Publisher's Synopsis
An exciting collection of four novellas, describing the evolution of the Patrol Force, a combination Defense Organization and Interplanetary Constabulary for the Confederation of the Six Systems, an economic empire covering a significant portion of the Milky Way.
The First Step - One hundred years of armistice following a devastating genocidal war finds the Listrians and Urtimalians eyeing each other warily across their frontier. After picking up a furtive distress call from an Urtimalian research vessel, the captain of a Listrian intelligence-gathering ship faces a difficult choice: break cover and cross the border in violation of treaty or leave over one hundred Urtimalians to their deaths.False Flag - The Listrian and Urtimalian governments have finally broken down the walls between their two civilizations, concluding several trade and mutual defense treaties. But old hatreds and suspicions die hard and a series of murderous raids implicating each side could lead to disruption or a renewal of their centuries-old war.Force Majeure - The sentry ship maintaining a security watch on a developing planet is pummeled by an unexpected solar flare and collision with one of its service drones. With communications destroyed and their only means of power generation damaged, the ship must land and obtain materials for makeshift repairs if they are to return home. If unable to complete repairs and depart before the clever natives find their landing site, the ship's captain must destroy his ship and crew to avoid cultural contamination of the planet.The Pirate Crisis - Pirates in outer space? Commerce is being systematically attacked in the Confederation of the Six Systems. What started out as grand larceny has turned into mass murder and with the entire merchant fleet in almost complete lockdown, economic collapse is imminent. PF-238 is liberated from the convoy duty she was assigned since the first skirmish to track down and root out the menace. But can they defeat a ruthless enemy who always seems to be one step ahead?
