SPARK of Tyranny

"Earth seems free, but it’s not. That’s what we are fighting for, to wake people up."

—Byron, "SPARK of Tyranny - Part 7: The Big Picture"

SPARK of Tyranny is an online serial novel, updated Saturdays. In the future, Humanity has spread to space. But Earth has been brought under the control of the Kilon Federation. Other human civilizations, including the Martian Confederacy, stand by, held back by fear or apathy, and tolerate the humiliation of Humanity's homeworld. Will Earth remain under the control of the alien Kilons? Will Mars rise to liberate it, or supplant it? Will Alex and his crew find their way in an unrelenting galaxy?

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Tropes used in SPARK of Tyranny include:

• Ace Pilot: Jade and the Bucephalus have a relationship that only she truly understands. She is entirely calm flying through an asteroid field or dodging incoming fire.
• Faster-Than-Light Travel
• Five-Man Band:
  • The Hero - Alex, captain of the Bucephalus and the unquestioned leader.
  • The Lancer - Kwame, the ship's mechanic and Alex's right-hand man. Something of a Blue to Alex's Red.
  • The Smart Guy - John, the ship's "intern". Is on sabbatical from med school back on Earth.
  • The Big Guy - Michael, surprisingly in good shape for someone who is a few centuries old. He has only begun to tap into his power.
  • The Chick - Jade, an ace pilot liked by all, even those who want to put a bullet into Alex.
• La Résistance: How Byron sees his group of smugglers and mercenaries.
• Wretched Hive: The Rock, an abandoned asteroid mine now used as a base of operations for smugglers, Space Pirates and self-identified freedom fighters.