Folding Space

Saree's got a secret. A truly unique talent. Trillions rely on her rare gift. If they knew, they'd betray her in a heartbeat for the huge reward. Despite Saree's best efforts, rumors fly. Desperate, she jumps on Lightwave Fold Transport just ahead of a bounty hunter. But, Lightwave might not be safer. Lightwave's crew were mercenaries. Mercenaries who destroyed her childhood home. Saree barely escaped last time. Will they recognize her? Worse, will they discover who she really is? Discover Saree's secret today.

Saree's stuck between a hot rock and cold, dark place. Lightwave's favorite refuge, The Sisters of Cygnus, are under siege. The Inquisitors search for transuranic riches in the depths of Cygnus, stealing, raping, and pillaging to support themselves. The Sisters beg for Lightwave's help. Captain Ruhger offers to transport them to a new world, but they don't want to leave. They want Lightwave to return to their mercenary roots and remove the Inquisitors from the planet-or relieve them of their lives. Saree ends up as the referee, but Lightwave's crew won't go back and the Sisters can't go forward. But, something's got to give. Will it be Saree?

Is the former teen idol a shooting star? Or shooting at Saree? Desperate for paying passengers, Lightwave takes an aging teen idol on board. Temper tantrums, ridiculous demands, and crazy fans are sure to follow, but they need the credits. Saree doesn't want anything to do with the flirty, spoiled star. She can't trust anyone. The star is probably trying to lure her in, discover her secret and turn her in for the huge reward-just like everyone else. Can Saree and Lightwave survive the pop star and his adoring legions? If they do, what about those old enemies still lurking? Find out in Lightwave: Shooting Star, Folding Space Series 3.0!

United we fall, divided we run. Saree's secret identity isn't so secret anymore, so she agrees to leave Lightwave behind-forever. When every mercenary, bounty hunter and opportunist is searching for you, traveling alone is terrifying. But, if she stays on Lightwave, their enemies will find them. While Lightwave and her crew run for the fringes of known space, Saree and her seemingly sentient shuttle, Hal, head the other direction. But, are they really safer apart? Will Hal's impulsive behavior thrust them straight into a black hole?

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory Saree is, trapped. On the verge of destruction, Hal sacrificed himself so Saree could escape on Lightwave. Then the ransom demand for her best friend Nari arrives and Saree hesitates. The best way for Hal to find Saree-when he escapes-is staying on schedule, onboard Lightwave. But saving Nari from Lightwave's old enemy means taking crazy risks and tossing all their careful plans into the vacuum. When a Gov Human military rescue team arrives, they seem like the perfect answer. But, Lightwave's crew and the rescue team immediately clash, fighting for control. Saree seizes command, forcing them to work together, but her lack of experience and incompetence alienates everyone. As the ancient adage says, "Bad leaders with good intentions fold into black holes.

Alone in space, in a ship that shouldn't carry humans... The Sa'sa never travel with other species, but Saree is a special case, one that must remain secret. After folding space to a far-distant system, the girl wakes surrounded by her unconscious alien crewmates. To wake them, she must discover how and why they were incapacitated. But first, she must get the ship out of an asteroid field before they're pulverized. Saree doesn't know how to fly the ship; she can't even read the instruments. She needs help. She thinks the lives of the crew worth a breach of their trust, but will the alien Sa'sa agree? And if she calls for help, will anyone answer? This Lightwave prequel short story was previously published in The Expanding Universe 6.

No plan survives first contact with the enemy. When the enemy is your former commander? You need a new plan. Growing up in mercenary company Phalanx Eagle, Ruhger has a set of skills most teens can only dream about. But when the leaders of his merc company go to the dark side, Ruhger and his friends must save the orphans of Jericho Mining Colony to save their parent's reputations-and all their lives. Since the usual procedures won't work, Ruhger must use his cunning, marksmanship and piloting skills to lead his team on a daring mission to save the orphans. Cheat to win is his motto for this mission-this is not a test. Join Ruhger and his friends on their first solo mission through the spooky tunnels of Jericho Mining Colony. Will this rescue forge the future crew of Lightwave into an unbreakable team or shatter them completely? This short story was previously published in The Expanding Universe 5 Anthology.