Unsanctioned Reprisal
Edge of the Splintered Galaxy book 2
Eddie R. Hicks
Unsanctioned Reprisal
Edge of the Splintered Galaxy Book 2
By Eddie R. Hicks
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Copyright © 2018 Eddie R. Hicks
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
No aliens were harmed in the writing of this novel.
Cover Art by: Jeff Brown Graphics
Contents
Dramatis personæ
Timeline
Previously on Splintered Galaxy . . .
Prologue
1. Foster
2. Peiun
3. Foster
4. Peiun
5. Foster
6. Avearan
7. Foster
8. Pierce
9. Avearan
10. Pierce
11. Foster
12. Avearan
13. Foster
14. Peiun
15. Foster
16. Peiun
17. Pierce
18. Foster
19. Pierce
20. Peiun
21. Penelope
22. Peiun
23. Foster
24. Peiun
25. Foster
26. Lahmu
27. Foster
28. Peiun
29. Foster
30. Avearan
31. Peiun
32. Foster
33. Pierce
34. Avearan
35. Peiun
36. Foster
37. Pierce
38. Peiun
39. Foster
40. Peiun
41. Moriston
42. Foster
43. Peiun
44. Foster
45. Peiun
46. Foster
48. Foster
49. Peiun
50. Foster
51. Avearan
52. Foster
53. Avearan
54. Foster
55. Foster
Epilogue
Next time on Splintered Galaxy . . .
About the Author
Dramatis personæ
A note on Radiance names
Members of the Radiance Union have to adhere to Aryile naming conventions. Names that end with ‘ea’ are female names, while names that end with ‘ei’ are male. The three-letter word prefix is a label that matches their race. The label also translates to numbers in the Aryile language.
Ary = one = Aryile
Mil = two = Javnis
Za = three = Rabuabin
Gab = four = Vorcambreum
Ure = five = Linl
XSV Johannes Kepler Crew
Rebecca Foster – IESA explorer, Captain
Species: Human
Dominic Williams – IESA explorer, Commander and first officer
Species: Human
Travis Pierce – IESA explorer, Science officer
Species: Human
Irena Kostelecky – IESA explorer, Chief medical
Species: Human
Dennis Chang – UNE Navy, Flight Lieutenant, and helmsman
Species: Human
Za Saressea – Radiance liaison officer
Species: Rabuabin
Ary Odelea – Scholar, Souyila researcher and Communications officer
Species: Aryile
Mil Tolukei – Radiance Psionic, Lead shipboard psionic
Species: Javnis
Nereid – Shipboard psionic
Species: Undine (humanoid mutant)
EVE – Electronic Versatile Entity, ship AI
Species: Android
Demarion Bailey – Chef
Species: Human
United Nations of Earth
Derek Irons – EDF General
Species: Human
Albert Moriston – EISS Special Agent
Species: Human
Chris Boyd – EDF-1 team leader
Species: Human
Mathilda Chevallier – EDF-1 member
Species: Human
Krystal LeBoeuf – Warlock class psionic, EDF-1 team member
Species: Human Psionic
Otis Maxwell – Ravager class psionic, EDF-1 team member
Species: Human Psionic
Chloe “Gemini-C” Vaughan – EDF Black Ops operative
Species: Human
Sarah “Gemini-S” Vaughan – EDF Black Ops operative
Species: Human
Antonio “Durendal” Cruz – EDF Black Ops operative
Species: Human
Jacob Miles – UNE Marine
Species: Human
Schneider – UNE Marine
Species: Human
Valiyev – UNE Marine
Species: Human
Ingram – UNE Marine
Species: Human
Murphy – UNE Marine
Species: Human
Ella Lynn-Chambers – Human psionic instructor
Species: Human Psionic
Avearan Slaver – Xenobiologist student
Species: Hashmedai Psionic
Lisette Bennett – Psionic student
Species: Human Psionic
Brice Blackmar – CO of Amicitia Station 14
Species: Human
Lawrence Mitrovica – Galactic Broadcasting Corporation news reporter
Species: Human
Penelope Diamondrose – Maraschino Hacker
Species: Hashmedai
Devorei – Maraschino Hacker
Species: Aryile
Cody – Terran Legion member
Species: Human
Furnadjiev – Admiral and CO of the ESV Marcus Antonius
Species: Human
Holdsworth – CO of the ESV Ferdinand Foch
Species: Human
Paul – Bartender
Species: Human
Hashmedai Empire
Eensino – Emperor of the Empire
Species: Hashmedai
Kroshka – Empress of the Empire
Species: Hashmedai Psionic
Phylarlie Starchaser – Imperial Lord of the Uelcovis system
Species: Hashmedai Psionic
Onatiasha Ladyknight – Imperial Guard
Species: Hashmedai
Peiun Starblazer – Rezeki’s Rage Captain
Species: Hashmedai
Alesyna Interloper – Rezeki’s Rage shipboard psionic and first officer
Species: Hashmedai Psionic
Manzo Snowwalker – Rezeki’s Rage bridge officer
Species: Hashmedai
Careiah Blossom - Rezeki’s Rage servant
Species: Hashmedai
Uemsu - Rezeki’s Rage gunner
Species: Hashmedai
Nadevina - Rezeki’s Rage helmswoman
Species: Hashmedai
Saubassa - Rezeki’s Rage guardian
Species: Hashmedai
Selnyi - Rezeki’s Rage warrior
Species: Hashmedai
Xiun - Rezeki’s Rage warrior
Species: Hashmedai
Draconian Horde
Lahmu – Dragon Knight
Species: Unknown Draconian
Lahamu – Dragon Maiden
Species: Unknown Draconian
Fighter Number 3,482 – Draconian soldier
Other
Hoylu – Amicitia Station 14 merch
ant
Species: Qirak
Moe – Pirate ship mechanic
Species: Human
Timeline
1944 . . . Radiance Union discovers Earth and the human race.
1945 . . . Radiance witness the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Radiance council votes to not make contact with humans. Scientific study is allowed to continue however.
2003 . . . Noylarlie starts psionic training.
2008 . . . Noylarlie becomes Archmage.
2009 . . . Noylarlie given command of the Crimson Arrow, travels to Morutrin Prime.
2010 . . . Onatiasha and her team travels with Kroshka and Akeia to Earth via a Hashmedai command ship, they materialize eight years later.
2010/2011 . . . Noylarlie arrives at Proxima Centauri, and then embarks on journey to Epsilon Eridani.
2018 . . . Hashmedai Empire invasion of Earth.
2027 . . . Human refugees arrive at Alpha Centauri; Radiance fleet arrives at Earth to remove surviving Hashmedai forces. Radiance uplifts the human race, providing humans with advanced technology and medical advancements.
2027 . . . Extrasolar Defense Force (EDF) is formed to protect humans living in Alpha Centauri and future deep space worlds. Abyssal Explorer embarks on a thirteen-year journey to Barnard’s Star.
2028 . . . The United Nations of Earth (UNE) is formed; humanity enters new golden age of space travel and exploration.
2030 . . . Hashmedai Liberation front (HLF) slowly starts to come together worldwide after reports of mistreatment of Hashmedai left behind on Earth.
2032 . . . Chloe and EDF-1 are recalled back to Earth to assist in cross training.
2032 . . . EDF-2 and the Abyssal Sword goes missing after battling Celestial Order forces at Proxima Centauri.
2033 . . . The Carl Sagan along with a UNE fleet of science and exploration ships leave Earth to explore the galaxy.
2039 . . . Jazz, Kroshka, Phylarlie, Onatiasha, and Zhinbryo awake from cryostasis upon arriving at Epsilon Eridani. They take the space bridge back to the Empire.
2040 . . . Chloe along with the EDF-1 arrive at Earth and awake from cryostasis. Noylarlie and Parcisei awake from cryostasis and make plans to travel to Earth upon learning what took place.
2040/2041 . . . The Celestial Order wars.
2041 . . . Radiance abandons Barnard’s Star in the aftermath of the wraith outbreak and the battle of Barnard’s Star. UNE occupies the system via the newly discovered Lyonria Kuiper belt wormhole. Peace is formed between the UNE and the Empire.
2041 . . . Destiny, Tetsuya, and Vaish escape from UNE custody. Their whereabouts remain a mystery for years to come.
2041 . . . UNE discovers Radiance and Celestial Order research data regarding the ancient Lyonria in Barnard’s Star. Human scientists set up shop in the system to study the new findings.
2042 . . . The Radiance mega corporation, Souyila, begins research on ethereal energy. A new and renewable power source is made available to the Union netting the company massive profits. XE crystals are sold to the UNE as they are no longer needed.
2042 . . . UNE uncovers new Lyonria ruins in Barnard’s Star and begins to reverse engineer the Kuiper belt wormhole.
2045 . . . Mass production of human-built wormholes begin and the plans for an interstellar wormhole network is drawn out.
2046 . . . Odelea joins the Souyila corporation and uses their funding to advance her findings on gene therapy.
2048 . . . Anti-aging gene therapy tests are a success. Souyila sells the technology to the UNE, who in turn trades their version of it to the Empire. The act upsets the Radiance council. A new law within the union is passed forbidding any corporation from selling technology to outside galactic nations. UNE counters by withholding all knowledge they discover regarding Lyonria artifacts and ruins.
2049 . . . UNE wormhole network goes online, reducing travel times between star systems and speeding up colonization for their swelling population.
2050 . . . Captain Foster and Carl Sagan arrives in Sirius, discovers Lyonria ruins, life in the system, establishing the first human colony, and conflicts with the Architect.
2050 . . . The Carl Sagan receives a signal from a ship entering the system. They set a course to investigate as Radiance and EISS intelligence believes it’s related to the disappearance of the Abyssal Sword and EDF-2. Contact with the Carl Sagan is lost hours later.
2050 . . . Promising data received from the first generation of UNE extrasolar colonies fuel the need for the UNE to aggressively expand as death from old age is now a thing of the past. Population numbers within the UNE, Union, and Empire are projected to explode in the coming years. The colonization race begins.
2051 . . . UNE sends additional ships to support the Sirius colonists in the wake of the disappearance of the Carl Sagan. During which, technology from the Lyonria ruins, Tiamat’s tomb, and the Architect are collected and studied by the colonists already present in the system.
2052 . . . UNE sets out to expand their claim on worlds within uncharted regions of space, placing heavy emphasis on planets that may have Lyonria ruins.
2065 . . . The Hashmedai attempt to build their own MRF but are unsuccessful due to EISS sabotage.
2068 . . . UNE ships arrive at Sirius to retake control of the system and search for the Carl Sagan. No signs of the ship and crew are found. A wormhole is constructed linking Sirius to the rest of UNE-controlled space.
2068 . . . Formal contact is made with the Qirak trade fleet. Lucrative deals from the other side of the galaxy are made between them and the UNE, Union, and Empire.
2069 . . . UNE Lyonria experts assist Sirius scientists in reverse engineering FTL technology left over from the Architect and Tiamat drones. Radiance teams are brought in to help speed up the development.
2069 . . . The first Alcubierre drive ship is tested in Sirius. UNE and Radiance begins to upgrade all ships with FTL.
2072 . . . To counter UNE and Union FTL ships, the Empire aggressively pushes to create a working MRF. They have a 60 percent failure rate in production, however, only command ships and lead capital ships are equipped with the technology as a result.
2074 . . . To prevent Radiance from forcing the Undine and Poniga to join the union, the UNE labels several planets within Sirius as protected worlds, forbidding anyone from interfering with their culture or colonizing them unless specifically requested by the local population. Terra Nova and several other inhabited worlds in Sirius are excluded as they have been claimed by the UNE.
2086 . . . The colonization race becomes heated, and territorial disputes between UNE, Radiance, and the Empire begin.
2090 . . . With the growth of the UNE, Radiance requests all humans living in Alpha Centauri and Proxima to leave. UNE agrees and forces those colonists to inhabit Barnard’s Star to help the population growth and claim new Lyonria ruins discovered almost monthly.
2095 . . . Fearing another war due to colonial expansion, Amicitia station 14 is constructed as a means for the UNE to negotiate disputes between all alien races. A ceasefire between the Union and Empire is agreed upon months later.
2099 . . . Kroshka bonds with Eensino. The Empire for the first time in years is ruled by an emperor and empress.
2118 . . . Present day.
Previously on Splintered Galaxy . . .
Captain Foster and the crew of the Carl Sagan awoke from an unexpected sixty-eight-year cryostasis sleep, mysteriously arriving back at Earth. Their memories had been wiped out; the last thing they remembered was moving to investigate the cause of a lost Radiance cruiser, the Abyssal Sword, which entered the Sirius system.
Upon their mysterious return to Earth, the dragons attacked and laid waste to the UNE, Imperial, and Union fleets defending their capital worlds. The commanders of the draconic forces, human-looking figures known as the Dragon Knight and Maiden, have the power to render anyone with implants, known as HNI, unconscious. Foster and her crew were in cryostasis when HNI was invented, so never
received the implants, thus making them the only people who have a natural defense to their disruptive abilities.
After Foster came into contact with an ancient monolith found on the surface of the planet Jacobus, giving her strange augmentations, it was decided that she and her crew would be given a ship and a new task. Find the homeworld of the dragons, make contact with their leaders, and convince them to end the war, as well as conduct recon and assess the size of their forces, in case peace can’t be reached.
Prologue
Fortune Runner
Asteroid belt, Morutrin system
October 12, 2118, 17:41 SST (Sol Standard Time)
The shadow of the Fortune Runner darkened a number of rolling asteroids within the Morutrin system as the light from the Morutrin star did its thing. As the name of the ship implied, the Fortune Runner was owned and operated by a group of no-name mercenaries struggling to make a fortune in the lawless system ruled by pirates and crime lords.
The ship was plastered with layers of burn marks and makeshift patches to cover the centuries-old battle damage. Like most ships within Morutrin, it once belonged to the Hashmedai Empire, Radiance Union, or the old Linl republic prior to their species getting assimilated by Radiance. Nobody really remembered who owned the ship originally, just that it had a long history of being abandoned, salvaged, sold, upgraded, shot to hell by pirates, and its crew killed, only for that cycle to repeat.