Omnians, Earthers, and alliance members are fighting the Colony, the horde of sentient insectoids that threaten alliance space. The Colony has had centuries to expand through the network of domes built by the Messinants, an ancient race. The domes’ Q-gates allow the insectoids to invade planets through their inventive use of rings, which extends the power of the domes. It’s Omnian superior technology that gives a temporary advantage to the peaceful alliance members who lead the fight to retake their planets. Omnian warships and fighters, Tridents and travelers, possess beam weapons to destroy the Colony’s shuttles and transports. However, the Colony escalates, turning its transports into deadly explosive traps. In the past, the few alliance races that fought back could barely hold the line against the Colony’s seemingly never-ending incursions. Now, Jess Cinders leads a group of dedicated veterans armed with explosive dart weapons borrowed from the Loopah race. Again, it’s the Omnian advanced tech that changes the dynamics in favor of the veterans. Engineers upgrade an invention first used decades ago. It’s a shadow, a multilegged avatar, with a mounted laser. Unfortunately, for those races fighting to halt the Colony’s expansion, the insectoids aren’t willing to retreat. They fight back with even deadlier tactics that take the lives of the unwary. **

Talus, the system comprised of Toralians and the Sisterhood, is under siege. Massive battleships, each ferrying an envoy from a federacy race, surround the Talusian home world, Toral. Two wedges, each comprised of nine federacy battleships, wait outside the system. The sisters, whom the SADEs created during the fight to defeat Artifice, possess advanced tech. They construct warships, the vaunted Tridents, to protect their new society. However, despite the support of the enormous Toralian battleships, the nascent Talusian fleet is no match for the numerous ships that ring the planet. The envoys’ lists of demands against the Talusians are long, and the envoys compete to be heard, complicating the negotiations. The chaotic conditions buy the Talusian president, Sargut, time to send an urgent plea for help. His message requests the assistance of the Omnian fleet. The city-ship, Our People, and two Trident commands make preparations to sail for Talus to relieve the beleaguered Talusians. But the fleet must solve a dire local emergency before it can get underway. Nata, a new lieutenant, makes a terrible misstep. She visits Sawa, the Dischnya home world. Her investigation results in her capture by an underground nest. Now the Omnians must recover Nata before she comes to harm. A shocking discovery is made on Sawa, and Nata’s rescue becomes a race to save a dying Sawa nest. Omnian Dischnya take matters into their own hands, freeing the fleet to sail. Having resolved one exigent issue, the fleet arrives at Talus only to confront a much greater problem.

Epub v5The saga of the Rêveur continues in this second novel in The Silver Ships series. The surviving Méridiens have returned to Confederation space, aided by their recently discovered cousins, the New Terrans. They expect a celebration after their 71-year absence. Instead, they’re shocked to find the silver ships have destroyed half the Confederation. The Méridiens are fleeing in advance of the horde of alien ships. But Alex Racine and his crew didn’t come this far to run away from humanity’s enemy. They intend to hunt the silver ships. But, to succeed, they need help. Renée de Guirnon, the leader of the Rêveur’s Méridiens, reveals a sordid secret of Méridien society: citizens who defy their House, for any reason, are stripped of their rights, declared “Independents,” and imprisoned on the planet Libre. But the Independents aren’t everyone’s pariahs, especially if you’re Alex Racine and you’re looking for allies against the silver ships. An entire colony of independent, free-thinking radicals offers just the sort of people Alex wants on his side, and an alliance is struck. Soon the enemy ships will swarm off the planet Bellamonde, so the race begins for Alex and the Librans. The planet must be evacuated and the military force readied before the silver ships attack. Alex knows a battle is coming, but will they have enough time to prepare?