Alpha Centauri: The Return

In this sequel to Alpha Centauri: First Landing and Sawyer's World, The USS Heinlein returns to Earth, hoping to refit, refuel, and return to the Alpha Centauri system within weeks to pick up the stranded crew of the USS Poul Anderson. Things don't work out that way. Commodore Drake faces a court-martial for the apparent loss of not just the Anderson, but also the Krechet and the Chinese ship, Xing Hua.

The Chinese, meanwhile, have secretly reverse-engineered the Xing Hua and sent their own expedition to Epsilon Eridani, little realizing what awaits them.

But the real surprise is in the biological samples the Heinlein brought back, then smuggled out of the Lunar Quarantine Facility by a biopharmaceutical company looking for any advantage it could get. Ironically, that may be the lever Drake needs to go and rescue the rest of his crew. That is, if they're still alive, and if they want to be rescued.