Accidental Conscript

Sam Levine knows what it means to struggle. After several missed opportunities, he's been forced to turn his talents to freelance work, picking up whatever dirty job he can find only to make ends meet. But there's an end in sight. An opportunity to change everything. And when a dangerous, high-profile job comes his way, he sees light at the end of the tunnel. Hope has been in rare supply, but even with the dangers inherent in his decision, he puts his life on the line for a chance to elevate his situation.

Aldo Cassidy, formerly a low-born freelancer, finds himself at the heart of a desperate operation to save humanity. With the threat of a seemingly mindless alien force looming at the borders of the human empire, a brave group of military personnel works to form an alliance that may give them a chance against an invasion. Heading to a beleaguered outpost, Aldo and his team must rescue an alien delegation. Success gives a union a chance, while failure could lead to war. Meanwhile, a conspiracy threatens to upend the inner workings of human civilization. An ambitious man attempts to take power for himself. Investigators battle a criminal organization capable of challenging their authority. And a young woman with ties to the highest echelons of their society contends with betrayal and abduction. These events carry the seeds of destruction for the empire if the wrong people come out on top.

Aldo Cassidy and his team are tasked with recovering an important relic from an alien station. As they arrive, they find signs of a battle, leaving the entire system in disarray. Without good intelligence, they must take a chance to secure a prize capable of unifying their cultures, or unveil secrets dark enough to keep them apart forever. The planet Constance becomes a hotbed for activity. As Justiciar Caden Raines arrives to rescue a hostage, Sam Levine fights for survival after his ship crashed in the desert. Both men race against time, with the fate of many hanging in the balance. Can they survive the hardships of a system built by a crime family? Or will the corruption consume them both?