War has come to the worlds of Humans. The rich planet of Tau-Rietzke, however, is far from Earth and the Mercenary Guild's invasion, and its alien-registered mercenary companies are a safe haven for humans on the run. Organizations like the Midnight Sun Free Company.Having just completed another successful mission and taken possession of two Raknars, it was party time for Saisho Branco and the personnel of the Midnight Sun, and they were enjoying a little down time…until the war sp...

More authors. More stories. The same bestselling universe.It's the Twenty-Second Century. Humanity has taken its first steps into the galaxy, and we've found ourselves in a vast playground of alien races, environments, and cultures. As the newest players on the universal stage, though, our position is readily apparent—we're at the bottom of the food chain.Welcome back to the Four Horsemen universe, where only a willingness to fight and die for money separat...

In the aftermath of the Great Galactic War, the Veetanho assumed control of the Mercenary Guild's Inner Council, and with it, power over the guild's affairs. The Goltar were marginalized, and the Veetanho did everything they could to make the galaxy forget the Goltar had ever existed.The Goltar went quietly, pretending to sulk and accept their fate…but they never did. They worked in the shadows, amassing power and resources, always looking for the right time—and right opportunity—w...

From the outside, The Lyon's Den doesn't look like much; there isn't even a sign. But Mercs of all species know that if you head to southwest Houston, near the Starport, there's a particular run-down strip mall that looks like it's been abandoned for years. The glass door second from the south end of the strip is plastered over on the inside with blue paper, and the faint golden outline of a rampant lion is the only clue.The door is locked, of course, and beyond the door is nothing...

Don't go gently into that Endless Night…Having destroyed the starkiller located at Aneb-4, the alliance of Goltar, Spine Patriots, and the Midnight Sun Free Company have gained a bit of breathing space from the criminal organization known as the Endless Night.But the Endless Night isn't done. They have two more starkillers in their possession, and they are ready to use them against a civilization that no one—especially the Mercenary Guild—is going to miss. ...

It's always darkest before the light…Defeated in battle, the fractious alliance of Goltar, Spine Patriots, and the Midnight Sun Free Company are chased across the Spine Nebula by the Endless Night and their sea monster allies, the Tyzhounes.Abandoning the nebula is not an option. For the free trader skipper, Lenworth Jenkins, the people of its fifteen tormented worlds are the cause he's been searching for all his life.The Midnight sisters, Sun and B...

From distant planets to space-borne combat, from desperate attempts to win a race to the last hope of a beleaguered world, fifteen stories of Military SF and space opera, written to celebrate the 10th birthday of independent publisher NewCon Press.IntroductionThe Last Tank Commander – Allen StroudBetween Nine and Eleven – Adam RobertsTaking Flight – Una McCormackThe 10 Second War – Michael BrookesDecommissioned – Tade Thompson...

Thirty-five awesome stories - one kick ass meme that started it all.It started as a joke. Storm Area 51 they said. They can't stop all of us they said. But all laughter stopped when the U.S. Air Force mobilized the reserves and pulled out the big guns.However, relentless mockery and derision by the media and the powers that be pushed the weebs and alien enthusiasts too far. What else were they supposed to do? They put on their big girl panties and showed up, determined to fi...

It's a moment of truth for Jeff, a South Australian parliamentarian about to spearhead a new anti-terrorism law that will mean the end of civil liberties. 'Nothing to hide, nothing to fear' is the catch cry. This short story is a brief moment in Jeff's life that brings about a significant change in emphasis. He meets Anton while awaiting the choral competition in which both their daughters will perform. It's Anton, who has recently undergone chemotherapy, that helps Jeff see that it's smal...

Across a thousand battlefields and a million wars, there is always a question. What do you do when all the chips are on the table? Do you run? Try to find salvation in the arms of an easy peace? Or do you stand and fight? Send your enemies into whatever hole they crawled out of? On Deadly Ground has ten stories handling that exact question. Each character faces the impossible in different ways, but all will be tested before the day is done. Can they earn a heroic victory amongst the endles...

Let the explosions begin!Humans have spread to the stars, taking their warlike nature with them. This anthology contains eighteen incredible tales. Heroic warriors wage intergalactic war against their unrelenting foe. Watch these men and women display wanton courage under fire, despite the odds!Do your part to conquer the galaxy! Buy a copy today.

An AI inhabits a human body.Targeted marketing invades a man's life… and mind.Programmers battle their own government in cyberspace.Every day, the line between man and machine blurs.Drones replace postal workers, AI-operated cars fill the streets, and our carefully curated digital lives become as critical as our actual ones. How do unchecked technological advances shape us? How do we shape them? Does humanity still have time to choose our own future or is it too lat...