Starport

Starport
George R.R. Martin

Law & Order meets Men in Black in this graphic novel adaptation of a TV pilot script by the author of A Game of Thrones. Ideal for fans of Saga. SECOND CITY. FIRST CONTACT. Ten years ago, representatives from an interstellar collective of 314 alien species landed on Earth, inviting us to become number 315. Now, after seemingly endless delays, the Starport in Chicago is operational, a destination for diplomats, merchants, and tourists alike. Inside, visitors are governed by intergalactic treaty. Outside, the streets belong to Chicago’s finest. Charlie Baker, newly promoted to the squad that oversees the Starport district, is eager to put to practical use his enthusiasm for all things extraterrestrial; he just never expected to arrive on his first day in the back of a police cruiser. Lieutenant Bobbi Kelleher is married to the job, which often puts her in conflict with Lyhanne Nhar-Lys, security champion of Starport and one of the galaxy’s fiercest warriors. Undercover with a gang of anti-alien extremists, Detective Aaron Stein has no problem mixing business with pleasure—until he stumbles upon evidence of a plot to assassinate a controversial trade envoy with a cache of stolen ray guns. Now the Chicago PD must stop these nutjobs before they piss off the entire universe. Based on a TV pilot script written by George R. R. Martin and adapted and illustrated by Hugo Award–nominated artist Raya Golden, this bold and brilliant graphic novel adaptation brings Martin’s singular vision to rollicking life. With all the intrigue, ingenuity, and atmosphere that made A Game of Thrones a worldwide phenomenon, Starport launches a new chapter in the career of a sci-fi/fantasy superstar.

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First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2019

Copyright © by George R.R. Martin 2019Jacket design by David G. Stevenson © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2019Jacket illustration by Raya Golden © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2019

George R.R. Martin asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed

in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living

or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

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Source ISBN: 9780008342456 Ebook Edition © March 2019 ISBN: 9780008342463 Version: 2019-02-25

PROLOGUE

A decade ago, something amazing happened: Aliens

discovered Earth. Three Chaseen ships landed, all randomly

searching for active sports stadiums, looking to make a real

entrance. The first ship landed in Singapore during the AFF

Tiger Cup Championship. The second landed in Denmark at

the Parken Stadium during a New Firm local rivalry pregame

and unfortunately caused a small stampede of university

students–which was indeed an entrance, although maybe

not the one that particular pilot was looking for. The third

landed at one other notable stadium on the other

side of the planet, but more on that later.

Thankfully, they didn’t come to rule over us or anything

dramatic like that. Instead, humanity got to join the 314 other

species within the Harmony of Worlds. With the help of three

main pilgrim species–the Lohb, the Nhar, and the founding

Chaseen–Earth began to construct three intergalactic treaty

ports: one in Singapore, the first to open, six years after the

landing; one in Copenhagen, which opened the following year

...and one plagued with delays and all sorts of

intrigue, opening two years after that...

CHAPTER ONE

...IN CHICAGO.

...WHILE THEAMERICAN STARPORT’SFIRST ANNIVERSARY ISAPPROACHING AND AS EARTHCELEBRATES ITS TEN-YEARANNIVERSARY OF HUMANITY’SDISCOVERY BY THE HARMONYOF WORLDS.

THE PRESIDENT ISBUSY WORKING WITHOTHER GLOBAL LEADERS TOCOMMEMORATE THE DAY. ANINTERNATIONAL HOLIDAY IS BEINGPROPOSED, BUT MASSIVE TENSIONERUPTED OVER WHICH STARPORTWILL HOST THE CELEBRATION.AND HERE IN CHICAGO...

...PROTESTS

CONTINUE AS NATIONAL

MOTORS PREPARES TO

FINALIZE ITS CONTROVERSIAL

POWERCELL DEAL WITH

HARMONY’S MOST ELUSIVE