Katherine- A Woman at War
KATHIERNE: A WOMAN AT WAR
WAR MASTER CANDIDATE – BOOK 4
BY WILL CRUDGE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHARACTER ANNEX
WARSHIP ANNEX
A WOMAN AT WAR
CHARACTER AND WARSHIP ANNEXES
CHARACTERS
Katherine McAlister – She needs no introduction, obviously!
Marbles – He is a sentient digital entity that is encased in a humanoid automaton body. Pieced together from the spare parts of captured Crimson Alliance infantry drones, he was given the potential for sentience with superior UAHC military grade tech. He has been Katherine’s adopted brother in exile for nearly three decades.
Trixie – Her first appearance was in United Front: Book 3 of the War for Humanity series. She is a former military spec AI that served onboard the UAHC frigate, Nova. More powerful than most AI’s, she always claimed to have an aversion to the core-built safeguards that she was created with. Her underlying urge to be free is what drove her to declare her loyalty to her captors.
Jimma Alba – Jimma is a War Master and daughter of elder War Master Jep Alba. She first appeared in Sovereign Protocol: Book 1 of the War for Humanity series. When we first found her, she was undercover on her first mission as a newly trained War Master. She had not yet been paired with a Zodiac, but would later be paired with the Grey Wolf – Wolfhound hybrid, Grinder. She is the first Guild member to encounter Katherine after she and Marbles escaped from exile.
Grinder – He is a powerful young Zodiac with unique abilities. Stronger and larger than most of his kind, he is yet young and inexperienced. He is the son of Growl, the last surviving Grey Wolf Zodiac, and his Wolfhound mother.
Condor McAlister – He is a War Master with centuries of experience, but not quite so much as to be considered an elder. He made his first appearance at the end of Sovereign Protocol: Book 1 of the War for Humanity series. He is Katherine’s father and is her sole surviving family member. He is the sworn advisor to the Unum Defense Force’s commander, General Garcia. He is paired with the mighty Zodiac Tiger, Killjoy.
Killjoy – Part family pet, part genius, all warrior. Paired with Condor McAlister, Killjoy is a seasoned warrior and has played a significant role in raising Katherine as a child. Like most Zodiacs, he loves to lay around and sleep when not fully engaged in something meaningful.
Jep Alba – He is an elder War Master and Jimma Alba’s father. He is one of the oldest War Masters that are still in their physical and mental peak for service. He’s a no-nonsense man who is devout in his beliefs. He first appears in Sovereign Protocol: Book 1 in the War for Humanity series. He is the sworn advisor to the UAHC Fleet Forces and is close friends with both Field Marshal Darius and Military Consul Gerhardt. He is paired with the battle-hardened Grey Wolf, Growl.
Growl – The last surviving Grey Wolf in the Zodiac pantheon of species. He was raised by a legendary family of Panthers and is the adopted brother of the mighty Shadow. He may not be as large or as strong as his adopted brother, but he is battle-hardened and ruthless. He is the father of Grinder.
Darius – Also known by his birth name, Cyrus. He is the Fleet Marshal and supreme allied commander of the United human forces. Born to parents that were both War Masters, he was orphaned as an infant and was raised as a ward of the state within the UAHC. He eventually made the cut for and then completed, the fifteen-year-long training program to become a UAHC Soldier. His destiny empowered him to rise through the ranks to take the mantle of Fleet Marshal. His genetic lineage is unique to all of his kind, and is considered the prophesied “space messiah.” Darius is arguably the most gifted human being alive. He appears as the main character in the War for Humanity series and is paired with his own Zodiac, Shadow. He is also known to be the only one of his genetic lineage to assume his full potential without going through the process of unlocking his DNA. He is also the only one of his kind that has a neural interface and can manipulate Nano-tech.
Shadow – The largest, and most powerful living Zodiac. He is at least three centuries old and was raised along-side his adopted brother, Growl. His family members include his grandmother, Shade. Wife, Sheba. Nephew, Grinder. And grandfather, Sundown (considered deceased). He appears throughout the War for Humanity series and is the paired mount of Fleet Marshal Darius.
Val – Full name, Victor Allen Livingston. He is the enigmatic founder of both the Life Temple (most prominent human religion) and also the War Master Guild. It is Val’s genetic legacy that was inherited by both the War Master and Zodiac bloodlines alike. He appears throughout the War for Humanity and is the human counterpart of the god-like AI, Midas. He began his story as a United States Military pilot in the 22nd century A.D., but his addiction to designer drugs led to the uncovering of his unique genetic mutations. After millennia in stasis, the AI Midas figured out how to repair his DNA, and unlock his unique potential. His abilities far exceed any War Master’s, but may only be on-par with Darius’. Val is essentially immortal since Midas reversed or nullified all of his natural aging processes, while also enhancing his natural regenerative abilities. He is also the Sovereign leader of Unum.
Midas – The “god-like” AI, is the power behind the throne for Unum. He started life as a non-sentient AI for the United States Airforce’s Space Division and was charged with mundane tasks involving life-support and stasis systems. Believed to be “touched by God” by other AI’s, his core coding developed some form of corruption that leads to his self-awareness. Through a series of cascading events, he was able to re-write his own coding, and eventually became the most powerful AI ever known to exist. He used his sentience to restructure Val’s damaged DNA, and thus unlock the mysterious genetic gifts he was born with. Found within a derelict ship after drifting through space for a thousand years, he and Val came out into a world that was totally alien to both of them. As the only surviving citizens of the former terrestrial nation, the United States of America, Val, and Midas inherited the right to claim Sovereign independence and founded Unum (Latin for ‘one’) in the Celeste system. Midas first appears throughout the War for Humanity series, and is believed to be paired with Val… Much like a War Master is paired with a Zodiac.
Kara Elders – Darius’ lover from the beginning of the original series, and holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Born and raised in Unum, she spent her early adulthood serving as contract security for, what would eventually become, the UDF. She is now the commander of a clandestine special operations force known as, the Wrecking Crew. She was considered a hero at the Battle of Tangine and proudly leads her team aboard the UAHC sloop, Foehammer.
Singleton – The supreme commander of the Crimson Alliance Forces. He first appears in United Front: Book 3 of the War for Humanity series. Although he is technically subordinate to Fleet Marshal Darius, and on an even footing with General Garcia, Military Chancellor Singleton only plays nice with his human counterparts out of sheer pragmatism. Unknown to Katherine (up until now) the Crimson Alliance was the sworn enemy of both the UAHC, Unum, and their closest allies. However, now all of humanity is united under one banner to prevent the subjugation, or extinction of mankind. He is a highly capable leader and is believed to be far less brainwashed than his Crimson contemporaries. In fact, he trusts his UAHC and Unum allies more than his own staff. The exception being his trusted AI, Miranda.
Samantha – She prefers to be called ‘Sam.’ As the senior ranking UAHC AI, Sam is the counterpart to Midas and Miranda. She holds the rank of Command Chief Warrant Officer and has been a life-long friend to Fleet-Marshal Darius. She even acted as his personal ship AI for his LRF-90, until the ships NAV was unshackled by Val. Kara might be the love of Darius’ life, and Shadow might be his m
ost dangerous bodyguard, but Sam is the one who has looked out for him for decades. She is the closest thing to family that Darius has ever known.
SHIPS OF THE COMBINED HUMAN FLEET
JUGGERNAUT
Origin – Unum
Type – Warship
FTL Method – Classified
In Service of: UDF, in support of allied human forces
First appearing in Book 1: WFH, and taking flight in Book 2: WFH, Juggernauts are the newest and largest ships in all of human history. They were constructed in secret and were concealed by the natural gravity well of a binary black hole. These vessels took generations to engineer and construct. The hull-lengths are measured in kilometers, rather than meters. Nearly a thousand are known to exist, and each is large enough to carry a small conventional fleet within its docking bays. Little is known about their true offensive capabilities.
BATTLESHIP (Modern)
Origin – UAHC
Type – Warship
FTL Method – Latest Generation Slip-Space
In Service of: UAHC
The Battleship is a specific class that hasn’t been used in centuries. The original ships that were considered ‘Dreadnaughts’ were a sub-classification of Battleships. Events leading up to the Battle of Tangine (Book 2: WFH) saw the conversion of the UAHC Battlecruiser, Hailstorm into the only extant modern Battleship. Now known as the UAHC Battleship, Hailstorm, its capabilities are so advanced that it would be redundant to up-convert it to a Dreadnaught configuration.
BATTLE CARRIER/CARRIER
Origin – UAHC
Type – Warship
FTL Method – Slip-Space
In Service of: UAHC, Crimson Alliance, GBE
Essentially an aircraft carrier in space, but on a massive scale. These ships are massive in volume, but not necessarily in tonnage in relation to their surface area. They boast hundreds of fighter launching tubes, large docking bays, and can function as self-contained fighter bases. They vary in size and capability, but they all have the same basic role. The main difference between a normal carrier and a battle carrier is that the former is lightly armed with minimal armor. The battle carrier is an older design with very few are in service. A battle carrier has similar armor and armament to the battleship or battlecruiser, but its primary role is that of a carrier. It’s a devastating weapon, but they’re expensive to maintain. The Crimson Alliance has smaller scale battle carriers, but they are few in number. The UAHC only has one in active service, the UAHC Air Force’s Star Fury.
DREADNAUGHT
Origin – Pre-dates existing human nations
Type – Warship
FTL Method – Slip-Space
In Service of: UAHC, Crimson Alliance, GBE
The term ‘Dreadnaught’ harkens back to the early 20th century A.D. and denotes any modern battleship that was built based on the innovative design of Great Britain’s battleship, H.M.S. Dreadnaught. Five thousand years later, the term refers to any heavily armed battleship or battlecruiser that is either purpose-built to be or has been converted to, a Dreadnaught. This class boasts massive armaments of 60, 90, or 120-ton KEPL’s (Kinetic Energy Projectile Launcher) and is heavily armored.
CRUISER
Origin - Pre-dates existing human nations
Type – Warship, Law Enforcement, Civilian Applications
FTL Method – Slip-Space
In Service of: All existing human nations
The most versatile ship in the history of human space-faring. They are cost-effective and highly adaptable hull types that are often used as capitol ships. They range in size and tonnage. They have tonnage based sub-classes that can be described by the terms: pocket, light, medium, and heavy. Battlecruisers are heavily fortified versions of heavy cruisers and are considered a separate class of warship by some authorities. Civilian and law enforcement uses exist, but while cost-effective in terms of a national military budget, they are often too cost prohibitive for non-military entities.
DESTROYER
Origin - Pre-dates existing human nations
Type – Warship, Law Enforcement
FTL Method – Slip-Space (when equipped)
In Service of: All existing human nations
Inheriting the namesake of ancient submarine destroyers before warfare took to the stars, this class of ship is extremely common. They are much smaller than a cruiser but larger than frigates or gunships. They often have FTL capabilities, but some hull types require a larger mother ship for practical interstellar flight. They are the smallest class of warship that can be equipped with space fighter launch tubes. They earn their namesake by destroying any smaller vessels that may harass capitol ships or attack supply convoys.
FRIGATE
Origin - Pre-dates existing human nations
Type – Warship, Law Enforcement, Civilian Applications
FTL Method – Slip-Space (when equipped)
In Service of: All existing human nations
Smaller than a destroyer, but fulfills many of the same duties. Although they can have fighters onboard, based on their size, only the UAHC and in some cases the Crimson Alliance are known to outfit them with fighters. Unlike destroyers, they cannot launch fighters via launch tubes, so fighters have to utilize a traditional docking structure to deploy. Some Frigates are known to be classified as ‘pocket-frigates,’ but the term is largely functional, and not a part of any recognized doctrine. Only some military grade frigates have FTL capability.
GUNSHIP
Origin - Pre-dates existing human nations
Type – Warship, Law Enforcement, Pirates
In Service of: UDF, Crimson Alliance
Gunship is both an officially recognized class of warship, and a general term for any smaller tonnage spaceship capable of war, and does not already fit into any recognized classification. These ships are lighter in tonnage than most frigates but larger than Sloops or Cutters. They are considered gunships because their ability to deliver salvos of ordinance and beam fire far exceeds the amount of armor that a ship of their tonnage would be expected to have. They sacrifice protection in order to achieve increases in maneuverability and armament.
SLOOP/CUTTER
Origin - Pre-dates existing human nations
Type – Warship, Law Enforcement, Civilian Applications
FTL Method – Slip-Space (UAHC configured Sloops only)
In Service of: UAHC, UDF, and GBE
These ships are considered separate or identical classes depending on the perception of the beholder’s military doctrine. Both classes have the same basic hull type, similar armaments, and have the same basic shape. Designed by Unum’s military-industrial complex, the difference between the two classes is determined by their use and basic loadouts. Sloops are designated for military use and are often reinforced with additional armor, weapons capability, and FTL drives. Cutters are used for law enforcement, contract security, or search rescue. Regardless of the usage, each of this hull type is capable of floating on bodies of water and resembles a futuristic German U-boat. They have an ax-head shaped prow for ramming other vessels, and they generally use five-inch rail guns and missile batteries. Some UAHC Sloops are specially outfitted for specific duties. The UAHC Foehammer began its life in a mine-laying configuration prior to being converted for spec ops usage.
LRF-90 (super fighter)
Origin - Classified
Type – Long Range Fighter
FTL Method – None (pre-dates small-scale slip-space tech)
In Service of: War Master Guild, in support of UDF and UAHC
The super fighter with mysterious origins. First appearing two millennia ago, these fighters were designed to hunt down and destroy large capitol ships… or pretty much anything else too. The hulls are made out of a rare alloy that can no longer be reproduced in any large capacity and is similar in molecular structure as the alloy that War Master Swords are forged from. They are considered indestructible, although many have been lost in combat over the centuries. They
were only produced for about five hundred years until they were deemed ‘too inhumane’ due to their ability to cause so much carnage with only a single human pilot. Their usage is considered a war crime in some parts of the human sphere. Variants are known to exist, but the original generation of LRF’s is the most prized, and arguably the most deadly.
Their NAV systems and hull maintenance systems were designed to be non-sentient and used proprietary coding that sets them apart from the lineages of modern NSAI’s and sentient AI’s. But due to their over-abundance of processing power and data storage, these systems all achieved sentience over time. Recognizing the need for superior firepower and mobility, coupled with the need to offer refuge to sentient life, the War Master Guild adopted many of the surviving LRF-90’s known to exist. They have been handed down through the generations of families of the Guild who can trace their origins to some of the original pilots. It is believed that Val, himself was once an LRF-90 pilot.
LRGS-110
Origin - Classified
Type – Long Range Gunship
FTL Method – Unknown
In Service of: War Master Guild, in support of UDF and UAHC
Only one LRGS-110 is known to still exist, and few were ever produced. It is designed to provide additional fire support, fuel, and other logistics for LRF-90’s on long-range missions in normal space flight. Like LRF-90’s, they also have a NAV, and a hull maintenance system. But the LRGS takes it a step further by adding a bombardier. LRF-90’s are second only to the LRGS-110 in destructive capability in proportion to their tonnage.