Neal James is a space station navigator whose lover, Dylan Teague, left him for a starmapping mission. But when Dylan radios in a distant signal one night, Neal discovers that he hasn't managed to put the relationship behind him in the two months they've been apart. When he's one of the crew members sent to investigate the signal, he finds that his ex-lover feels the same.<br><br>The source of the signal is a lost colony ship. Only a handful of the original colonists remain, survivors of a deadly disease that killed most of their fellow shipmates twenty years ago. To keep the threat of disease to a minimum, the colony adheres to strict laws, including the prohibition of same-sex relationships.<br><br>When the same fatal virus seems to appear again, Neal and Dylan find themselves in the midst of an irrational panic and hate that threatens to destroy everything the colonists have worked so hard to attain.

Operation Starseed

Maclin isn’t even with him anymore, and he slides into a chair


beside Conlan, gives us all a wan smile. “They’re getting together


in another hour or so,” he explains. He must mean the committee.


Conlan nods, and Ellington lowers his voice but I’m sitting right


in front of him and can hear him well enough. “Marie’s having


“Now?” Conlan asks, half rising from


Ellington pulls him down, holds his arm to


keep him from running off. “She’s on the terbute. There’s nothing


you’ll be able to do, sit back down.” Conlan doesn’t look so sure.


“You’re just going to worry her—”


“Excuse me,” he interrupts, leaning across the table. “I’m sorry,


but you said one of the women is in labor?” Ellington nods and


Conlan covers his face with shaky hands. “How far along is


“Seventeen weeks,” Conlan whispers,


his voice muffled through his fingers. “God, Ben, she can’t


Chapter 47