The Cruel Stars
by Christopher Nuttall
The Royal Navy never expected to fight a full-scale interstellar war.
Everyone knew the Great Powers would never risk everything on armed
conflict, when there was plenty of room for everyone in outer space.
But when a hostile alien force stumbles across humanity’s handful of
colony worlds, the Great Powers must set aside their differences and
fight to preserve humanity from utter destruction.Desperate for
starships and manpower, the Royal Navy embarks upon an ambitious plan of
converting freighters into makeshift carriers and recruiting reservists
and criminals to fill the ranks. Classed as expendable, the small
carriers will be given the most dangerous missions to slow a remorseless
alien foe ...... And the pardons their crews have been offered will be meaningless if they die.
Everyone knew the Great Powers would never risk everything on armed
conflict, when there was plenty of room for everyone in outer space.
But when a hostile alien force stumbles across humanity’s handful of
colony worlds, the Great Powers must set aside their differences and
fight to preserve humanity from utter destruction.Desperate for
starships and manpower, the Royal Navy embarks upon an ambitious plan of
converting freighters into makeshift carriers and recruiting reservists
and criminals to fill the ranks. Classed as expendable, the small
carriers will be given the most dangerous missions to slow a remorseless
alien foe ...... And the pardons their crews have been offered will be meaningless if they die.