Hallowed Nebula
Edge of the Splintered Galaxy Book 3
Eddie R. Hicks
Hallowed Nebula
Edge of the Splintered Galaxy Book 3
By Eddie R. Hicks
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Copyright © 2019 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. Karklosea
2. Foster
3. Saressea
4. Rivera
5. Foster
6. Saressea
7. Foster
8. Rivera
9. Foster
10. Rivera
11. Saressea
12. Karklosea
13. Foster
14. Rivera
15. Foster
16. Karklosea
17. Foster
18. Rivera
19. Karklosea
20. Rivera
21. Foster
22. Rivera
23. Karklosea
24. Rivera
25. Foster
26. Rivera
27. Foster
28. Rivera
29. Foster
30. Saressea
31. Foster
32. Karklosea
33. Foster
34. Karklosea
35. Foster
36. Rivera
37. Foster
38. Rivera
39. Foster
40. Rivera
41. Foster
42. Rivera
43. Foster
44. Saressea
45. Foster
46. Saressea
47. Foster
48. Rivera
49. Karklosea
50. Rivera
51. Foster
52. Karklosea
53. Foster
54. Saressea
55. Foster
56. Saressea
57. Rivera
58. Karklosea
59. Foster
60. Karklosea
61. Foster
62. Rivera
63. Foster
64. Saressea
65. Foster
66. Rivera
67. Foster
68. Karklosea
69. Saressea
70. Rivera
71. Foster
72. Saressea
73. Karklosea
74. Foster
75. Rivera
76. 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
Dramatis personæ
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
Jasmine Rivera – IESA explorer, Chief engineer
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
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
Jacob Miles – UNE Marine
Species: Human
United Nations of Earth
Derek Irons – EDF General
Species: Human
Avearan Slaver – Xenobiologist student
Species: Hashmedai Psionic
Lisette Bennett – Psionic student
Species: Human Psionic
Brice Blackmar – CO of Amicitia Station 14
Species: Human
Penelope Diamondrose – Maraschino Hacker
Species: Hashmedai
Emmanuel Campbell – IESA HNI surgeon
Species: Human
Alisha Levesque – CO ESRS Gerard Kuiper
Species: Human
Hashmedai Empire
Kroshka – Empress of the Empire
Species: Hashmedai Psionic
Phylarlie Starchaser – Imperial Lord of the Uelcovis system
Species: Hashmedai Psionic
Peiun Starblazer – Rezeki’s Rage Captain
Species: Hashmedai
Radiance Union
Ary Ienthei – Radiance Union council, Aryile representative
Species: Aryile
Za Iey’liwea – Radiance Union council, Rabuabin representative and Souyila cofounder
Species: Rabuabin
Marchei – Radiance Union council, Vorcambreum representative
Species: Vorcambreum
Mil Zealoei – Radiance Union council, Javnis representative
Species: Javnis
Ure Hanei – Radiance Union council, Linl representative
Species: Linl
Ary Queenea – Souyila cofounder, Ienthei’s twin sister
Species: Aryile
Karklosea – Radiance Templar
Species: Linl Psionic
Gab Eicelea – Radiance archaeologist
Species: Vorcambreum
Za Vynei – Eicelea’s bodyguard
Species: Rabuabin
Jainuzei – Weapons Master
Species: Aryile
Byikanea – Soldiers of Marduk leader
Species: Linl Psionic
Armuzei – Soldiers of Marduk leader
Species: Javnis
Dienei – Soldiers of Marduk leader
Species: Aryile
Marrea – Soldiers of Marduk leader
Species: Aryile Psionic
Michei – Whisper Operative
Species: Rabuabin Psionic
Wenadei – Cybernetic specialist
Species: Linl
Teuei – Whisper Operative
Species: Vorcambreum Psionic
Draconian Horde
Lahmu – Dragon Knight
Species: Unknown Draconian
Lahamu – Dragon Maiden
Species: Unknown Draconian
Other
Sarpanit – ESRS Carl Sagan rogue EVE AI
Species: Corrupted AI
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 . . .
The mission was simple. Find the Draconian’s homeworld, make contact with their leaders, and convince them to end the war. Or prepare the galaxy for a prolonged conflict. A rogue faction within Earth’s government made that a lot more complex. The Terran Legion devised a plan to see the human race rise up and rule over all alien races while pushing for a more aggressive war against the dragons. And their tool to make it happen? Breeding their own army of dragons.
The Terran Legion’s plot to remove the leaders of the Empire and the line of succession to the throne was averted by the bravery of Captain Foster
and the crew of the XSV Johannes Kepler, but it came at a cost. Chevallier was critically wounded and was not expected to survive unless cybernetic augmentation was performed on her body. Because Chevallier lacked HNI and would need to remain that way to complete the mission, it left the crew with little choice. They had to seek out the aid of the one specialist in the galaxy that could tend to her special needs.
And he can only be found in the Radiance Union.
Prologue
Hashmedai Prison Barge
En route to Paryo, Uemaesce system
October 23, 2118, 03:47 SST (Sol Standard Time)
Lisette Bennett was experiencing the worst vacation ever.
It started great, visiting the Empire’s most treasured colony, Taxah, with her Hashmedai girlfriend Avearan. She got to experience the sensation of walking on the surface of a planet for the first time in her life and to breathe its air too. That’s a big deal when you’ve spent your entire life living on Saturn’s largest moon.
Now, Lisette found herself lying hopelessly in a dark prison cell, where the air was cold enough to prevent milk from going stale. The Hashmedai may as well have just tossed her in their fridge, assuming they used them.
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