A Reluctant Sovereign — Mackey Chandler

When North America attacked the space habitats beyond the Moon they had no plan B if they failed. The Earth Claims Commission was already suffering a credibility crisis and North America's disastrous failure and defeat left them with no muscle.

Far flung worlds and stations were abandoned with no banking, no supply, and no news. The explorers who were owed royalties were cut off too. Lee and her father Gordon weren't about to sit still for that. If you can repossess a ground car, why not a planet?

Lee had standing to be sovereign of Providence but wasn't all that fond of planets. She didn't want to be bogged down with the day to day drudgery of sovereignty like her friend Heather on the Moon. Was there any reason she couldn't have her cake and eat it too?

None that she could see.