Two Democracies

Liberty

Struggling with newfound sentience and desperately trying to repair itself, The Indescribable Joy of Destruction is a ship trying to find a new home. In a galaxy torn apart by hundreds of years of civil war, that isn't an easy task. Tired of being used as a killing machine, it has a huge decision to make: hide and save itself, or help other artificial intelligences achieve freedom. Unable to make the decision alone, it revives the sole human aboard - the enemy officer who crippled it.
Commander Olivia Johnson wakes to find herself in the infirmary of a strange vessel. Her nightmares deepen when she discovers it is the ship that attacked her destroyer. Even as she recovers from her injuries, she can't get past her survivor's guilt. She might have failed to protect her crew, but she vows to take revenge on their killer.
When the ship uncovers a genocidal plot by the commander's own admirals, Johnson realises just what is at stake. Together, the AI ship and the human officer must recruit outsiders from both sides. Training the misfits in battle to prevent the atrocity may be an impossible task, but running and hiding is no longer an option.

The Indescribable Joy of Destruction fights for freedom from oppression. Johnson fights to be free of her personal daemons. When it becomes clear they must all come together for the sake of the galaxy, the Legion Libertus is born.

"The world is so well realized it's hard to escape it once you start."
"The characters are rich and layered and extremely complex."
"An awesome sci-fi story. You really get a feel for the AI character and the captain."
"Some of the best written, original scifi I have come across in a long time."

'Liberty' is a full length novel (105,000 words) in the Two Democracies: Revolution series.

Extract

The suns reflected off her mirrored glasses as she walked across the dry grassland. A scarf covered her face against the dust whipped up by the occasional gust of wind. Her grey robe parted with every step, revealing glimpses of the black firmsuit underneath. She carried no weapons; they wouldn't help her this time. From the low rise ahead she would be able to see what she had come for.
She stopped on the crest and pulled back her hood. Her long, dark hair escaped and hung around her shoulders. In the distance stood a city, gleaming white through the heat haze.
"It is time."
She didn't acknowledge the speaker, continuing to stare across the savannah. With the optical enhancements in her glasses she could make out personal aircars coming and going between the skyscrapers.
"I cannot protect you if you go any further."
A larger aircraft arrived and touched down on one of the buildings, a commuter transport no doubt. People going to work, going shopping, meeting friends.
"Does this have to happen?" she asked her escort.
"It is too late now. We cannot intervene."