Shalidar

About the Book

The Third Galactic Age has dawned, but to the dismay of Princess Aurelia, Councilor of Twinsun IV, it has not brought the peace she has hoped for, but rather a dreadfully uncertain future for her Confederate Star Alliance. Though the Darkness has fled and the Necronite Empire has collapsed, bereft of the protection of the Necronite star fleet the empire’s outer worlds are now ripe for pirate plundering. One of those worlds, Saba Yar, is legendary as the ancient Sora’s rain–forested realm of mystical medicine–women and miraculous healing botanicals. When Princess Aurelia discovers that a devastatingly addictive drug made from Saba’s black Yutee flower is appearing on the streets of Port Royal, she realizes that pirates have taken Saba and are plundering it and its inhabitants for an evil purpose. Moreover, with a representative of the Tannite Empire currently in the Confederate Council chambers petitioning for annexation of Saba, she fears a collusion between the pirates and her old Tannite adversary, General Gondaga. Unable to expose the smugglers via legal means, Aurelia calls on her friend, Captain Coreandra Flint of the Galactic Merchant Fleet, for her help. Corey agrees to use her ability to move through Port Royal’s seamy underground to pursue the pirates and attempt to discover the identity of their mysterious leader. However, when a chance encounter places an escaped Sabine priestess Corey’s hands, the Orcan captain suddenly finds herself caught up in the girl’s sensual magic and embroiled in a deadly interstellar intrigue that ultimately threatens both the Confederate Star Alliance–and her life!

About the Author

Donald W. Phipps, Jr. is a research scientist with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Irvine and a Master’s degree at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He and his wife, Linda, currently enjoy the sun and warmth of Southern California. “Shalidar” is his second novel.