Launching the Colony: Murna Colony book 1

Launching the Colony is the first of two volumes, revised and expanded from the original Colonization Chronical. The story follows teenager Ricky Cruz and his family as they leave their successful farm to become first-wave settlers on the newly terraformed planet Murna. Ricky joins the crew as a repair technician and shuttle pilot. From the beginning, the mission faces numerous problems. Ricky investigates and uncovers evidence that their ship has been deliberately sabotaged—an attempt to prevent them from being the first settlers and establishing their chosen form of government on their new home. Even after Ricky repairs the ship enough to complete the journey, the settlers must evade warships apparently crewed by pirates.