Changes: A Night Without Stars

Revision as of 07:33, 3 February 2017

A book set in the Commonwealth Universe, sequel to The Abyss Beyond Dreams. Bienvenido has been ejected from the Void into inter-galactic space (hence the title?). This event is referred to by the inhabitants of Bienvenido as "The Great Transition", or just "the Transition". Because Bienvenido is no longer in the Void, life is very different. No-one has psychic powers any more, but on the flip side electricity now works, allowing technological progress. However, Bienvenido is now part of a solar system of nine planets, one of which is home to a Prime colony, who almost immediately launch an invasion fleet.

The rest of this article summarises plot developments in the book. If you don't want to know what happens, stop reading now!

Prologue

Nigel Sheldon has established is new civilisation in the Andromeda Galaxy. One day he is visited by Paula Myo, and it is revealed that he suffers deep feelings of guilt and shame over his actions (in reality, the actions of his clone) during his mission to the Void. He realises that he acted with unreasonable hubris, believing he could destroy the Void where the Raiel had failed. But he also believes that he destroyed Bienvenido, and more specifically killed Kysandra, because he had access to his ANAdroid's consciousness up until Bienvenido was ejected. He does not know that the planet was re-located; rather, he believes that it was destroyed.

"After my clone died in the blast, I was still dreaming my ANAdrioids' life. I watched through their eyes as Uracus opened up and devoured the whole crudding world. They were standing beside her when it happened. I heard her screams." He shook his head in frustration. "I still hear them. The whole fucking plant, Paula—obliterated. It's been two and a half centuries now, and I still hear her. There is no punishment—no suffering—great enough to fit my crime."

Book One: Another death for Laura Brandt

Laura Brandt has reached the surface, 3,000 years after her expedition arrived and she was trapped in the time loop. Slvasta is in power but has grown increasingly tyrannical, paranoid and oppressive. But the same event that freed Laura Brandt from the time loop also freed the Fallers. The egg factory (the "Forest") was sending eggs to Fall on Bienvenido at a constant rate because of the time loop, but freed of the loop the Fall rate has increased 10-fold, meaning that Bienvenido society faces an imminent existential threat.

Laura Brandt and Kysandra Blair are united in trying to both bring advanced technology to Bienvenido society as well as fighting the Faller and Prime threats. The work with the government of Slvasta even though they despise him. In fighting the Prime threat, Laura realises that the only way to beat them is to destroy their home planet completely. She is the only one that can operate the technology to do so, and to implement her plan, she has to go to the Prime planet to initiate its destruction. She does so, and in the process realises that in order for her plan to work she must sacrifice her life. She does so willingly, but uploads her memories to a device even though she knows that it will probably never either survive her plan, or be found by anyone capable of re-lifing her.

Book Two: Defence of the State

Over 250 years have passed. The government and society established by Slvasta endures, although the Fallers are still a threat. Society is reminiscent of Stalinist Russia. Laura Brandt is remembered as "Mother Laura" and her heroic self-sacrifice is celebrated annually on "Fireyear Day". Kysandra has also passed into mythological status as "The Warrior Angel", a kindly guardian angel who watches over Bienvenido and protects it against Fallers. Some people believe she is real, others think she is a story told to children, or propaganda promulgated by the Eliters, who are the Bienvenido equivalent of Highers and are antagonistic to the government.

The story takes the viewpoint of Chaing, an intelligence officer with the government. He remember being helped by The Warrior Angel as a small child, and thinks he sees her again when he is a 35 year-old man, in the bustle of Fireyear Day celebrations.

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 == Book Two: Defence of the State ==
-Over 250 years have passed. The government and society established by Slvasta endures, although the Fallers are still a threat. Society is reminiscent of Stalinist Russia. Laura Brandt is remembered as "Mother Laura" and her heroic self-sacrifice is celebrated annually on "Fireyear Day". Kysandra has also passed into mythological status as "The Warrior Angel", a kindly guardian angel who watches over Bienvenido and protects it against Fallers. Some people believe she is real, others think she is a story told to children, or propaganda promulgated by the [[Eliters]], a group opposed to the government.
+Over 250 years have passed. The government and society established by Slvasta endures, although the Fallers are still a threat. Society is reminiscent of Stalinist Russia. Laura Brandt is remembered as "Mother Laura" and her heroic self-sacrifice is celebrated annually on "Fireyear Day". Kysandra has also passed into mythological status as "The Warrior Angel", a kindly guardian angel who watches over Bienvenido and protects it against Fallers. Some people believe she is real, others think she is a story told to children, or propaganda promulgated by the [[Eliters]], who are the Bienvenido equivalent of Highers and are antagonistic to the government.
 The story takes the viewpoint of [[Chaing]], an intelligence officer with the government. He remember being helped by The Warrior Angel as a small child, and thinks he sees her again when he is a 35 year-old man, in the bustle of Fireyear Day celebrations.[[Category:Commonwealth Universe]]