Kingston's Legacy & Nothing but the Stars

In Kingston's Legacy, the people of Weeping Cross have been living under a dictatorial government for seven hundred years. After an attack on the government capitol leaves the president disfigured, the people see their opportunity to move. As the rebellion gathers strength, different forces come into play, secrets begin to be revealed, and the future of this one small world begins to change dramatically.
In Nothing but the Stars, the crew of a small cargo transport ship are stranded light years from rescue. They must contend with separation from their loved ones, the fear of dying alone, and with each other. As tensions rise and the situation looks more and more desperate, a new, greater threat joins them in the emptiness of deep space.
These two short science fiction stories offer the first look at an expansive and varied universe, intended to be the setting of many future stories.