All Our Tomorrows Read online

  ALL OUR

  TOMORROWS

  RIVEN WORLDS BOOK FOUR

  (AMARANTHE ♦ 17)

  G. S. JENNSEN

  2021

  ALL OUR TOMORROWS

  Copyright © 2021 by G. S. Jennsen

  Cover design by Sergey Nivens and G. S. Jennsen.

  Cover typography by G. S. Jennsen.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

  Hypernova Publishing

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  Libby, Montana 59923

  www.hypernovapublishing.com

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  The Hypernova Publishing name, colophon and logo are trademarks of Hypernova Publishing.

  Ordering Information:

  Hypernova Publishing books may be purchased for educational, business or sales promotional use. For details, contact the “Special Markets Department” at the address above.

  All Our Tomorrows / G. S. Jennsen.—1st ed.

  LCCN 9781735178462

  978-1-7351784-5-5

  AMARANTHE UNIVERSE

  * * *

  AURORA RHAPSODY

  Aurora Rising

  STARSHINE

  VERTIGO

  TRANSCENDENCE

  Aurora Renegades

  SIDESPACE

  DISSONANCE

  ABYSM

  Aurora Resonant

  RELATIVITY

  RUBICON

  REQUIEM

  ASTERION NOIR

  EXIN EX MACHINA

  OF A DARKER VOID

  THE STARS LIKE GODS

  RIVEN WORLDS

  CONTINUUM

  INVERSION

  ECHO RIFT

  ALL OUR TOMORROWS

  SHORT STORIES

  Restless Vol. I • Restless Vol. II • Apogee • Solatium • Venatoris

  Re/Genesis • Meridian • Fractals • Chrysalis • Starlight Express

  Learn more at gsjennsen.com/books or visit the Amaranthe Wiki

  For all who strike out in search of the stars and freedom

  DRAMATIS PERSONAE

  * * *

  HUMANS

  Alexis ‘Alex’ Solovy Marano

  Space scout and explorer. Prevo.

  Spouse of Caleb Marano, daughter of Miriam and David Solovy.

  Caleb Marano

  Former intelligence agent. Space scout and explorer.

  Spouse of Alex Solovy, bonded to Akeso.

  Miriam Solovy (Commandant) Malcolm Jenner (Admiral)

  Leader, Concord Armed Forces. AEGIS Fleet Admiral.

  Marlee Marano Mia Requelme

  Consulate Assistant. Former Concord Senator.

  Richard Navick Morgan Lekkas

  Concord Intelligence Director. Former IDCC Cmdr. Fighter pilot.

  * * *

  ASTERIONS

  Nika Kirumase

  External Relations Advisor, Asterion Dominion Advisor Committee.

  Former NOIR leader.

  Dashiel Ridani

  Industry Advisor, Asterion Dominion Advisor Committee.

  Owner, Ridani Enterprises.

  Lance Palmer (Commander) Selene Panetier

  Military Advisor. Justice Advisor.

  Joaquim Lacese Perrin Benvenit

  Former NOIR Operations Dir. Omoikane Personnel Dir.

  Adlai Weiss Maris Debray

  Justice Advisor. Culture Advisor.

  * * *

  OTHER MAJOR CHARACTERS

  Eren Savitas asi-Idoni

  Advocacy Chief of Intelligence for Non-Anaden Affairs.

  Species: Anaden

  Mnemosyne (‘Mesme’)

  Idryma Member. Former 1st Analystae of Aurora.

  Species: Katasketousya

  Corradeo Praesidis

  Concord Senator. Head of Anaden Advocacy.

  Species: Anaden

  Akeso Lakhes

  Sentient planet. Praetor, Idryma.

  Species: Ekos Species: Katasketousya

  Casmir elasson-Machim Nyx Praesidis

  Leader, Anaden military. Advocacy Dir. of Intelligence.

  Species: Anaden Species: Anaden

  David Solovy Philippe Beaumont

  Professor, Concord SWTC. Gardiens Agent.

  Species: Human Species: Human

  Devon Reynolds Pinchutsenahn Kteh (“Pinchu”)

  Concord Special Projects Dir. Tokahe Naataan.

  Species: Human Species: Khokteh

  Enzio Vilane Supreme Three

  Head of the Rivinchi Cartel. Synthetic intelligence.

  Species: Human Species: Ruda

  Graham Delvasi Thomas

  Former SF Intelligence Dir. CAF Aurora Artificial.

  Species: Human Species: Artificial

  Kennedy Rossi Valkyrie

  CEO, Connova Interstellar. Alex’s Prevo counterpart.

  Species: Human Species: Artificial

  Kiernan Phillips

  Fighter pilot, DAF military.

  Species: Asterion

  * * *

  MINOR CHARACTERS

  Alberto Duca, SF Chairman (Human)

  Aristide Vranas, Concord Senator (Human)

  Carl Odaka, AEGIS Colonel (Human)

  Charles Gagnon, EA Prime Minister (Human)

  Cyfeill, Ourankeli leader (Ourankeli)

  Felzeor, CINT agent (Volucri)

  Grant Mesahle, DAF consultant (Asterion)

  George Takanas, Gardiens agent (Human)

  Gregor Feldt, friend of Marlee (Human)

  Meno, Mia's Prevo counterpart (Artificial)

  Miaon, former anarch agent (Yinhe)

  Noah Terrage, Connova Interstellar COO (Human)

  Onai Veshnael, Novoloume Dean, Concord Senator (Novoloume)

  Paratyr, Second Sentinel, Mirad Vigilate (Katasketousya)

  Patrici Cabo ela-Diaplas, owner, Cabo Construction (Anaden)

  Sandor Colby, AEGIS General (Human)

  Solstan Sahlann, Purgatory owner (Novoloume)

  Sotu Thisiame, Novoloume Pointe-Amiral (Novoloume)

  Spencer Nimoet, Justice Advisor (Asterion)

  Stanley, Morgan’s Prevo counterpart (Artificial)

  Tele Diya, Lieutenant, AEGIS Marines (Human)

  Trepenos Hishai, former anarch agent (Novoloume)

  William ‘Will’ Sutton, CINT Operations Director (Human)

  Wyddoniiet, Ourankeli refugee (Ourankeli)

  Xanne ela-Kyvern, former anarch officer (Anaden)

  CONCORD

  * * *

  MEMBER SPECIES

  Human

  Representative: Aristide Vranas

  Anaden

  Representative: Corradeo Praesidis

  Novoloume

  Representative: Dean Onai Veshnael

  Naraida

  Representative: Tasme Chareis

  Khokteh

  Representative: Pinchutsenahn Niikha Qhiyane Kteh

  Barisan

  Representative: Daayn Shahs-lan

  Dankath

  Representative: Bohlke’ban

  Efkam
/>   Representative: Ahhk~sae

  * * *

  ALLIED SPECIES

  Asterion Taenarin

  Katasketousya Volucri

  Fylliot Yinhe

  Ruda

  * * *

  PROTECTED SPECIES

  Ekos Icksel

  Faneros Pachrem

  Galenai Vrachnas

  THE STORY SO FAR

  * * *

  For a brief summary of the events of AMARANTHE #1-15, see the Appendix in the back of the book.

  ECHO RIFT

  On Akeso, Caleb trains Marlee in combat maneuvers while displaying a deeper, healthier connection with Akeso. When Marlee damages a tree, Caleb is able to regrow its limbs.

  Richard visits his old friend Graham Delavasi, who is running a fishing lodge in the Seneca mountains. Richard tries to convince Graham to come work for CINT, to no avail.

  In the Asterion Dominion, Nika puts her original body into stasis, opting to continue to use the kyoseil-saturated body Dashiel crafted for her. When asked why, she says it’s because kyoseil is the answer to everything.

  The Rasu attempt to attack Mirai, only to find it protected by a Rift Bubble. They probe the other Axis Worlds, then settle for attacking one of the Adjunct colonies. The Advisors decide not to defend the colony, as they need to conserve their resources for now.

  After being regened following his death while freeing Namino, Joaquim bumps into Selene. He doesn’t remember their time together while trapped on Namino, so she fills him in over drinks, and they end up sleeping together. When he sobers up, his inherent hatred of all things Justice leads him to reject her and storm out.

  Alex attempts to teach Nika how to visit sidespace and open wormholes, but the kyoseil blocks Nika’s attempts to do so. Alex also learns of Nika’s lost memories.

  Miriam sees Malcolm for the first time since his escape from Savrak, and they ruminate on the thorny questions surrounding regenesis. Malcolm takes a leave of absence to search for Mia, who has vanished.

  Mia has constructed a false identity on Pandora and renounced her former life. She’s working on her new tech shop when the news announces that Malcolm, thought killed in the Savrak mission, is alive and well. Though overjoyed, she realizes that him dying a second time would destroy her and decides not to contact him.

  Caleb tracks Mia down and visits her. He tries to convince her to contact Malcolm, but she refuses. He then presents her with a plea deal offer from Richard that will keep her out of prison (but prevent her from ever holding government office again). She reluctantly agrees to consider it.

  Mia is visited by a local thug, who tries to shake her down for ‘protection money.’ Shortly thereafter, she meets a man named Enzio Vilane; charming and friendly, he presents himself as a local businessman, but Mia suspects there is more to him. She does some research and discovers that Vilane is actually the secret son of Aiden Trieneri, former cartel leader and lover of Olivia Montegreu. He’s also the leader of the up-and-coming Rivinchi cartel. When she next encounters Vilane, Mia tells him she knows who he is; his charming demeanor vanishes, and he threatens her.

  Eren is mourning Cosime in solitude at their home on Hirlas when he receives a visit from Maion, his shadowy Yinhe friend. Maion tells him how their former boss in the anarchs, Danilo Nisi, is putting together a new Anaden government; when Maion reveals that Nisi is actually the true Corradeo Praesidis, Eren is intrigued enough to pay the man a visit. Eren agrees to work for Corradeo, on one condition.

  After being blown up by Eren on Savrak, Torval elasson-Machim awakens in a regenesis lab. He quickly commandeers a new warship and returns to Savrak and inflicts significant damage in a bombing campaign. Torval then goes to the Anaden elasson confab on Epithero.

  Frustrated at his lack of progress in reigning in Ferdinand’s rebellion against Concord, Corradeo poisons the elassons with a drug that severs their connection to the integrals, rendering them unable to undergo regenesis. He then allows Eren to fulfill his condition, and Eren kills Torval as revenge for Cosime’s death. Fearing he is next, Ferdinand flees Epithero.

  The new Savrakath military leader, Brigadier Ghorek, surveys the widespread damage inflicted by Torval, then implements a plan to strike back against Concord, which involves a stealth antimatter bomb.

  Nyx elasson-Praesidis pursues the mission her grandfather sent her on: to find the missing Praesidis Inquisitors. She discovers that Kolgo elasson-Praesidis has set himself up as a savage warlord on a backwater planet, where he’s committing vile crimes. She continues her search and locates two additional Inquisitors, Lontias and Ziton, and they agree to accompany her. The three travel to Ares, where Corradeo has moved after bringing the elassons into line. Corradeo convinces Lontias and Ziton to help him form a new Anaden government.

  Marlee visits Morgan at her bar on Chalmun Station Asteroid, intending to seduce the woman. Instead, she finds Morgan on a drinking bender, upset over how Malcolm is alive when Brooklyn Harper is still dead. When Morgan wakes the next morning, she decides to find out where Mia is hiding, then sends Malcolm a message with the details.

  While closing up her shop for the night, Mia is attacked by armed intruders. They are about to shoot her when Malcolm arrives on the scene and kills the attackers. They have an emotional reunion, but when he won’t revoke the ‘no regenesis’ clause in his will, she demands he leave. He begs her to come home with him and talk things through, but she refuses. He finally relents and departs.

  In the aftermath, Mia decides to take Richard’s plea deal offer and leave Pandora behind. She meets with Richard and signs the plea deal, then gives him all the information she’s collected on Enzio Vilane.

  Kennedy tries to coax kyoseil out of its Reor armor, hoping to use adiaK in ship hulls. However, though it does so for Asterions, the Reor won’t release the kyoseil for her.

  Corradeo sends Nyx and Eren on a mission together to find Ferdinand, much to their dismay. They discover that Ferdinand has been murdered while trying to secure a false identity, and argue their way through a brief investigation. Despite their disagreements, however, Nyx then asks Eren for help dealing with Kolgo.

  Nyx returns to Kolgo’s fiefdom with Eren. She pleads with her brother to renounce his depraved ways and accompany her; when he refuses, Eren poisons his drink to disconnect him from regenesis, then Nyx kills him. They report back to Corradeo, but don’t tell him what happened with Kolgo. Corradeo makes a Concord-wide speech detailing his plans for a new Anaden government, one that is freer and more equitable for all Anadens.

  Alex, Caleb and Valkyrie investigate the devastated Ourankeli stellar system, a species the Rasu annihilated several centuries ago. While exploring the Ourankeli’s broken halo ring, they meet a solitary Ourankeli still living on the ring. The survivor recounts the tale of their war with the Rasu and eventual defeat. It also tells them of the powerful weapon they created to defeat the Rasu, and how they used it too late to save themselves.

  Selene quizzes Adlai on what he knows about Joaquim. She then goes to see Joaquim and challenges him on whether he killed Blake Satair. He finally admits it, and she decides not to arrest him. Unable to resist their attraction to one another, they sleep together again.

  Worried about an imminent Rasu attack, Nika offers a Rift Bubble to the Taiyoks, but their Elder declines it. Nika then visits Xyche’ghael, seeking insights into how she might change the Elder’s mind. Though Xyche knows the Elder, he can’t help Nika, because he’s been exiled from Toki’taku for killing the Elder’s brother.

  Nika, Dashiel and Parc devise a small variant of a Rift Bubble that acts as a grenade, in the hope the Taiyok Elder will accept Asterion technology.

  The Rasu descend on Toki’taku. The Asterions and Concord come to the Taiyoks’ defense, but without a Rift Bubble in place, they face an uphill battle. Malcolm returns to the bridge of his dreadnought, intending to assist with the Toki’taku battle. Instead, Miriam tasks him with another assignment.

  Alex and Caleb take
their new Ourankeli friend, Wyddoniiet, to rescue the last surviving settlement of Ourankeli. When they arrive, they find the Rasu are already attacking. They improvise a neutron bomb and disable the Rasu, then enter the settlement and convince the inhabitants to evacuate. As they scramble to escape with the Ourankeli refugees, new Rasu arrive to destroy the settlement. At the last minute, Malcolm arrives in his dreadnought and creates a massive wormhole for everyone to escape through.

  With the battle for Toki’taku deteriorating, Nika goes directly to the Elder and pleads with him to use the new weapon they’ve devised, which they call a Rima Grenade. When she uses the weapon to vaporize the Rasu burning the Toki’taku forests as they advance on military headquarters, the Elder is convinced.

  With the Rima Grenades deployed on the Toki’taku surface, Miriam begins to gain the upper hand in the space battle. Then, abruptly, all the attacking Rasu simply leave, leaving her confounded.

  Richard reviews surveillance footage from Savrak and pieces together that the Savrakaths have used a stolen ship to deliver an antimatter bomb to Concord HQ. He orders the station to evacuate, then he and David go in search of the bomb.

  They chase the trail through the depths of HQ, until they discover the bomb positioned near the station’s massive Zero Engine power plant and are able to disarm it with a few seconds to spare. In the aftermath, Richard accepts David’s earnest apology regarding the Ghost theft, and they reconcile.