Publisher's Synopsis
The definitive Trilogy compilation, including the two companion prequels Children of the Moon and Citizens of Mars. With prolonged spaceflight becoming a reality through the hydrogen engine and the ample water supply found in the belts of Jupiter, the human race has expanded into the solar system. But as slowly markets for transported goods skyrocket, the ones now living on the new frontier, the largest space station orbiting Jupiter's moon Tethys, find themselves between the strict Earth rulership and a renegade invasion. Foothold of Tethys: Something drifted overhead, the sunlight irregularly reflecting off the oddly shaped object. There were no indication lights or thrust burn as signs of life. It just hovered as it passed over and caught some more sun to make its misshapen form more visible, nothing more than a heap of scrap metal. Lena suddenly felt sick, as if a stone had been dropped into the pit of her stomach, but she swallowed and forced back the bile as her head spun. With the painful memories returning rapidly, her barely conscious mind sternly commanded her to keep moving, while secretly she longed for that desperate dive to try to save this unknown man. "Father!" a young girl inside her head screamed again and again in a continuing echo, as she saw her arm stretch out in a feeble attempt to catch the seemingly small and fragile ship in her hand to keep it safe. Children of the Moon: As the Sun just rose over the horizon, the Moon just turning into another day, the light slowly dimmed the sight of Earth which was always just about stationary in the sky. The Earth was beautiful at night, just a huge blue and white marble. As storms raged and cleared as down there was rainfall, thunder claps and lightning streaking the sky, or possibly even worse, from above the people of the Moon got the best view in the house of it twisting and turning its way over oceans and land masses. But Danielle saw nothing of it all. While out of breath from running the entire way, her mind was clear and focused on a single thing, a single flower Davies had left on the steps of that house close to a week before. Would it still be there? The thought haunted her as she approached, and then recognized it from the footage as it lay between the ribbon tied bundles which mostly consisted of red roses, showing the grievers love for the fallen girl. Though it was faded and wilted, the single white lily, a flower most used for weddings and funerals, stood out and had somehow survived the test of time. Carefully Danielle picked it up, resting the weak stem and flower in the palm of her hand not to break it, almost as if it was a newborn baby. "I am sorry Emily, but I am taking this. I hope you understand." Citizens of Mars: "All cruisers, go dark! Match rotation with the Goliath and dock port and stern tail to nose! As soon as both locks are made, engage thrust. Push the Goliath up into orbit and away from the city!" "Yes Captain," came the answers almost simultaneously. Then he set to an open broadcast, which he hoped only the haulers would hear. "Haulers of the Collective. Do not approach the city. Your ships have been tagged with explosive mines. Do not make me use them!" No answer came, but neither did the ships back off, and gritting his teeth, Noble brought the cruiser to a spin below where the Battleship was still firing. "I repeat, do NOT approach the Dome, or you will force me to take action." Just as a feeble gesture he opened fire well above them and some of the drifting mines exploded. "Last warning, do NOT come closer or you WILL be destroyed!" Noble knew he was out of time. As he engaged the scrambler, the first wave of mines exploded into balls of fire fed by the oxygen coming from within, after which the flames died, leaving big jagged holes. More ships were turning now, knowing the threat was real, but a few, including the wrecks, kept on coming, diving down towards him.
