In the Heart of Darkness: The Interloper Series Book One: The Interloper, #1

By J. C. Jenkins, Jr.

Finally, the War between the Empire of the Stars and the Terran Federation is over, and now both are prepared to move on as friends. But, as the Two Empires prepare to move on and explore space together, Terrorist Forces calling themselves the Universal Sedition have refused to move on and let the past be the past, are prepared to continue where the Federation and Empire have left off, threatening the fragile peace that now exists between them.

 

Will the two Empires get drawn into a new war, or will they learn to work together and fight for the peace they desperately want between them?

 

Thus begins In the Heart of Darkness, the first book of J. C. Jenkins Jr's new epic Series, The Interloper. A Series of New Friendships, Love, and War as they learn to work together to fight for their beliefs as they explore space together.

 

Will they succeed, or will they fail; only time will tell. Who will Triumph, and who will Fall? Read on, faithful lovers of Science Fiction and Fantasy, and discover what lies in the Darkness of Space and the Heart.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wycked Minds Publishing
• Release date: Apr 27, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224398621

Book preview

In The Heart of Darkness

The Interloper Series Book One

by

By J. C. Jenkins, Jr

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidences are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously.

Copyright ©2024 by J. C. Jenkins, Jr. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the express written permission of the publisher and/or author.

Published by Wycked Minds Publishing

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Author's Note

Prelude

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Epilogue

About the Author

Other Works

Author’s Note

Dear Reader. Hi, J. C. Jenkins Jr here. The Interloper Series deals with all kinds of Subject Matter, some of which you may find Offensive and Triggers.

When dealing with the Antagonists, in this case, the Terrorist organization is known as The Universal Sedition. You will find Racism, Xenophobia, and even Rape and Murder. Throughout this series, you will also find love, romance, and numerous Interspecies Relationships.

If you have read The Lady and The Dragon, Collective Works Volume One & Two, and others I have written. In that case, you will see the relationships I have created, some of which will appear numerous times throughout The Interloper Series and other works.

In The Interloper Series and Universe, the Universal Sedition is the main antagonist. Let’s face it: you can’t have a story without an Antagonist. The Terran Federation and the Empire of The Stars have ended their War and Signed a Peace Treaty with one another, focusing on the one thing everyone is interested in: exploring Space and living in Peace and Harmony.

As these two Empires try to exist in Peace, the Universal Sedtion is trying to undermine and destroy that Peace, unhappy with how the War ended by committing acts of Terror and Murder, among other crimes, as the Federations try to combat this new threat to both their survival. While attempting to seek out a new life in the Universe for the Universal Sedtion, I have made it abundantly clear. They want to rule the Universe in a Totalitarian Dictatorship and make everyone, not Terran, their slaves.

Enjoy.

Prelude

One

Thy Mortal Ears

They say in space, there is no sound to have sound; you need air. For without sound, no one can hear you scream. Nevertheless, such theories are wrong.

Space is full of sound, for everything vibrates at a specific and harmonious frequency, and those frequencies produce their unique melody.

It takes someone special to hear it; we now use technology to hear the un-hearable. In time, even the un-hearable will be heard by Thy Mortal Ears.

2010 AD Terran Year

Two

Sector 03, Terran Federation Space

Epsilon Eridani III

Starbase 22

August 12, 2322, AD Terran Year

Twenty-second Day in the Month of Ganota

Santellexian Year of 2271, NE

The Planet rose like a moon outside the porthole of the Promenade of Starbase 22, as Starbase 22 rotated on its axis around Oceana. Oceania was the Epsilon Eridani Star's third Planet, just eight-point-eight Light-years from Terra Prime.

The Planet's dark blue hue came from its overabundance of water serving many of the Terran Federation’s needs. Oceania’s water provided the Starbase and the other colonies and starships, visiting the Epsilon Eridani System with water to sell and trade.

Starbase 22 served many purposes: a tourist center, a colony to settle down on, and a place to work for those brave individuals looking to leave home and venture into the depths of space.

Astronomers discovered the possibility of planets in the Epsilon Eridani System in the early twenty-first century. The ISS space station had yet to get off the ground and into orbit. Finding planets became the biggest rave in science after discovering 51 Pegasi D in 1995 AD.

Since then, scientists and astronomers have wanted nothing more than to find the Holy Grail of Planet-hunting. And that was to find the next Earthlike Planet.

Star Trek started it all. Sure, other Science Fiction writers lived one hundred years before Gene Roddenberry came up with the Great and Immortal Captain James T Kirk and the Starship Enterprise in 1966 AD.

All the Terran Federation’s technologies following 1966 AD followed the principle and the spirit of Star Trek.

Even today’s novelists still write novels taking place in the Star Trek universe. Although many things have changed in the writings, the same principles remained.

The Terran Federation derived its name from the United Federation of Planets after World War Three ended in 2096, the longest and bloodiest war humanity had ever seen.

Two hundred years later, things turned out much different than the Terran Federation had ever dreamed. Terrans had traveled as far as twenty-six light-years, never encountering any sentient species other than animals with higher brain functions.

Perhaps something may have turned out differently for these planets in several million years. Instead of animals, the Terran Federations would have found thriving civilizations. Space-faring races living among the stars are probably no longer bound to the world of their birth.

Time, however, waited for no one—the Federation now held these worlds, and the animals were now part of scientific study. The Federation studied animals' behaviors throughout the Federation, learning how life evolved on these worlds. Even the nature of those studies had changed over time. Today, animal research is highly regulated by the Morals and Responsibilities Act of 2142 AD. If you don’t raise animals for food or fur, you must treat them with care, not deliberate or depraved indifference.

Sentences can be strict, resulting in prison life for deliberately harming or killing an animal with malicious intent. Finding life in the galaxy had its rewards, though. It extended the libraries of science and astronomy.

Data streamed from all over Terran Space from planets, colonies, and starbases throughout the twenty-six-light-year sphere of Terran Space.

New animals, or new plants, and yes, some unknowns found now needed classification.

The Federation was beginning to accept that the universe was teaming with life, but nothing sentient existed in space other than higher-functioning animals.

The Federation would learn how wrong they were in 2317 AD when the Federation Space Force encountered the Empire of the Stars, and war broke out. The Federation Space Force faced its first war since the Mars Riots of 2266 AD.

Every generation has had its wars since the dawn of time. Wars lost. Wars won. It was just the nature of human existence.

This time, humanity would fight a war in space against an unknown enemy with superior technology. It would only last five years and then fizzle out. Then, the Federation would learn the natural face of their adversaries.

Humans would discover that not only did life exist elsewhere in the universe, they would find a World of knights and empires.

They would discover a world of dragons.

With the end of all wars, peace would return to the Federation. But not everyone would accept this new peace with the Empire of the Stars.

A terrorist organization calling themselves The Universal Sedition would arise and shatter this new peace with the Empire of the Stars.

A terrorist is not always the case when people rise and challenge existence's normality! David thought as he sat at the Promenade of Starbase 22 table gazing out the viewport at the 3x Earth-like Planet that Starbase 22 orbited.

Oceana! The massive Planet of Epsilon Eridani was the Third Planet of the dimmer, M Class star. Oceana had an indigo hue since there was so much damned water resembling a solid.

After refining, there would be as much as ten times as much water. The purity of the water leftover is unlike anything found in Terra Prime.

Oceania provided for the needs of the water-poor sectors in the region. Also, Oceania didn’t have any government to speak of as it didn’t have any landmasses to build any governmental bodies. That made Starbase 22 the local government. Starbase 22 was responsible for processing the only resource on Epsilon Eridani III.

Water!

With the Planet’s 3x Earth's masses, the water, no matter how much the Federation extracted from the planet, the planet will still outlast its Parent Star.

So why waste good water? An adage from Earth’s past. It was a saying that people ignored up until the mid-Twenty-first century. By that time, the massive pollution caused by waste and chemicals made water as precious as gold and silver in some parts of the world.

Sector 3 of the Terran Federation or Sector 256, Beta to the Empire of The Stars, had labeled Sector 3.

Beyond the viewport of Starbase 22’s busy Promenade Deck conveniently placed on Deck 22, the hub of business and commerce, the entire deck housed the entertainment district. Houses, restaurants, and even gaming establishments are found here. Another massive tanker rose from the planet's atmosphere and headed to Eldorado, the largest of Oceania’s three moons. The Mars-sized Moon of Eldorado served as a processing station for all the water tankers hauled from Oceania. After refining, the station could triple the water mined up from Oceania.

Although Eldorado was the size of Mars, it resembled Mercury instead of the Red Planet of Sector 01. Still, it was much colder than Mercury since it was further from Sol—sector 01’s Parent Star.

The next thing about Eldorado was the rich gold, platinum deposits, and some rare and unusual gems.

They used most of the water for mining the riches of Eldorado. The rest gets sold to starbases and water-poor colonies. Massive space-based colonies also needed vast amounts of water to meet the needs of the colonists living there. Plenty of colonies drifted in orbit of planets unsuitable for habitation. They even built colonies in the Kyper Belt and Ort Clouds of Star Systems, where there was plenty of ore to build them. It also provided much-needed jobs for the colonists living in the colonies.

David knew these truths; he watched the history videos in school and the Interstellar Net and Television growing up, listening to and watching as they constructed the massive space colonies to relieve Terra Prime’s growing population's stress.

At last count, over 4.25 trillion humans and Metamorphs lived on Terra Prime.

The War with the Empire of the Stars had taken its toll on the Federation. So many people died in an unforgettable war. The faster and sleeker ships of the Empire called Dragon Fighters attacked like a dragon so fast and deadly. The efficient killing machines took out ships a thousand times their size.

The Empire’s warships were just as deadly and made of more durable material than the Federation’s ships; not only that, but they moved at nearly the speed of light and attacked with weapons from outside Star Trek.

David had seen the power of those weapons. Photonic Torpedoes struck with the deadly efficiency and destructive power of Antimatter. He knew of no force more potent than or as devastating as Antimatter.

So much destruction followed the Empire of the Stars' encounter that the Federation wondered if they would survive. But as with all wars, it ended just as suddenly as it began.

David watched as another massive tanker rose from the atmosphere of Oceania. He wondered just how much one of those tankers could hold.

3.6 Trillion Barrels! someone spoke from behind him. He didn’t recognize the person. David hardly knew anyone anymore. Not since the end of the war. Most of his friends had died during the war.

What? he asked, confused by the man’s statement; David had never met the man before, so he didn’t know to which he referred.

The man did the oddest thing; he smiled. He looked eastern European or Russian, with blond hair and blue eyes. The man had a kind but stern look about him. You were wondering how much water the Tankers could carry, were you not?

Indeed, he was thinking just that before his companion showed up. Yes, David nodded, I was wondering how much such a vessel could hold.

They hold 3.6 trillion barrels of water. After Eldorado processes and refines the water, I’ll have ten times that amount.

Most of it will go to Starbase 22 over the next several years for the Station’s habitat needs. If you prefer, the Helium 3 comes from Epsilon Eridani VI or Ulysses. Fusion is the best means of powering colonies since the reactors require the least fuel and produce a million-plus times the power output compared to fuel consumption.

David looked at his visitor more closely. You must be Mr. Stiles?

Please, my friend, it’s Mikhail. They shook hands, you must be David; am I mistaken?

No, David sighed, you’re not.

Good, Mikhail said, taking his seat and indicating for him to take his, now that the formalities are over. Let’s get down to business.

David waited for his companion to start things off. The last thing he wanted to do was talk to someone from the Federation Space Force Police’s Undercover Bureau.

Tell me, David, what brings you here far from Terra Prime? Don’t tell me you’re just sightseeing; I, for one, know better. So, don’t try to fool me, my friend. I’ve been in this business far too long to know when someone’s not truthful.

You’re Russian, I take it? David asked.

Da, Mikhail nodded. "It saddens me sometimes being so far from the Motherland, especially after the war with the Empire. We lost so many good people, but I can’t say allying ourselves with those bastards from the Empire is any better.

You look Middle Eastern, he said, By chance, are you named after the Great King David in the Bible?

This time, it was David’s turn to laugh. You’re not the first to ask me that same question. He nodded to his companion, Yes, I get my name after that great Monarch of the Old Testament.

I see, Mikhail hailed a blond-haired waitress passing by an adjacent table.

The woman nodded before finishing her customer’s orders and shuffling over to their table. Good evening, gentlemen; welcome to Starbase 22. She greeted them good-naturedly. The name on her nametag said her name was Selena. What can I get you this evening? she asked.

Bourbon, Mikhail said.

Selena nodded, tapping on her digital pad, then turned to David. Would you like me to bring you some more Green Tea?

David nodded, Yes, please.

Coming right up, she said. I hope you enjoy your stay on Starbase 22. I’ll be right back with your drinks, gentlemen." Selena left as quickly as she came, taking his glass with her and leaving them alone for the moment.

David’s companion looked at him, a smile creeping at the corners of his cheeks. Tea, huh? asked Mikhail.

I don’t drink alcohol, at least not since the War with the Empire.

Mikhail grunted, scratching his stubble. "I see, though I can’t blame you. The War with the Empire has taken its toll on the Terran Federation. The last time things were this bad for us was during World War III. But now that War’s over, we can start the recovery process.

Things will turn out better than before the war with the Empire.

I don’t see how. David scowled.

Mikhail had repeatedly seen that look since the Terran Federation signed the Peace Treaty with the Empire of the Stars. Not everyone was happy with the Peace Treaty. Many of them were ex-soldiers from the United Federation Space Force.

They were angry that the Terran Federation would even think about signing a Peace Treaty with the Empire of the Stars in the first place.

Before encountering the Empire of the Stars, things were more accessible for the Terran Federation. For centuries, the Terrans believed that they were alone in the Galaxy. Sure, when Terrans ventured out into the depths of space, the only life they found were animals and wildlife inhabiting the planets.

Some ruins were found on several worlds, hinting that Intelligent Life existed somewhere in the Cosmos. But the ruins found were millions of years old. Some even outdated Terra Prime by billions of years, maybe longer.

Ever since the advancement of astronomical observation technologies two hundred years ago, the universe, which we all thought was only thirteen to fifteen billion years old, turned out to be wrong.

We now see the last time we checked was five hundred billion Light-years out, and the universe expanded with each passing year.

What we knew or thought we learned in the early twenty-first century was nothing compared to what we know now.

The old scientists knew much more than we did, and they were right. The universe is eternal.

The Big Bang Theory was just that, a theory.

The Big Bang Theory is a hoax.

When Selena returned with their orders, Mikhail drank nearly half the contents of his glass in a single gulp. Ah, good old bourbon and a good year, too, I might add, he said, laughing.

Selena nodded. Is there anything else I can get you two gentlemen? she asked.

No. We’re fine, my dear, thank you.

David turned to his companion once Selena was out of earshot. They were relatively alone for the moment and alone as they could get in the busy promenade. Starbase 22 was a big as Starbase as Starbases go. Bourbon? asked David.

Mikhail laughed out loud at the expression on his face. Oh, you think just because I’m Russian, I should have ordered Vodka, right.

No! I mean, I don’t…. David stammered.

Relax, my friend. I take no shame from your remark. I hate the shit. They don’t make Vodka like they used to. Too much technology fucking up the distilling process these days, he sighed.

I see.

I see. Mikhail mocked. Let me guess; you were a drinker of the Motherland’s greatest and proudest beverage? Be honest.

David smiled. Yes, I was in the marines; all we drank was Vodka. It’s a tradition going back hundreds of years.

"Yes, I know you’re talking to a Russian. In Motherland, it’s a tradition going back even further, my friend. In my younger days, even I drank Vodka, but not the shit you drank, with my family’s riches. I drank the good stuff. You rarely see the good stuff anymore. If you do, look at millions of Credits for just one twelve-ounce bottle. And besides, my stockholders made a fortune supplying the war efforts with Vodka during the war.

Let the fools spend their money foolishly; you won’t see me wasting it. Then Mikhail lowered his voice so no one could hear. There are better ventures in the Universal Sedition than century’s old trinkets. That I assure you.

David sighed. So, you work for the Sedition? he asked, not expecting an answer. David knew it was presumptuous of him even to ask. You never knew if the person you requested might be an undercover Space Force Police Officer.

The last thing he wanted to be was spending the rest of his life in prison for collaborating with terrorists.

Of course, my friend, Mikhail said, "You see, not all of us are happy with our Government’s allying with the Empire of the Stars. Who else will bring the fight to them if not our Government? You tell me that.

Our Government betrayed us by sighing the peace treaty with the Empire of the Stars, and that’s the most unforgivable sin I can think of.

Too many of my closest friends died in that god-forsaken war. Why in the hell would our government side with them? I can’t understand, David said, nearly breaking down in the process.

Hey, Mikhail said, reaching across the table and patting his hand. "We all lost close friends in that god-forsaken war, which is why we want to do something about it. It is our destiny to rule the Galaxy. Hell! With the technology that the Empire of the Stars has given us, we can rule the universe as God intended before encountering those bastards.

It’s easier to believe you’re alone in the universe. But let’s face it, Mikhail laughed. "We knew one day we would find intelligent life out there.

"But the thing is, we’re God’s chosen people, and he intended for us to rule over them like kings as is God’s