Author Description

A disgraced starship captain and an advanced android, alone on a lengthy deep- space mission to a region that no one has ever returned from. Each must navigate the boundaries between programming and free will. She's designed to serve as an officer and a companion, but at what point does sentience bestow agency? And for him, what does it mean to care for someone who was built to serve you? A Science Fiction Adventure in the Classic Tradition CAPTAIN'S LOG Took command of Starling today. Warp-capable survey vessel built to cross light-years and push the edges of known space. A year ago, I would've called this a dream assignment. Now it feels more like exile. Still, she's a fine ship. Crew complement: two. One human. One android. Lieutenant Sera seems, well, she's an android. Capable, I'm sure. But experience has taught me even the most advanced AI can be cooperative and helpful right up until it decides human lives are acceptable losses. I can't shake the feeling that there's a directive buried deep in her code, one I won't see coming until it's too late. For now, I've got a mission. This is what every captain wants: a ship and a star to sail her by.