Empire’s Passing
J.W. Morris
Author Bio
As an aerospace engineer with a passion for space travel and military history, science fiction is an extension of who Joe Morris is. He was introduced to science fiction through Tom Swift by his third grade teacher in New York City more than fifty years ago. From that point he knew he wanted to be an engineer and an astronaut.
He had a forty year career as an aerospace engineer in which he earned six patents and technical achievement awards for innovation and new technology. He also had a number of other successes including taking part in the early development of propulsion systems currently flying in the U.S. missile defense. Recently, he led a team delivering rocket thrusters for NOAA’s (U.S. Weather Service) next weather satellite. His interests are diverse, ranging from history to quantum physics to management of small businesses (he cofounded a successful web-based business).
Unfortunately, Joe never quite lived up to his childhood dreams of becoming an astronaut and working on a fusion drive that would take humanity to the stars. But dreams don’t die, so now he uses his imagination and writing to take us to the stars, instead.
Description
Empire’s Passing is the first book in the Imperium Succession Saga, a series chronicling the struggles of the Landsman noble family of the planet New Meyer to come to terms with a new reality where, in order to survive, the very freedoms they’re fighting for have become a hindrance. How much freedom and privacy do you give up for security?
In Empire’s Passing, the Imperium, the interstellar empire that has kept peace for more than six hundred years, is under siege by the Goth Alliance. The Imperium’s capital, Earth, is bombarded with asteroids from space. The Goths are led by the High Priestess of Nearyahn, a being whose mind merged with an alien Neary, giving her the power to control Humans’ emotions and thoughts. Her tentacles of influence have spread across the dying Imperium. While New Meyer has developed new weapons technologies to withstand the military might of the Goth Alliance, it stands helpless to resist the nefarious Neary mind altering abilities. Duke Michael Landsman takes a desperate gamble to save New Meyer. He’s faced with the choice of trying to defend his world or a long shot attempt to save the Imperium that makes New Meyer an even bigger target.
New Meyer is befriended by a billion-year-old race not willing to lose its investment in the expectation that someday Humans may join them in their discorporate existence. These Passimians give the Landsmans and a small number of allies Neary-like abilities to read and influence other people’s thoughts, enabling them to detect and defeat Neary infiltrators who seek to undermine the Landsman family. However, sometimes the benefits of a new technology to solve a crisis may open a whole new set of issues, particularly when no instruction manual is provided. With the power to influence other people’s thoughts comes the temptation to use it for one’s own gain. As they struggle with the implications of their new abilities, the New Meyerians face the ultimate question: “What does it mean to be Human?” Empire’s Passing sets the stage for the struggle to come in the Imperium Succession Saga, one of survival, not only of a race, but its identity.
Book excerpt
Suddenly he found himself staring into his father’s hard, steel gray eyes. It was like looking in a mirror with an older version of the same square chin and slightly oversized nose. Duke Alexander’s features were the grimmest Michael had ever seen.
“Son, by the time you receive this I’ll be dead. Our worst fears will have come to pass, only decades earlier than expected. Earth will have been sacked and the Imperium will be on the verge of collapse. I’m linking now. See for yourself.”
The image switched and Michael was looking out of his father’s eyes at the busy flag conn of battleship Duke of New Meyer. There were a couple of open e-windows connecting to the TacNet floating in front of him. One immediately caught his attention. It contained no data, only the image of a blue and brown sphere shining against the black canvas of the universe. Earth. Something about those colors merged deep down inside him creating an emotional tie that was almost irresistible.
“Catches you, doesn’t it?” his father asked softly.
Michael had to stop himself from answering out loud, remembering it was only a recording. Yes, it’s true. A beautiful world. Something kept drawing his gaze back. He let the sounds of the battleship’s flag conn flow around him. The implant could not and did not catch his father’s thoughts, only the sensory inputs streaming in through sight, sound, and smell. Still, Michael couldn’t shake the feeling of actually being on the battleship and inside his father’s mind.
“Our idiot Emperor has really done it this time.” His father continued with the clipped speech of subvocal communication. “Do you believe his stupidity? He sent Admiral Kamarov off with half the fleet on some show the flag tour. You can see the tactical realities as well as I can. We’re outnumbered three to one. The longer range of our blast cannon to their kinetic projectiles won’t make that up.”
Michael tensed as the two fleets sped toward each other. Why hasn’t the Home Fleet opened fire yet to take advantage of their blast cannon’s longer range?
He almost had to smile as his father’s recording seemingly answered his question. “Our glorious Emperor has ordered holding fire until we can be sure of a higher chance of hits. Geez, son, maybe the Imperium deserves to die,” Alexander muttered subvocally, his voice only slightly muffled and distorted. “Duty, Honor, Imperium. Maybe we should add stupidity to that.”
Goth cruisers on the open sensor windows moved in and launched their kinetic projectiles. At a predetermined distance from the Imperium fleet the projectiles exploded and released hundreds of baseball-sized submunitions in rapidly expanding waves. They covered an area that would prevent the target ships from dodging them. The Imperium fleet’s point defense rapid discharge lasers opened fire. Hull mounted countermeasure tubes launched a dust cloud of nanocrystalline materials designed to damage or destroy the incoming submunitions.
Author Website
http://www.imperiumsuccession.com