Adult Sci Fi prequel of series (online). MC hacks into military training simulations, serves on space station. Distant future, space faring humans, starship regenerates (grows & heals) its hull by absorbing energy from stars. Read around 2009. Spoilers.

[Justin]

This is a book I read online around 2009 or so. It was a prequel to an established series, but because it was online, I'm not sure if it ever went to print or not.

*Spoilers*

Humans live in space on stations and serve the military in various capacities. Space life is so built into the culture that everyone wears suits that can deal if there is ever a hill breach of some kind.

The main character served on the station but not on a military ship. He and others would hack into military training simulations to train on space missions. Eventually they were caught and conscripted to run missions for their military faction but not as enlisted men. They were given a decomissioned ship with older tech as their battleship.

One of the key features of this ship that stands out was its ability to grow and heal itself by absorbing energy from stars. They also have an artificial intelligence that helps them run the ship. It develops a distinctive personality and by the end of the book is able to download itself into a body and leave the ship on its own.

These are the best details I can recall.

Thanks for the help.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Justin is still looking for this.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Kris asked:

"Justin, is this story/series for adults or teens?

Do you know early on that the MC and others hack into military training simulations? (Why do they do this?) If so, we can add that to the header/topic title."

[Justin]

Thanks for the help. I'm pretty sure this is for adults. The story opens with the main character hacking into the simulations. He does this with others that he has never met. When they get caught and conscripted, this is the first time they meet each other. I'm not sure why they hack in. Their lives are hard and they are forced into their jobs and rolls on the space station. There is no planetary life. So I guess they might be doing this because they are outsiders and buck against the system. This is part of why they are conscripted into this, off the books, mission and become this rag tag group of space fighters.