A world cleansed of plastics and pollution by a suite of engineered bacteria, originally designed with a five-year expiration date, to clear landfills and clean up chemical spills, then die off. But, the genetic self-destructs were removed by eco-terrorists and The Package was released upon the world—devouring plastics, heavy metals, petroleum products—destroying technology, unraveling the infrastructure, and plunging civilization into chaos.

Following that was the Starving Time.

Over a hundred years later, the world is divided into small countries, reduced to pre-industrial technology. The country of Orange, in what was once Virginia, faces threats from all sides. Griever factions threaten within and without, the Kingdom of Shenandoah presses in from the west, and suspicious allies all around.

Harun Truslow is a fiery captain of the Orange Company, bitter rival of the smug Captain Coranobis who married into the Truslow family from the neighboring Republic of Nova. Benjamin Black is a chimney sweep in the manor of Orange for whom the elder of the Truslow family, Jeddy Ridvan, has a special mission to recover the technology to “speak through the air.” Kath Franklin is a sly merchant who ranges throughout the free lands, trying to find her place.

PROLOGUE (2500 words) – “The Blue Ridge”

CHAPTER 1 (3100 words) – “Story Time”

CHAPTER 2 (2650 words)- “Matelotage”

CHAPTER 3 (2000 words)  – “Meeting Room”

CHAPTER 4 (1800 words) – “Selling Niter”

CHAPTER 5 (1900 words) – “Talking Through the Air”

CHAPTER 6 (1800 words) – “Clothing”

CHAPTER 7 (1650 words) – “The Gun Game”

CHAPTER 8 (1650 words) – “The Field”

CHAPTER 9 (1350 words) – “The Appeal”

CHAPTER 10 (3000 words) – “The Contest”

CHAPTER 11 (1430 words) – “The Siege of Yorktown”

CHAPTER 12 (1500 words) – “The Plan”