by Eric McMurtrey (Author)
It is 2126 and Captain Allison Mackenzie is settling into her command of the United Planet Earth organization's exploration vessel, Ticonderoga, when a series of unexplained failures brings the ship's long-term viability into question. Allison's commanding officer, Admiral Verg? Kegar, who she mistakenly believes is her friend, uses these circumstances to seize control of the ship and hopefully cripple the UPE. Unfortunately, whoever controls Ticonderoga has the ability to control global politics as well. After Allison accepts the chance to set things right, she joins a hastily prepared crew and ship to pursue Kegar. Under the pretense of joining Kegar's cause, she boards Ticonderoga and eliminates her rogue former mentor. Meanwhile, tragedy decimates the UPE's greatest rival. As Allison rushes home on Ticonderoga and uncovers evidence that a nuclear attack originating in the UPE caused the devastation, she determines Kegar was trying to prevent not cause the tragedy. Now as a chain of events unfolds that includes an unexpected appearance by her mother, Allison joins a mission that she has no idea is about to lead her into an unexpected new future. In this sci-fi adventure, a spaceship captain navigating conflicts between Earth's superpowers, betrayal by allies, and death must decide whether peace is worth sacrificing everything.