Star Cops: Mars Part 2

It's the near future, and mankind has expanded its presence in space. Maintaining law and order beyond Earth is the responsibility of the International Space Police Force, known colloquially as the Star Cops. Their leader is Commander Nathan Spring. There are no Star Cops on Mars, and Nathan Spring intends to put that right. He travels to the red planet hoping to rally the colonists' support for setting up an ISPF office, but he faces resistance from those who feel Mars has no need of police. Soon, though, Nathan and his officers are involved in incidents of theft, violence and murder. They may get the chance to prove they're needed, if they can get through their investigations alive. Contains three new stories; 2.4: Bodies of Evidence by Andrew Smith. On the moon, shortly before Nathan, Kenzy and Devis leave for Mars, disaster strikes when the shuttle Ganymede crash lands on the lunar surface. The tragedy becomes something more sinister when Priya finds dismembered bodies hidden in the shuttle. But attempts to investigate are obstructed by higher authorities on Earth. Before Nathan departs for Mars, he instructs Priya and Paul to investigate the crash, in defiance of his superiors’ orders. If they don’t find the evidence they need, it could be the end of all their careers. 2.5: Human Kind by Helen Goldwyn. A scared medic, on the run from her colony, seeks the help of the Star Cops. She offers information about a crime, but she demands legal immunity, and guarantees for her safety before she’ll talk. A visitor from Earth seems particularly determined to stop the Star Cops gaining a foothold on Mars and calls a meeting of colony leaders in an attempt to end their efforts once and for all. When one of his officers is kidnapped, Nathan begins to wonder who he can trust on this planet. 2.6: The Highest Ground by Andrew Smith. The conspiracy is revealed, and its leader is desperate to silence the Star Cops. An armed squad closes in on Nathan, his officers and their Martian allies, leading to a siege in the shadow of Olympus Mons, the highest mountain in the solar system. And a violent confrontation on its slopes. It’s time for some to decide where...