STAR CRUSADER
The thrill and excitement of fighter combat in the wars of the 25th century
An epic young adult spinoff series set during the events of MERCENARIES, that follows the adventure of a group of elite videogamers trapped aboard an Alliance warship. Nate has a talent for space combat after hundreds of victories in the Star Crusader videogame simulation. His skills are unique, enough to gain him a rare privilege. The chance to join five other Alliance cadets and escape the dull routine of the classroom. They will enter a fierce competition light-years away in the ancient Byotai Empire. Yet days after their arrival a rebellious faction begins a bloody mutiny that spreads like wildfire. The time for competition has ended; the time of war has begun. STAR CRUSADER is an epic young adult spinoff series set during the events of the MERCENARIES series that follows the adventure of a group of elite videogamers trapped aboard a renegade Alliance warship.
Under the guidance of Lieutenant Higgins, the ship's last fighter pilot, the six cadets have just days to practice operating the ship's fighters. There are no others. Only they can defend the ship, or face death at the hands of the enemy.
The Orion Battlegroup assembles under the command of the war hero, Admiral Churchill. Desperate for pilots for the coming fight, Churchill gives Nate's unit their chance. They will reform the defunct Knighthawk Squadron, and join with their comrades in the battle to help their Byotai allies.
With time running out, Admiral Churchill and his officers hatch an audacious plan. It is a plan that could allow them to escape the clutches of the Star Empire, and rally all remaining loyalists to this last prince.
Over the past weeks, the videogame pilots have proven their mettle in battle. Now they will face the ultimate test, and join the elite Byotai pilots aboard the battleship Furiosa. Ahead of them lies the most critical phase of the conflict.
Nate and his friends undertake their greatest adventure yet, when their squadron joins BATTLE FLEET VICTORIOUS on a top-secret mission. The elite group of powerful ships makes up the fastest and deadliest Battle Fleet in the entire Alliance.
Nate and his friends in Ironclad Squadron are returning to the fleet when they detect a mysterious signal. Sensing a trap, Colonel Gun sends Nate out alone in his captured fighter to scout the source. The signal is emitting from inside the heart of the abandoned Kalar Anchorage. This massive facility was once the Byotai Empire’s greatest shipyard, but now it lies cold and lifeless. Or does it?
It is a dark time for the Alliance, with their forces scattered before the advancing legions of the unstoppable Star Empire. Further disastrous news arrives that General Makos and his loyal Byotai warriors have been utterly routed in battle, leaving the Alliance no option but to fall back to Helios. Nate returns home with Battlefleet Victorious, only to find the entire Alliance fleet gathered to give battle.
Nate and his friends are given the chance of a lifetime, a six-mouth tour aboard the Alliance’s newest battleship, ANS Dreadnought. She’s the first in her class, and is the most powerful ship in the sector. Bigger and better protected than any ship before her, Dreadnought carries an arsenal of deadly weapons that can annihilate a small armada and can travel between the stars in a matter of days.
The Alliance Navy's renowned assault carrier ANS Relentless is sent into action for the first time in more than a year. She’s been significantly enlarged, upgraded and improved with Byotai armour and heavy weaponry. But most significant of all, Relentless is the first carrier to embark a squadron of the alliance’s newest fighters, the deadly F26 Firehawks.
The invasion of the Centauri Rim has begun, and Knighthawk Squadron leads the way. They fight in both the real and virtual worlds, where they use their unique skills to throw the enemy off balance. This last battle will be fought against the mighty stronghold of the separatists, an impregnable fortress hidden inside the Rim known simply as The Rock. And in their path lies a vast array of warships, pirate vessels, thousands of soldiers and a secretive leader who promises a future freed of alien influence. A grim future where Humanity can realise its destiny as masters of the known universe.