Last Chance

A colony ship that left Earth two hundred years previously developed serious problems and entered the nearest solar system to make repairs. Although no aliens were encountered during their trip, an alien vessel orbiting the planet opened fire on them immediately without provocation. The alien ship was destroyed, and two types of aliens were discovered. The Humans learned that the planet was not colonized but only contained a few individuals. The Humans decided to colonize the planet and call it Last Chance. Thus, a war started with the Sickgaar that lasts for many years until the end of the novel. The first battle takes place on Last Chance when the Sickgaar sends a large relief force to wipe out the Human invaders. The Humans and Toli form an Allied Federation and fight together. The Toli are given a second planet, called New Hope, of their own in the Last Chance system as their numbers increase. The third major character, Jojotazzi, a Toli, appears at this point. She starts as a young Toli orphan discovered by Maria Lopez and progresses to create a vast empire of businesses and space freighters. The Sickgaar are defeated, and all their planets are taken for the Allied Federation after several years of war. Numerous space and ground battles occur in the novel. At the end, the Humans worry that the Sickgaar may not have all been eliminated because a strange ship similar to a Sickgaar ship was seen close to an empty Sickgaar planet months after the war is over.

KELLY W. CARPENTER is a 78 year old retired chemical plant worker living in Galveston County Texas. Earned a B.A. degree in Literature from the University of Houston/ CLC in 1983 by attending night and weekend classes. He retired in 2001 and now spends time writing and working around his two acres home site. He enjoys shooting sports, hunting, and fishing in his spare time.