OUT OF THIS WORLD ADVENTURES
Junkyard Dogs Book V
The United Terran Federation Navy's ship and personnel shortage in the Santana Quadrant continues to get worse due to slashed budgets and nearsighted government policies. To fill one of the many gaps, Ensign Tamara Carlisle and the crew of ancient freighter Greyhound are tasked with another cargo delivery mission. This time, they are bound for a remote scientific base studying a Cepheid variable star. The catch? The base is located on a planet in orbit around the dangerous and inconstant primary...
Travel into and within the Cepheid system must be carefully timed to avoid periods of maximum stellar output which occur on a rigid schedule. When Greyhound arrives at a backwater colony in the nearest star system (the safest place to hyperjump into the Cepheid system) the crew learns two of the colony's asteroid mining operations were recently attacked and robbed by unknown forces. Innocent miners were murdered and valuable metals stolen during the raids. A local organized crime syndicate is suspected...
A third mining operation, Newhaven Mining Coop, has been silent for two weeks. Since more foul play is suspected, Mission commander Carlisle elects to investigate Newhaven's status before jumping into the Cepheid system...
After enduring a harsh, unconventional hyperjump, Greyhound's crew makes their deliveries but must wait for the Cepheid to cycle back to minimum stellar output to ensure safe conditions for the hyperjump out of the system. During the wait, Carlisle, her crew and the Cepheid scientists stumble onto a mindboggling discovery regarding the star that will shake the very foundations of science. Carlisle delays their departure to investigate further...
To further complicate matters, the crime syndicate makes a bold move on the colony government in the neighboring system...
Colonists are under the thumb of a band of ruthless thugs and earthshaking new discoveries are about to fall into the hands of these same criminals. Reinforcements from the Federation Navy are weeks away, at best...
Action is called for but Ensign Carlisle and her small, outnumbered crew are the only game in town. Can their meager forces find a way to free the colony and preserve the scientific breakthroughs?
Can they even survive the attempt?