The Unselfish Gene

In the mid-21st Century, Ding-Dang Fever, a mutated version of avian influenza, has killed billions outright and turned remaining humans into staggering, rabid zombies. Only a few thousand uninfected humans are left alive on Earth.But thanks to rigorous quarantine efforts, Lunar Colony residents were spared the plague. But the lunar settlers have their own issues. Their DNA has been damaged by radiation and the healthy gene pool is shrinking. The colony was also dependent upon regular...
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In the mid-21st Century, Ding-Dang Fever, a mutated version of avian influenza, has killed billions outright and turned remaining humans into staggering, rabid zombies. Only a few thousand uninfected humans are left alive on Earth.But thanks to rigorous quarantine efforts, Lunar Colony residents were spared the plague. But the lunar settlers have their own issues. Their DNA has been damaged by radiation and the healthy gene pool is shrinking. The colony was also dependent upon regular shipments of essential industrial goods and pharmaceuticals from Earth. In a last ditch effort to save the colony, and with it the survival of the human species, colony leaders decide to exhaust remaining resources to build the Anita, a nuclear-bomb propelled space ship the size of an ocean-going aircraft carrier. The goal is to land the Anita in the center of Dallas, Texas, and retrieve frozen human sperm and ovum to rebuild the lunar gene pool, as well as salvage thousands of tons of supplies.But before the Anita is finished, a comet is discovered to be on a collision course with Earth. The Anita's preparation is moved ahead of schedule so as to complete the mission before the Earth's biosphere is destroyed. The Anita's crew is prepared for any contingency-battles with zombies, obstruction from the remaining uninfected on Earth, and technical issues with the ship. What they aren't expecting is psychosis among their own.This is the second edition of Unselfish Gene, updated with a bit more accurate scientific information about the nuclear-pulse ship featured in this novel. This was thanks to help from Dr. Rhys Taylor, astrophysicist at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, where he is studying the gas and dark matter content of nearby galaxies. Rhys' hobby is 3D rendering, and he also created the cover art for this new edition. Though I've tried to prevent the nuts-and-bolts of the science behind the novel from intruding on the plot, the author believes even 'lite' science fiction should be based on sound science.The eleven pen-and-ink interior illustrations are by Richard Lee, a San Francisco based artist.