Description

*The key to the stars is the key to the empire. And to a young man’s future…* Young Jim Endicott has but one dream—to attend the Terran Space Academy, the gateway to the stars and the far-flung civilization known as the Confederation. But unbeknownst to Jim, he has a secret encoded in his DNA. A secret that threatens an empire. A secret that his parents (or those who *claim* to be his parents!) have sworn never to reveal, on pain of death. Jim’s Academy application sets off an explosive chain of terror, hurling the young man into an adventure beyond his wildest dreams. In his new life, he plumbs the depths of the “Pleb” underclass of the galaxy’s outcasts, and soars through the forbidden reaches of cyberspace. With the help of a beautiful fellow outlaw named Cat, who is as tough as she is tender, Jim begins to unravel the shocking truth about his own origins—and uncovers the fatal deception that has split a bitter humanity into warring factions bent on mutual annihilation. And in the process, Jim learns that he has one more enemy than he guessed—and one more friend than he knew. In this premier Quest for Tomorrow book, William Shatner, the famed *Star Trek* star and author, inaugurates a series of novels that combine the dreams of youth with the terrors of empire. Crackling with high-tech action, and rich with unforgettable characters, each carefully researched adventure is complete with a special bibliography for young readers designed to assure scientific accuracy, provide essential guidance, and suggest fascinating new directions to explore.