Two school boys out on a school trip discover a space ship, Aquila. They learn to fly the ship, and to talk Latin - the only language Aquila understands. After many adventures, they realise Aquila is making a real difference to their lives.

Aquila can you take you anywhere. It's getting back that can be tricky . . . Tom and Geoff still can't believe what they found on their school trip. Aquila is the lifepod from an alien starship that crashed to earth 6,000 years ago - but it still works, and it can fly them anywhere! After their trip to New York, the boys are eager for more fun, but with almost endless possibilities for excitement, will they be able to keep Aquila a secret for long? Or will a simple mistake reveal everything and ruin the fun forever?

This is an amazing collection of some of the best short fiction ever written in the SF genre, by an author acclaimed as 'the mastersinger of space opera' THE TIMES. With an introduction by noted SF critic Johnathan Strahan, this collection of twenty short stories, novellettes and novellas includes MINLA'S FLOWERS, SIGNAL TO NOISE, TROIKA, and seven previous uncollected stories, including TRAUMA POD, THE WATER THIEF and IN BABELSBERG. Alastair Reynolds has won the Sidewise Award and been nominated for The Hugo Awards for his short fiction. One of the most thought-provoking and accomplished short-fiction writers of our time, this collection is a delight for all SF readers