Timeline (Through the end of 0300 Books 1 and 2)

April 15, 1989 Paul Alexander Stewart born in Valentine Texas. Father died in Fleet action two months before; mother died two months later. Paul placed in orphanage.

September, 1995 Paul entered Fleet School Edmonton; analyzed by QMEG; assigned TDY (temporary duty), USF Enterprise; Battle of Jamnagar

1995 Danny West and George Rogers born

1997 Paul Stewart promoted to Senior Cadet; transferred to Fleet School Cardiff, Wales

1998: Paul Stewart assigned to Fleet School Nazca

1999: Paul Stewart promoted to Ensign

2000: Lt. (j.g.) Paul Stewart assigned to USF Millikan as engineering officer

2001: Lieutenant Paul Stewart assigned as Bridge Officer, USF Emile du Chatalet

2002: Lieutenant Commander Paul Stewart member of Science Team, Pluto Fleet

2003: Commander Paul Stewart met Danny West; took command of USS Goddard and Mars expedition; adopted Danny

2004: Commander Paul Stewart assigned to Fleet Communications-Electronic-Nanotechnology facility, Cardiff, Wales. Son Cadet (j.g.) Danny Stewart attends Fleet School, Cardiff

2005: Captain Paul Stewart found Cadet (j.g.) George Rogers; was assigned command of cruiser USS Independence; adopted George Stewart-Rogers

2006: Captain Paul Stewart and sons, Danny and George, assigned to Fleet School Australia; Geeks with Guns (GWG) group began to form

2007: Captain Paul Stewart and GWGs assigned to the science ship USF Galileo, Jupiter mission

2008: Captain Paul Stewart and GWGs on cruiser USF Resolute

December 31, 2008 Earth Analogue II: Battle of Las Vegas (later renamed “First Battle for Las Vegas”); rift opens between Earth Analogues (EA) II and VI; closes. Rift opens between EA II and EA I; remains open

December 31, 2008 New Year’s Eve, 0300 Zulu: Captain Paul Stewart ordered to the hospital ship, USF Hope. Captain Corey Long, Starfleet, Earth Analogue VI and his people bought survivors—and the dead—from the battle, above to the Hope

January 1, 2009 Commodore Paul Stewart given command of Task Force Rift; adopted Artie Stewart; moved his flag to battleship USF Charleston

February 2009 Treaty of Amity signed by Paul Stewart, Corey Long, Artie Stewart; ratified by Fleet Council.

February 2009 Artie made televised speech to his world; the Funeral was held on the following Sabbath evening; Hamish and Matthew escaped from the _____ Palace Casino with the help of Andrew and John, a eunuch

December 31, 2009 0300 Zulu: Admiral Davis ordered Commodore Stewart’s Task Force Rift, manned by volunteers, to prosecute a war against the Reverends

January 1, 2010 0300 Pacific Time: Commodore Paul Stewart with sons Artie Stewart, Danny Stewart, and George Stewart-Rogers, as well as Captain Corey Long, with a security team landed at Camp Santa Ana, California

Simplified Glossary:

Elint: Electronic intelligence relating to the radar and electronic countermeasures capabilities of an enemy.

GWGs, Geeks, Geeks with Guns: see metas, below.

Humint: Human intelligence obtained, e.g., from agents on the ground, from captured enemy, and from cooperative non-combatants.

Imint: Imagery intelligence, usually from aerial photography and similar systems. May include imagery from side-looking radar, multi-spectral scanners, and other non-optical sensors.

Metas: a group of boys from Earth Analogue I whose physical and mental abilities are at the far extreme of normal, and who possess telepathy. Some are developing clairvoyance. Other talents may reveal themselves. They are protected by a natural camouflage (“the veil”) that not only keeps others from knowing their abilities, but also prevents others from remembering them. They have a mental ability to “push” others into believing and obeying them. One group, all displaying knowledge and ability well beyond their years, calls themselves “Geeks.” As members of Fleet, they are armed, and have adopted privately the nickname, “Geeks with Guns” or GWGs.

Opsec: Operational security—whatever it takes to keep the enemy from learning your plans.

Psyops: Psychological operations.

R&R: “Rest and relaxation.” Shore leave granted to a ship’s personnel or to soldiers in the field.

Sigint: Signals intelligence, usually from interception of radio and television signals and broadcasts.

USF: United Surface Fleet; United Space Fleet

Dramatis Persona at the End of Book 2

(Alphabetical by first name or title, where know.)

Admiral Davis: Commander of Fleet and Chair of the Fleet Council—equivalent to World CEO and Chief of the Armed Forces.

Alberto Santiago: “Geek with Guns” (GWG) member; rescued by Danny and George during training exercise in Yucatan.

Alex Tremain: GWG; about 2 years younger than George/Danny; was boyfriend of Cameron Stewart but broke up and found another boyfriend before the beginning of Book 3. Expertise: art and imagery; becomes head of Fleet Imint Team.

Andrew: Boy from the _____ Palace Casino who aided the escape of Matthew and Hamish after Hamish killed Deacon Jerome.

Andy Moultrie: GWG; son of Captain Moultrie of USF Charleston. Boyfriend, Daffyd Llewellen.

Artie Stewart: Colonel-in-Chief, California Liberation Army in Exile; adopted son of Commodore Paul Stewart; developing telepath, but not a meta.

Avery Hamlin: GWG, Flag Quartermaster/Logistics.

Bobby _____: GWG; computer geek recruited from Fleet School Wales by Danny Stewart.

Cam (Cameron) Stewart: GWG; not an immediate relative of Paul Stewart, except that, as Paul said, “All Stewarts are related.” Sensitive telepath. Analyst.

Casey Freeman: GWG, Chief of Flag Ops Team; shuttle co-pilot and boyfriend of Kevin Cathcart.

Charles Adams, PhD: Meta; head of CERN-Higgs.

Cory Long: Captain, Starfleet, Earth Analogue VI; commander of the “Universe Long” forces; telepath, not a meta.

Daffyd Llewellen: GWG; boyfriend of Andy Moultrie.

Danny Stewart: adopted son of Paul Stewart; GWG; co-commander, Paul Stewart’s security team.

George Fairburn: GWG; son of Captain Fairburn, battleship USF Honolulu.

George Stewart-Rogers: adopted son of Paul Stewart; GWG; co-Commander, Paul Stewart’s security team; opsec chief; commander of Kidnap Team 1.

Hamish: Boy at the _____ Palace Casino; kills Deacon Jerome and escapes with his boyfriend, Matthew, with the help of Andrew and John, a eunuch.

Jeff Evans, Lieutenant; Captain of USF Hope.

Jonathan Hanson: GWG, Flag Comm Officer; boyfriend of Avery Hamlin.

John (of) Patmos: Eunuch at the _____ Palace Casino; with Andrew, helps Hamish and Matthew escape.

Kevin Cathcart: GWG; Flag Pilot, becomes Paul Stewart’s XO, and Chief of Flag Intel Team.

Martin: Corporal at U-California Camp Santa Ana.

Marty McLaughlan: GWG; electronics expert; elint chief.

Matthew: Boy at the _____ Palace Casino; boyfriend of Hamish.

Ollie _____: GWG; boyfriend of George Fairburn.

Paul Stewart: GWG; 21-year-old Commodore in Fleet; father of Artie, Danny, and George, as well as two dead boys from U-California. Oldest of known metas, but younger than “bad guys” who were executed in Book 2.

Tobor (“robot” spelled backwards): sentient computer; Fleet mainframe; possesses telepathy, but has revealed this, and his sentience, to only a select few people, including Paul Stewart and other GWGs, as well as Admiral Davis.

Tyler: GWG; becomes George Stewart-Rogers’s assistant and deputy commander of Paul Stewart’s security team

Will _____: GWG; biochemistry and brain function geek.

Prologue 2010-01-01

0300 Pacific Time
January 1, 2010 C.E.
Earth Analogue I
(“Fundamentalist” or “Reverends’ Universe”)
Camp Santa Ana, California

A boxy aeroplane without wings circles above the camp, slowly, silently, and invisible in the moonless, overcast night. Three times it makes its circuit while sensors probe the buildings and the mountains surrounding the camp. Then, it settles to the ground in front of the headquarters building. The boy on guard on the porch sees the aeroplane, and runs into the building.

A door in the side of the aeroplane opens and three figures step out. They are immediately followed by a dozen boys carrying rifles. Four of the boys are in the black and gray of the California Army; four are in blue jumpsuits; four are in desert camouflage. The armed boys take up defensive positions. The door of the shuttlecraft closes, and it departs as silently and invisibly as it arrived.

In the building, lights come on. They are barely bright enough to illuminate the waiting figures. A man steps from the headquarters and walks toward the figures. When he is about ten feet from the boys, he stops. “I am Don Renaldo. Welcome.” His eyes widen but only slightly. “Artie? Why am I not surprised?”

Artie smiles broadly. “Don Renaldo, this is my brother, Captain Cory Long, commander of his world’s forces. This is my father, Commodore Paul Stewart, commander of his world’s forces. We have come to take our world back from the Reverends and anyone else who would stand in our way.”