A.D. 3485Missing out on the next semester of university was the least of my problems.Getting stuck on an alien planet was infinitely worse.It could have happened to anyone, really.Except they don't generally invite university students along to survey new planets.There are probably good reasons for that, but, well – the captain of the ship was my absentee mother, and an exception was made.I was supposed to have two whole months to get to know her better while I sharpened my Xenobiology skills in a verdant paradise. With any luck, I would graduate early.Then I messed up, big-time.Now I'm lost, alone and struggling to survive, stranded ten thousand light-years from home. James Jacob (J J) Mathews grew up with his nose stuck in books. A voracious reader in his youth, he devoured all of the science fiction and fantasy books he could find at the local library. J.R.R. Tolkein, Isaac Asimov, Ben Bova, Larry Niven, Voltaire and Greg Bear were some of his early influences, with many other authors added to his bookshelf as time went on. Broadening out to read more genres as an adult, J J has always held a special place for fantasy and sci-fi.J J is married and lives in Hamilton, New Zealand with his wife and three boys, and writes in his spare time. A.D. 3485All Taylor wanted was to get to know her mother. Now, she may never get that chance.Taylor went along for the ride to help her mother survey a new planet, and the offer of a few extra course credits for doing field work certainly didn't hurt.A planet on the edge of disputed territory, sure, but the war with the Xathen had ended thirty years ago, and the Commonwealth had won. It didn't matter that the first survey ship failed to return, things like that happen during wartime.But this was just term break, with two whole months to work alongside her mother and get to know her better while she sharpened her Xenobiology skills in a verdant paradise.With any luck, she would graduate early.Then Taylor messed up, big-time.Now she was lost, alone and struggling to survive, stranded ten thousand light-years from home.
