Okay. You want specifics.
The title of the work is all about rebirth, resurgence, and reclaiming of a destiny. So if I wanted to reflect this...
A single picture with fore,mid,background components taking in the working of an up-port as an ad-hoc, retrofitted starship is prepared for it's first mission.
Foreground
A young Astrogator works in a small space with a variety of materials. She is dressed in a new flight suit but the furnishings and equipment that surround her are well used. She has the computer display, old electronic journal, perhaps even some paper maps or secondary references ( a dog eared, faded tourist poster for some world that they lost contact during the collapse ?) On the screen in front of her is displayed a map ( 3-D or subsector) and a list of worlds. Beside the world is a string of numbers followed by the term " STATUS UNKNOWN " . ONE of the worlds - perhaps the first in the list is the world on the tourist poster. The Astrogator regards the screen with a wry smile.
Middle Ground
MEANWHILE in the MIDDLE GROUND a starship is being worked upon by a crew in vacc suits. It is an open slipway, lit only by lights on the supporting lattice as the station is in shadow of the planet behind ( see below ). The ship is obviously an old vessel - a hybrid of two earlier vesels of the same class - as the original paint schemes and decals are there and obviously don't match. There is also some minor naval architechtural differences ( maybe different shaped turrets or viewports/hatches whatever - reflecting a difference between Imperial/Vilani aesthetic. HOWEVER - the zero-G workers are busy applying a new paint scheme and decals ( could this be done in a vacuum ? ) and the ship has a very prominent new name ( not a tired cliche like 'Phoenix ' or ' Pathfinder ' - the ship has been named ' Nymph Avernale' ( a Nymph that used a torch to light the underworld in Greek/Roman mythology). Beside the name is the symbol of a blazing torch raised in a clenched hand, leaning forward slightly in the direction of travel. The viewer can also see supplies being loaded - ramming home the point that the ship is being readied.
Background
The backgound is dominated by the planet. Most of the planet is in shadow ( thus putting the station in shadow) and the lights of settlements can be seen. The terminator is clearly defined and on the daylight side some scars from the war can be seen ( a couple of big craters perhaps ). Meanwhile the area in shadow between the station and the planet hosts a number of wrecked and cannibalised starships - some of which are being worked on by various crews and small boats. Meanwhile in the area of space outside shadow can be seen a couple of bright yellow stars, which just happen to be the direction the Nymph has her nose pointing ( roughly).
STYLE:
I think muted colours, a very strong, gritty look - it has to look hard and very real - I'm thinking of the old Traveller 2300 art perhaps ( and about as far as one can get from GURPS Nobles)
One problem, I suppose, the above image could be a little 'busy' - I would imagine one trusts the artist's discretion as to how it's executed.
VARIATIONS:
I like the idea of two Astrogators ( an obvious brother and sister ) one of whom is interrogating the data, perhaps the other holds the faded tourist poster and gazes at the ship).
CAVEAT:
I haven't read the book yet ( I will definitely pick it up in hardcopy when it is released ) so I am kind of guessing the content.
Regards
RR
