Jonathan Rush and the Void Empire

By Gregory Blackman

The Star Master Trilogy:

The Dark Prince has emerged from the shadows, ready to wage war on the Star Academy. Portals in space have opened, spreading chaos throughout the galaxy. The monsters from beyond call themselves the Void Empire, and they will not stop until they’ve destroyed everything in their path. War is about to begin and the galaxy’s only hope for salvation rests with an anxious fourteen year old named Johnny; whom unknowingly is both the reason and the solution to the galaxy’s problem.

Jonathan Rush and the Void Empire:

In the third and final installment of the Star Master Trilogy, a traitor is in their midst’s at the Star Academy. Two years have passed since we last saw our young heroes and since then much has changed. Johnny now finds himself going on missions with Kenzel, finally able to forget the burdens of his past. His best friend, Amy, is now a full-fledged member of the Star Knights and partnered up with her mentor, the Star Knight Selene.

Only things aren’t as they seem, and the woman that Amy believes to be her mentor is nothing more than a Void Empire agent, set on crippling the Star Academy. Will they manage to uncover the plot in time to save the station, or will the Dark Prince’s cunning subterfuge manage to disrupt the operations of the Star Academy?

The Star Academy in the Andromeda galaxy sends aid to our companions against the latest threat that has emerged, an armada-size fissure in space opening in the Ingram system. Heavily outnumbered, Johnny and his friends rush to the portal and prepare for the final battle, the entire war effort hanging in the balance. Everything is on the line, and if they don’t manage to stop the Void Empire here, the rest of the galaxy will surely fall.

This book is intended for all ages and has a word count of 40, 559.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gregory Blackman
• Release date: Apr 20, 2012
• ISBN: 9781927123324

Gregory Blackman

Born in Burlington, Ontario, Gregory Blackman is a business marketing graduate that discovered early on that he wasn’t interested in advertising the works of others and instead sought out to create his own products that spoke on his values, beliefs, and in many cases, his own fears and anxieties. His first novel, Johnathan Rush, released in 2011, was a children’s novel while all proceeding works have been intended for a mature audience. This can be seen in his following Reaper and Kingdoms of Ash series that deal with issues of gender inequality, racial tensions, and mankind’s fear of the unknown. Gregory prides himself on responding to each and every letter sent to him, and incourages all readers to send him their thoughts and questions to [e-mail]

Book preview

Jonathan Rush and the Void Empire

The Star Master Trilogy: Book Three

By Gregory Blackman

Published by Gregory Blackman at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 Gregory Blackman

All right reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission from the author.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Written in Canada.

Chapter One

His ship streaked through the dark vacuum of space, racing towards the last salvation of the Star Academy. The vessel had taken quite the beating, and Johnny desperately hoped that he would reach his destination.

Sparks burst from an overhead compartment, raining down on Johnny. Using his hand to cover his face, he could feel hot embers burn his skin. The pain was excruciating, but still, he carried on with his mission; for the fate of the galaxy rested on his young shoulders.

His ship, nothing more than a simple runabout, had taken considerable damage. Fires raged inside the vessel, barely managing to hold itself together under the weight of a dying galaxy.

There’s a coolant leak in compartment zero-zero-five, the female-voiced computer said. If it is not stabilized, the warp drive will fail in exactly two minutes and thirty five seconds.

Johnny ran his hands through his sweat-drenched hair, clearly not the news he wanted to hear. He lifted himself from the command chair, and rushed to the back of the ship. Smoke was billowing out of the vents, the coolant leak quickly spreading from one compartment to the next.

Unlocking the latch, he removed the covering from the wall. The coolant sprayed everywhere, engulfing Johnny in a white cloudy mist. He should have paid better attention in engineering class, he thought, as he waved the mist away and stared at the instrument panel.

He shut off the pathways to the engine, but that left power reserves dangerously low. He knew that he needed to restore full power to the shields, as the Void Empire was surely sending ships after him, and he needed the vessel to arrive before them more.

I hope this is the right thing to do, said Johnny, draining the life-support systems in order to maintain maximum engine efficiency.

Warning… with life-support systems at critical level, consciousness will be lost in fifteen minutes and twelve seconds, the computer said, as Johnny climbed back into his chair.

I know that, computer! yelled Johnny, his usually calm demeanor now beginning to show cracks. I just need to get to the anomaly… I don’t need to be conscious to do that!

Johnny brought his hand to his brow, his burdens weighing heavily on him. He wasn’t strong enough, he kept repeating in his head. He couldn’t save the ones he loved, and it tore him up inside.

Attention… receiving communications from the Star Academy, the computer announced. He touched the console in front of him and accepted the incoming message.

Johnny, you can’t seriously be considering this! shouted Amy, blood streaming down an open wound on her head. There has to be another way!

There isn’t another way, said Johnny, with regret in his eyes. We both know this is the only option.

Think of everyone that loves you and our friends that lost their lives, fighting for what they believe in, Amy pleaded. Robby… Selene… Davan… they all died so that we may live another day; all that is gone if you go through with this!

Y—you’re wrong about that, Amy, choked Johnny, the oxygen in the ship slowly depleting. I had barely met Robby before he died, throwing himself in front of General Distain and saving my life in the process. Davan taught me everything I know about life outside my little blue planet. He taught me how to be a man, and I had to watch him die on Ragnor. I lost Selene on the red world, as well. You say that they lost their lives so that we may live another day, well unless I do this, another day will never come.

He gasped for air, his throat gradually closing as the oxygen deprivation started affecting him more and more. Amy noticed this from her station aboard the Star Academy, and she grew increasingly worried about both Johnny and the mission at hand. With a look of concern, she said, You’re never going to make it, Johnny; you have to turn around now—!

Warning… three unidentified cruisers are approaching. Estimated contact in seven minutes, said the computer, her monotonous voice devoid of any emotion.

Y—you hear that? asked Johnny, smiling in the face of such dire circumstances. There’s no choice anymore, I have to keep going.

He may have been smiling, but Amy could see past his deception, and into his soul; where a scared young man, desperately seeking salvation for things that were out of his control. Johnny always believed that he was stronger, pushing himself to feats that would be impossible for any man; and when he failed, he blamed himself for not being tough enough. It was a heavy burden to bear, one that she wished he wouldn’t have had to face alone.

Johnny, you have to listen to me, said Amy, her image on the view screen beginning to fade in and out. What you’re doing is only theoretical—… is not safe—… with power that no person should wield.

Darn it, she’s breaking up! shouted Johnny, pounding his fist on the chair. Computer, can you clear up the signal, I can’t understand a word she’s saying.

Unable to comply, the computer replied. "The problem with the connection is not on my end.

…Are you hearing me? asked Amy, fidgeting with the controls on her station. The Void Empire is jamming the signal—… they’re aboard the station, Johnny—… rounding up everyone in sight.

He could scarcely make out Amy’s message, the distortion increasing with every passing moment. If he understood her correctly, then that meant the Void Empire had broken through the line. The Star Academy had fallen, the most powerful stronghold in the entire galaxy, and if what Amy said was true then his friends had only managed to last a few hours. That was all it took for the Void Empire to conquer an entire galaxy. Without the Star Knights, the rest of the galaxy would be helpless against the Dark Prince’s onslaught. There was no escaping it this time; they had truly lost the war.

Amy! Johnny shouted. Are you safe? Is my mother with you?

W—what are you saying? I can’t understand you, replied Amy, her voice changing rapidly by the warbled communication signal. There isn’t any time, Johnny—!

Johnny looked on, in horror, as he watched several looming figures break through the door behind Amy, with ill intent in their red menacing eyes.

Get back! shouted Amy, turning around to face her aggressors. I’m warning you!

The monsters leaped at her, their silhouette’s dancing around the room as they pulled her away from the console, and out of Johnny’s sight.

No! screamed Johnny, unable to help the young woman he cared so deeply for. Amy—!

Before he could finish his sentence, the transmission ended abruptly, Amy now lost forever in the Void Empire’s overwhelming clutches.

If there was ever a time that Johnny needed to step up and be a hero, it was now. The fate of the entire galaxy hung in the balance.

It was almost over, he thought, as he watched the ship fly closer towards the anomaly. It was a massive pulsing orb, sparkling blue with ribbons of pure energy banding out from the center. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever laid eyes on and he found himself mesmerized by the gargantuan anomaly.

Warning… hostile vessels will be in range within ten seconds, the computer said, breaking Johnny from his trance.

He had lost himself in the orb’s glorious aura, and completely forgotten about the three ships barreling down on him. The sweat dripped from his brow as he grabbed hold of the ship’s controls. He had only learned to pilot a vessel a month ago, but things change fast when one’s fleeing for their life, and Johnny had become quite the adept pilot in that time.

Warning… missile launch detected, the computer said.

Johnny was almost there and only needed to survive a few moments longer, but that could be harder said than done, as the Void Empire’s missiles hurtled towards his ship. His oxygen had almost completely depleted, and he’d miss his target if he altered course.

T—this is going to hurt! shouted Johnny, his throat tightening as he braced himself for the looming impact.

The missile struck the runabout, fire engulfed the bridge and should have surely sent Johnny to his doom.

An instant later the ship flew into the anomaly. A shockwave shot forth from the center, shredding the Void Empire cruisers instantly as they came into contact with the rapidly growing band of energy.

And as soon as it began, everything went dark. Removed from existence, all Johnny could see was darkness, and all he could feel was nothingness. It was strangely rewarding, he thought. Not a single concern remained; all his worries gone. Or so he thought.

No! screamed Johnny, bolting up from the bed. Sweat was beading off his brow and down to the bed while he huffed and puffed, desperately trying to catch his breath.

"What was that? asked Johnny, bringing his hands to his face. What’s happening to me?"

He sat shaking in silence as the starship Aidos cruised at warp speed. The gentle hum of the engines helped to give him something to think about and calm his nerves. It had been a long time since he had a vision, but never before had they shown his demise. It was foreboding, there was no doubt, but he could barely understand the visions he had seen. The experience was far more visceral this time around, and Johnny couldn’t shake the feeling that this had all happened before.

But alas, the growing Star Student hardly had the time to give his dream much thought, as he only had a few more hours to rest before they arrived at their destination. Sleep, it was a luxury that Johnny found was in short supply, but that’s what he signed up for. He was Jonathan Rush, a student in the Star Academy, and he needed to be ready for his mission tomorrow.

Chapter Two

Hurry! yelled Kenzel, motioning for Johnny to quicken his pace as they sprinted towards a massive purple tree that had fallen to the ground. They are almost upon us!

Johnny could feel the ground below him tremble under the weight of a thousand stomping feet, their shadows quickly overtaking him as he grabbed tightly hold of Kenzel’s hand.

He leaped over the alien tree and ducked underneath, pressed up against the ancient timber.

You feel that? asked Kenzel, yelling over the mighty roar of the beasts bounding over the tree. My heart’s racing a mile a minute. I told you that I would show you a good time!

Johnny watched on, in awe of the magnificent herd of animals striding over them. Their legs could have been measured in stories, easily as tall as many of the buildings in his hometown of Detroit. With long wiry legs and short furry bodies they almost resembled an Ostrich, if they were alien and the size of Godzilla.

He laughed, the sight of animals waddling at such a furious pace seemed almost comical to him, where once it had been so dreadfully frightening. Smiling, he looked back at Kenzel, and said, You’re right; this makes up for the last planet.

What? Kenzel asked, shrugging his shoulders as if his feeling had been hurt. You didn’t enjoy listening to the chancellor discuss issues of interstellar trade?

No, it was great, Johnny grinned. "For