Showing results by author "Terry Maggert" in All Categories

With new, more lethal weapons being added at every turn, the Forge goes into motion, advancing across the galactic arm in furious combat, leaving wreckage in the wake. But that wreckage has a purpose, and so does Dash. Until now, the war has been Golden allies throwing themselves in front of the Realm weapons, but that’s all about to change.

Thorn Stellers and his daughter are a problem, and not just for the Nyctus. With their power taking shape in directions like no one has ever seen, the Orbital Navy is faced with an unwelcome reality: The Starcasters are beyond control. Kira and Damien are assigned diplomatic roles in the growing sphere of galactic relations, leading them to a stunning discovery - humans are not alone in their fight against the Nyctus. Worlds are being destroyed by an unseen foe, with no defense against their attacks.

Drifting in the intergalactic deep, Dash begins the final push toward peace. From the depths of Realm lore, the Kingsport takes shape, one component at a time. But the war isn't over, and the Deepers aren’t done. The space beyond our galaxy is far from empty. The Arkubators, Deeper worlds, and other secrets begin to reveal themselves as the Realm forces fight their way, gate to gate, into areas never seen by humans. Dash will journey farther than any other human has ever gone - or so he thinks. What awaits him is a secret that will change everything humans know about their origins.

Now, spreading among the new worlds of the Unseen gates, Dash and his people are building new lives, free of war and destruction. Until one of the former Unseen planets shifts in orbit - a small thing, but worth looking into. Close to this erratic world, something incredible opens, revealing a connection to stars so distant that they have no name on the Cygnus charts.

Disturbing the established order will mean kicking over a fair number of rocks, although Mark, Valint, and the others might be surprised by what scurries forth underneath—and what uniform it's wearing when it steps into the light. Mark Tudor will make the title Peacemaker mean something once again, but to do that, he'll have to face the worst the galaxy has to offer. Death waits in the quiet moments. And sometimes, it is a soldier's loved ones that pay the greatest price.

The Messenger and his people continue their long fight against the Golden, but the war has just begun. When they discover reports of a missing colony ship, their search will uncover a crime so terrible that the battle lines will be drawn in blood. Following clues across the stars, Dash will bring the forces of his new navy to a cause that will only end in one of two ways: total victory or complete destruction. There’s only room for one winner in this ever-expanding galaxy, and Dash aims for it to be him.

For years, pilots who merely looked like soldiers were adequate. They filled the mechs. They filled roles. They supported Spann and his genetic offshoot of pure-blooded warriors known as the Superba. Spann's dream of absolute power ends with a single, crushing blow as a new enemy strikes at the Realm, leaving no survivors—followed by a mad dash to find fighters who can stand up in the old ways, using the mechs gifted to humanity by their oldest allies. Even in the midst of war, there is hope.

Now at home in the Aquarian system, Dash and his team receive news from a dying ship. With 30 systems under their inhuman control, the newest enemy to free life in the galaxy seeks to engage and destroy the Messenger by any means necessary. The skyhooks are only the beginning of a secret plan to hide Dark Metal, but Dash, the Gentle Friends, and the rest of the Messenger's growing forces will find a way to fight back. Plunging into the swirling deep, Dash discovers an ancient plot to use drones, Dark Metal, and a device so advanced it is only known by one word: the Shroud.

As Dash and his team begin expanding the Forge, they must focus on Dark Metal as the one thing that can give them an advantage in the coming war. Using drones and a map from an ancient library, Dash and Leira must seek out the source of a transmission coming from far away. That source, however, is something far more valuable than they could have hoped: a fleet of ancient Unseen ships, waiting to be salvaged.

The Ravennox are still out there. But thanks to Darius Spann and the Superba, Lawson and the other forces of the newly-restored Cygnus Realm face another, far more immediate threat. Spann and his Superba allies still hold sway over a huge swath of human territory, declaring it all Imperial space. Humanity is split, the Realm on one side and the Empire on the other, both claiming to be led by the Messenger. With neither able to land a decisive blow to knock out the other, a cold war now simmers between these two competing visions for the future.

Fighting over a span of light years that boggles the mind, Dash and his crew are drawn farther out in the big black than any human has ever gone...or so they thought. A small beacon of humanity drifts, alone, frozen, and ancient, out where the light of days is older than the history of mankind.

The cold war smoldering between the Realm and the Empire drags on. Both sides now turn to the distant spinward stars for a way to break the deadlock. Cryptic signals from deep space hint at powerful civilizations, and potential allies to turn the tide in favor of one side or the other, propelling it to victory. But who—or what—are these mysterious powers?

Deep below the waters of a world covered in ice, the key to Dark Metal awaits. Along with it, a new threat that brings the war ever closer. In order to stop it, the Messenger and his team must confront a familiar enemy in a new place, but now the stakes are higher, and the battle's results will echo across the galaxy for ages to come. To cap it all off, ships are being stolen from unSpace with no explanation as to why. The Messenger has his work cut out for him here in this dangerous new galaxy. But that's exactly the way he likes it.

Cullen Bright is the greatest athlete in human history. With over fifty victories in the Enhanced Pentathlon, no one can fight, shoot, or run like him—but it's not enough. Adrift and bored with wealth and fame, he finds his cause when an alien enemy launches a savage war of extermination against The Ten human star systems under Unity control. In a flash of anger, he enlists in the Unity Marines, determined to bring his limitless talent to a cause that is spiraling into chaos and madness. But Cullen will learn that being a Marine isn't a solo sport, and respect isn't given—it's earned.

With the attack countdown ticking toward zero, Mark and Perry pitch themselves headfirst into a seemingly impossible mission. One intended to break Gyl-Mareth's hold on the Guild, and thus the galaxy, once and for all. But first, Peaceful Skies must fall. Their strike is silent and deadly. Justice prevails. As a veteran and battle-tested soldier, Mark Tudor understands one key truth—violence is never a straightforward affair. Even the best-laid plans can crumble. And when working against a savvy predator, one should always expect the unexpected.

During a standard patrol, Thorn finds the scarred remains of a planet that has been reshaped by an unknown race. Massive machines were used to alter the landscape, and the only thing missing from the site is magic. Whoever is changing the galaxy, it isn’t the Nyctus.

The Earth’s navy is left drifting among the stars as Nyctus ships swarm, their purpose unknown as they continue their advance, burning one system after another. Humanity's extinction seems inevitable. But on one of the forgotten worlds, a boy is left behind, and he holds a talent unlike anything the galaxy has ever known. Thorn Stellers is a mage, trained to lead and fight. With a renegade division of warriors at his side, and with weapons far different from those of old Earth, Thorn has a chance at standing up to humanity's enemies.

Fresh off their first major victory against the Nyctus, the Orbital Navy is moving forward in confusion. Starcasters, led by Thorn Stellers, are not trusted - magic has not replaced the power of steel and naval might, and humanity is at a crossroads. As Thorn and Kira define their roles in the new navy, magic refuses to stay still. When Thorn discovers he has untapped power, Mol Wyant helps him use it. The results will change every rule, along with the known galaxy, for Thorn Stellers isn’t just a magician of unknown power. He’s a weapon of undiscovered fury.

When Dash and Leira repair a powerful scanner, it finds something unusual in a distant system—the remains of an ancient battlefield. Custodian tells of a fight lost long ago, leaving drifting debris around the faraway star. But the battlefield isn't forgotten. A human colony has taken hold nearby, and on their world, a single, massive ship has crashed.

Get ready to experience two more origin stories in the Backyard Starship universe.