No Man’s Land

*“This document sets out everything the Fleet has determined so far. Operators in the field should rely on this knowledge with caution.”* — Spoilers for ***No Man’s Land*** follow.

## Poor Man’s Fight Series

### Books in series

1. *Poor Man’s Fight*
2. *Rich Man’s War*
3. *Dead Man’s Debt*
4. *No Medals for Secrets*
5. *Last Man Out*
6. ***No Man’s Land***

*No Man’s Land* is the sixth book in the Poor Man’s Fight Series by Elliott Kay. It was published on October 10, 2023.

Read the first chapter.

## Publisher’s summary

“I don’t belong in the military. I don’t want to belong.”

Tanner Malone never aspired to heroism. For him, the Navy and the Debtor’s War were all about survival. Lately, his life has turned to better days with college, friends, and a growing relationship. He's not interested when a Union Fleet admiral brings him a mysterious alien threat, but he can’t turn away Alicia Wong.

Ancient warfare between humanity’s alien neighbors threatens to regnite. While tensions rise, the Fleet detects a massive alien craft sneaking through human space. The commando team sent to investigate is tough, competent, and straight out of Tanner’s worst fears. Surviving this will push Tanner to his limits—and he’ll definitely need a note for class.

## Warning

*No Man’s Land* contains violence, explicit expletives, municipal safety code violations, militarism, anarchy, predatory capitalism, toxic masculinity, monsters, ordinary jerks, wrath, treason, party fouls, assault with common hand tools, breaking and entering, murder, attempted murder, mass murder, premeditated murder, punching, kicking, elbowing, biting, grappling, bearers of false witness, consumption of alcohol, destruction of private and public property, impalings, abuse of authority, illegal immigration, transnational crime, discharge of firearms within city limits, flashbacks, and PTSD.

## Appearances

Roughly in order of appearance. Partially based on the Cast of Characters of the book.

### Characters

* Alicia Wong
* Matthew Hartmann, Midshipman-Major
* Norman Hill, Archangel government
* Singh, Archangel Fleet Intelligence
* Magenta, a Nyuyinaro
* Lynette Kelly
* Sanjay Bhatia, boatswain on *Phoenix*
* Val Ordoñez, gunner on *Phoenix*
* Tanner Malone
* Veronica Roldan, executive officer on *Phoenix*
* Elise Jacobs, nurse on *Phoenix*
* Chun Park, chef and storekeeper on *Phoenix*
* Jorge Salgado, engineer on *Phoenix*
* Madelyn Carter
* Rick Blackwell, Madelyn’s fiancé
* Shun, Rick’s best man
* John, Shun’s boyfriend
* Mike, a wedding guest
* Carlos, a wedding guest
* Abeni, a wedding guest
* Becky, a wedding guest
* Sandra Carter, Madelyn’s mother
* Terry Carter, Madelyn’s father
* Joseph Roberts, Union Fleet
* Jake Vinson, Union Fleet
* Dai Linjing, Union Fleet
* Sharad Parekh, Union Fleet
* Akachi Obyke, Union Fleet
* Olav Haavik, Union Fleet
* Curtis Dean, Union Fleet
* Andre Maciel, Union Fleet
* Meiling Yeoh, Archangel Navy
* Andrea Bennett
* Jesse Baldwin, part-time crew on *Phoenix*
* Darshan Manda, geologist
* Liu Shen, xenoarcheologist
* Shelton, Union Fleet
* Elmwood, Union Fleet
* Xiao Ke, Union Fleet
* Zhang Shujing, Union Fleet
* Hardja, Union Fleet
* Bentley, Union Fleet
* Van Luik, Union Fleet
* Yun Long, Union Fleet
* Campos, Union Fleet
* Vecro, a Minoan
* Edgar Cervantes, engineer on *Phoenix*
* Sheila Dylan, NorthStar security
* Ellis Conroy, NorthStar security
* Christina Walters, CEO NorthStar
* Lani, staffer to Walters
* Arman, staffer to Walters
* Sofia Rojas, Archangel diplomat
* Nok, Krokinthian ambassador
* Bloom, Nyuyinaro ambassador
* Irawati Limanto, Chairwoman of the Union Assembly
* Mattal, a Minoan Sentinel
* Glotho, a Krokinthian
* Amara, Empress of Minos
* Doug Monaghan, Assembly Security
* Meredith Toll, aide to Walters
* Ji Xue, President of Lai Wa
* Lung-Wei, Director at Lai Wa
* Tim Crowe, Assembly Security
* Panwar, Assembly Security
* Toma Malaitai, bodyguard to Walters
* Frank Jeffries, bodyguard to Walters
* Liz, assistant to Walters
* Dartel, a Minoan Sentinel
* Tanal, a Minoan Sentinel
* Dopat, a Minoan
* Gereb, a Minoan
* Agar, a Minoan
* Chinedu, Union Fleet
* Hsu, Union Fleet
* Ariana Cabal, Archangel Navy
* Darrell Booker, Archangel Navy
* Michelle Janeka
* Logol, a Yanra
* Geoffrey, assistant to Limanto
* Kadeen al-Hannan, Assembly Security
* Linder, Minoan captain
* Komor, a Minoan Sentinel
* Anton Brekhov, ex-CEO of NorthStar
* Julie, Brekhov’s assistant
* Gary, Brekhov’s assistant
* Acosta, Archangel Navy
* Hadad, Union Fleet
* Gunel, a Minoan Kenton
* Omtara, a Minoan Sentinel, First of Rentara
* Rentara, a Minoan Sentinel, Keeper of the Preserve
* Chapman, ambassador of Moorehouse
* Azure, a Nyuyinaro
* Tektite, a Nyuyinaro
* Chasma, a Nyuyinaro
* Ice, a Nyuyinaro
* Halima Al Farran, ambassador of Palmyra
* Hank, shuttle technician
* Rajesh, shuttle technician
* Pedro, shuttle technician
* Renata Montes, Archangel Navy
* Martin Ravenell, Archangel Navy
* Porter, Union Fleet
* Savang, Union Fleet
* Brent Collins, Archangel Navy
* Ometro, a Minoan Sentinel
* Ed Matuskey, Archangel Navy
* Divya Khatri, Union Fleet
* Rhea
* Siraj, Fremantle University student
* Lisa, Fremantle University student
* Dan, Fremantle University student
* Chet, Fremantle University student
* Phoebe, Fremantle University student
* Edward Cornwall, Fremantle University president
* Ana Huang, Fremantle University provost
* Don Gallagher, Fremantle University campus safety
* Stumpy (flashback)
* Morales (flashback)
* Luis Hernandez Garcia (quoted only)
* Judith Kramer (quoted only)
* Gabriel Aguirre (mentioned only)
* Professor Jenkins (mentioned only)
* Dan Hunter (quoted only)
* Naomi Watkins (mentioned only)
* Bill Everett (mentioned only)
* Bill Hathaway (quoted only)
* Todd Branch (quoted only)
* Claudia Hurtado (quoted only)
* Chet (mentioned only)
* Robbie (mentioned only)
* Odol, a Minion (mentioned only)
* Hugo Garcia, Union Fleet (mentioned only)
* Chandra Kamath (mentioned only)
* Mike Hampshire (quoted only)
* Satyananda (mentioned only)
* Satyananda’s wife (mentioned only)
* Harry Tidewater (mentioned only)
* Gerald Green (quoted only)
* Corpan, a Minoan Sentinel (mentioned only)
* Truss, Fremantle University professor (mentioned only)
* Arthur, Fremantle University student
* And various pirates, marines, hotel staff, aliens, and other unnamed extras

### Locations & organizations

* Archangel system
	+ The Archangel Navy Academy
	+ Salvation station
* Minos (mentioned only)
* Prosperity
* Zheng He, a world dominated by Lai Wa and the Union government
* Union Fleet
	+ Alpha Teams
* RP-329, an asteroid
* Sol system
	+ Assembly Station
* Atacama System
* NorthStar
* Lai Wa Corporation
* Sovereign Humanity, a xenophobic group
* Fremantle
	+ Fremantle University
* Calico system (mentioned only)
* Hashem (mentioned only)
	+ Scheherazade (mentioned only)
	+ Palmyra (mentioned only)
* Qin Kai (mentioned only)
* CDC (mentioned only)
* Moorehouse asteroid belt (mentioned only)
* Paradise (mentioned only)
* Fairhaven (mentioned only)
* Canaria (mentioned only)
* Quilombo (mentioned only)
* Voltaire (mentioned only)
* Alliance Industries (mentioned only)
* Noble Dawn Holdings (mentioned only)
* Headwaters (mentioned only)
* Delhi Prime (mentioned only)
* Mars (mentioned only)
* Izumoto’s Star (mentioned only)
* McClaren’s Rock (mentioned only)
* Edison (mentioned only)
* Wushan (mentioned only)
* Zorya (mentioned only)
* Free State of Endeavor (mentioned only)
* Independence (mentioned only)
* Kingdom of Tibesti (mentioned only)
* Anambra (mentioned only)
* New Bangkok (mentioned only)
* Sovereign Republic of Delhi Prime (mentioned only)
* Union of Altman (mentioned only)
* Commonwealth of Edison (mentioned only)
* New Beijing (mentioned only)
* Maurras (mentioned only)
* Fortuna (mentioned only)
* New Corsica (mentioned only)

### Ships

* *Phoenix*
* *Leatherback*, a freighter
* *Kilimanjaro*, a Union Fleet cruiser
* *Keshig*, a Union Fleet destroyer
* *Changping*, a Union Fleet frigate
* *Luzon*, a Union Fleet corvette
* *Trinidad*, a Union Fleet corvette
* *Zanzibar*, a Union Fleet corvette
* *Valor*, an Archangel Navy frigate
* *Joan of Arc*
* *Midway*, a Union Fleet battleship
* *Gurkha*, a Union Fleet destroyer
* *Janissary*, a Union Fleet destroyer
* *Rossell*, a NorthStar frigate
* *Mindanao*, a Union Fleet corvette
* A Yanra ship, now used by Empress Amara
* *St. Jude* (mentioned only)
* *Beowulf* (mentioned only)

## Continuity

*No Man’s Land* draws upon all the earlier books in the series, but especially the events in *No Medals for Secrets* and *Last Man Out*.

Some earlier short stories are also relevant. *Phoenix* and her crew appeared in “An Honest Business”. Tanner’s university life is expanded in “Room and Board”, “Soft Targets”, “Better Days”, and “Friends”.

## Publication history

*No Man’s Land* was published on October 10, 2023 in ebook and paperback formats.

## Notes

1. ↑ Liz is not mentioned in the cast of characters
2. ↑ Tanal is only named in chapter 20
3. ↑ Hsu is only mentioned in the cast of characters

## References

1. ↑ Pre-reading for “No Man’s Land!, Elliott Kay’s Patreon, October 10, 2023