R W Van Sant

Unity Captives R W Van Sant

Publisher Marketing: When mankind escaped to the stars, greed and tyranny eagerly pursued. Tod Riley dreamed of seeing other worlds, but not like this. Even in the distant future, the iron glove of economics rules space travel, and a ship's captain who keeps costs down can go far. Captain Reinhold, of the Unity warship Grissom, is an ambitious man. To win renown, he recklessly takes his ship headlong into glorious battle, with haphazard repairs and raided supplies. Several colonists, including Tod, are abducted from their home world by the Grissom, and pressed into the service of the callous Unity fleet. They are required to perform hazardous duties as their planet grows ever more distant. One by one, the colonists fall prey to battles, ill-treatment, and dangerous conditions. As if the situation isn't bad enough, rumors spread that their last battle was actually an act of piracy. Tod fears he may not live long enough to return home. A dead pressee doesn't have to be paid, and cannot derail a ruthless captain's illustrious career. To survive, Tod must find a way to escape before he falls victim to Reinhold's greed and lust for glory. But how can he hope to cross the light years that separate him from his home world?