The first human child ever born on Dawn Four is also the first to leave the thriving little colony. Natalie Sangli, inspired by her father’s stories of life in the cockpit, wants nothing more than to be a pilot herself. So she boards a shuttle that takes her from the only planet she’s ever known to the very foreign human home world of Mars where Natalie feels like a fish out of water.
Three years of training at Olympus Mons Naval Academy, named after the highest peak on Mars, will prepare Natalie – and the rest of the class of 2369 – for a career as a naval pilot.
Alumnus Ethan Walker, who earned his wings at OlyMons in 2336, tries to help and support his daughter through letters from trillions of klicks away as she faces challenges neither of them could’ve anticipated, including an overbearing flight instructor by the name of Lieutenant Branciforte.
But Natalie needs her father and her mother to help her navigate the most unexpected and confusing challenge of all – dealing with the feelings sparked by one of her squadron mates, Cadet Colton Namata.
