The Catalyst (Targon Tales Book 1) by Chris Reher

It's no easy tour of duty for Lt. Nova Whiteside when her interstellar transport is taken by pirates and she is tagged for termination. Could it have something to do with the mysterious alien they were transporting?Now MIA, any chance of escape leaves her no choice but to rely on Sethran Kada, a former lover, for help. Unfortunately, they are now on opposite sides of an escalating war between the Air Command and an increasingly dangerous rebel organization.In trying to find who, and WHAT, is threatening her life, they uncover a conspiracy to destroy an entire inhabited planet—and destabilize the Sector Commonwealth itself. Going from MIA to AWOL, Nova’s options challenge her beliefs and training."The characterizations are solid, the writing is crisp and fluid, and all of the questions posed within the story are answered. Reher is a great storyteller, and you know they know this from the confidence exhibited in the book.""What a fascinating imagination Chris Reher has! ...descriptions of all the other worldly beings was a fun mind exercise along with rather exciting adventures. Read it! It is worth the time!"The Catalyst is Book 1 of the Nova series, an action-driven space opera featuring political intrigue, alien biology, and dangerous technology.