Dying isn't scheduled today, Ashur grimly thought. "Keep close to the trees!" He warned Raeven as another bolt scorched past, barely missing him. "Zigzag! Make their shots as difficult as possible!" He and Raeven dodged in and out of the trees as energy bolts whizzed around them. Ashur and Raeven are eleven years old. Growing up on Lalor isn't easy. Staring down death seems easier than facing everyday life. They are loners, bullied and taunted by other kids. Earning their parents' approval takes courage. Ashur and Raeven become messengers who run from town to town. They must prove their integrity every day. People across Lalor watch how they act-toward friends, customers, and each other. Ashur and Raeven must display their best spirit all the time. Jerry Saunders and Kelvin Merritt visit the Junkyard system aboard Startreader. They're ready to learn how to work in space. Labor in a hostile outdoors builds character in the boys. Jerry's heroes take on new importance-and Kelvin listens, too. Tales spin wildly as the boys chase legends of paradise from Earth and Caris. Meanwhile, a Carisian spaceship fights an old enemy. That battle changes everyone's future. Carisians started the Lalor Colony. Now, two hundred years of peace may come to an end with Lalor squarely in the middle. Ashur and Raeven face many tests as they carry messages across the thirty-town colony. They visit beautiful sites and have exciting adventures. Their success rushes Ashur and Raeven headlong into unexpected adventure. They overcome adversity and make new friends along the way-including Kelvin and Jerry. First, the teenage team must rescue Ashur and Raeven from certain death. Then, the mind-brothers assist their new friends with their biggest challenge-saving Lalor from invasion! Join Ashur, Raeven, Jerry, and Kelvin in an Encounter at Lalor...