Once and Again

Once and Again is the first novel in the Crusader Chronicles trilogy. The first official eBook release reaches back to 2003, but the book would not be commercially available to the eBook market until 2010 when it was distributed through the Amazon Kindle Store and the Nook Bookstore.

Title and Publication
Once and Again was originally envisioned as the first of a long story published as serial novels. Before the decision was made to shorten the Crusader Chronicles into a trilogy it was expected to stretch into over a dozen smaller shorts and novels that continued to explore adventures with James Davis.

Plot Summary
The prologue of the book introduces Benjamin Saranac on the planet Bantari. After the planet is attacked by a Kujaen force, Benjamin is forced to watch his wife die and his new daughter come into the world. This is the introduction of Tiffany Saranac. Sionis Sepher brings Alliance forces to fend off the attack and Benjamin is swept up in what quickly becomes a highly classified military discussion revolving around a prisoner named "Keaira" and the necessity to find the one named "James Davis". Benjamin participates in the discussion as best he can but when it's all said and done he holds his young daughter close and retires to a safe room.

The story moves to Earth where James Davis is introduced as a young human. At just eleven years old James is a typical child that has yet to experience many of the things that the world has to offer. His world is suddenly turned upside down when a mysterious man knocks on the family's front door and shoots his father before forcing his way inside. James manages to get out of the house and the man pursues. Thankfully, a black vehicle with suited men pulls in the driveway and secure Davis before gunning down the attacker.

A spaceship appears in the skies above and moments later a small team is touching down in James' front yard with armed guards spreading out to secure the grounds. James' father is alive and will be okay and Michael Stanton introduces himself as the Supreme Crusader before asking Daniel to speak with him about James. Though Daniel initially rejects the idea Michael reveals DNA that is over twenty-seven thousand years old and points out that it is James' DNA. Daniel still rejects the idea of James leaving Earth and when he tries to end the discussion Michael Stanton pulls his weapon. James agrees to go with Michael to avoid any more harm to his parents.

Michael takes James and returns to his spaceship where he is introduced to Sionis Sepher. They leave Earth and James is taken to Bantari where he is introduced to students his own age and placed under the careful watch of "Angel," who promises to watch over Davis until the time is right.

For four years James trains on Bantari, making friend with both Tiffany Saranac and John Stanton. When he is accepted into the League of Crusaders as an apprentice, he is placed under Sionis Sepher's direct command aboard the Ulysses, an Alliance frigate that Sionis had commanded since the Great War. His time aboard lasts less than a year before Sionis is called to Hyla to investigate the murder of Michael Stanton. Once they're on the surface Sionis seemingly abandons Davis. James is unable to stay aboard the transport after having a dream where he is seemingly called to the palace to help a young woman.

In the city of Hyla James meets Princess Meghan Theon and she requests that he help recover three stones that are critical to utilizing a Hylan technology. James does as she has requested after seeing that Sionis is burdened with political issues. James is quick to do as the Princess has asked and upon returning with the technology he finds that Hyla has been assaulted and chaos has taken hold. Meghan Theon, now Queen, is rushed from the city to avoid assassination and James meets with Sionis. They take the stones and find the Hylan Technology is a weapon of great power. Sionis reveals that someone wants the weapon and that they need to gather all the stones and take them somewhere else so they can never be gathered together again. They are ambushed by the assassin but once he is overpowered he flees Hyla. Sionis and James each take one of the stones with them when they leave Hyla, making the weapon impossible to activate.

After Hyla James and Sionis travel to Sentret V where James grows suspicious about the technology that was used to bring him to this galaxy from Earth. After inquiring about it Sionis changes topics telling him the technology is not available. Later that same trip, James meets a young woman named Sellia. She convinces James to help her group steal a large battleship and in exchange he could use the SMP technology to take himself back to Earth. James agrees after feeling betrayed by Sionis and helps Sellia accomplish her task. The operation is not successful, but Sellia does escape with critical technological knowledge and it is revealed she was working with the Kujaen Empire. Despite his anger, Sionis covers up James' involvement to protect the human.

The Ulysses then travels to Planet 7 in Resource System 407. The Alliance military post on this planet has come under attack by Kujaen hit and run tactics. On this planet James meets up with Tiffany Saranac and the two have a moment of reflection. James' life since becoming a Crusader has been sheltered compared to Tiffany, who has already participated in dozens of battles and is now effectively running the entire facility. After a short investigation James accidently uncovers Kujaen spies in the base. They are dealt with but shortly after that a Kujaen attack force came into the system. Sionis' biggest concern is James' safety but James refuses, rushing out to help fend off the attackers. James is injured in the attack but the Alliance holds off the Kujaen forces at first. Soon after the first wave, another group appears in the system. James and Sionis prepare to fight with Tiffany, but the Ulysses reports that the Kujaens have brought a massive vessel with this force. After learning that Kujah is aboard the vessel, Sionis demands an evacuation. Their time is too short, however, and the massive vessel uses a light based energy weapon to hit the surface of the planet with a devastating blast of energy that glasses over the impact point and causes the air of the planet to burn, destroying all life on the surface.

The Ulysses is crippled in the battle and limps away until it crashes on a moon, now orbiting a dead world. James is set in Sionis' famed "White Dragon" to get a rescue team. James is accompanied by a Bermekan pilot that Sionis trusts, named Cidonis Theon. They make their way to Sentret V and secure a rescue team.

Once they are away from Resource System 407, the Alliance reveals to them that Kujah has named his new ship the Invincible and has promised to use it in a strike agains the heart of Terran Space. Sionis and James rush to aid the Terran defenses when they hear that the Kujaens have already started their assault, but after butting heads with Helios Advares James is sent away from Terran Space. A decision that Sionis seems to be okay accepting.

James is sent to Sentret V for a short time where he becomes wrapped up in a dragon breeding business. He is able to do well for himself despite being only sixteen. He is just about ready to give up on the Crusader notions when the Sentret System is attacked by a small Kujaen force. The Kujaens utilize a weakness in the system defenses and when James hears this he realizes they plan to do the same to the Terrans. He rushes to contact Sionis but discovers he is too late. With the defenses down the Kujaens are already pushing the Invincible toward the Terran home world of Terra Prime.

James uses his X7 to join the fight and is helpful in holding of Kujaen forces long enough for several evacuation ships to break through, but ultimately the Invincible reaches orbit and fires its weapon on the surface. The blast kills billions of people and much like 407-7, leaves the surface charred and lifeless.

The Alliance now accepts the danger of such a vessel and when Sionis adds that SMP technology could make this ship into a planet killer that could show up anywhere, the Alliance grants him access to all their reserve forces to deal with Kujah's threat. Sionis utlizes the War Bandits and their already active SMP technology to plan a surprise attack. Using Space Manipulation Portals, the War Bandits can make a direct assault on Kujah's ship without being forced to fight through the front lines. The attack is risky but the Alliance approves it anyway.

When the War Bandits attack the Invincible the fight is equally matched. The Kujaens have ships pouring in from every side of their Empire but it's too little too late. It appears that Sionis' plan is going to succeed. Then, the Invincible fires its main weapon, catching one of the War Bandits in the beam and utterly destroying it in the process. The scales suddenly tip in the Kujaens' favor and Sionis is forced to retreat.

The War Bandit uses the SMP technology to jump to Bantari. Knowing that the Kujaens will likely retaliate, Sionis demands that James help with evacuations on the surface. It's also revealed that Helios Advares and John Stanton have survived the attack. They join James and Tiffany as they organize the evacuations. On the surface Sionis is informed that a Kujaen facility has been found and they were in the middle of investigating it when the War Bandit had shown up. Sionis quickly gathers a team and they rush to the facility while the evacuations continue.

After discovery Keaira in the Kujaen facility Sionis gathers his resolve and makes the decision that she can be used as a weapon. He leaves James and Angel behind in the basement of the Sepher Mansion and burns it to the ground with the assumption that they will be safe underground until the Kujaens leave. Sionis then heads to the facility to let Keaira out. Along the way he is confronted by John. Sionis thinks of Michael's loyalty and asks John to come with him. By the time everyone is aware of the situation, Sionis has reached the facility. John waits for Tiffany and James to meet him and they go to Sionis for a final confrontation.

Sionis injures Tiffany and releases Keaira. John then begins a fight with Sionis and the two lock in combat. James is able to put a lifeless Keaira back in her cell and contain her before she wakes. He then checks with Tiffany and after making sure she's okay he goes to join John in the fight against Sionis. After they take him on Sionis realizes he is outmatched and focuses on James to distract John's attention. Once John loses his focus Sionis throws his blade into a suspension cable, causing it to snap. The wire hits John's face with such force that it crushes his skull and kills him instantly. In a blind rage James attacks Sionis and is stabbed by Sepher's blade. James uses the wound to his advantage and attacks Sionis while pulling the sword free. With two blades he makes a final attack, throwing one at Sionis to make him sidestep toward a ledge. The second sword is thrusted through Sionis' gut and out his back. At Sepher stands there in agony, James pushes him off the edge.

With Tiffany severely injured from falling on a glass shard, James rushes her back to the Terran colony where the Kujaen forces are preparing to land. The War Bandit can't stay in orbit any longer and James knows the X7 only has room for one. He puts the almost unconcious Tiffany in the cockpit and sends her away.

Kujah lands with a team of his own and they move to secure Keaira. As they do so, James intervenes and cuts several of them down. Impressed by his bravery Kujah tests how strong James Davis really is and then takes him prisoner. He also tells the Kujaens to keep an eye out for Sionis despite Davis telling him that the terran is dead.

In the prisoner ship James is reunited with Angel, who waited on the surface so she could save as many as she could. James tells her of the tragedy and Sionis' death. The novel ends with one spark of hope from Angel as she points out that James Davis is still alive and the Emperor could have easily killed him, giving weight to the idea that James is somehow destined for something greater.

Characters
See Also: List of Andromisa Characters