Trading Post

He thought he would die alone in hyperspace. Instead, after 42 days of being lost and near starvation, Forrest Woo's last jump brings humans face-to-face with the fact that not only are we not alone in the universe, we're far behind thousands of other species - intellectually, technologically, and evidently, in every other way.Fifty-five years later, Woo's 18-year-old grandson, Gyneria, has grown up amidst the nearly 12,000 civilizations that live and work on Trading Post wheeling and dealing for technology, knowledge, and hyperspace routes to resource rich star systems. For Gyneria, a day interacting with dozens of species is normal, but most Terrans aren't finding their apparent insignificance so tenable.There are prospects however. A series of quakes caused by the nearby, aging star threatens to destroy Trading Post. The search for a solution provides an opportunity for status and riches for those who can contribute. Forrest, now an old man of 88, is determined to make one last contribution to his people and get them a chance to prove their worth.Meanwhile, an old prophecy is bringing a different kind of attention to the Terrans. Some look to the newcomers as potential saviors, others as a threat to their wealth and power."Trading Post" is a four part, science fiction series that tells the saga of the Woo family and their part in Trading Post's Fifth Crisis. The story involves dozens of worlds; social, political, and physical conflicts; and always, at the heart of it, the human condition and our need for love, acceptance, status, and meaning in our lives.