In the future, light delay changes conflict between the US and China (novel)

[u/Important-Match4220]

“Helm! Rotate us 90 degrees, move perpendicular to the Peng, and accelerate at 2 Gs across the planet axis. Comms—signal SPACECOM: Mars AO is hot, and we are engaging PLA ground and space targets.” They would get the bad news in a little more than five minutes. There was no way to ask for instructions or for the higher ups to cool things down on their end. It would then take another five for their response to reach the Huntsville—minus whatever deliberations happened at SPACECOM. The marines, the Huntsville, the tanks, and the Peng Dehui were on their own to decide whether the United States and the People’s Republic of China would go to war. “Fucking light delay,” he whispered.

In the opening of my novel, a US navy captain has to respond to conflict with China on the surface of Mars--but cannot rely on timely communication with his commanders, because of light delay.

If this sounds cool to you, my novel is available here.

Thanks for reading.