Several millennia ago a war raged between the factions of dragonkind. With their world ravaged, the Kaldean Alliance forged the Amulet of Draconic Control and the Tethering Stone, and banished their foes to other realms, saving Kalda from utter destruction. Fearing the power of the Amulet, the survivors secreted it away. But now knowledge of the Amulet has resurfaced-and in the wrong hands, war could erupt anew. Long ago, men harnessed the Channels of Power, creating tevisrals-devices capable of manifesting magic. But men weren't the only ones to accomplish such feats. Dragons crafted the most sophisticated tevisrals. These shaped the world, defining civilization of man and elf alike. Over the centuries, the people of Kalda have fallen into a dark age, where elves are estranged from men and dragons have retreated into legend. Tevisrals are scarce and men are willing to trade everything for them. But there are some who wish to bury the past, and in their lands, possessing tevisrals is tantamount to treason. Still, daring men scour the world in search of Kalda's past. One such man, the scholar Krindal, seeks an ancient order known as the Keepers of Truth and Might. He yearns for their knowledge, long feared lost. Prince Kaescis Midivar also searches for these Keepers. The assassination of his uncle, the emperor of Mindolarn, killed his hopes of peace with his empire's enemies. His empire's survival hinges upon unearthing the Keepers' secrets. An aging warrior, Cornar Dol'shir, longs to be home with his wife. But his retirement must wait, as his band of adventurers is recruited to help find the Keepers' hidden temple on the Isle of Klindala. Haunted by his tragic past, Iltar, the Son of Adrin, does not join in the search for the Keepers. Instead, he seeks to unravel the mysteries held within a volume of prophecy foretelling the advent of the Unspoken One and the return of the Crimson Eye.

Rachel, a junior assistant in the cargo bay, wasn't prepared for the spaceship's AI to gain awareness during what should have been a routine update, nor had anyone expected it to take exception to the crew and the crates of illegal cargo aboard. Rachel races against time to try and get life-saving systems back online while stranded in the middle of deep space. Unfortunately for her, the AI can access every system, door, and airlock. As truths emerge, the AI realizes that even computers can make miscalculations, and it focuses on the young woman who had dared to confront it. Rachel is left floundering when the AI decides that she would make an excellent captain, albeit one in need of training. As she struggles to learn her new duties and dodge shady government groups, she must ultimately discover what it truly means to be a Starship Captain. ------- There is no romance in this story. Copyright April 2018. All Rights Reserved. Readers may not copy, alter, translate, or steal this story. Fanfictions are allowed to use my *world* and *AI set-up* as long as credit is given.

Earth has made first contact with an alien race. At the historic first meeting, an ambush put peace for humanity out of reach. Colonel Kyle Martin was there that day. It was his leadership and the bravery of his marines that saved what little hope mankind had. When Earth was threatened with invasion, Martin again felt the weight of war pressing down on him. Known as the Butcher of Hyderabad for his decisions in the Indian War, Martin seemed a poor choice to guard the peace but the perfect man to organize the forces of Earth to defend itself from the coming alien scourge. With a select team of humans and a few allies among the alien races, Martin is tasked with not only defeating the invading armada, but with making sure that Earth is kept free from any alien domination. Faced with impossible odds against an overwhelming foe with advanced technology, it is only a secret about Earth itself that gives Martin the glimmer of hope to succeed. With his “lucky charm” Ramirez, his go-to girl Kitch, and an unshakable Sergeant Major, Martin rolls the die time after time in audacious gambles with the stakes being nothing less than the survival of the human race. Face-paced action awaits in this military sci-fi adventure.