Sutherlin Alliance
 The novel opens as an experimental star ship tests a deadly weapon on an uninhabited world, devastating the surface. From here the story essentially follows the two main characters as they are recruited by the Sutherlin Alliance in their bid to overthrow the Alcon Empire. The junior of the two opens the story as a pilot in the Empire’s prestigious Devil Squadron. The senior recruit had also once served in this fighter group only to resign years early and take up the life of a mercenary and bounty hunter. With these two skilled men added to their backbone of ex-Imperial soldiers and raw youth from around the galaxy the Alliance takes the fight to the Empire. With the threat of the Alliance growing the Empire learns of their location and decides to unleash the power of their world killing star ship. The two recruited men learn of the ship’s existence and its target just days before its use and develop a plan of attack to cripple both the ship and the sizable force escorting it. One of the themes that is expressed throughout the story is attachment and the human need to belong; both main characters fight with these needs in their own ways. The elder of the two battles the desire with his own wishes to stay separate from the needs of the others while the younger fights to keep his distance, not wanting to feel the loss of war.