Sacred Ground

What if the price of winning an interstellar war was eradicating an entire innocent species?  What if you were the only one who knew that it had happened?   The long interstellar war between the Placers and the alien Xarrt race is over. Everyone should embrace peace, but renowned warship captain Rakkel is battling his emotions, facing a future that is anxiously unfamiliar. A disgruntled Xarrt warrior attacks a defenceless enemy outpost, not wanting the war to end. Rakkel is sent to catch this traitor - but faces a choice. If he captures the last rebel opponent, it means peace is complete—and the end of the only life he’s ever known. On the Placer homeworld, charismatic religious leader Ar-Bekan rallies his followers. The end of the war finally gives The Chosen an opportunity to reach out into space and seek the mythical planet of their forefathers. War orphan Mavina has nothing to lose in life, so she joins a daring band of stowaways as they cross war-torn systems, hoping to discover a proof which will unite a divided society. More than one person holds a secret, more than one seeks a truth, and more than one is in denial.   Is this really peace?  If so, how many endings - and beginnings - will it nurture?