Mara didn’t know what to expect when she met back up with Aaron, now her commanding officer. She dressed in her crisp new uniform, ignoring the stiff starchiness of the fabric. She’d break it in with time, just like the war would break in the newly organized battle fleet.
The dockyards for the new starships were at a higher orbit than New Hope Station, so Mara had to take a shuttle ferry. The ride lasted a little over an hour, but the shuttle was crammed so full of people that felt more like ten. Fortunately, she had a window seat that gave her an excellent view. The darkness of deep space made it impossible to see the new ships until they were right on top of them, but by then, the sight was grand enough to make her gasp.
All along the long, narrow docking arm, dozens of sleek, silvery starships sat parked in perfectly aligned rows. Yellow light spilled out from the tiny portholes along their sides, illuminating their incredibly smooth hulls. Unlike the volunteer ships of the Flotilla, these Tajji warships were all new, without any pock-marks from micro-meteorites or darkening from long exposure to cosmic rays. They weren’t particularly large, but what they lacked in size they more than made up for in sleekness and form factor. The smaller ones were shaped like darts and missiles, the larger ones like elongated diamonds. The bulky engines were set off in nacelles, no doubt giving them extra maneuverability. Missile bays and weapons systems were tucked seamlessly inside the smooth, silvery hulls.
One of those ships is going to be my home for the next few years, Mara thought to herself. With twenty-four other people on board, the frigate was bound to be a little world all to itself. She just hoped that her old friends from Fourth Platoon would be a part of it.
Friends in Command
The future of the Outworlds now lies in uncertain hands.
The Imperials are back, and this time, a ragtag flotilla isn't going to stop them. But they aren't the only enemies of the new Outworld Confederacy. Together, Aaron and Mara must face a threat from within.
The future of the Outworlds now lies in uncertain hands.
The war for the Outworlds is on. The Imperials may have lost the first round, but they’re back—and this time, a ragtag flotilla isn’t going to stop them.
When Aaron recieves a captain’s commission in the new Outworld Confederacy, Mara is his natural choice for second in command. But Mara never expected to live past the first few battles. She only joined the resistance to avenge her father, and fears the monster she’s starting to become. The only thing she has left to live for now is her friends.
The Imperials aren’t the only enemy in this war, though. The friends must face a threat from within in
SONS OF THE STARFARERS
BOOK IV: FRIENDS IN COMMAND
