Deeper Darker

Set in the far future when humanity has reached the stars and finds it is not the first to do so.

Alien technology has been left behind by a long dead race. Ancient cities, abandoned starships, temples and fortified bunkers all contain artefacts and devices far in advance of what humans have been able to produce.

But these relics of another time have been left well-defended and behind bewildering and impenetrable security measures.  

Genres: Sci-Fi, Dungeon Crawler, Adventure

A daily serial that updates Mon-Fri.

Chapters are 1500-2000 words.

Early access chapters on Patreon.

Table of Contents

# Chapter
1 Prologue
2 1: Thief
3 2: Warrior
4 3: Prince
5 4: Shopping
6 5: Escape Routes
7 6: Getting Away
8 7: Fixer Upper
9 8: Rule of Law
10 9: Planning for the Future
11 10: Tournament Challenger
12 11: Sister Killer
13 12: Litigation
14 13: Defence of the Realm
15 14: Prepared for Battle
16 15: In Memoriam
17 16: Disproportional Retaliation
18 17: Executive Order
19 18: City Heights
20 19: Recruiter's Dream
21 20: The Sweet Spot
22 21: Launch Window
23 22: SS Brinkman
24 23: Dust Man
25 24: Lift Off
26 25: Swing Shift
27 26: Initiate
28 27: Unpacking
29 28: New Boys
30 29: Team Ubik
31 30: The Nominees Are
32 31: Bonding
33 32: Uniform Beliefs
34 33: Lessons Learned
35 34: Meeting Room
36 35: Suited and Booted
37 36: Alienated
38 37: Directions
39 38: Explorer
40 39: Showman
41 40: Willing Prisoner
42 41: Hidden Purpose
43 42: Chaos Theory
44 43: New Skin
45 44: Faith Electronic
46 45: Honest Work
47 46: Nondisclosure Agreement
48 47: Nighthawks
49 48: Refreshed
50 49: Team Elite
51 50: Take Out
52 51: Enough Rope
53 52: Isolated
54 53: System Breach
55 54: Night Out
56 55: Focus Group
57 56: Criminal Damage
58 57: Worlds Apart
59 58: Hearts and Minds
60 59: To the Rescue
61 60: Planning Ahead
62 61: Public Announcement
63 62: Conflict of Interests
64 63: Enabled
65 64: Uniquely Suited
66 65: Top Percentile
67 66: Raise the Dead
68 67: Dead Zone
69 68: Comprehensive Cover
70 69: Limited Time Offer
71 70: Restrictions May Apply
72 71: Choice Assignments
73 72: Bonus Round
74 73: Network Stability
75 74: Braced for Space
76 75: Stowaways
77 76: Extra Guidance
78 77: Defend Yourself
79 78: Mentally Prepared
80 79: Break Time
81 80: Entry Point
82 81: Update Available
83 82: Stress Test
84 83: Special Delivery
85 84: Extended Clause
86 85: Fork in the Path
87 86: Breathless
88 87: Passenger
89 88: Two Out of Three
90 89: Surf's Up
91 90: Rise and Shine
92 91: Into the Machine
93 92: Joining Forces
94 93: Crisis Management
95 94: Network Connected
96 95: Defragmentation
97 96: Background Check
98 97: Hard Line
99 98: Exit Strategy
100 99: And the Winner Is
101 100: End of the Line
102 Epilogue
103 Book 2 – Prologue
104 Book 2 – 1: Father's Son
105 Book 2 – 2: Captured Informant
106 Book 2 – 3: Part of the Furniture
107 Book 2 – 4: Arbitration Now
108 Book 2 – 5: Return of the Prince
109 Book 2 – 6: Power Cut
110 Book 2 – 7: Chairman of the Board
111 Book 2 – 8: Afloat
112 Book 2 – 9: Slow Motion
113 Book 2 – 10: Networking
114 Book 2 – 11: Landfall
115 Book 2 – 12: Planetfall
116 Book 2 – 13: Abide
117 Book 2 – 14: Windfall
118 Book 2 – 15: Pocket Change
119 Book 2 – 16: City Boys
120 Book 2 – 17: Power to the People
121 Book 2 – 18: Consolidation
122 Book 2 – 19: Enter the Arenod
123 Book 2 – 20: Fight Promoter
124 Book 2 – 21: Mr Bright Eyes
125 Book 2 – 22: Initiate
126 Book 2 – 23: Trigger Point
127 Book 2 – 24: Direct Approach
128 Book 2 – 25: Without Restraint
129 Book 2 – 26: Free Consultation
130 Book 2 – 27: Main Event
131 Book 2 – 28: Assuming Control
132 Book 2 – 29: Maximum Resistance
133 Book 2 – 30: Lawful Entry
134 Book 2 – 31: Breaking In
135 Book 2 – 32: Press Enter
136 Book 2 – 33: Under Way
137 Book 2 – 34: Room for One
138 Book 2 – 35: Escape Artists
139 Book 2 – 36: Beast Mode
140 Book 2 – 37: Drone vs Droid
141 Book 2 – 38: Walls Fall Down
142 Book 2 – 39: The Drop
143 Book 2 – 40: Ledge Lord
144 Book 2 – 41: Second Contact
145 Book 2 – 42: Firmware
146 Book 2 – 43: Little Big Head
147 Book 2 – 44: Assembly Required
148 Book 2 – 45: Going Down
149 Book 2 – 46: Landing Party
150 Book 2 – 47: Step Down
151 Book 2 – 48: Dignified
152 Book 2 - 49: Full Release
153 Book 2 - 50: Ship Rocked
154 Book 2 - 51: Team Rogue
155 Book 2 – 52: Power Up
156 Book 2 – 53: Seizure
157 Book 2 – 54: New Authority
158 Book 2 – 55: Heavy Wait
159 Book 2 – 56: Historic Views
160 Book 2 – 57: Floor Please
161 Book 2 – 58: Sum of Parts
162 Book 2 – 59: Hand in Glove
163 Book 2 – 60: Integrated Support
164 Book 2 – 61: Cat Fight
165 Book 2 – 62: Promoted Content
166 Book 2 – 63: Entry Level Position
167 Book 2 – 64: Cause for Offence
168 Book 2 – 65: Play Ball
169 Book 2 – 66: Forced Cooperation
170 Book 2 – 67: Deeper
171 Book 2 – 68: Darker
172 Book 2 – 69: Darkness Rising
173 Book 2 – 70: Coming of Age
174 Book 2 – 71: Irresistible Pull
175 Book 2 – 72: Outside Interests
176 Book 2 – 73: Service Provider
177 Book 2 – 74: Onsite Repairs
178 Book 2 – 75: Threatening Behaviour
179 Book 2 – 76: Submission
180 Book 2 – 77: Father of Invention
181 Book 2 – 78: Big Brain Time
182 Book 2 – 79: Treasure Room
183 Book 2 – 80: Back Up
184 Book 2 – 81: Best Defence
185 Book 2 – 82: False Advertising
186 Book 2 – 83: Vacancy Filled
187 Book 2 – 84: All in the Mind
188 Book 2 – 85: Point of No Return
189 Book 2 – 86: Divide and Conquer
190 Book 2 – 87: Sending a Message
191 Book 2 – 88: Peace Offering
192 Book 2 – 89: Lady Eats Tiger
193 Book 2 – 90: Team Building
194 Book 2 – 91: Disarmed
195 Book 2 – 92: Hostile Takeover
196 Book 2 – 93: Double Indemnity
197 Book 2 – 94: Filial Traits
198 Book 2 – 95: Limited Company
199 Book 2 – 96: Splinter of the Mind
200 Book 2 – 97: Between Floors
201 Book 2 – 98: Born to Kill
202 Book 2 – 99: The Thought that Counts
203 Book 2 – 100: Internal Combustion
204 Book 2 – 101: Twin Prong Attack
205 Book 2 – 102: Here to Help
206 Book 2 – 103: Bombshell
207 Book 2 – 104: Fail Safe
208 Book 2 – 105: Here and No Farther
209 Book 2 – 106: To Completion
210 Book 2 – 107: Closing Down Sale
211 Book 2 – Epilogue
212 Book 3 – Prologue
213 Book 3 – 1: Broken Fall
214 Book 3 – 2: Ship Wrecked
215 Book 3 – 3: One Man's Treasure
216 Book 3 – 4: Old Firm
217 Book 3 – 5: Women's Movement
218 Book 3 – 6: At our Own Risk
219 Book 3 – 7: Tower Defence
220 Book 3 – 8: Dancing in the Dark
221 Book 3 – 9: Belly of the Beast
222 Book 3 – 10: Power of Ignorance
223 Book 3 – 11: Born Leader
224 Book 3 – 12: Full On
225 Book 3 – 13: Natural Talent
226 Book 3 – 14: Not Even Close
227 Book 3 – 15: Game Time
228 Book 3 – 16: Deceiving God
229 Book 3 – 17: Enter the Dungeon
230 Book 3 – 18: Room for Improvement
231 Book 3 – 19: Break Through
232 Book 3 – 20: Know It All
233 Book 3 – 21: Doors Closed
234 Book 3 – 22: Twobiks Enter
235 Book 3 – 23: Ambitious
236 Book 3 – 24: Overload
237 Book 3 – 25: Bone Deep
238 Book 3 – 26: Offerings
239 Book 3 – 27: Supreme
240 Book 3 – 28: Three Times Two
241 Book 3 – 29: The Mind Body Problem
242 Book 3 – 30: Big Deal
243 Book 3 – 31: Targeted
244 Book 3 – 32: Rebel Rebel
245 Book 3 – 33: In the Mix
246 Book 3 – 34: Major Incursion
247 Book 3 – 35: Skeletal Structure
248 Book 3 – 36: Deboned
249 Book 3 – 37: The Way is Open
250 Book 3 – 38: Return to the Surface
251 Book 3 – 39: Grandma's Leave
252 Book 3 – 40: Bone in Your Pocket
253 Book 3 – 41: Better Yourself
254 Book 3 – 42: Quincy Quazem
255 Book 3 – 43: Served on a Plate
256 Book 3 – 44: Uprising
257 Book 3 – 45: Boys' Club
258 Book 3 – 46: Gender Fluid
259 Book 3 – 47: Fair Trade
260 Book 3 – 48: iRobot
261 Book 3 – 49: Under the Dome
262 Book 3 – 50: Core Strength
263 Book 3 – 51: Build Your Own
264 Book 3 – 52: Chatbotting
265 Book 3 – 53: Behind the Curtain
266 Book 3 – 54: Work Shopping
267 Book 3 – 55: Uncanny Granny
268 Book 3 – 56: Backstage Pass
269 Book 3 – 57: Impostor Syndrome
270 Book 3 – 58: Competitive Prices
271 Book 3 – 59: Bid for Greatness
272 Book 3 – 60: Two Sharks, One Tank
273 Book 3 – 61: Live Broadcast
274 Book 3 – 62: Exit Stage Left
275 Book 3 – 63: Under the Sea
276 Book 3 – 64: From Behind Cover
277 Book 3 – 65: Sphere of Influence
278 Book 3 – 66: Calculated Outcome
279 Book 3 – 67: Transfer of Power
280 Book 3 – 68: Miffed
281 Book 3 – 69: Not Like Other Girls
282 Book 3 – 70: Core Values
283 Book 3 – 71: Some Other Time
284 Book 3 – 72: Mixed Signals
285 Book 3 – 73: Thirsty
286 Book 3 – 74: Planetary
287 Book 3 – 75: Looking Glass
288 Book 3 – 76: Sea Salt
289 Book 3 – 77: Heal the World
290 Book 3 – 78: The Ubik Method
291 Book 3 – 79: Heads Together
292 Book 3 – 80: Mother of All Battles
293 Book 3 – 81: In the Deep End
294 Book 3 – 82: Follow the Leader
295 Book 3 – 83: Brilliant Illuminations
296 Book 3 – 84: Girls and Boys and Robots
297 Book 3 – 85: Enemy Lines
298 Book 3 – 86: Assume the Position
299 Book 3 – 87: Fields of Gold
300 Book 3 – 88: King of the Castle
301 Book 3 – 89: Taken
302 Book 3 – 90: Can't Complain
303 Book 3 – 91: Important Goals
304 Book 3 – 92: Getting Down
305 Book 3 – 93: Emotional Override
306 Book 3 – 94: Passing the Torch
307 Book 3 – 95: No Surrender
308 Book 3 – 96: Genie Unbottled
309 Book 3 – 97: Mother-in-Chief
310 Book 3 – 98: Contempt of the Antecessors
311 Book 3 – 99: Soul Bound
312 Book 3 – 100: Ascend
313 Book 3 - Epilogue
314 Book 4 - 1: Meeting the Challenge
315 Book 4 - 2: Due Diligence
316 Book 4 - 3: I Am the Law
317 Book 4 - 4: Win Win
318 Book 4 - 5: Backstage Pass
319 Book 4 - 6: Enter the Pit
320 Book 4 - 7: Like Tears
321 Book 4 - 8: The Only Way Is Up
322 Book 4 - 9: All Clear
323 Book 4 - 10: Controlling
324 Book 4 - 11: All Out Attack
325 Book 4 - 12: No Consequence
326 Book 4 - 13: If You Can't Beat Them
327 Book 4 - 14: Kings of Everything
328 Book 4 - 15: The Trials of Ubik: Part 1
329 Book 4 - 16: The Trials of Ubik: Part 2
330 Book 4 - 17: The Trials of Ubik: Part 3
331 Book 4 - 18: Less Than Lethal
332 Book 4 - 19: Ungrateful Eight
333 Book 4 - 20: Fun and Games
334 Book 4 - 21: Mock Battle
335 Book 4 - 22: Failing History