2018 NEBULA AWARD FINALIST: BEST NOVELLAFloribeth Salinas O'Shae Dalisay is an Off-Planet Worker, employed as an exploration pilot by the giant corporation, Hamdani Brothers. Sent on a routine mission to analyze one of the millions of systems in the galaxy, she stumbles across something that could threaten humanity's very existence. She barely escapes with her life, but in the process, has to shut down her scout's AI.As with all OPWs, she has few rights, and instead of bein...

Ryck has proven himself as a warrior and a hero, but in times of peace, that can lead to trouble. Ryck's temper gets the best of him, and because of that, and with a heavy heart, he resigns his commission.As an old enemy comes a-calling, a new threat surfaces, and Ryck's services are once again needed.If he fails, all of humanity could be at risk.Given a second chance to be the man that Humanity needs, Ryck answers the call, determined to make good....

As a lieutenant colonel, Ryck is given command of the Second Battalion.With the Marine Corps anxious to certify the resurfaced concept of integrated operations units, the battalion is thrown right into the fire.With his new command, Ryck has the opportunity to prove his ability to be a true combat leader and not just as a warrior. But with that opportunity come the risk that he cannot handle the manager aspect of command: the logistics, training, maintenanc...

A Marine major is one of the orphan ranks, too senior to command a line company, but too junior to command a battalion.Newly promoted to major, Ryck reports for duty as the assistant naval attaché to the Confederation of Free States, the same government whose troops he’d recently fought in the Telchines. Ryck wasn’t happy about the assignment, but he buckled down for a long and boring tour of duty.But action seems to follow Ryck, and this is no exce...

Noah Lindt heard the call of duty after the tragic events of 9/11. Despite a hampering medical condition that kept him on the outskirts of his high school class, he was accepted into the Marines where he found out he had a singular skill. He could outshoot almost anyone. Marksmanship alone is not enough to be a successful scout sniper. Teamwork and mental discipline are paramount, and the self-professed loner has problems adjusting to his spotter as well as the rest of his platoon when the...

Previously published as “United Federation Marine Corps”, now updated and re-edited.What would you do to change your life? How far would you go? How hard would you fight?Rather than work his bones into dust toiling away on a barren world, Ryck Lysander chooses to enlist in the Federation Marine Corps.But as he quickly finds out, this path isn't just a job. . . it's a calling. . . and not everyone is suited to wear the uniform.

As a certified “hero,” Sergeant Ryck Lysander gets offered a commission as a second lieutenant.Only, he doesn’t feel like a hero, and his tendency to jump into a fight himself is at odds with his duties as an officer.When first contact with an alien race turns into a full-blown war, Ryck is thrust into combat once again, and the battle goes poorly.Before he has time to take a breath, Ryck finds himself in a crisis. Did he make a mis...

Private First Class Aiden Kaas has enlisted in the Marines for all the wrong reasons. Now deployed to Iraq at the age of 19, he just wants to put in his time and serve out his enlistment. However, after being bitten by a seemingly rabid mujahideen, he finds himself suffering from a strange illness, one with consequences beyond his wildest imaginings. As the disease ravages his body and exposes him to dangers far darker than active combat, Aiden discovers what it means to come of age, and h...

At last, Sergeant Ryck Lysander has found a home in the United Federation Marine Corps, and has proven the temper of his steel in combat.Stepping up as an NCO, however, is something different. It isn’t enough to be an effective warrior. He has to be able to lead his fellow Marines, all without doubting his own abilities.Failing will not only lead to his own death, but to those under his command. The responsibility is heavy, and the cost of losing is high.

Staff Sergeant Gracie Medicine Crow is quickly becoming the most noted sniper in the United Federation Marine Corps if not in all human space. She’s the go-to Marine for the most difficult missions. Not all of these missions are against human targets, and some missions require more than sniper skills.Gracie is tasked with a “material denial” target, in this case, a BOLO (“Be On The Lookout”). However, the circumstances are such that she will need support getting to the firing point...

As a captain, Ryck Lysander has been given one of the most sought-after assignments in the Marines: an infantry company commander.His new battalion commanding officer, however, is not impressed with Ryck’s past accomplishments, and Ryck finds himself struggling to fulfill his CO’s expectations.Now, abandoned by the Navy, stranded among the asteroids, Ryck and his battalion must find a way to survive the day.But these are Marines. . . and tha...

Gunnery Sergeant Jacob McCardle is the commander of the Marine Detachment at the US Embassy, New Delhi, when the president of the United States arrives on an official visit, the same man who, as a Congressman, sponsored the bill that had decimated the Corps in a cost-cutting effort. As the president arrives, the embassy is attacked and isolated by a mob of nationalists. With the Indian government seemingly unwilling to take action to restore order and with an ambitious vice-president seizi...