Legacy of the Aldenta - John Ringo

Legacy of the Aldenta - John Ringo

The Aldenta Federation is a society of aliens who can trace their history through association with the mysterious Aldenta elder race. The races in the Aldenta Federation are:

• the Darhel (intelligent race that physically resembles a cross between an elf and a fox).  They were once extremely warlike, but for their sins, they were genetically altered as a race by the Aldenta to be pacifists.  If a Darhel attacks or kills any living creature, then a hormone (like adrenaline) is released that puts them into a coma and kills them.  Their remaining aggressiveness is channeled into the business field.  The Darhel are the unchallenged lawyers, bankers, and managers of the Federation.  They use their managerial abilities to become the unchallenged economic leaders of the Federation.
• the Indowy are "little green teddy bears with fur all over".  They number in the trillions and are the workers upon which galactic commerce rests.  They build, grow, farm or cook any product  that civilization requires.  Because of their numbers (and Darhel influence) everything is produced in a "cottage industry" from start to finish by craftsmen/artisans.  Indowy have no concept of either an assembly line or modular construction.  They are also pacifists and usually cower in terror when humans smile (show their teeth).
• the Tchpth are a crablike race of scientists and philosophers.  Gravity and inertia are toys to them.  They control the "money supply" in the Federation.  The Federation's money is nannite creation keys.  Tchpth's are also extreme pacifists.
• the Himmit resemble frogs, if frogs could become invisible.  Himmit are also the Federations "shipping" specialists.  They transport cargo in spaceships whose stealth capabilities can make them "disappear".  When there is a fight or battle, the Himmit either aren't around or go into "camouflage mode" and no one can find them.  Like frogs, Himmit's have life cycles from juvenile to elder.  I think some process near extreme old age, may transform a Himmit into an Aldenta.

"Beneficent" aliens (the Darhel) come to Earth and warn us of an impending invasion by the Posleen (reptilian centaurs with crocodile faces).  The Posleen have already attacked Federation planets and so far every planet has fallen - quickly.  The Federation is losing.  The Darhel ask to employ Earth's military to fight the Posleen and in return, will provide updated infrastructure and arms to Earthlings so they can protect themselves. 

 

Iron Mike O'Neil, designed Armored Combat Suits (ACS) using the new alien technology for Earth fighters to wear.  Each suit costs Earth billions of dollars, and is extremely effective in combat. 

An ACS suit:

• has an AID (Artificial Intelligence Device) controlling it,
• contains integral nannite gel that removes human waste, recycle it into oxygen or nutrients,
• monitors and adjusts humans physiology, 
• contains a wide array of armament, 
• has phenomenal self repairing armor,
• can contain a nuclear reactor,
• has antigravity capabilities,
• has inertial dampening systems and
• is a weapon designers wet dream. 

Once the first batch of the suits are created, Mike helps train the suits' "pilots", and agrees to go along as an evaluator on Earth's first combat missions to other planets.  Mike leaves one daughter (Cally O'Neil) at home with Grandpa, one daughter (Michelle O'Neil) with the Indowy, and his wife to the budding Earth Space Navy.

The Darhel understand that the humans have to be "managed", so that after the war, either:

1. there are little or no humans left alive to upset the Darhel power base or
2. the remaining humans are so entangled contractually/in-debt to the Darhel that Darhel overthrow is impossible. 

This agenda is but one secret the alien races attempt to keep from humans.  In the past, the alien races (especially the Darhel) have had contact with humans - until they were either kicked out by humans or removed possibly by the Aldenta or Himmit.  The Indowy also have a history on Earth and go to great lengths to hide it. The Bane Sidhe is an ancient (thought to be human only) secret organization (started by Indowy) whose primary purpose is the overthrow of the Darhel.

Technology and "religion" seem to blur in this series.  Complex objects, (like AIDs, spaceships or ACS suits) are grown in vats using nanotechnology.  Nannites do the work, but they are controlled by Sohon.  Sohon (in the Federation) is the ability to control nannites (or reality/time/space) practiced by either Masters of Sohon or their apprentices.  Until the last book in the series, Sohon is considered integral to "The Path".  "The Path" is the pacifists progression towards enlightenment and is "the Religion" of the Federation.

The last book in the series has humans triumphant over the Posleen and turning the tables on the other members of the Federation.  It also has examples of Sohon used by an alien race (the Hedren) that is not a member of the Federation and is extremely warlike.  This causes the Federation to reexamine it's Religion while depending on the humans to stop yet another threat to their existence.

A Hymn Before Battle and Gust Front are the first two books in the series and both are available as a free book in the Baen Free book library.