In 2034, the Earth is in crisis. Energy use is at an all-time high, and energy-hungry nations seem on the verge of going to war with one another. But on the moon a discovery is made, something that changes the balance of everything. A set of caves is opened by explorers, revealing a buried base thousands of years old. Among the relics found is the ruin of an ancient starship, with an engine capable of carrying humanity to the stars - or becoming the golden apple that starts a war no one can win. A handful of unlikely heroes will risk their lives to keep the starship safe. If life knocked you down, would you risk everything you had left to reach for the stars? Excerpt: "Dan - ad astra!" Dan heard the order. Ad astra. To the stars. It was a toast the two of them had shared back in college, when they first stepped onto the roads which would lead them into space. It had been John's idea to use the toast as a code word now. Dan didn't even take a deep breath before executing the order. He'd practiced this with Majel enough times in the simulator - not the part about having a gunman in the bridge, but if that order was ever given, it would be a true crisis. He checked the screen again. Visual range in only fifteen seconds. No time for anything else. He rapidly initiated the program, said a quick prayer, and pressed the Enter button on his keyboard. Immediately, the ship began to shudder." The story continues in book two "Stellar Legacy" and book three "Deep Waters"