Victoria Cross: United Federation Attorney — John Bowers

Victoria Cross had her chance with Nick Walker...and blew it. They were in the Star Marines together, fell in love in boot camp...then she broke his heart. Now, ten years later, they are both on Alpha Centauri 2, Nick as a U.F. Marshal, Victoria as a U.F. Attorney. They haven't spoken in nine years and Nick doesn't even know she is on the same planet, but sooner or later they are bound to meet. Victoria dreads that meeting, because Nick wants nothing to do with her. He has a new love now, Suzanne Norgaard, and has put Victoria in his rear-view. Seeing him again will only stir up the old pain that she has tried to put behind her. The problem arises when Antiochus Groening, the cult leader who started the revolution, comes to trial for attempted murder. Nick arrested Groening and will have to testify...and Victoria will have to face him. Unless... She can hand the case off to a colleague. Brian Godney is a bright young U.F. Attorney striving to make his mark and will be happy to take the case. But avoiding Nick will not be easy, since the U.F. Marshal's office is headquartered in the same building as the U.F. Attorney. But Vic can't dwell on it. She is handed another case with an even higher profile than Groening's. An ex-con is charged with the murder of an ACBI agent, and the pressure to obtain a conviction is intense. If anybody can put this guy away, it's Victoria Cross...but there is one problem: The evidence doesn't match the charges.