Darklands—???
Dotax—An ice-covered planet ringed by frozen asteroids. Dotax’s dark side is lethal, with temperatures dropping far below freezing. The promise of a hypothermic death keeps the native Dotaxians on the move, staying ahead of the darkness that always follows them.
Durang—For years, this planet suffered under a civil war waged in response to the assassination of its unpopular overlord. The war was ended, justly, by Rai forces.
Eris—Though an Inner Cluster world, Eris maintains a closed-door policy, discouraging people from entering or leaving the planet. The royal family rules justly enough, protected by their Qel security drones.
Galibad—One of the most central Inner Cluster worlds and the seat of the Galactic Alliance.
Hesbon—A harsh planetoid covered in jutting rocks and mountains; its inhabitants, like Rai Master Plar, live in the man-made tunnels beneath the surface.
Kyysring—Known for its criminal delights, Kyysring is the place people go to get what they can’t have and do what they’re not supposed to. Though most of the planetoid is covered by an uninhabitable desert, its small city and spaceport pack in enough character to rival the most bustling core worlds. It’s also where Cade, Tristan, and Mig grew up.
Lehara—A small agrarian moon in the Latos system populated by a pacifist species. Resultant of the resistance to Praxis demanding that a stronghold be established there, nazine gas was unleashed on the planet, causing a near genocide.
Mithlador—A mining planet in the Galactic Fringe occupied by Praxis.
Ohan—A tropical world bordering the Galactic Fringe, Ohan is a paradise that also serves as a getaway to the Inner Cluster. It is also Master Nu Kan’s home planet.
Praxis—An urban planet just beyond the Inner Cluster, Praxis has grown to annex other worlds, spreading its flag across the stars as it looks to rule the entire galaxy.
Quarry—A forlorn planet that once cultivated a rare spice that was traded throughout the entire galaxy. But that was before Praxis unleashed its star-killing wrath on Quarry, blanketing it in eternal darkness and ensuring that no one would be able to remove the legendary Rokura from its stasis.
Ragnar—Ragnar is a trading outpost located directly between the beginning of the Galactic Fringe and Kyysring, making for a hotbed of activity.
Sulac—A bleak desert planet that would be abandoned if not for its strategic position along a key trading route.
Ticus—A mountainous, idyllic world isolated outside the Inner Cluster. For centuries, it served as a destination for religious pilgrimage. After the death of Wu-Xia, it evolved into the Well, a place for spiritual warriors to train as they defended peace and justice throughout the galaxy.
COOL STUFF
Echoes—Standard starfighters used by the Well.
Fatebreakers—Agents of Ga Halle, these highly trained, brutal warriors do her dirty work.
Firebrand rifle—A highly destructive and unstable weapon that discharges explosive rounds that ignite upon impact.
Intruders—Standard starfighters used by Praxis.
Nucletoid bomb—Though small, nucletoid bombs contain a concentrated amount of nucleoi, enough to decimate large areas of land with a single charge.
Outpost pistol—Poorly made and thus inexpensive blasters that are common to street gangs and other low-level criminals. They’re known for backfire malfunctions more than anything else.
Paragon—According to legend, the Paragon is the one person who can release the Rokura from its stasis and bring peace to the galaxy.
Power pike—A mysterious weapon wielded by the Darklanders. Unlike similar electricity-charged weapons, the power pikes are charged not just at the head, but throughout the entire staff.
Quanta staff—Long, heavy metallic staffs charged with electricity that pours off the massive blade on the tip of this weapon.
Rai—Warriors trained, physically and spiritually, to fight for peace and justice throughout the galaxy. They follow the example set by Wu-Xia.
Rokura—A mystical weapon, forged by Wu-Xia in the Quarry spire, that is said to have the power, when wielded by the Paragon, to bring peace to the galaxy.
Shido—Designed after the Rokura, the shido is a bo staff studded by three blades at its top. A powerful electric cell embedded in the staff pours electricity from the tips of its blades when activated.
Sidewinder—A sidearm that’s standard issue to the Well’s forces and commonly carried by many others throughout the galaxy. Its slender size makes it easy to holster, and its adjustable barrels allow for different discharge settings, ammunition, and range.
The Well—Located on the planet Ticus, the Well is the nexus for warriors from around the galaxy to train to become Rai. It has grown to also house a peacekeeping infantry of ground soldiers and starfighter pilots.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MICHAEL MORECI is a bestselling author who’s written Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and other DC superheroes. His Image Comics series, Roche Limit, was called the “sci-fi comic you need to read” by Nerdist and io9 and “One of the 50 best sci-fi comics of all time” by Paste magazine. Moreci also writes for LucasFilm, contributing to StarWars.com, and he is a regular contributor to Tor.com. He lives in Chicago with his wife, two sons, and dog. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Acknowledgments
Glossary
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
BLACK STAR RENEGADES. Copyright © 2017 by Michael Moreci. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Names: Moreci, Michael, author.
Title: Black star renegades / Michael Moreci.
Description: First edition. | New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2018.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017037539 | ISBN 978-1-250-11784-7 (hardcover) | ISBN 978-1-250-11783-0 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Space operas. | Science fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3613.071727 B57 2018 | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017037539
eISBN 9781250117830
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First Edition: January 2018
Black Star Renegades Page 36
