The prologue to Flight of the Armada, Fields of Fire tells of the last days of the planet Thuringa and its survivors' struggle. Armed with their awesome military might and cloaked in tradition and willpower, the Thuringi set out for a distant world. King Lycasis Phillipi and his frail queen Oriel guide their people along with their children: Crown Prince Stuart, burdened with an unhappy marriage; Stuart's twin Warrior Prince Darien, a non-conformist who gleefully antagonizes the Elders; and their recently widowed younger sister Princess Carrol. Among the people are Stuart's frosty Aquatic wife Aura; her brother the irrepressible Brent Ardenne; the very proper royal guard Glendon Garin; and brilliant mechanic Gareth Duncan, who befriends the grief-stricken royal princess. The Thuringi people face the future with unflagging optimism and determination. Their ships are hastily built, their enemy could show up at any moment and their history and traditions are in danger of being forgotten, but they will not be counted out just yet