the assassin, a favor. He was going to have her kill Clack but decided assassination is wrong. Martha is disgusted, pointing out that not killing Clack could mean thousands of lives.  Missy and Kim have both thrown away their Talent Stones so they can be closer to the One God. Missy and Aaron have a long talk, again. In the morning Aaron meets with a representative from Nefra who basically begs Aaron not to beat up on them. Please give them time with their new rulers to straighten up and abolish slavery. Aaron agrees, rather confused about the entire matter, not seeing himself as the danger they percieve. It is revealed that Martha is the new ruler's sister.

Depressed by his generalship, Ard Chuk thinks he is about to be demoted by Aaron. Instead, Aaron orders him to bring all Aaron's troops to New Beginning. Delmac and Lioth's relationship grows deeper as they reflect on their own shortcomings on an evening, bringing them to a realization of their love. Delmac's sleep is interrupted by Lioth's hand on his shoulder, followed by Lioth ghosting into the woods. She soon arrows some intruders. She did not do enough. Inside the camp, wagons explode, yells sound, and people die. In Aaron's encampment Melna enjoys a good bit of love making, falls asleep, and wakes to Aaron's touch. Unfortunately, Aaron was not her lover. Harvest Patton was. Strangely, Aaron does not seem angry. Instead, all she feels from his is a wave of love, the influence in him of the One God.

Lioth watches from a distance while Prophet preaches. Armand and Faith are hard pressed not to become true believers due to Prophet's Talent. After, in private, Prophet questions his most fervent followers, some of whom had once been main conspiritors, most of which group is now dead, maimed (Leo Khante), or fled. He expounds on his plans to soon rule several kingdoms. Meanwhile, out with the milling crowd of crusaders, Brenda Montpass encounters Armand and Faith in a compromising position, him tying her to a tree, a gag in her mouth. Amused, Brenda passes on two small steel balls to help them fight Prophet's influence. Faith's gag is removed, needed only to keep her from confessing she and Armand are spies. As said before, Brenda is also spying, but for who and why we do not know. 

Despising his weak leadership, Aaron flees to N'Ark where he gets drunk in a bar and is badly beaten in a fight he chose. Gravely damaged, his hand a crippled claw, he wakes in a hospital where his real faults and strengths are explained to him by Karen Dandlege, by his son Chase, and by his personal psychologist, Felicity Stromburg. Through this Aaron realizes his problem is that he cares too much, if there is such a thing. He loves too much. He even loves Melna, his distant and too cool wife. After absorbing a second Zisst, Aaron begins emitting that love, which makes meeting his two sons, Chet and Bret, for the first time in close to forever a bit strange. Coming to a realization of his strengths instead of his weaknesses, Aaron arrives upon a plan.

Sad times after the debacle. Aaron sits with his war council and accepts all blame for the failure when he is attacked by them. Missy attacks back, showing how the council members had ignored their responsibilities. Arguments ensue, ending when Missy admits to emptying all their bank accounts after realizing they were putting more money in than Aaron paid them. Most of the council are in Clack's pocket. A fight occurs where one unbribed member, Martha Hines, helps subdue or kill the traitors. It then turns out Martha was also there to betray Aaron...by killing him. She is a highly ranked assassin who had only waited for the right time, but then changed her mind because she felt he was in the right. She asks Aaron to reform her with all his other captured assassins. Later on, Aaron prays for the soul of Sammual Aybarra, turns clumsey about it, and finally asks his god to send Aybarra off to the god of their home world. He is answered with the knowledge that in all the worlds in all the universes there is only

Sammual Aybarra and Laura Bainridge are killed when Clack's people raid. A terrible mistake because Aybarra's camp is sacred due to the Ferbog. Penance must be paid...the killer's entire tribe must leave the war after the murderer is killed. Delmac joins a war party two thousand strong, guided by a young girl who claims she saw enemy troops only three days march away. Riding runabouts for speed, Delmac leads with the young lass sitting behind him. After a long, careful ride, they are led into an ambush by the young woman (Lioth). Almost all the two thousand are killed. Lioth takes Delmac prisoner, saying her honor depends on him learning to trust her. She is racked by guilt. Because she is now invaluable, Han Chuk reluctantly agrees. Delmac's life is saved.

Autumn gets struck by a warning vision, but she is too late to save Aiden Franks from the cave. Heralda arrives in New Beginning, looking too old and worn for her young age. Even with the One God, she cannot save Franks. Roger Lindsey, Melna's father, arrives in New Beginning along with a bunch of wagons, all carrying barrels of something he's afraid to think of. Armand and Faith are caught up in the crusade, set too far to the rear for comfort. Leo Khante gets in a power struggle with Brenda Montpass, but he is careful since she has already knifed one of ther number. Aiden Franks is laid to rest and people speculate on the cave and what killed him. Talent is suspected. Amanda offers to investigate since she has none, but is put off for a time.

Encamped with Clack's forces, Lioth shudders while thinking on her curse of being a wild Talent, someone with many abilities who will inevitably go mad. She is also beginning to doubt her awe of Han Chuk and her fascination with war. In Nefra, while enjoying her morning screams and eyeing her favorite abused slave, Maldane, Nefra's Tyrant receives a visit from the Master of the Assassin's Guild. After explaining to him that she is now frightened of Turner, she explains why she must disband the assassins...starting with him. Stuff happens, ending with both her and the Master dead. Palac Urlanda takes over because he had arranged matters to happen this way. along with the advising council. In the night they had all received telling dreams about the abused slave, saying her time of testing was over.

Aaron and friends visit a Chin encampment where they introduce modified runabouts for their use. Reports come in about Clack's forces. Later one Kim interrupts Aaron and Missy's intimate moment, begging Aaron to speak to her of the One God. Reluctant, not knowing what to say, Aaron is overcome when Zisst's body suddenly merges with Aaron's, becoming a part of him. Without knowing, Aaron begins to speak of the One God, being heard by everybody within five miles. The next day Aaron discovers he has gained height and lost a lover who now wants to be his student.

Aaron explores the matter of his new  guns. Kim gives her report. Transportation comes up once more with the war council and Melna asks one of her dumb-brilliant questions, making Aaron feel stupid for not thinking of her solution first.  Later, Kim follows Aaron while he explains his university to her.  More specifically, he explains why he is putting in something called a sprinkler system to keep the grass green. Then we go back to Halimut where the Prophet enjoys being himself while multiple women see to his bathing and personal needs, one being a queen. Later, the conspiracy praises his accomplishments but seems unsettled by the thought Prophet of the Lord might be taking himself too seriously. One of those most concerned is Leo Khante, brother of Roger, who remembers when Prophet was Gary, a fellow belonging to the Khante gang when they were young, somebody who had never been very stable. Prophet closely questions a new member, a woman named Brenda Montpass. Brenda claims membership by having very person

We are back with Armand and Faith Crowley, traveling the seas to Halimut, where they plan on inserting themselves into the crusade. After getting off the ship (for which experience Faith plans foul revenge on her husband) They encounter Brenda Montpass yet again. When flirting with her Armand confesses to having seen both her and Roger Khante on the ship with them. Brenda tells Armad she is a liar and a spy...and gives him interesting information. She also informs him that she never told him she hadn't committed murder...he only assumed. Back in New Beginning Autumn is bored to death with make-work jobs. When a new visitor appears, Amanda Bivins, Autumn instantly quits one job to become a tour guide. The tour includes the cave, where Autumn both creates a problem and makes a tremendous discovery. Nobody before her, while traveling crouched over in the small tunnel, had looked up to see the entire ceiling is covered with intricate paintings, turning the cave from a minor curiosity to a major find. Much specula

Now with the Chins, Aaron discovers they were waiting for him so they could begin following the herds, although he is confused by the sight of a number of men and women being hauled around on travios due to something called a Ferbog...which turns out to be a milk drinking-get as fat as you can-contest with great honor attached. Matters proceed as expected, Delmac settling in while Laura Bainridge continues being strange. Then a new, never before seen stream is found. While blessing it at the Chin's insistence, feeling foolish, Aaron is suddenly filled with the One God's influence and loses track of everything as he speaks. Later, Melna and Aaron, along with Harvest Patton, watch the T'chung, a contest between the warrior of two tribes using long fighting sticks where the ultimate winner is treated almost like a god for a year. After several unsettling events, the T'chung is finished after Patton takes on the eventual winner. Then he and Melna give their own demonstration of technique. Impressing everybody.

After a runabout race Aaron and the archeologists, along with Delmac, go to the cave sight where Aaron gets a rundown on their findings, both disappointing and interesting. Delmac is amused by these new concepts, but disdainful of Laura Bainridge and her strange ways. Later, Aaron inspects the underground utility tunnels beneath New Beginning and explains why he wants to provide running water. At Aaron's urging, his foreman, Halifax, agres to give Autumn a job. After a run, Aaron has a disconcerting encounter with Laura Bainridge, one which leaves her laughing at him before explaining she and Edna have no real reason to be at the cave so they are coming with Aaron to a Chin camp, along with Delmac. They wish to study the Chins.

An angry Clack learns of the raid from a very young scout named Lioth. He sends Han Chuck after the warband with orders to bring back at least half their heads. For his part, Han is very willing because one of his wives is among the dead. Lead by Lioth, they give chase, only to encounter one dangerous trap after another. Han watches Lioth carefully and is greatly impressed by her physical and mental skills, but he is frustrated by their lack of progress, even if the leader of those he chases is his brother. Meanwhile Roger Khante has great fun instigating a riot agains one of Aaron's factories. And then we are back to Han Chuk chasing his brother. Lioth leads the warband past multiple traps to finally come upon the enemy. A battle ensues, but unhappily as most of the enemy escape.

For the first time we meet the prophet who calls for a crusade against Aaron Turner, discovering both his motives and those who are pushing him forward. Already, small cracks apper in the conspiracy as the prophet's reliability comes into question. Meanwhile, back in Nefra, Maldane, Nefra's Tyrant, plots against Aaron, while being served by her new and much abused slave. She rails against failed assassins and questions the motives of Sarena, Iruppt's queen, as the crusade grows. Back in Chin, Ard Chuk, Aaron's general, takes the war to Clack's followers, with the help of Kim, Aaron's own personal assassin. The next morning he discovers he might have been a bit quick to attack.