Celestial Incursion (Edge of the Splintered Galaxy Book 1) Read online

  Celestial Incursion

  Edge of the Splintered Galaxy Book 1

  Eddie R. Hicks

  Celestial Incursion

  Edge of the Splintered Galaxy Book 1

  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

  Foreword

  Dramatis personæ

  Timeline

  Prologue

  1. Foster

  2. Odelea

  3. Peiun

  4. Foster

  5. Chevallier

  6. Foster

  7. Odelea

  8. Moriston

  9. Peiun

  10. Odelea

  11. Foster

  12. Chevallier

  13. Foster

  14. Chevallier

  15. Foster

  16. Peiun

  17. Williams

  18. Foster

  19. Chevallier

  20. Chevallier

  21. Foster

  22. Peiun

  23. Odelea

  24. Chevallier

  25. Peiun

  26. Foster

  27. Foster

  28. Odelea

  29. Chevallier

  30. Williams

  31. Foster

  32. Odelea

  33. Foster

  34. Foster

  35. Fighter Number 3,482

  36. Williams

  37. Peiun

  38. Williams

  39. Foster

  40. Peiun

  41. Odelea

  42. Foster

  Epilogue

  Next time on Splintered Galaxy...

  About the Author

  Foreword

  Hello awesome reader. As with the previous Splintered Galaxy releases, this book is a spin-off that can be read without having to touch the previously released books. However, there will be spoilers if you do plan on going back and reading those earlier books.

  If you want the complete experience, then I suggest reading Celestial Ascension of the Splintered Galaxy series first, followed by The Siege of Sirius. Otherwise, just jump right in, everything you’ll need to know will be explained in this book regardless.

  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 the race they are. 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

  ESRS Carl Sagan 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

  Mathilda Chevallier – UNE navy, Chief of security

  Species: Human

  Dennis Chang – UNE Navy, Flight Lieutenant and helmsman

  Species: Human

  Mil Tolukei – Radiance Psionic, Lead shipboard psionic

  Species: Javnis

  Nereid – Shipboard psionic

  Species: Undine (humanoid mutant)

  EVE – Electronic Versatile Entity, ship AI

  Species: AI

  Demarion Bailey – Chef

  Species: Human

  United Nations of Earth

  Lance Anderson – President of Earth

  Species: Human

  Agatha Chevallier – Admiral and CO of the ESV Julius Caesar

  Species: Human

  James Barker – IESA director

  Species: Human

  Derek Irons – EDF General

  Species: Human

  Francis - Captain of the ESV Edward Codrington

  Species: Human

  Karen Park – EDF-17 team leader

  Species: Human

  Albert Moriston – EISS Special Agent

  Species: Human

  Chris Boyd – EDF-1 team leader

  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

  Liana Foster – Foster’s mother

  Species: Human

  McMillan – UNE Marine

  Species: Human

  Paul – Bartender

  Species: Human

  Hashmedai Empire

  Eensino – Emperor of the Empire

  Species: Hashmedai

  Kroshka – Empress of the Empire

  Species: Hashmedai

  Peiun Starblazer – Rezeki’s Rage officer

  Species: Hashmedai

  Alesyna Interloper – Rezeki’s Rage shipboard psionic

  Species: Hashmedai Psionic

  Louik Lakedweller – Rezeki’s Rage bridge officer

  Species: Hashmedai

  Manzo Snowwalker – Rezeki’s Rage bridge officer

  Species: Hashmedai

  Careiah Blossom - Rezeki’s Rage servant

  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

  Ure Crimei – Radiance Union council viceroy

  Species: Linl Psionic

  Ary Odelea – Scholar and Souyila researcher

  Species: Aryile

  Ary Queenea – Souyila cofounder, Ienthei’s twin sister

  Species: Aryile

  Gab Eicelea – Radiance archaeologist

  Species: Vorcambreum

  Za Vynei – Eicelea’s bodyguard

  Species: Rabuabin

  Za Saressea – Radiance liaison officer of the XSV Johannes Kepler

  Species: Rabuabin

  The invaders

  Dragon Knight – Invader commander

  Species: Unknown

  Dragon Maiden – Invader commander

  Species: Unknown

  Fighter Number 3,482 – Invader soldier

  Species: Unknown

  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 w
ith 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.

  Prologue

  ESV Julius Caesar, Bridge

  Neptune Orbit, Sol system

  August 2, 2118, 10:14 SST (Sol Standard Time)

  A magnificent sight in the darkened skies of Neptune’s largest moon, Triton, appeared overhead.

  It forced many of the colonists to stand before the windows of their homes, within the domed heated cities, and stare up into the cosmos to view it. That magnificent object was not the gigantic blue orb of Neptune as that was the second most beautiful thing. What had the colonists’ attention was the ESV Julius Caesar, a behemoth-sized Earth-built dreadnaught and the flagship of the United Nations of Earth’s (UNE) navy as it made its flyby orbiting the gas giant.

  The Julius Caesar was the largest ship constructed by mankind. And as far as some people were concerned, such as its CO, Admiral Agatha Chevallier, the Julius Caesar was more than capable of obliterating the Imperial dreadnaught, Leviathan, despite the many upgrades the Leviathan received over the last half century.

  Not that she had the opportuni
ty to take the Julius Caesar into real hardcore combat. Galactic peace treaties and ceasefires tended to make war a thing of the past.

  That was all about to change.

  “Admiral on the bridge.”

  Admiral Agatha Chevallier gave a slight nod to the lieutenant-commander as he acknowledged her presence. She casually moved past workstation after workstation on the bridge, noting the diligent work the crew was putting in, though there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that people had been in a more laid-back position prior to her stepping out of the elevator.

  The Commander nodded while he offered her seat back at the central command chair. His middle-age-like appearance was comparable to hers as it masked the fact he recently celebrated his one-hundred and second birthday. Gene therapy, it changed the rules of life as a human. Gone were the days when one would grow old, wither, and die. In were the days of immortality and age rollbacks.

  Agatha made it a requirement of her senior staff to appear older. Agatha, being born in the twentieth century, was a firm believer that admirals, captains, and first officers should look older than the rest of the crew.

  “Admiral,” a young lieutenant called out to her, well, young in appearance. The downside of gene therapy, you could no longer tell how old someone truly was by appearance alone.