At the groan of the opening blast doors, James eased off of his cot and rose to face the electrified grill on the far side of his cell. Heavy footsteps sounded on the floor, no doubt to escort him off the ship. Sure enough, three men walked into view: a short, balding man with a gray-haired goatee, flanked by two military police.
“Lieutenant McCoy,” said the older man: a master sergeant, by the insignia on his shoulder. James’s eyes grew wide, and he hastened to give a salute.
“Yes, sir.”
“I have orders to escort you to the docking terminal with your personal effects.” The master sergeant nodded to the MPs, who depowered the door and swung it open on its squeaky, archaic hinges.
Strange, James thought to himself. Still, if high command wanted to strip him of his commission, they wouldn’t have sent such a high-ranking officer to meet him at port—which begged the question, why had they sent anyone at all?
“Thank you, sir,” he said. “May I ask who wishes to see me?”
The master sergeant stepped back to allow James to step out into the narrow hallway between cells. “I suppose it’s only fair,” he muttered. “It’s the patrician. He’s waiting for you at the terminal right now.”
“Th-the patrician?” James’s blood ran cold, and his heart skipped a beat. The patrician was the commander-in-chief of all Colony defense forces, and the highest elected official in the Colony government. Either James was in deeper trouble than he realized, or something else was going on that he didn’t know anything about.
====================
Heart of the Nebula
They called him a lone wolf. Now, he must lead them across the stars.
To save his people from a brutal occupation, James McCoy must lead them on an exodus across the stars. But it will take a strong leader to get them to their new home, and the temptation to trade freedom for security has never been greater.
They called him a lone wolf. Now, he must lead them across the stars.
Five years have passed since the Hameji conquered James McCoy’s homeworld. The yoke of occupation has grown unbearable, and unless he can help his people throw it off, everything that he fought for will be destroyed.
Light-years away, in the heart of the Good Hope Nebula, there is a place where they can start over. But the dangers are many, and the way is unclear. Only a strong leader can take them there.
James once gave all that he had to save the ones he loved. To do so again, he must become the leader that his people need. But he’s never been more than a maverick, and even his friends fear he will trade their freedom for security and lose both.
In a galaxy full of pirates and wolves, how can James save his people without becoming a monster?
