Book excerpt: It was 2168. The earthlings now out in space, out exploring the cosmos in a variety of space craft, were in shock. Their wonderful planet dead? All of it? It couldn’t be true. But it was. A killer comet had destroyed the earth. Now they were searching the stars for new life. They were well-equipped for searching. By 2168, there were hundreds of starships and thousands of space tankers, hovercraft and other support vessels out there. NASA and The Intergalactic Command had also established bases, mines, and factories on many planets. There were other upsides, to be sure. For one, because of breakthroughs in stem cell research, the life span had been greatly extended, then extended again – until by now, 240 years was the average. But all was not rosy. After 50 years of failing to find a new planet capable of sustaining human life, some were losing faith in The Intergalactic Command. There were rumors of a civil war. Some of the starship captains had also become pirates. Yet hope sprang eternal. And there were romantic intrigues afoot, including between Captain Jennifer Keith, Commander of the Starship Ambrosia and Captain Thaddeus Wright, Commander of the Aires. But Captain Stanley Rathmell, who excelled at wormhole warfare — and entertaining mischief — would have something to say about that.