The Sword and the Cipher

Humanity has long since existed among the stars as variations on a theme: from sculpted perfections to rampant mutants, and anything in between–yet none owe allegiance to their long-forgotten home. They are united only by their reliance on a single star and its inexplicable means to guide those who dare its depths off to distant worlds. To some far-reaching empires, these are the quickspace lanes of Alpha One. Others know them simply as the sunnels. To Nacen Buhari of the wandering Stevari, their mercantile worldships ply the gravity waves of the great blue sun.

Nacen reluctantly commands a rather insignificant trade ship, the Carmine Canotila, and is generally envious of his brothers and sisters who became wealthy governors and esteemed diplomats. That is, until he discovers the next family reunion as little more than smoldering wreckage. The young trader is likely next on the perpetrator’s list unless he can find out what became of his homefleet. Nacen and his crew must make unlikely allies and travel the countless worlds of the great blue sun to locate the survivors, if any indeed exist.

He must discover that no job is too big or too small for his little ship… for the fate of family and worlds is poised on the edge of a sword. View Less