Free Audio Book 🎧 : Columbus Day, by Craig Alanson

We found ourselves embroiled in a futile war, aligned with the wrong side. Surprisingly enough, that was the silver lining in our predicament.

On that fateful day, reminiscent of Columbus Day, the Ruhar caught us off guard. In our innocent voyage through the vast cosmos on our small blue planet, we resembled the native Americans during the events of 1492. Suddenly, superior and belligerent ships emerged on the horizon, shattering the tranquility of the days when humans were only threatened by their own kind. Hence, the parallel with Columbus Day seemed fitting.

Just when we thought salvation had arrived as the Kristang starships appeared in the morning sky, ready to engage the Ruhar in combat, we were mistaken. The United Nations Expeditionary Force seized the opportunity to join forces with the Kristang, utilizing their ships as transport to confront the Ruhar wherever our newfound allies deemed our assistance necessary. This meant transitioning from battling alongside the US Army in Nigeria to waging war in the vastness of space. However, it soon became evident that deception permeated every aspect of our involvement. The Ruhar should never have been our adversaries; instead, it was our allies who posed the true threat.

Allow me to recount the tale from its inception.