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[MaxTheFox]

The twentieth chapter of my hard sci-fi space opera is released! Here the orb theft subplot started in the last chapter is resolved. The next chapter will be the last one set partially in Yectkogg-- the gang is departing towards the space of the Anti-Abyssal Bulwark soon. But for now, yet another minor character is introduced.

I think I said all there is to say about the banal hell that is the Yectkogg Corporation. Was kinda depressing to write this.

[MaxTheFox]

The twenty-first chapter of my hard sci-fi space opera is released! This is a chonky one. Elektra finally gets to do her job. The unlikely passengers they found in Ch.18 get comfortable... ish. And finally the group leaves this accursed station, as the plot threads set up on it get tied back up. Enjoy! The next chapter might be somewhat shorter. We're entering the last legs of the crew's journey.

[MaxTheFox]

The twenty-first chapter of my hard sci-fi space opera is released! This is a chonky one. Elektra finally gets to do her job. The unlikely passengers they found in Ch.18 get comfortable... ish. And finally the group leaves this accursed station, as the plot threads set up on it get tied back up. Enjoy! The next chapter might be somewhat shorter. We're entering the last legs of the crew's journey.

The twenty-second chapter of my hard sci-fi space opera is released! This is another long chapter. Most importantly, a lot of important worldbuilding happens here! Most of the nations described here will be very important to future books and the later chapters of this book. But there are also some insights into what relmai culture is like, for those who (as recommended) are starting with this book.

A starmap has been added to the post-chapter author's note. Will be updated each chapter. I'm posting it here, for those who aren't following along with the book (no spoilers in it, tbh).

Spoiler: Huge image, scroll around and stuff (click to show/hide)

This is highly WIP. I ran out of time, but in the next chapter the path to Ilsh will be finished, and the Pheidippides' path will be marked (as of the end of this chapter it's slightly above the T in "Triarchy"). Enjoy this for now-- I felt it was justified here since there was a lot of astropolitics talk. Disclaimer: the Oval is fully 3D as it is too small-scale for the flatness of the galaxy to affect it in any way. Thus, this map is "flattened". For the purposes of this map, consider countries to also neighbor their neighbors' neighbors in many places. For example, the BFR borders the Relmai Commonwealth, despite that not being shown on the map. Also, the borders are actually much fuzzier with a lot of protrusions and exclave stars-- these have been smoothed out for ease of viewing.
_{Yes, the BFR's location contradicts Kayden's line in the first book about it being in the north. The out-of-universe explanation is that I felt the north of Terra was already crowded with statelets. The in-universe explanation is that Kayden, being an American (if a space American), is horrible at geography and by extension astrography. :p}

[MaxTheFox]

The twenty-fourth chapter of my hard sci-fi space opera is released! Yet another gigantic chapter... and a combat chapter at that. However, this combat is resolved in a rather unconventional way... in any case, the ways of the traitorous captain Elijs Valters backfire. Jamaad and Kuw get to shine, mostly. In addition, an outline of what the last leg of the journey will entail is described at the end, and it ain't pretty.

Also, the map has been updated.

[MaxTheFox]

The twenty-fifth chapter of my hard sci-fi space opera is released! Moderately-sized chapter compared to the previous ones. As the title implies, this is the true last respite of any kind before the gauntlet that will be the last stretch of the journey. Nevertheless, what happens here is an important, and definitely unexpected, bit of worldbuilding that WILL be relevant later in the franchise. Check it out!

I'm gonna finish this book soon, then re-edit parts of the first book (cleaning up janky writing as that was my first book, various worldbuilding retcons, etc).

[MaxTheFox]

The twenty-sixth chapter of my hard sci-fi space opera is released! Back to our normal-ish chapter sizes. Some warp lore, and most importantly the true start of the harrowing gauntlet that will be the least few jumps. These next few chapters will be chaos.

I expect the end to be somewhere around chapter 30.

[MaxTheFox]

The twenty-seventh chapter of my hard sci-fi space opera is released! As the title (Chaos!) implies, the wringer starts here. The ship is in some serious trouble at this point-- but what is the extent of the damage? And what consequences are there to it? Find out!

[MaxTheFox]

The 30th chapter of my hard sci-fi space opera is released! The mental state of much of the crew reaches an all-time low. As I stated before, the last few jumps were a meatgrinder, previously physical and now emotional. Now the grand finale is approaching. Will the crew of the Pheidippides manage to reach their destination while remaining sane?

This is the last "normal" chapter! The next chapter will contain the ending, an epilogue, and a post-mortem writeup. There is no deadline for it, expect it in under 2 weeks though.

So yea am about to finish this book.

[MaxTheFox]

The ending of my hard sci-fi space opera is released! The finale of a lengthy and harrowing journey. More than 3 times longer than the usual chapters are; I wanted to wrap everything up neatly. Most of it is the intense final space battle. What happens after? Might not be what you expect!

Thank you for reading!
Next up I'll fix my first book... the first book is very, very janky, needs a bit of editing. The quality in Marathon is more consistent.

[MaxTheFox]

My first book, which used to be highly janky, has been de-janked as much as I could. It's still the first long-form writing I ever did, so the quality is definitely not as high as Marathon, but it's very readable and the premise is rather unusual. It's not military sci-fi unlike the second book, rather it's about a space road trip that ends up stumbling into a conspiracy.

[MaxTheFox]

I have launched my third book!

In the year 2234, as part of a multi-species expedition to poorly-charted space, a ship is dispatched to a 'glass planet' with unusual conditions. There, Iraklijs the human and his alien friends and coworkers discover a mysterious precursor installation, teeming with riches and secrets, but also dangers. What they discover there will drastically change the understanding of the isolated Silent Empire and perhaps the whole Central Oval...

This is, in effect, a sci-fi dungeon crawl. It's mostly self-contained but it's recommended to read Stardust: Origins and/or Stardust: Marathon first, for context. The writing style is slightly different here too.

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/85822/stardust-labyrinth

[MaxTheFox]

The second chapter of Stardust: Labyrinth is out! After sorting out some issues and being faced with the discovery of the ruins, the five archeologists depart towards the planet in their landing craft. The planet turns out to be less tranquil than it seems...

[MaxTheFox]

The third chapter of Stardust: Labyrinth is out! After the tense situation from Ch.2 is resolved, the heroes finally reach the ruins. What they find inside, and what they have to do, is not quite what they expected. This will be an... interesting mission.

[MaxTheFox]

The fourth chapter of Stardust: Labyrinth is out! After the minor setback in the third chapter, the group ventures deeper into the eponymous labyrinth, and the sheer scale of the complex becomes apparent...

[MaxTheFox]

The fifth chapter of Stardust: Labyrinth is out! Horrifying event after horrifying event happens as the five tries to find their way back after the fourth chapter's incident, threatening to derail the expedition completely. Will they manage to regain their bearings?