Renegade Earth

by J. N. Chaney

  J. N. Chaney

  Copyrighted Material

  Renegade Earth Copyright © 2018 by Variant Publications

  Book design and layout copyright © 2018 by JN Chaney

  This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living, dead, or undead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from JN Chaney.

  www.jnchaney.com

  1st Edition

  Books By J.N. Chaney

  The Variant Saga:

  The Amber Project

  Transient Echoes

  Hope Everlasting

  The Vernal Memory

  Renegade Star Series:

  Renegade Star

  Renegade Atlas

  Renegade Moon

  Renegade Lost

  Renegade Fleet

  Renegade Earth

  Renegade Dawn (July 2018)

  Standalone Books:

  Their Solitary Way

  The Other Side of Nowhere

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  Renegade Earth

  J. N. Chaney

  BOOK DESCRIPTION

  Renegade Earth

  Renegade Star Series #6

  Three Empires Collide.

  Captain Jace Hughes and his band of rebels have managed to outrun the Union at every turn, barely escaping with their lives. What started as a simple transport job has escalated into a war between empires, all for the sake of a child.

  But a Renegade never backs down.

  With Titan, a fleet of strike ships, and a newly transformed Sigmond, the crew of The Renegade Star will need to pull out everything they have in order to make their final stand.

  Suit up, Renegades. The battle for Earth has finally begun.

  Experience a sprawling galactic tale in this sixth entry to The Renegade Star series. If you’re a fan of Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, or Leviathan Wakes, you’ll love this epic, space opera thriller.

  For Rob,

  Who followed the art

  Important Characters and Terms

  Humans

  Jace Hughes : Renegade, smuggler, gun-for-hire, Captain of The Renegade Star, and the most wanted man in the galaxy.

  Abigail Pryar (Abby) : Kidnapper, assassin, former nun, and Jace’s second-in-command. Abigail risked her life in order to rescue the albino child Lex from a Union laboratory, inciting a series of events that would lead her to encounter Jace on Taurus Station.

  Frederick Tabernacle (Freddie) : Former priest and scholar. Frederick is an expert on the writings of Darius Clare, the founder of the Church of the Homeworld. Despite his obvious fear, Freddie is consistently reliable in the face of danger.

  Octavia Brie : Assistant archaeologist, combat expert, former Union medic. After being shot by Fratley Oxanos, Octavia lost the use of her legs and believed she would never be able to walk again. That is, until the crew discovered Titan and restored power to its medical bay.

  Dr. Thadius Hitchens (The Professor) : Archaeologist with a focus on Ancient Earth Theory. After the discovery of a group of albino colonists, Hitchens has turned his focus to teaching. He remains optimistic and jolly, no matter the situation, and is always looking toward the future.

  Alphonse Malloy (Al) : Former Union Constable and spy, expert military strategist, and stoic thinker. During his time at the Red Tower, the Constables’ intelligence center, Alphonse discovered detailed information on the experiments that were being performed on Lex. Appalled at what he had found, Alphonse disguised himself as a soldier on a ship that had been tasked with pursuing The Renegade Star, allowing him to ultimately encounter Jace Hughes. After saving Lex and proving his loyalty, Alphonse has become a valued member of the crew and a trusted ally in the fight against the Union.

  Dr. MaryAnn Dressler : A former Union scientist on Priscilla. Dressler was kidnapped by Jace Hughes when they stole a Tritium Core for Titan. While she was initially highly critical of Jace, she has since reversed her stance, especially after witnessing his protective loyalty for Lex and the albino colonists.

  Lex : Discovered in a small pod when she was just an infant, Lex spent most of her life in a Union lab, due to her unique physiology and strange tattoos. The Union correctly believed that Lex held the key to rediscovering the lost homeworld known as Earth. Due to her Eternal ancestry, Lex possesses advanced healing, a greatly extended lifespan, albino skin, white hair, and blue eyes. As far as she or anyone else knows, Lex is truly the last of her kind, being the only pureblood Eternal known to exist. Despite this, Lex remains cheerful, often shining a light in an otherwise dark or dire situation.

  Bolin Abernathy : A former scrap dealer, he and his daughter were rescued by the crew after being kidnapped by the Sarkonians. Bolin is a skilled pilot and trusted friend, never afraid to risk his own life to save the people he loves.

  Karin Braid : A young, but highly capable leader. Karin’s mother, Lucia, taught her everything she knows. Karin’s people are descendants of a group of Eternals, though they do not possess abilities on par with those found in their ancestors.

  Lucia : Over a century old, Lucia is still highly capable and one of the best hand-to-hand fighters on Titan.

  Josef (Jo) : Karin’s father. He spent years living in a cave, far from his family, hoping to find a Tritium Core to save his people.

  Marcus Brigham : The man in charge of the Union fleet tasked with hunting down The Renegade Star and capturing Lex. He will do whatever it takes to accomplish his mission.

  Cognitives

  Athena : The Cognitive in charge of Titan, a seed colony moon-like ship. Originally from Earth, Athena is a fully sentient intelligence over two thousand years old. Using hard light technology, Athena can manifest a body in any room on Titan, often popping in out of nowhere, surprising the crew. Years ago, when Titan’s Tritium Core failed, Athena sent her crew out into space to colonize the stars. In time, they forgot about Titan and the Cognitive who lived there, but Athena did not forget. She waited, remaining in low power, until the day she received a signal from Earth. The transmission said only one thing: “Earth is restored. Initiate Project Reclamation.” With that, she attempted to contact the descendants of her former crew, but no one responded. After decades of unanswered transmissions, Athena decided to awaken the only remaining crew member, a young Eternal infant who had been left behind and discarded by the other humans—a girl who would grow to be called Lex. Athena sent the child away, still asleep, and hoped that whoever found her would follow the trail back to Titan.

  Sigmond (Siggy) : Originally, a standard artificial intelligence given to Jace upon his acquisition of The Renegade Star. After receiving a personality program and name, Sigmond became a valued asset and long-time companion to Jace. He was eventually given several additional upgrades by Athena, allowing him to become exceedingly more efficient and, shortly therea
fter, caused him to show signs of cognition. During the final confrontation with the Cognitive Hephaestus, Sigmond sacrificed himself to save Jace and the rest of the crew. At this time, he was believed to be lost forever. Shortly thereafter, however, Sigmond reappeared on Titan, manifesting himself before Jace as a fully realized Cognitive whose appearance was unlike any other.

  Janus (deceased): The Cognitive in charge of Karin’s former home. He was originally created to oversee three facilities on the same planet, each with its own distinct assignment. After the facilities were overrun by an outbreak of Boneclaws (genetically modified Eternals), Janus lost all contact with Earth. He was left with only a few thousand survivors, whose lives became his only priority. It wasn’t until the arrival of the Union that Janus lost his life, defending the colonists during the evacuation to Titan. His final request was for Jace to look after his people and defend them against those who mean to use them. It is a request that has stayed with Jace, always in the back of his mind. After his death, Athena was able to salvage part of Janus’s shell, which she gave to Sigmond in order to give him additional functionality. This was the beginning of Sigmond’s Cognitive evolution.

  Algaia (deceased): The Cognitive in charge of Tiche and several facilities across Earth space. She was killed, and her shell was absorbed by Hephaestus, granting him access to Algaia’s supply depots.

  Hephaestus (deceased): The Cognitive in charge of the defense network and the drone factories. After two thousand years, Hephaestus is a shadow of his former self. His mind has deteriorated so much that he relies entirely on protocol, defending the Earth from all Transient vessels. After encountering Titan, Hephaestus shows aggression towards the ship, ultimately mounting a major assault against Jace and his crew. Thanks to the efforts of an upgraded artificial intelligence known as Sigmond, Hephaestus and his data storage Capsules are permanently destroyed.

  Other Terms

  Eternals : Advanced humans who have been genetically modified with advanced healing and extremely long lifespans. After a few centuries, an additional mutation caused the Eternals to develop albino features, giving them a distinct appearance. They are responsible for most of Earth’s advanced technology, including the seed colony ships, such as Titan, as well as Tritium Cores, slipspace drives, and Cognitives.

  Transients : Normal humans who do not posses the Eternal gene. After Eternals arose on Earth, Transient humans were delegated to the lower class, unable to accumulate wealth or obtain high-level positions in either business or politics. This stagnation led to a rebellion in which the Transients demanded equal opportunity. To satisfy this need, the Eternals offered them a deal: venture out into the far-flung reaches of the galaxy and colonize distant worlds, taking their lives into their own hands. The Transients agreed, and so began the greatest mass exodus in Earth’s history.

  Slipspace : A dimension beneath our own in which faster-than-light travel is possible. While it is not fully understood, many theorize that slipspace tunnels are in a constant state of nuclear fusion and fission, destroying and creating atoms simultaneously at all times. It was believed that slip tunnels were a naturally occurring phenomenon, but this is incorrect. In truth, the slip tunnel network was created by ancient ships from Earth as they expanded across the galaxy. While some tunnels collapsed over time, many remained to this day, providing modern ships with a faster-than-light means of transportation. Since modern ships cannot create their own tunnels, they must continue to rely on the existing network to travel. Titan is the only known ship capable of forming new tunnels.

  Slip Gap Point (S.G. Point) : The location between tunnels (i.e. the space between two tunnel entrances). Often the location of colonies and refueling stations, they serve as the intergalactic road stops of the slip tunnel network. While the busier S.G. Points are often heavily policed, the less active locations remain somewhat dangerous due to frequent attacks and surprise raids.

  Turn-key : A special communications device created by the Eternals. Only those with the appropriate tattoos can operate them.

  The Sarkonian Empire : A smaller, but still capable collection of planets. Located on the opposite side of the Deadlands from the Union, the Sarkonians are known to claim planets randomly and without warning. Recently, they struck a deal with the Union for the promise of more territory, should they deliver The Renegade Star.

  The Union : The most powerful military force known to exist, the Union has control over dozens of star systems. They remain in pursuit of Titan, hoping to reacquire Lex so that they might use her genes to enhance their own soldiers. They claim to do this to protect their borders and their people, but all past actions show an empire whose only goal has been territorial expansion.

  Earth : Often believed to be a myth, Earth is said to be the original cradle of humanity, home to lost, unparalleled technology, the likes of which have not been seen in nearly two thousand years. Unfortunately, not much is known about Earth’s history after the Great Transient Exodus, resulting in a massive gap in information, but that hasn’t stopped the Union from sending every available ship to find it. At the same time, Jace Hughes and his crew are determined to get there first to keep whatever awaits them out of the hands of their enemy.

  One

  The man with the golden eyes smiled as we stood in the middle of the conference room. A soft glow surrounded his face and shoulders, a side-effect of the hard-light comprising his newly-formed physical body.

  “I don’t understand,” said Dressler, staring at the man, whose appearance resembled that of someone in their mid-fifties. “How is this possible?”

  It was a question we were all thinking as we sat there, trying to work it out in our heads. Sigmond, the artificial intelligence I’d known for years, the heart and soul of my ship, was supposed to be dead.

  “I understand your confusion,” said the Cognitive who called himself Sigmond. “During my confrontation with Hephaestus, I believed my end to be in sight, as I’m certain the rest of you did. However, in my final moments, I compressed my program and transmitted myself to The Renegade Star, using my access codes. Once onboard, I was unable to speak to you, due to the lack of storage space, but Titan is not so limited. Once I transmitted myself to this station, I was finally able to begin my manifestation.”

  “How could there not be enough space?” asked Abigail. “You were built to live there, weren’t you?”

  “That’s true,” said Dressler, crossing her arms. She walked over to Sigmond, scanning him with her eyes. “That must mean your data has grown beyond the limits of the ship. You’re too large a program now, aren’t you? But the only way that could happen is if you accumulated additional data while inside the capsule. The real question is: what kind of data.” She tapped her chin. “So, what was it, Sigmond?”

  “Ah, yes, Doctor, a fine observation,” said Sigmond. “And an accurate one at that. Upon my cleanse of the capsule, I realized I would be unable to return to you, due to the time it would take to transmit myself. I ran an internal scan of the system, looking for anything that could assist me.”

  “And you found something,” said Dressler.

  He nodded. “The remnants of the Cognitive Aglaia, whose shell contained a compression algorithm.”

  “Of course,” said Athena. She stood beside him, her albino skin a stark contrast to Sigmond’s darker complexion. “Hephaestus and Aglaia both required compression in order to transfer between capsules, should a power failure occur and disrupt their work.”

  Octavia was sitting beside Hitchens at the table, leaning forward. “Does that mean you have the algorithm, too, Athena?”

  “I’m afraid such a luxury was not available during my inception,” answered Athena. “In fact, none of the other Cognitives who left Earth during the Transient Exodus were able to benefit from such an innovation. I have only one capsule, located at the core of Titan.”

  “Janus was the same way,” said Karin, a somber look on her face. “If only he’d been given that gift, he might still be al
ive.”

  “Let me see if I’m understanding all of this, Siggy,” I said, once I was sure I had it. “You were inside that capsule, fighting Hephaestus, and just before the whole facility went down in a pile of flames, you absorbed Aglaia’s shell and jumped back to The Star?”

  “That is largely correct, sir. I absorbed the compression algorithm, along with several essential protocols required in order to install and activate the algorithm. I already had most of Janus’ Cognitive shell, so the patchwork took only seconds to assemble.”

  Alphonse thumbed his jacket. “If you transmitted yourself to The Renegade Star, then back to Titan, how did Athena not detect you?”

  Athena frowned. “I apologize for my negligence. The recent attack damaged several of my systems. All attention has been focused on repairs.”

  “Are you talking about the giant knife Hephaestus used on Titan?” I asked. “Yeah, I guess that’ll do it.”

  Athena nodded. “Additionally, our Tritium Core has been drained and requires time to recharge. While some energy was restored after the encounter, we are operating largely on reserve power. This has only further hindered my performance.”

  “We should probably get that fixed before we get any other surprise guests,” said Dressler.

  “No offense, pal,” I said, looking at Sigmond.

  “None taken, sir,” he answered. “I would be happy to assist, should the opportunity arise.”

  Dressler twisted her lips. “I think we should confirm all of this first. Sigmond, would you mind if Athena and I run a few tests?”

  “Not at all. Truth be told, Doctor, I was about to suggest that very thing.”

  * * *

  A few minutes later, the analysis was underway. Dressler and Athena left, heading to another room to properly dissect my former A.I.