And in the skies above, Mars now missed one of its moons. More than just a navigational hazard, the remains were a danger to life and limb in those first few months, as some debris fell to the surface. A series of new craters ran along the equator. But once things settled, Mars was left with a beautiful new vista. Though nowhere near as bright or spectacular as mighty Saturn’s, it was a favorite subject of many artists.
Ryan Thompson’s actions in the battle were declared treasonous. The ‘Man who destroyed Phobos’ was sentenced to life in prison, despite mass staged protests. His family moved to Antioch to escape the public eye and I have had the pleasure of getting to know Emily and the twins, despite them attending the local Baptist church rather than the masses I conduct.
My student Matthew Cole became a wanted man, first by his home colony of Arizona and then by the Highland Treaty Organization. A resolution was drafted to outlaw the Guild of Lanterns from operating in member colonies, but the public outcry was absolute. Julia of Venus had done her PR work well, and through pressure from the public the Guild continued to run jobs throughout Mars, growing to be a household name in a matter of months. Still, there were more than a few bounty hunters who tried to take down their leader. They discovered that Matthew Cole was a dangerous man indeed.
Elizabeth Cole returned to Antioch. She was grossly overqualified to teach at our school, but our students benefited immensely. And it is a well-known fact that she keeps the most magnificent garden in all of Antioch. Her friends, of which I am blessed to be counted, regularly receive gifts of the finest produce in the Jupiter neighborhood.
And as for Yvonne Naude, Elizabeth assures me that she is at long last recovering from the malaise that had poisoned her heart. It pained me to see the crew so divided. But all harms can be healed, and the Sparrow is once again a family. Its matriarch runs the tightest ship in the solar system if the stories are to be believed.
The Battle of Phobos may have been a turning point for the colonies but it was also one for the Sparrow. Though they had always walked the straight and narrow, they were now at odds with the law. And that, though the greatest part of their journey was yet to come.
Elias of Callisto
Bishop of Antioch, Ganymede
Died 105 AM
Afterword
Thank you so much for reading After Moses Wormwood! The series is halfway done at this point, so be on the lookout for book four in late 2021. If you enjoyed this one, please consider leaving a review for it at the site you purchased it on and remember to recommend it to a friend.
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See you soon. The best is yet to come!
Author Bio
Michael F. Kane cut his teeth on science fiction and fantasy. In fact, his first memories of Star Wars are his mother covering his eyes during the rancor scene. Later, he fell in love with the classics, Tolkien, Asimov, Herbert, and more. Somehow, despite the odds being stacked against him, he grew up to be a somewhat respectable human being. By day he’s the music director at a mid-sized church, but at night he dreams of unseen lands and places man has never trod. Check out his website at www.Michaelfkane.com to stay up to date on his publishing adventures.
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