Publisher's Synopsis
Fifteen classic Science Fiction stories from both masters of the craft and up and coming new writers! A tyrannical United Nations pulls the strings of its colony worlds, ruling with an iron fist. Corporate interests take precedence, and brushfire rebellions smolder on the edges. One system, home to the only species yet discovered, has, with human allies, thrown off the yoke and calls itself Independence. Jon Del Arroz - Gate Keeper: A UN operative works to stop the destruction of the Gate that allows star travel to systems. Doug Dandridge - Leverage: A former UN Marine living on Mars rebels and strikes back at the Special Forces unit sent to kill him. James Schardt - The Only Planet We Have: First contact with the alien Karan sets the stage for a revolution in their society. Lucas Marcum - Unrest: Decades after first contact, UN oppression of the Karan leads to strange alliances. James Peters - Sailing to Independence: A chance encounter with a dying man puts a spacer on the trail of a thousand year old treasure.Jamie Ibson - Above My Paygrade: A new, unknown alien threat is kept under wraps by police brutality and betrayals. Sean McCune - Debt Repaid: A retired Marine joins with a motley crew to uncover layers of conspiracies and potential death when they run afoul of the UN. Daniel Humphreys - Finding Sara: A private detective is hired to find a runaway woman and encounters far more than he bargained for following her from system to system. Bart Kemper - Miracle Machine: UN operatives on Earth conduct an operation to catch a rebel courier, with unintended consequences. J.K. Robinson - The Jump: The crew of a smuggling ship carrying a forbidden cargo must outwit a UN patrol craft or die trying. J.F. Holmes - The Big Picture: Mercenaries contract to carry out some dirty work, but there's a hidden agenda running through all the players. Scott Bascom - One Fish, Two Fish: Genetic engineers under contract to the mob work to perfect their product while keeping their own heads on their shoulders. T. Allen Diaz - The Witch's Spell: Corporate interests drive a deadly form of warfare and the order of the day is betrayal. John M. Olsen - Three Strikes: A woman with a murdered family works to deliver her revenge against the government that killed them. Sean McCune - After Party: The crew of a starship comes face to face with an alien terror aboard an abandoned space station.
