The Cistern Mission by Michael Dadich is a short story prequel to The Silver Sphere from the Young Adult series, The Kin Chronicles. Dadich introduces Rostand and the Alliance of Azimuth, as well as Hideux and the Nightlanders who are proving to be a much stronger foe than expected. Rostand has snuck aboard a Nightlander transport ship to go to the main base and attempt to gather intelligence that could help the Alliance. While there, he discovers so much more – a captured soldier, Kira Chand, and the identity of the real leader of the Nightlanders whom everyone thought was only a legend, Biskara. In a daring escape from the base and the insatiable Disembowelers, Rostand and Kira steal several jet packs, blast a hole through the wall, and scramble to rendezvous with the craft Alliance One. Knowing that the news they carry is tremendously important, they acknowledge that the mission was completed successfully but fear the realization that they are dealing with true evil.

Michael Dadich treats his readers to a short story that provides an introduction to the background of his novel The Silver Sphere. In a brief, exciting adventure, he tells the tale of Rostand who has dared to infiltrate the enemy’s main base to discover information that will explain how the Nightlanders always seem to know Alliance plans ahead of time. Dadich fills his hero with stealth and courage so that Rostand can rescue a fellow Meridian, obtain the intelligence and defeat a host of enemy soldiers and their man-eating animals, the Disembowelers. Dadich demonstrates his ability to tell a story that captures the reader’s interest and invites a deeper exploration of the Alliance of Azimuth.

The Cistern Mission is a science fiction/action and adventure short story for young adults written by Michael Dadich. It is a prequel to his novel The Silver Sphere, the first book in The Kin Chronicles. When the story begins, Rostand, an Alliance of Azimuth soldier is on a Nightlander vessel which is travelling to the Azimuth's moon Andromena where Cistern, the Nightlanders’ base, is located. He’s disguised as a Nightlander soldier and is on a mission to discover how the Nightlanders seem to have advanced knowledge of the Alliance’s defensive tactics and strategies. The Nightlander leader Hideux has access to intelligence that enables him to successfully counteract all the Alliance’s defenses. Rostand is nervous about his mission as the Nightlanders will feed him to the Disembowelers - hybrid, savage creatures - if he is discovered.

Michael Dadich's short story a prequel, but it stands quite well by itself as great science fiction. Dadich deftly builds a world in conflict as seen through the eyes of Rostand. Rostand is a compelling and believable character who is all too aware of the dangers he faces while undercover on the Cistern base. He evades the vicious Disembowelers and deals with Nightlander soldiers with the skill and nonchalance of an interplanetary James Bond. The Nightlander leader Hideux is suitably sinister and his father even more so. There's a lot of action and adventure going on in The Cistern Mission. It's first-rate science fiction that will appeal to young adults and the young-at-heart alike.