Book I: The Northern Route
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This page contains a summary, character art, overviews of key locations, and a complete character list
Summary
In the distant star cluster Messier 4, the vast and stagnant civilization of the Apeilous sits on the verge of its next great expansion. Several massive corporations have merged to start the Endeavor, the most far-reaching economic and humanitarian effort in history.
Vesta Amore leads a small team of private security specializing in the protection of whistleblowers and corporate defectors. She has no interest in the Endeavor until she is swept off her feet by the suave leader of the Fortuna Corp, an equal partner in the Endeavor. Balancing her altruism with the realities of power, Vesta joins the Fortuna as they work to establish a supply route along the contested northern border.
Cal Sunn is a career detective looking forward to retirement. When the Maressellya Corp backs out of joining the Endeavor, they hear rumors of a defector in their ranks and put Cal on the case. What starts as a simple assignment becomes a fight for survival as he works to untangle a shadowy conspiracy that threatens the Apeilous. With the Fortuna’s backing, he and his crew rush to uncover the plot.
Sensitivity Warning
The Northern Route is an action-packed romantic and political science fiction adventure. While the prose avoids gory details, it includes elements that may not be suitable for some readers. Nudity and intimacy, physical violence in combat, including with knives and firearms, mental and physical trauma from sexual assault, and large-scale loss of life are present in this novel.
Main Characters
Vesta Amore
Founder and Leader, Private Security Team
Viran, she/her, age 32
Born on the contested world of Corben Six (CB)
Carrey Monroe
Azmaveth Officer, Captain of the Red Arrow (AZ-1022)
Central-Born, she/her, age 40
Born on the central planet of Myos (MS)
Jak
Member, Private Security Team
Space-Born, he/him, age 34
Born in the Sharo-Kin Enclave of Mid-Town Station (S103)
Eros Martin
Member of the Fortuna Guard
Southerner, he/him, age 28
Born on the Fortuna home world of Elara (EL-D)
Piata Fausta Fortuna
Head of the Fortuna Corporation, Heiress to the Fortuna Family
Southerner, she/her, age 29
Born on the Fortuna home-world of Elara (EL-D)
Phoebe Gavlin
Captain in the Fortuna Guard
Southerner, she/they, age 30
Born on the Fortuna home world of Elara (EL-D)
Cal Sunn
Azmaveth Officer, Sr. Investigator, Assigned to the Red Arrow (A-1022)
Northerner, he/him, age 51
Born on the agricultural world of Cortabera (CA-A)
Ewen Tyson
Captain in the Fortuna Guard
Viran, he/him, age 38
Born on the contested world of Corben Six (CB)
Key Locations
Leros - The Capital of the Apeilous
Location: Central
Climate: Controlled, Temperate (5-19 C)
Bodies: Minon (Large Moon), Talir (Small Moon)
Star: Lerosun (M-Type)
Population: 80B
Locations of Interest:
Capitol Complex - Home of the citizen-government of the Apeilous
The Quad - Cultural heart of Leros with shops selling merchandise from across the Apeilous
Court District - Facilities of the seventeen supreme courts contained in the largest single building in the Apeilous
Undercity - Large artificial caverns under the “surface” of Leros hold more than a third of the planet’s population
Elara - Home of the Fortuna Family and Corporation
Location: Central-Southern
Climate: Natural, Temperate Equator, Icy Poles
Bodies: None
Star: Sol (M-Type)
Population: 4M
Locations of Interest:
Capital City - Headquarters of the Fortuna Corporation featuring a blend of modern and ancient architecture
Development Yards - An array of prototype construction silos in the northern tundra
Corben Six - Homeland of the Viran People
Location: Northern Border
Climate: Natural, Uninhabitable Equator, Arid Poles
Bodies: Kya (Large Moon)
Star: Vira (A-Type)
Population: 408M
Locations of Interest:
City of Parchey - Home to some of the oldest revered locations in the Bible of the Forth Angel
The Holy City of Timit - Location of the planetary government
Lake Timit - Largest body of water on the planet
Atayuma - Independent Northern System
Location: Far-Northern
Climate: Natural, Tropical Equator, Temperate Poles
Bodies: Bire (Small Moon), Ekie (Small Moon)
Stars: Atamayahana (A-Type), Abiyahana (G-Type)
Population: 18M
Locations of Interest:
Capital City of Kisto - Ancient port city home to the Atayuman crown
Cortabera - Agricultural Planet
Location: Central Northern
Climate: Controlled, Temperate
Bodies: None
Stars: Sol (M-Type), Sola (K-Type), Cora (M-Type)
Population: 900M (120M surface, 780M subterranean)
Locations of Interest:
Eastern Continent - Covered in farmland growing sought-after luxury crops
Crescent City - Largest city on the planet located largely inside a deep rift valley
Characters in order of Appearance
Character List
Order of appearance in-person, in-story
POV characters are in bold
Cal Sunn, M 51
Azmaveth Officer, Sr. Investigator, Assigned to the Red Arrow (A-1022)
Northerner, Born on the agricultural world of Cortabera (CA-A)
Piata Fausta Fortuna, F 29
Head of the Fortuna Corporation, Heiress to the Fortuna Family
Southerner, Born on the Fortuna home-world of Elara (EL-D)
Vesta Amore, F 32
Founder and Leader, Private Security Team
Viran, Born on the contested world of Corben Six (CB)
Ama Loch, F 30
Member, Private Security Team
Central-Born, Born on the central planet of Carnac (CC)
Kio Loch, M 30
Member, Private Security Team
Central-Born, Born on the central planet of Carnac (CC)
Alexios Marsaille SuMaressellya, M 30
Head of the Maressellya Family and Corporation
Southerner, Born on the Maressellya home-world of Arelate (AR-D)
Irene Madian SuMaressellya, F 22
Wife to Alexios Marsaille
Southerner, Born on the Volante home-world of Rosso (RO-D)
Alben Tion, M 58
Head Accountant, Maressellya Corporation
Northerner, Born on the northern commercial planet of Vasiliki (VI)
Jak, M 34
Member, Private Security Team
Space-Born, Born in the Sharo-Kin Enclave of Mid-Town Station (S103)
Tripp Fortuna, M 52
Captain of the Miren Star (FO-8)
Southerner, Born on the Fortuna home-world of Elara (EL-D)
Carrey Monroe, F 40
Azmaveth Officer, Captain of the Red Arrow (AZ-1022)
Central-Born, Born on the central planet of Myos (MS)
Ewen Tyson, M 38
Captain in the Fortuna Guard
Viran, Born on the contested world of Corben Six (CB)
Erastos Florus SuFortuna, M 68
Head of the Fortuna Family and Corporation
Southerner, Born on the Fortuna home-world of Elara (EL-D)
Vinson SuMenapharaoh, M 58
Head of the Menapharaoh Family and Corporation
Southerner, Born on the Menapharaoh home-world of Laus (LU-D)
Odesseo Ramone Maximus Menapharaoh, M 16
Heir to the Menapharaoh Family and Corporation
Southerner, Born on the Menapharaoh home-world of Laus (LU-D)
Micah Ritwald-Fortuna, M 53
C.E.O. of Fortuna Yards
Central-Born, Born on the capital planet of Leros (PO)
Clarence Jesemera, M 43
Senior Negotiator, Menapharaoh Corporation
Southerner, Born on the Menapharaoh home-world of Laus (LU-D)
Adrian LaBelle, M 50
Head of the LaBelle Corporation, Director of the private army Paris
Northerner, Born on the planet of Sirjan (SN)
Mina Keowan, F 58
Heiress to the Keowan Family
Misurinian, Born in the uncharted system of Nocturne
Renmir, M 172
Head technician of the traveling Meheomats
Meheomat, constructed on the computer world of Cordia Major
Phoebe Gavlin, F 30
Captain in the Fortuna Guard
Southerner, Born on the Fortuna home-world of Elara (EL-D)
Royston Blue, M 35
Captain in the Central Army
Central-Born, Born on the industrial planet of Kiso (KO-I)
Kite Fortuna, M 42
Fashion Designer and Head Public Relations Officer for the Fortuna Family
Southerner, Born on the Fortuna home-world of Elara (EL-D)
Atum Ataya, M 47
King of Atayuma
Outlander, Born in the Independent System of Atayuma (ISY-OR)
Aline Sierra, F 48
Major General of the Royal Army of Atayuma
Outlander, Born in the Independent System of Atayuma (ISY-OR)
Abye Castillo, M 30
Biologist, Ecologist, Academic, and Professor of the Royal Academy of Atayuma
Outlander, Born in the Independent System of Atayuma (ISY-OR)
Remy Harlow, M 58
Governor of the Holy City of Timit
Viran, Born on the Viran home-world of Corben Six (CB)
Eros Martin, M 28
Commander in the Fortuna Guard
Southerner, Born on the Fortuna home-world of Elara (EL-D)
Philipe Barros, M 61
General of the Royal Navy of Atayuma
Outlander, Born in the Independent System of Atayuma (ISY-OR)
Len Tome, M 40
General of the Royal Army of Atayuma
Outlander, Born in the Independent System of Atayuma (ISY-OR)
Pascal Munon, M 43
Head Academic and Professor of the Royal Academy of Atayuma, Mathematician
Outlander, Born in the Independent System of Atayuma (ISY-OR)
Fala Milton, F 45
Academic and Professor of the Royal Academy of Atayuma, Economist
Outlander, Born in the Independent System of Atayuma (ISY-OR)
Tansay Alma, M 39
Captain of the King’s Royal Guards
Outlander, Born in the Independent System of Atayuma (ISY-OR)
Maska Paz, M 55
Head of the Church of Atayuma
Outlander, Born in the Independent System of Atayuma (ISY-OR)
Maison Carrera, F 48
Governor of Kisto, the Capital City of Atayuma
Outlander, Born in the Independent System of Atayuma (ISY-OR)
Imora Sunn, F 49
Farmer
Northerner, Born on the agricultural world of Cortabera (CA-A)
Kora Sunn, F 8
Kid
Northerner, Born on the agricultural world of Cortabera (CA-A)
Kiton Sunn, M 16
Student
Northerner, Born on the agricultural world of Cortabera (CA-A)
Aelia Sunn, F 15
Student, Refugee
Outlander, Born on the Outer Rim planet Aelius (AN-OR)
Rau Moscoso, M 29
Owner of Rau’s Tap House in Kisto, the Capital City of Atayuma
Outlander, Born in the Independent System of Atayuma (ISY-OR)
Marshall Barner, M 35
Expedition Pilot, Former Butler of the Lioporvo Family
Southerner, Born on the central planet of Carnac (CC)
Ada Drott, F 20
Migrant
Corbenite, Born on the Corbenite home-world of Corben Six (CB)