Up The Middle (Middleton's Pride, Book 2)

Up The Middle

Spineward Sectors: Middleton’s Pride, Book Two

by Caleb Wachter (2026 Revised Edition)

Captain Tyrone “Tim” Middleton and the battle-hardened crew of the Pride of Prometheus thought their nightmare tour through the lawless Sectors 23 and 24 was finally over.

They were wrong.

They return home to a Spineward Sectors transformed by war. Admiral Montagne has just shattered the largest pirate armada in recent memory—but the victory has gutted the Multi-Sector Patrol Fleet’s resources and left everyone on edge. When the Admiral hands Middleton a new set of orders, the mission is simple on paper: finish the ultra-sensitive operation that could shift the balance of power across the entire sector.

The catch? Montagne’s forced a brutal wave of personnel transfers that strips the Pride of her best people right when she needs them most.

Repairing battle damage, scrambling for replacement crew, and racing against the clock, Middleton’s team points the aging cruiser’s bow toward the far side of Sector 24. But shadowy interests from their last mission have plans of their own—and they’re already one step ahead.

Outnumbered, outgunned, and out of options, the Pride’s crew does what they do best: they get creative.

They hit hard.

They hit fast.

And they go straight up the middle.

Explosive fleet combat, razor-sharp tactics, unbreakable loyalty, and the raw human cost of command collide in this pulse-pounding military space opera. Perfect for fans of Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet, David Weber’s Honor Harrington, and gritty, character-driven galactic warfare.

The Pride is back.

And she’s not asking for permission.

Dive in. The void is waiting.