Battle Calm: Omega Message by W.D. Kilpack III

Badger was bred to lead soldiers to victory. What will he do when he must question everything to save those who follow him? When Badger led his Keepers to Base Resurrection, he thought it was to a fresh start, a new Base from which to face the enemy. He did not know that the fighting would not end when leaving the trenches. He has to teach Red Skin’s Laws and relearn them himself, as the relentless combat with an enemy that never stops takes its toll, even affecting his closest bonds with Trinity and Korry. Those changes pale when lifelong truths are challenged by the discovery of the Omega Message. They were still Keepers. They fought, they killed, they lived to kill another day, but even that reality was unraveling. Life was war, they knew nothing else. So what do they do if even the promise of endless combat is not upheld? The remaining Keepers put their faith in Badger to lead them and find the answer ... but time is running out. • 5/5 Stars —"Omega Message is the second book in W. D. Kilpack III's Battle Calm Cycle. Set in a dystopian wasteland where the battle between the Keepers and the Reds is the only reality, the story picks up after Battle Calm. Badger and his Keepers are uncovering forbidden truths about the war they are sworn to fight. Badger's new borg parts can integrate with their automated systems. When the Reds force the Keepers from their base, they use their knowledge of the less lethal storms to mask their movements. The journey to find a new base becomes a journey of discovery as hidden truths unfold, and Badger's new ability allows him to contact other groups and open a new front against the Reds. The world the Keepers thought they knew has changed. Omega Message offers readers fresh insights into the Battle Calm universe while keeping a steady pace for the action!" — Kurt D. Springs, author of the Dreamscape Warriors Series • 5/5 Stars — "Omega Message dives into the emotional toll of endless war through Badger’s eyes [as] a leader burdened by responsibility and haunted by unraveling truths. Kilpack doesn’t just write action; he writes the weight behind every blow, every choice.As the Keepers struggle with fading purpose and shifting loyalties, the discovery of the Omega Message forces them and us to ask what happens when the only life you've known begins to fall apart. This is more than military sci-fi. It’s a raw exploration of identity, loyalty, and the quiet unraveling of belief. Powerful stuff!" — Luna Ray

Adult • Science Fiction/Hard SF • Science Fiction/Dystopian • Science Fiction/Military SF

Content Warning: Violence, Sexual Content, Mature Themes; suitable for older teens and adults.