Arc Sandhurst will become a mech pilot, even if it kills him.

After his sister's ship is attacked by the Pirate Queen of Nepenthe with all hands lost, Arc enters the Imperial Mech Academy on the deathworld Vidako in order to get revenge. The academy is the only place that the son of a silk-worker can get the enhancements that are required to pilot a mech - but first, Arc will have to survive disagreeable roommates, hazing from upperclassmen, the friendship of an imperial princess, and the steaming jungles of Vidako.

Regardless of what Arc wants, the Imperium Stellarum will need every good pilot it can get - because empires are built on a foundation of blood, and the sins of the first emperors are about to come due. Lost fleets lurk on the edge of known space; the ruins of ancient races are spread across long-dead worlds; and enemies thought defeated gather their strength once again.

War is coming to the Imperium.

What to Expect:

An intelligent but imperfect MC who progresses in capability and rank over the course of the series. Think the story arc of a Richard Sharpe, Horatio Hornblower, or Honor Harrington. MC will begin as a 4th class cadet and climb the ranks, gaining more autonomy and political power as the years pass. If you want to watch someone climb from cadet to admiral, this is the story for you.

Progression elements include genetic modifications, cybernetic implants, humans paired with AI partners, and, of course, upgrading and customizing mechs through battlefield salvage and cutting edge tech. The mech bits are where you'll find the crunch - expect lots of models, variants, and weapon loadouts.

Multiple POVs will offer a view of what supporting characters and antagonists are up to, but the focus (and majority of the chapters) will always remain on Arc. The first volume is roughly 80% MC, 20% other POVs, with most of those being the deuteragonist.

Power Couple: All characters are over the age of 18, and begin in a military academy environment designed to produce officers. It is my intent to build a relationship into the power couple trope, but expect political foolery and arranged marriage complications along the way, and keep in mind that the characters have to navigate the rules of serving in the Imperial Fleet.

HFY: Humanity, and the Imperium Stellarum, are at their core a force for good in the universe. They are flawed, but trying to do the right thing and are in many ways exceptional / aspirational. Four alien species have joined the Imperium because they want to be part of what humanity is building, and see its potential.

Slow Burn with character development, politics, conspiracies, and secrets which lead to brutal action. I intend to do at least a volume for each of the four years at the academy, and then a volume each per rank. If things follow the plan I've sketched out, expect 13+ volumes.

Inspirations include Battletech, Gundam, Dune, Babylon 5, and Twilight Imperium, among others.

Content Warnings:

Graphic Violence - This story will feature science fiction battles with mechs as a primary element. Expect people, animals, and places to be lit on fire with enormous flamethrowers, cut in half with plasma swords, crushed under enormous metal feet, and otherwise dismembered.

Profanity - The characters in this story are actively serving combat personnel. They will swear.

Sensitive Content - Soldiers get PTSD. Alcohol and drugs exist in the universe. Some of those in power abuse their position to traffic or take advantage of those without power. Bad guys do bad guy things.

Update Schedule: I will post a chapter every day while we make our initial attempt at hitting Rising Stars. Once we're through that stage of growth, I'll settle into the same M-F schedule of five chapters a week that I used all through Guild Mage.

Cover by Sarah Murphy.

Mech Art by Victor Yañez.

There is no use of AI, in any way, in this work. I use em-dashes because I like them, particularly when trying to create dialogue that starts and stops in the way people actually talk.

This story is posted on Royal Road and my Patreon. If you find it anywhere else, it's been stolen.

Ten Thousand Fleets [Mecha, Space Opera, Academy]

Performance over time