Bond Proof
The Apprentice, Volume 7
EG Manetti
A Twelve Systems Chronicle
The Twelve Systems Chronicles
The Cartel: The Apprentice, Volume 1
Bright Star: The Apprentice, Volume 2
Transgressions: The Apprentice, Volume 3
Fortuna: The Apprentice, Volume 4
Serengeti Valor: The Apprentice, Volume 5
Nightingale: The Apprentice, Volume 6
Bond Proof: The Apprentice, Volume 7
*** Coming in 2020***
Chalice Bearer: Thornraven, Volume 1
Copyright
©2019 by Buniac Entertainment, LLC.
With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or used in whole or in part by any means without the written permission of Buniac Entertainment.
All Rights Reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
ISBN: 978-0-9997371-4-9
In Memory
Mary Eunice Gorman Manetti
1932—2019
She took the road less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
CONTENTS
The Twelve Systems Chronicles
Copyright
List of Characters
The Twelve Systems
1. Phantoms and Fantasy
2. Enter the Heir
3. Free-Traders
4. Cotillion
5. Recall
6. Bright Star Command Crew
7. Free-Trader Negotiations
8. Gray and Black Commerce
9. Wayward Kin
10. The Third System’s Governor
11. Margovians and Mercios
12. The Inversion
13. Rats in a Maze
14. Villains and Heroes
15. Free-Traders and Festival
16. Jonathan’s Cotillion
17. Investigations and Revelations
18. Advancement
19. Discipline
20. Prize Hunters
21. Final Trials
22. Bond Proof
Chalice Bearer: Thornraven, Volume 1
The Apprentice Protocol
Devotional Litanies
Glossary of the Twelve Systems
Acknowledgements
About the Author
List of Characters
~The Glossary of the Twelve Systems is at the back of the book.~
The Serengeti Group
Blooded Dagger Cartouche—Vistrite
Lucius Mercio, Monsignor—Preeminence of Serengeti and Blooded Dagger
Nickolas Cyncad, Protégé
Lilian, Apprentice
Marieth, executive servitor
George, Lucius’ driver and bodyguard
Diana, Western Fisheries Master
Marco, Seigneur—Bright Star
Blythe, Apprentice
Solomon, Seigneur—Vistrite Conservator (fallen in battle)
Amanda, Chief Refiner, Vistrite Refinery
Cedric, Refinery Master, Desperation in the Sixth System
Jurian, Seigneur—Vistrite, Metricelli Deuce
Prospero, Protégé
Rachelle, Seigneur—Serengeti and Blooded Dagger Research and Development
Irina, Protégé (fallen in battle)
Chrys, Apprentice
Simon, Senior Associate
Magnus, Associate, Mercium
Raleigh, Eleventh System Deacon, Mercium agent to the Eleventh and Twelfth Systems
Caoimhe, Security Chief
Bran, Navigator
Trevelyan, Seigneur—Serengeti and Blooded Dagger Security-Privilege
Deidre, Associate
Malcon, Master Associate
Tabitha, Associate
Rebecca, Apprentice
Rodolfo and Joyce, Associates, also known as the ‘Grim Twins’
Clifton, executive servitor
Sheila, Commandant—Blooded Dagger Militia
Mr. Stefan, driver/bodyguard
Mrs. Zdenka, security guard
Nemilis, Seigneur—Blooded Dagger Media Management
Gil, Associate (self-slaughtered)
Hadrian, Seigneur—Serengeti and Blooded Dagger Financials
Daphne, Senior Associate
Demitrov, Senior Associate
Grey Spear Cartouche—Logistics and Distribution
Hercules Mehta, Monsignor—Preeminence of Grey Spear
Sebastian Mehta, Monsignor—former Preeminence of Grey Spear (banished from Serengeti)
Martin Argon, protégé (banished from Serengeti)
Aristides, Seigneur—Serengeti and Grey Spear Media Management
Douglas, Associate
Ayesha, Seigneur—Grey Spear Logistics and Supply
Damocles, Seigneur—Serengeti and Grey Spear Security-Privilege (executed)
Emalia, Apprentice (fallen in battle)
Gwyneth, Seigneur—Grey Spear Bright Star
Jasper Mollari, Protégé
Garwynn, Seigneur—Grey Spear Financials (kinsman to Sebastian Mehta)
Jarrod, Captain—the Nightingale
Ann Hunter, Associate (murdered; former sycophant to Martin Argon)
Okoth Custennin, Seigneur—Grey Spear Fourth System
Natalia Custennin, Seigneur Okoth’s heir and Lilian’s former friend
Graham Tudorian, Senior Associate—Fortuna Logistics and Supply
Vanek, Seigneur—Grey Spear First System
Iron Hammer Cartouche—Controller Fabrication
Elenora Odestil, Monsignor—Preeminence of Iron Hammer
Kemeha, Seigneur—Iron Hammer Engineering
Fletcher Detrenti, Protégé
Herman, Seigneur—Legalistics Lead, Cartel and Cartouche
Clarice, Apprentice
Tristan, Seigneur
Verity, Apprentice
Roger Macomber, Associate (slain in battle; sycophant to Martin Argon)
Cartel
Straus, Associate Master
Vicenza, Associate (fallen in battle)
Fyona, Apprentice (slain in battle)
Liger, Archive Master
The Matahorn Alliance
Broken Blade Cartouche
Horatio Margovian, Monsignor—Preeminence of Broken Blade and Matahorn
Damien St. Gervais, former Protégé
Basil Vylasi, Protégé
William, Seigneur—Bright Star (Horatio’s son and heir)
Dark Axe Cartouche
Omar Petrovich, Monsignor—Preeminence of Dark Axe
Gregor Matwan, Associate, Crevasse City (executed)
Fenrir, Seigneur—Bright Star (executed)
Mayling Boreas, Protégé
Bright Fire Cartouche
Sarah Guedez, Monsignor—Preeminence of Bright Fire
Benmyn Empire, Seigneur—Cartouche Security-Privilege
The Leonardo Society
Steel Spike Cartouche
Angus Blackthorn, Monsignor—Preeminence of Steel Spike and Leonardo
Declan Red-Eagle, Protégé
Aidan, Senior Associate
Pippa Kailani, Associate
Red Saber Cartouche
Coyote Meterand, Monsignor—Preeminence of Red Saber
Crevasse City
Apollo Acacia, Adelaide’s Lord Prelate
Aurorabella (Rorie), Solomon’s daughter
Brianne Detrenti, Fletcher’s twin sister
Bronwyn, Conrad and Tobi’s daughter
Cesare, Lucius and Estella’s son
Ch
loe, Lady, Solomon’s wife
Conrad, Seigneur, Persia’s son
Darvyd, Sinead’s Lord Prelate
Elysia, Lucius and Estella’s daughter
Estella, Lady, Lucius’ wife
Flavia, fallen Adelaide’s Discipline Master
Gloribelle, a sparkly tree wombat and Katleen’s pet
Harold, Conrad and Tobi’s son
Helena Faesetili, Lilian’s mother and Sinead’s Seer
Hidaka, café owner and friend to the Faesetilis
Hilda, legitimate odds manager
Jamal Argon, Nickolas’ cousin
Jenica, Marco’s daughter
Joachim, Conrad and Tobi’s son
Katleen Faesetili, Lilian’s sister
Kyndel, Rimon’s Shrine Keeper
Lynette, Lady, Marco’s wife
Marigold, Estella’s personal servitor
Marisa, Aristides’ daughter and heir
Micah, Solomon’s son and heir
Moira, Third System Lady Governor
Nessa, Raphael’s personal servitor
Persia, Monsignor, Preeminence of the Third System Commodity Exchange
Raphael, Lucius and Estella’s son
Remus Gariten, Lilian’s father (executed)
Sabri, Lucius’ personal servitor
Sam, Mercio pastry chef
Spider Stone, enforcer for Tiger Sylvester
Signy, Captain, Third System Militia
Tiberius, Lucius’ father (deceased)
Tiger Sylvester, black commerce raider
Tobi, Lady, Conrad’s spouse
Tulip, driver and bodyguard for Raphael, Cesare, and Elysia
Virgil, Socraide’s Shrine Keeper
Waiman, Sinead’s Shrine Keeper
Other
Andreas, Master Scholar of Ancients Studies and Lilian’s former lover
Joseph, Dean, Preeminence of Mulan’s Temple and Lilian’s foster father
Karin Kailani, Mulan acolyte on Fortuna and cousin to Pippa
Orpheus, Master Scholar of Rimon’s Canon, University of Socraide Prime
Rhyliss, Chrys’ sister and youngest sibling
Ronan, Universalist Balance Way Master (slain by pirates)
Rupert, Dean, Preeminence of Rimon’s Academia and Rebecca’s academic bondholder
The Twelve Systems
The society of the Twelve Systems is dominated by the warrior elite, the genetic descendants of the Five Warriors of Antiquity. These five warlords ended three centuries of interstellar warfare known as the Anarchy and established the modern Order and its governing protocols. In the millennium since the end of the Anarchy, the warrior elite have consolidated societal control into a handful of vast commercial interests. The most powerful and wealthy are the cartels.
For centuries, the Serengeti Group has controlled Vistrite, the semi-liquid crystal essential to all advanced technology and the cornerstone of Serengeti wealth and prestige. Under the command of the devious, ruthless, and unconventional Lucius Mercio, the Serengeti Group recently catapulted from fourth to third among the cartels due to the formation of the Bright Star Consortium—the first significant attempt at stellar expansion in over two centuries—and the discovery of a synthetic form of Vistrite known as Mercium. These two endeavors have not only propelled Serengeti forward, they will also forever alter commerce in the Twelve Systems. After a decade of strife, Lucius has also finally succeeded in deposing his rival, Sebastian Mehta of Grey Spear, for control of Serengeti. Guilty of treason against the cartel, Sebastian was ruled Disordered in His Wits and banished to a distant system.
Known to only a few is that Lucius’ notorious apprentice, Lilian, is at the center of Serengeti’s rise and Sebastian Mehta’s downfall. In the aftermath of her father’s execution for terrible crimes, Lilian was convicted of Guilt by Blood. In return for her life, Lilian vowed to serve three years as Lucius’ indentured servant, yielding him total control of her body, intellect, and will. However, Lilian proved to be a great deal more than brilliant; her loyalty and courage were the catalyst for Mercium well before Bright Star was formed, and her consortium of apprentices and low-ranked associates were instrumental in uncovering Sebastian’s many crimes.
With Lucius’ ascendance, few in the cartel will openly torment Lilian for her despised father’s crimes and her corrupt genetics, though many continue to intrigue for her destruction. With the aid of his inner circle, Lucius was able to avert Lilian’s downfall long enough to prove that Sebastian’s enforcer, Seigneur Damocles, sabotaged the valuable Desperation refinery where Lilian is conservator and responsible for operations. When Damocles and Sebastian were unmasked as the leaders of the Despoilers, a foul cult of Anarchy, their followers invaded the cartel to free Damocles. Only the intervention of Lilian and her consortium preserved the cartel, although during the battle many loyal Serengeti retainers were slain.
In the aftermath of battle, the search for Despoilers continues throughout the Twelve Systems. Determined that nothing will halt Bright Star, Lucius maintained the schedule for the launch of the stellar exploration vehicle, Nightingale. Yet the voyage to its construction site on Fortuna twice required Lilian to defend herself against assassins and a rogue prelate intent on her death. Even with increased security, now that her bond is entering its final season, the forces that wish to destroy Lilian are becoming increasingly deadly—and desperate.
1.
Phantoms and Fantasy
The initial pirate assaults on the prosperous Universalist settlements in the Eleventh and Twelfth Systems were thought to be no more than aggressive black raiders exploiting those systems’ limited militia defenses and the Universalists’ refusal to engage in combat. It was not until a Serengeti supply depot was destroyed, and all on duty murdered, that the rest of the Twelve Systems suspected that these were organized attacks by vicious adversaries of order. With the aid of the governors’ militias, Serengeti forces protected the Vistrite trade routes while a rogue sect of Universalists sought to preserve the settlements in the Eleventh and Twelfth Systems. When the two groups united, Serengeti led the combined forces to the defeat of the pirates, restoring order to the Twelve Systems. ~ excerpt from A Modern History of the Twelve Systems, an instructional text.
Sevenday 133, Day 6
I am the sum of my ancestors. Perched on Master Chin’s examination table, Lilian attempts to sift the morning’s events. At dawn, Flavia performed contrition for defying the will of Adelaide’s Lord Prelate Apollo and the related attempt on Lilian’s life. The brutal scourging was difficult to witness, but the conditions Apollo placed on Flavia’s redemption are astounding. The fallen prelate is to be Lilian’s servant and bodyguard. In the aftermath, Lilian was taken by an insight that left her unconscious until milord could rouse her and is the cause for the master medic’s examination. For all she has denied ill effects, the strange blankness when she attempts to recall the morning’s insight is troubling.
Examining his devices, the medic says, “I assure you, Lucius, whatever provoked the episode you describe, it was not arsenic. That substance was well flushed from her system a sevenday gone.”
Adelaide’s grace. Milord’s dark expression lightens, reflecting her relief and giving her hope he will rescind his command that she return home for the day.
Milord’s eyes narrow, and he shakes his head. “My will is unaltered.”
He has read her mind. Again. With a morose nod, she accepts the decree.
Oblivious to her exchange with milord, Master Chin taps his slate, his black eyes narrowing as he focuses on the reviewer. “The delivery method for the arsenic might yet have hold of her metabolism. That euphoric was a sophisticated agent. I would enjoy an opportunity to have converse with its inventor.”