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

“I don’t know what it’s about,” I


grumble. “We’re prisoners here, you have no idea—”


Suddenly Ramsey has me by the arms, dragging


me back from the radio, out of the seat, away. “Hey!” I cry,


struggling, but it’s no use, he’s much stronger than me. Over the


radio, Shanley asks, “Neal? Are you still there? Prisoners?


Ellington clicks off the radio, breaking the


signal and cutting Shanley off in midsentence. “What the


hellis your problem?” I want to know. Ramsey has his arms


laced through mine, holding me back, but I strain against his grip,


let me at him,I think, trying to lunge at Ellington. “He


can helpyou! Only you’re too goddamn stubborn to see—”


discussed this!” he cries, anger humming through him, it’s in the


way he motions with his arms, the muscle that begins to twitch in


his jaw. “I told you I didn’t want them interfering here, none of


Chapter 84