New York Times and international best-selling author.

It was the time of the fabled First Colonies. It was humanity’s first steps beyond the star of our origin. It was the beginning of a period of great galactic expansion brought on by the discovery of the most miniscule particle in the universe.

It was an age that so tried the soul of humankind as to have nearly brought homo sapiens to an end.

At 21 years, Tyron Barry was the youngest XO in the NAU merchant fleet. Less than a year into their mission, mutiny strikes. Barry defeats the mutineers but, on their return, a friend sends a warning; a senator’s son was one of the mutineers killed. Life in jeopardy, everything lost, Barry flees to the colonies in a small ship.

Years pass, and the ancient nations of Earth are now at war in a conflict confined to their home star system. Kraken, first star colony of the North American Union (NAU), finds itself caught in the middle of the distant conflict with both sides preying upon the colony’s exports and lifeblood by pirating their cargo and pressing merchant spacers into military service or simply murdering them.

Jankin Decatur’s freighter limps into Kraken Colony. Although neutral, they were savaged by CTAC forces but managed to escape. Expecting to be broken, Decatur instead is ordered to a politician’s estate on Kraken.

Commissioner Hollen knows about Decatur’s past life as Tyron Barry. Kraken is under attack, both NAU and CTAC forces press common spacers into service, murder the officers, and confiscate ships. Kraken will declare independence and offers Cooke a commission and a freighter converted for war.