Mars Outer Shipyards (MOS) – This shipyard was once the premier shipyard in all of the Sol system. Built in 3229, the shipyard’s main structure is over 1000 kilometers in length with thousands of cubic kilometers of equipment and detached service yards surrounding it. The shipyard’s pre-eminence faded as the conditions that made the MIS more economical improved. In 4123 it was still one of the busiest shipyards in the Sol system, but until it won the Intrepid’s contract it had not done a high-profile build in decades.
OuterSol – Is the region of space between the main asteroid belt and the inside of the main Kuiper belt—though this has shifted as political entities shift.
New Eden – Known on charts as 82 Eridani, this stellar system was terraformed by the FGT in the late forty-first and early forty-second centuries. The stellar primary is a Sol-like star with two Earth-like planets in orbit.
Sol – This is the name of the star which in antiquity was simply referred to as ‘the sun’. Because humans call the star that lights up their daytime sky ‘the sun’ in every system it became common practice to refer to Sol by its proper name.
Sol system – The Sol system used to be referred to as the solar system. However, as humans began to first think about, and then actually colonize, other stellar systems it became obvious that the term was very Sol-centric. The common usage became to call the systems simply by the name of the star. For example: Tau Ceti system, Alpha Centauri system, etc… Because humankind’s home star is named Sol, the term Sol system came into use.
Scattered Worlds – is a political entity that contains many of the trans-Neptunian worlds. Its nominal inner border is the main Kuiper belt and its outer border is the Hills Oort cloud. The capital of the Scattered Worlds is Makemake.
Terra – This is the Latin name for the Earth and (though there are some exceptions) is not commonly used to refer to the planet. However, it is often used to refer to Earth, High Terra and Luna (as well as the assorted nations within the Terran sphere of influence).
Terran Hegemony – This is the official name for the InnerSol worlds either directly governed by Terra or existing well within its geo-political influence. Notable worlds in the Terran Hegemony are Venus and Mercury.
Toro (1685 Toro) – Toro is an asteroid that has a resonant 5:8 orbit with Earth and a 5:13 resonant orbit with Venus. This means for every 5 of Earth’s orbits and every 8 of Toro’s, it orbits Sol in resonance with the earth. During that period it appears as though Toro orbits the earth. It also makes for cost effective cargo transfer to Toro during that period. Toro, like Cruithne, is a useful slingshot accelerator for cargo being sent to OuterSol.
The original asteroid was roughly 3 kilometers in diameter, but subsequent construction expanded it irregularly by several more kilometers. It was made famous by what has been termed ‘The Massacre of Toro’, an event in which Tanis Richards played a key role.
PEOPLE
Abby Redding – Engineer and responsible for building the Intrepid.
Amanda – One of the two human AI interfaces for the Intrepid.
Amy Lee – MCSF first lieutenant responsible for the Intrepid’s physical security.
Angharad – TBI Security AI on Cruithne.
Angela – A military intelligence sentient AI embedded within Tanis.
Arsenal – Captain of the TSS Arcturus.
Bob – Bob is the AI who controls and runs the Intrepid. The child of seventeen unique and well-regarded AI as well as the mind of Earnest Redding, he is perhaps the most advanced AI ever created. He is the first multi-nodal AI to have each individual node be as powerful as the largest NSIA—and remain sane and cogent.
Brandt – Commander of the Intrepid’s First Marine Battalion, Bravo Company.
Collins – First lieutenant in the GSS acquisitions department.
Clyde – Captain with the Cruithne Police Force.
Earnest Redding – Engineer responsible for much of the Intrepid’s design.
Hilda Orion – The Intrepid’s astronavigator.
Jason Andrews – An old spacer who has completed several interstellar journeys. Captain of the GSS Intrepid.
Jessica Keller – An agent in the Terran Bureau of Investigations. Jessica was placed on the Intrepid by Myrrdan for reasons unknown.
John Cardid – A political dissident who took over the Toro asteroid and began extreme human experimentation and modification.
Joseph Evans – Commander in the TSF, pilot and CO of the Intrepid’s three fighter wings.
Mick Evans – First mate on the Intrepid.
Ouri – GSS lieutenant, then commander, responsible for internal physical and net security on the Intrepid.
Peters – GSS lieutenant in the shipnet maintenance department.
Priscilla – One of the two human AI interfaces for the Intrepid. Because acting as Bob’s human avatar is very taxing, Priscilla and Amanda perform the duties on a rotation.
Dr. Rosenberg – Chief medical officer on the Intrepid.
Sue – AI partnered with Trist.
Tanis Richards – Member of the TSF military intelligence and counterinsurgency branch holding the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Terrance Enfield – Financial backer for the GSS Intrepid.
Trist – A small-time thief on the CHO, Trist assisted Tanis stopping the STR from destroying the Intrepid and both in gratitude, and to offer her protection, she was granted a colony berth on the ship.
Intrepid’s Marine 1st Battalion
Under the direction of Admiral Sanderson, Tanis formed a Marine battalion from qualified members of the colony roster.
Battalion Command
Battalion Commander – Lt. Colonel Tanis Richard
Company HQ
CO – Commander Brandt
XO – First Lieutenant Ryan
E8 – First Sergeant Drake
E7 – Gunnery Sergeant Gomez
Company AI – Casey
2nd Platoon
Platoon Commander – Lieutenant Smith
Platoon Sergeant – Staff Sergeant Turin
Squad 1
Squad leader – Sergeant Lee
Fireteam 1 (one/one)
Ready – PFC Lindsey
Team – Corporal Hill
Fire – PFC Bauer
Assist – PFC Krause
Fireteam 2 (one/two)
Ready – PFC Sarin
Team – Lance Corporal Nair
Fire – PFC Ramos
Assist – PFC Sergey
3rd Platoon
Platoon Commander – Lieutenant Arin
Marine Force Recon Orbital Drop Battalion (FROD)
On Toro, Tanis commanded the 242 FROD Marine Battalion. She was directly embedded with the same platoon she later called to the Intrepid for security during its construction.
Battalion Command
Battalion Commander – Lt. Colonel Tanis Richard
Executive Officer – Major Ender
Battalion AI – Bruno
4th Platoon
Platoon Sergeant – Williams
Platoon Commander – Lieutenant Tippin
Squad 1
Squad leader – Sergeant Kowalski
Fireteam 1 (one/one)
Ready – PFC Lang
Team – Lance Corporal Jansen
Fire – PFC Cassar
Assist – PFC Murphy
Ready – PFC Weber
Team – Corporal Taylor
Fire – PFC Perez
Assist – PFC Koller
Tech – Lance Corporal Dvorak
Fireteam 3 (one/three)
Ready – PFC Jacobs
Team – Lance Corporal Becker
Fire – PFC Martins
Assist – PFC Larsen
Squad 2 (weapons squad)
Squad leader – Sergeant Yeager
Fireteam 1 (two/one)
Ready – PFC Arsen
Team – Corporal Salas
Fire – PFC Altair
Assist – PFC Reddy
Fireteam 2 (two/two)
Ready – PFC Meyer
Team – Lance Corporal Olsen
Fire – PFC Gruber (Heavy Weapons)
Assist – PFC Araya
Fireteam 3 (two/three)
Ready – PFC Popov
Team – Lance Corporal Chang
Fire – PFC Varga (Heavy Weapons)
Assist – PFC Walker
Squad 3
Squad leader – Sergeant Li
Fireteam 1 (three/one)
Ready – PFC Kwon
Team – Lance Corporal Mishra
Fire – PFC Pham
Assist – PFC Santos
Fireteam 2 (three/two)
Ready – PFC Berg
Team – Corporal Endo
Fire – PFC Romano
Assist – PFC Slater
Fireteam 3 (three/three)
Ready – PFC Jones
Team – Corporal Tanaka
Fire – PFC Reed
Assist – PFC Dias
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Cooper likes to think of himself as a jack-of-all-trades (and hopes to become master of a few). When not writing he can be found writing software, working in his shop at his latest carpentry project, or likely reading a book.
He shares his home with a precocious young girl, his wonderful wife (who also writes), a cat, a never-ending list of things he would like to build, and ideas…
Find out what’s coming next at www.theintrepidsaga.com
Table of Contents
MARS
CALAMITY
ALONE IN THE DARK
ESTRELLA DE LA MUERTE
THE LONG SHOT
THE LONG DARK
EXCELSIOR
THE BUTCHER OF TORO
CRACKING A FEW EGGS
CHURN AND BURN
SUBTERFUGE
FISHING FOR ROCKS
INCONSISTENCIES
ALTERED AGENT
CRUITHNE AGAIN?
CHASING MYRRDAN
SUBVERSION
INTERLUDE
NEW ORDER
BECOMING > HUMAN
STARING INTO THE BLACK
ANNIHILATOR
KAPTEYN’S STAR
MYRRDAN