Eryx is part of a team of scientists charged with monitoring and protecting relocated animals on a privately owned planet. When sensors indicate poachers, Eryx leaves base to confront them, only to lose his way in a sudden snow. After trudging to a nearby observation station for shelter, he comes across an unexpected intruder.<br><br>Smuggler Leander flies an old, sometimes unreliable ship. When the engine starts to fail, he attempts to set down on the nearest planet where he’s stashed supplies, but his descent turns into a crash, and he’s forced to take shelter wherever he can.<br><br>The two can’t possibly trust each other, but storm projections show they’ll be stuck together for days. Worse, the poachers aren’t letting a little inclement weather stop them, and they’re armed and ready to kill. Can Leander and Eryx put aside their differences and save the animals -- and themselves -- before something disastrous happens?

Under Snow and Stars

“It probably survived because it wasn’t caffeinated,” said Eryx, setting up water to boil. “So, how did you get past the updated satellite system?”


“Luck, I guess. I try to avoid them when I can, so I have pretty good timing.”


“I didn’t think you could do that with these new programs.”


Leander shrugged. “Maybe your SeeingSpots boss went with the cheapest upgrade. Maybe that’s why this base can’t handle storm interference. My little transceiver I could understand, especially with how old it is, but an entire base’s systems screwed up from a storm?”


“It’s not everything,” said Eryx as he prepared the tea. “It’s communications, net linkup, satellite contact, external scans—we can still get camera imaging, obviously, and temperature controls, light, that sort of thing. I could run tests if I wanted, just not report them to my team.”


Chapter 16