James E Taris

The Venality Effect: Voidline James E Taris

Following a trail of bodies from world to world, Anti-Corruption Commission investigator Ellie Reece continues to try and track down the mysterious, nameless Faceless Men. Ellie's investigation leads her to tracking down the survivors of the fallen Dé Oesté family from Iredi to the Ghio Biworld-an immense stellar-scale megastructure that is home to billions of people descended from gengineered human ancestors. The continuing attacks from the Faceless Men and their One Fang Skull Gang have opened rifts within the largest criminal organizations. Opportunistic subordinates have taken to challenging the rightful successors, defying traditions and unwritten laws that had ensured stability for decades. The power plays begin, and cracks appear. The Faceless Men seize upon the divisions. Fallen gangsters scheme with one another as they try to hunt down one of the most dangerous assassins of the One Fang Skull Gang. They are in turn hunted. Drawn into the underworld conflict, Ellie uncovers the suspected financial backer of the One Fang Skull Gang. Thinking this alleged backer might know the identities of the gang's dual leaders, she heads for the world of Beremacia at the edge of the starless Scorpii Void. On Beremacia, the investigation reveals more interested parties who have become involved and now have complicated matters. Chased across Beremacia and diverted by those who have an ulterior interest in the outcome of the underworld war, Ellie is eventually led to Voidline Station deep inside the empty Scorpii Void. Here she is forced to contend with information brokers, who all have their own agendas. Inevitably, the fractured leaders of the underworld finally decide to settle their disputes permanently.