On his first trip into space, Nexus encounters the alien croc ambassador.
Nexus is a backwoods Earth terraformer on the autism spectrum, awkward with people, good with creatures. For his coming of age, he sets out to see the galaxy, beginning with a pilgrimage to the capital of the expanding human colony worlds.
First he must repay a debt of honor, and smuggle Angus off-planet, a contraband sentient AI. Memory murky, the mink-shaped robot got stranded on Earth before Nexus was born. The mink yearns to return home to his spacer family.
Nexus is terrified. A hundred billion humans and a dozen alien races await him. He’s not up to this. Yet the addled old mink assures him he can do it.
On their space train to Luna for the first leg of the trip, Nexus is delighted when the alien ambassador boards. Most fear the enigmatic crocs, but he’s fascinated, obsessed with aliens.
Then an explosion derails his train car.
But was the attack aimed at the aliens? Or his forgetful robot?
Join a fun and upbeat science fiction adventure, with mystery, space trains, flying life support suits, and cryptic aliens! Come for the vivid world-building and stay for the addictive characters. This new standalone series takes place 200 years into the future of Booth’s Thrive universe, and past heroes appear.