Black Seed

Betan Alier wants the stars. He gets a war.

Raised among scientists on dwarf-planet Ceres, he listens under tables while adults argue fees, loyalty, and the uneasy truce between research labs and rough prospectors. Then the blast hits. Family, home, and the official story all crack at once.

Swept from port nights to slow ships and the Quiet Foundry, Betan falls in with spacers who carry more secrets than cargo, including the deadly legacy of the Optimus-9s and a shadow empire that still answers to Micah Morozov. Ahead lie Mars, Phobos, and a train ride through hell that will decide whether the Belt stays free… or becomes someone else’s weapon.

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