Empire United (Taran Empire Saga Book 4): A Cadicle Space Opera
EMPIRE UNITED
TARAN EMPIRE SAGA: BOOK 4
A.K. DuBoff
EMPIRE UNITED
Copyright © 2022 by A.K. DuBoff
The Cadicle® Universe is a registered trademark of A.K. DuBoff
All rights reserved. This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. No part of this eBook may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles, reviews, or promotions.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
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Published by Dawnrunner Press
First eBook Edition: August 30, 2022
Kindle Edition
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword – The Cadicle Universe
Map of the Taran Empire
Key Terms, Cast, and Locations
The Story So Far
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
ALSO BY A.K. DUBOFF
AUTHOR’S NOTE
GLOSSARY
Timeline of Key Events
Key Terms
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Foreword – The Cadicle Universe
The events in the Taran Empire Saga are a self-contained story arc set in the larger Cadicle Universe.
Tarans are the predominant race in the Cadicle Universe; humans are a Taran genetic offshoot. Most of the Taran sphere falls within the purview of the Taran Empire, governed from the planet Tararia by a council of High Dynasty families. Earth is one of several rogue colonies on the outskirts of the Empire, separated so long ago that they have forgotten their Taran ancestry.
The Tararian Guard is the primary military force for the Taran Empire. Its counterpart, the Tararian Selective Service, includes a specialty branch with Agents gifted in telekinetic and telepathic abilities. The TSS is headquartered at a base inside Earth’s moon, and its iconic Agents are known in Earth lore as the mysterious ‘men in black’.
Chronologically, the Taran Empire Saga takes place after the events in the original Cadicle series, Mindspace series, and Verity Chronicles. However, prior knowledge of that broader story universe is not required in order to read and enjoy these books.
Map of the Taran Empire
The following map shows key locations referenced in this book, within the Taran Empire in the Milky Way galaxy. For a more detailed map, visit: www.amyduboff.com/taran-empire-map.
Key Terms, Cast, and Locations
KEY TERMS
Taran – The race of all people in the Taran Empire; synonymous with human
Aesen – The foundational energy of the universe; pure energy capable of being shaped into any form
Erebus – The nickname for a race of high-dimensional aliens with exceptionally strong control of aesen energy
Jump – Faster-than-light travel through subspace using the SiNavTech beacon network
Beacon Network – The navigation method for subspace jumps, maintained by SiNavTech
Independent Jump Drive – A jump drive that does not rely on the SiNavTech beacon network for navigation
High Dynasties – The seven ruling families of the Taran Empire, collectively a governing council
Lower Dynasties – Influential families throughout the Taran worlds, second only in power to the High Dynasties
ORGANIZATIONS
Tararian Guard – The primary military force for the Taran Empire
Tararian Selective Service (TSS) – A quasi-military organization with Agents specializing in telekinesis; a complement to the Tararian Guard
Taran United Force (TUF) – A new unified branch of the Taran military
Coalition – A shadow faction operating in the shadows of the Taran Empire, known to have multiple arms including the Alliance and SPEAR
Priesthood – The former governing body of the Taran Empire
Aesir – A reclusive group of technologically advanced Tarans
CAST
TSS
Jason Sietinen – TSS Primus Elite Agent; son of Wil and Saera; twin brother to Raena
Wil Sietinen – TSS High Commander; Jason’s father
Saera Alexri – TSS Lead Agent and head of Primus Division; Jason’s mother
Michael Andres – Primus Elite Agent / Head of TSS Operations and lead Primus Division trainer; Wil’s close friend
Lexi Karis – Head of Civilian Training; Jason’s partner
Gina – TSS Agent on the Coalition task force
Ron – TSS Agent on the Coalition task force
Laura – TSS Militia officer on the Coalition task force
Pyra – TSS Militia officer and undercover operative
Kali Wietris – TSS Agent and undercover operative
Tararian Guard
Jakob Mathaen – Admiral of the Tararian Guard
Taran United Force (TUF)
Kira Elsar – Head of the recently formed TUF; former Major in the Tararian Guard
Leon Caletti – Civilian consultant, geneticist/scientist; Kira’s fiancé
Taran Government
Raena Sietinen – Sietinen Dynasty heiress; twin sister to Jason; Ryan’s wife
Ryan Dainetris – Head of the Dainetris Dynasty; Raena’s husband
Cris Sietinen – Head of the Sietinen Dynasty and SiNavTech executive; Wil’s father
Kate Vaenetri – Cris’ wife and Wil’s mother; member of the Vaenetri Dynasty
Celine Monsari – Head of the Monsari Dynasty and MPS executive
Other Key Characters
Dahl – Oracle with the Aesir; Wil’s main point-of-contact and long-time friend
Melisa – Lexi’s friend, who disappeared after joining the Alliance
Pesta – A sentient transdimensional weapon tethered to a Taran ‘handler’
Ships
Conquest – TSS flagship with a unique telekinetic energy weapon
Horizon – Coalition command ship (captured by TSS)
LOCATIONS
TSS Headquarters – Base inside Earth’s moon
Earth – A ‘lost colony’ of the Taran Empire, located in the remote Outer Colonies
Tararia – The capital planet of the Taran Empire
Duronis – A developed planet in the Outer Colonies, base of operations for the Alliance
Antaris – A developed planet in the Outer Colonies, former TSS outpost
Lynaeda – Technologically advanced central world, specializing in AI and cybernetics
Zeron – Remote Taran world known for its underground excavations
The Story So Far…
After months of trying to catch a sol
id lead on the Coalition, Jason’s task force keeps coming up empty-handed. An investigation into a secret lab on a remote asteroid is another dead end, but it points to potential cloning experimentation, harkening back to the Priesthood’s research.
They finally catch a break when they realize there’s a strange correlation between a traveling band’s tour schedule and the disappearances of Gifted women across the Outer Colonies. Since Lexi’s Gifted friend, Melisa, went missing after joining a branch of the Coalition, there’s a likely connection. With resources thin, the TSS decides to send a Junior Agent, Kali, on the trail for her pre-graduation internship.
Meanwhile, Lexi is busy working on the new civilian training initiative for the TSS. When she submits a draft of the materials, Jason suggests the two of them take a trip to Tararia to meet Raena and Ryan.
The mini-vacation offers a chance for Lexi to demystify her assumptions about Taran nobles and realize she has been welcomed into the family. She also has the opportunity to have the bioluminescence restored in her irises, which had been surgically altered while she was on the run years before. An unanticipated outcome of the visit is that Lexi and Jason’s relationship is made very public on the front page of the Empire’s tabloids.
While the TSS figures out what to do about the Coalition, the political situation across the Empire is in decline. There are increasing calls for autonomy by the Outer Colonies worlds, which is being driven by the Coalition’s propaganda. Raena and Ryan have been getting targeted by the media, which they suspect is coming from the corrupt Monsari Dynasty.
Once back at Headquarters, Jason’s team finally gets its breakthrough when Kali and her civilian partner Mika discover an ex-Priest is behind the disappearances. However, it’s clear he’s not working alone. All signs point to the Coalition. Kali goes back out into the field, where she eventually locates a hidden facility with forty missing women who’ve been held in stasis, including Lexi’s friend, Melisa.
Lexi and Melisa are reunited, but so much has changed in the past year for Lexi while it only feels like weeks to her friend. Recovery will take time, but Lexi’s new training program offers a potential path forward for Melisa.
Unfortunately, the training program suffers a devastating setback when the new facility on Antaris is bombed. The Coalition is behind it, and it makes finding the culprits that much more urgent. Raena takes a trip to Antaris to get some face time with citizens while also trying to improve her public image.
Another almost-attack on the planet Glaendor reveals that the Coalition has continued to work on the transdimensional weapon that destroyed Quel, which has now been tethered to a handler. This ‘Pesta’ weapon may be a helpful link to the higher dimensions, but it goes missing after the encounter on Glaendor.
Recognizing the dire situation, Wil decides to interface with the ancient device discovered on Earth. He learns that it is a type of ‘bridge’, designed to lock things in the higher dimensions to a specific time and place in spacetime; it might be a way to fight back against the Erebus, but the device doesn’t work as designed and will need to be repaired. The TSS needs to find a way to use the device because the Erebus are intent on exterminating Tarans due to the Gifted population’s use of aesen, which drains the Erebus in their native dimension.
The undercover work with the Coalition reveals that the organization’s leadership is based on a ship, though there are also indications that there’s an important operation happening on the planet Zeron. Wil is ultimately able to use a backdoor in the independent jump drive tech to track the command ship, but it appears to be a trap.
Jason cautiously leads the infiltration of the Coalition ship. Once on board, he encounters two Gatekeeper hybrids who seem all too willing to let them search the ship. He realizes the entire thing was a setup, designed to throw the TSS off the real trail. Magdalena, the only Taran on the Coalition’s leadership council, is killed, but her assistant Hanek is brought in for questioning.
With the Coalition’s alien leaders still on the loose and the Empire so unstable due to the insidious influence, Wil lays the groundwork for the TSS and Guard to take joint decisive action, should the need arise. Monsari needs to be brought down and the aliens need to be stopped. The real fight for the Empire’s future is about to begin…
Chapter 1
Jason never expected to find himself on a Tararian Guard ship, but he had to admit that their stealth tech was unlike anything in the TSS fleet. “It’s kinda fun being able to sneak around like this,” he said to Kira.
She smiled at him from across the small vessel’s flight deck, where the two of them were observing the operation along with several members of Jason’s Coalition task force team. “Pays to have friends with cool toys.”
The TSS didn’t have stealth ships of its own, as the perceived presence of the organization was almost as powerful as having a visible Agent; therefore, all TSS ships were a symbol, meant to be seen. By contrast, the Guard had dedicated special operations teams whose primary functions were to gather information without anyone knowing they were there. Kira had previously been attached to one of those units, and her former commander still captained one of the preeminent vessels, the Raven.
The ship had enabled Jason’s team to covertly approach several of Monsari Power Solutions’ facilities to gather information about their operations and assess how best to seize the assets. While the other sites they’d visited thus far had matched the specs stated in MPS’ public records, this latest facility had exhibited several irregularities, observable even from a distance.
Located on an out-of-the-way asteroid, it was the kind of place no one would stumble across unless they had reason to be there. It would seem, for that reason, MPS hadn’t gone to much effort to conceal the fact that they were up to more than the expected business operations.
Robotic soldiers standing three meters tall, complete with shoulder-mounted guns, paced in front of the door. At least a dozen additional guards of the flesh and blood variety were positioned in lookouts above and around the entrance. The transport ships at the dock were equally guarded, with an armed escort accompanying a series of crates being transferred to one of the waiting vessels.
Jason reviewed the scan data displayed as a holographic overlay on the front viewscreen, which supported his visual assessment. “We have a problem, don’t we?”
Gina, one of his fellow TSS Agents on his task force, scowled at the scene. “That certainly doesn’t look like a typical parts supply warehouse.”
“Funny, I was thinking the same thing.” Despite the levity in his tone, Jason was concerned about what it all might mean.
On paper, this MPS warehouse should hold standard repair equipment to maintain systems connected to power cores. While valuable and worthy of security, this operation had the appearance of a military installation. He could have justified it as MPS simply being cautious, but there were other facilities with the same specs on paper which hadn’t had a fraction of this kind of security, indicating that something was different here—a clandestine aspect of the operation that they were intent to keep secret.
“Sir, we’re picking up some strange readings in the GP scan,” Anya said, looking over the shoulder of the Raven’s helm officer. As the team’s tech specialist, she’d been tasked with verifying the ground-penetrating scan data gathered during the recon mission.
The scans could only paint a partial picture of what was going on inside the facility, but it was the best information they had at their disposal without sending in a team to look around. The imaging results were indeed unexpected.
“Ateron?” Jason stared at the scan data with interest. “What are they doing with high concentrations of ateron out here?”
“Technically, it appears to be an alloy, of sorts,” Anya chimed in. “Which is strange, since ateron has no known alloys—but this definitely isn’t pure.”
“Has there been any sign of something like this before?” Jason asked.
“Yes, in the Gatekeeper tec
h,” Gina said, crossing her arms. “But why does the Coalition have it?”
The element was not only rare but also extraordinarily expensive. The Lynaedans had control of the largest known deposits, but they were known for closely regulating the material they supplied to others. Even the TSS had difficulty getting enough to service the ships equipped with bioelectronic interfaces; ateron was necessary for those systems, and the limited supply meant the TSS had never been able to construct as many ships with those features as they would have liked. The fact that the Coalition had somehow gained access to the material was both annoying and confounding.
“Can we get any estimates of quantity based on this scan data?” Jason asked.
“We’ll have to get closer,” Kira said. “Even then, I don’t know. There’s some weird interference.”
“Is it reasonable to get closer?”
She evaluated the information on the screen. “I can’t guarantee they won’t be able to spot us, but I will say we’ve gotten closer under more difficult circumstances without detection.”
“Good enough for me,” Jason said. “Let’s see if we can find out more.”
Kira gave a nod of agreement to the pilot, who then directed the ship closer to the asteroid.
Jason watched the information display, waiting for the scan data to update.
“All right, it looks like there’s a significant deposit of the ateron alloy underground in this area here,” Anya said, pointing at the relevant area on the screen.
To Jason’s eye, it appeared to be a large storehouse. The material was showing up as a singular blob rather than individual items, but the general shape of it gave him the impression it was in stacked crates. The format didn’t matter, though; the point was that MPS had ateron, and they should have no reason to possess it.