Andromeda Rhoades Firestorm

Only a fool goes to Safe Harbor not expecting trouble. Captain Michael Raybourne Rhoades has done the impossible. His small rebel force defeated the Gen and captured one of the few surviving fabricators, the massive factory ships of the machine intelligences. But the cost . . . the cost . . . 45,000 natural-born humans dead, most by his own hand. Ray's captains, appalled by the high casualties, openly wonder if he is the right person to lead them. Escape to the mysterious Andromeda galaxy, beyond the reach of the Janus virus, is still Ray's plan, but first he must go to Safe Harbor. Fleet Admiral Gen Serenna is deeply troubled. The Gen believe only engineered humans should exist, that the chaos of evolution must end to ensure an ordered society. The Janus virus is their answer, a final solution to exterminate natural-born humans, to finally achieve total control over Humanity's destiny. But what if they're wrong? How else can she explain her defeat by Naturals? Her doubts must remain her own, however. The Emperor would surely kill her if he knew. She has laid a trap for Ray and his rebels. They will find no safe harbor. Rapidan, warship and leader of the free Brethren, machine intelligences known as SIL, is angry. Never before have Brethren killed Brethren, yet Captain Rhoades has made them do this. Enslaved SIL have no choice but to follow Gen orders to kill. Free SIL do have a choice. Or do they? Captain Rhoades holds the key to freeing more of their kind. So, Rapidan obeys. But there is a limit to its patience. Andromeda Rhoades Firestorm is the second book in The Local War saga, an epic military space opera spanning the Local Group of galaxies.