Steel Birds

Two planets are discovered in the Alpha Centauri System in 2050 and a hundred scientists are sent in a massive spaceship called Faith to colonise them. The journey is considered a disaster when nothing is heard from the crew after it leaves the solar system.

In 2140, a Chinese colonel hijacks the Mayflower, a huge spaceship being prepared to take colonists to Mars, and leaves for Alpha Centauri. It is pursued by a group of soldiers in Blue Fire, a faster spaceship, who are told to prevent the new planets from falling into the hands of the Chinese.

Events unfold in 2195, when Blue Fire and the soldiers land at one of the planets and find a thriving community of scientists unwilling to hand over control of their society.