About

About The UPGF Series

United Planets and Galactic Fleet follows a starship crew led by Chief Medical Officer David Swanson-Cargill and his husband, Commander Chris Cargill. Under extraordinary circumstances, David is elevated to the rank of Captain and given command of the UPGF Galactic Vessel Zephyrus. At their side are not only their crew, but also their two dogs, Buster and Chance.

The first book in the series is a galaxy-spanning adventure, weaving together a love story, future technology, a wedding, enduring friendships, moments of pain, and deep heartache.

Two Versions for Two Audiences

For all ages (G-Rated)

This edition is written to offer young readers characters they can grow up with, heroes who model courage, compassion, and connection.

Growing up in the 1980s, author David Swanson rarely saw toys, stories, or television characters that reflected who he was or allowed children like him to truly see themselves on screen. For many children around the world, meaningful representation was limited or missing altogether. Role models representing diversity in families, identities, abilities, and experiences were limited, and for many children, entirely absent. While representation has improved over time, there is still a long way to go before every child feels fully seen and valued.

United Planets and Galactic Fleet was created with a simple but powerful purpose: to ensure that every child, regardless of where they live, their background, culture, beliefs, family structure, physical challenges, or identity, can find characters they recognize and grow alongside. This series is about inclusion at its core, offering stories where everyone belongs and where differences are treated as strengths rather than obstacles.

As a child of the 1980s, David grew up watching popular family shows of the era. While he enjoyed them, they often portrayed narrow ideas of identity and behavior, particularly when it came to masculinity and emotional expression. Subtle moments, casual remarks, and unchallenged assumptions shaped how children learned what was considered acceptable. Bullying, David learned, is not always physical. It can take the form of small words and repeated messages that quietly build into something much heavier.

David grew up watching popular 1980s television shows such as Growing Pains and Charles in Charge. While he enjoyed these programs, they often portrayed attitudes that were not welcoming to the LGBTQ community. Years later, when David re-watched Growing Pains in December 2025, one particular moment stood out. In the episode, Dr. Seaver tells his son Ben that he needs to toss a football around with him because he is was doing "feminine" activities. Moments like this may seem small, but this is how bullying often begins. It does not always come as a fist to the face. It comes as words, subtle jabs, and repeated messages that slowly build into something much larger and more damaging.

As a child, David had no role models he could look to who reflected his future. Especially, growing up in rural, western Nebraska. He never saw a same-sex couple in leadership roles. In the 1980s, children’s programming did not include gay characters who could serve as positive examples or heroes. That absence mattered. The G-rated version of United Planets and Galactic Fleet was created so that today’s children will not have that same absence. It offers stories where leadership, kindness, love, and belonging are visible to everyone.

In addition, author David Swanson had a horrific childhood. With an evil, alcoholic father, his only escape was his room, where he watched Star Trek: The Next Generation. That crew became his family. That crew is where he learned how to be the man he is today.

United Planets and Galactic Fleet reflects those lessons through true diversity of characters. The series includes individuals who are gay, bi, transgender, Native American, Caucasian, Asian, African American, Latino, disfigured, adopted, homeless, and more. These characters exist as leaders, friends, and family, not as stereotypes, but as fully realized people.

This book allows children the chance to have characters who act like them and look like them. Someone they can feel connected to. Someone who understands their path through this journey we all call life.

I grew up in a “house of secrets” with an evil father who demanded I be a “true man.” I was not allowed to play with dolls. I was told to play sports to stop acting feminine. I was not allowed to have piercings, tattoos, or to simply be me. I had to hide in my head and in my room to escape that horror. I had was forced to keep the secrets that happened in my house. From the outside world, we were the perfect family. Inside told a much different story!

I was lucky. I was born with an amazing imagination. I had hundreds of imaginary friends. I created entire paracosm worlds growing up, worlds that allowed me to survive my childhood. While writing the first book of United Planets and Galactic Fleet, it was born from deep, unending grief and loneliness. I created a paracosm. The United Planets and Galactic Fleet to cope help with the loneliness. Instead of allowing it to stay only in my head, I wrote it down and now I share the story with you!

The adult version of the book includes adult language and detailed sexual scenes. The adult version is clearly labeled including it's own separate ISBN number. The adult version is for older teenagers and adults.

The Adult Version includes mature language and detailed intimate sexual scenes. I created this edition because, again, most books and shows focus solely on straight relationships. This book fills that void, offering authentic representation for older teenagers and adults who rarely see themselves as the heroes in these types of stories. Ones that help them explore their own sexuality. To help learn, explore, experiment, and know it's okay!

From the Author, David Swanson:

In my book, I keep everything as realistic as possible. This includes the math behind warp factors, speed, star systems, medical tech, and weapons. It is based on real science.

Why I wrote this book:

Even though I loved Star Trek, I had problems with it:

Violence vs. Evolution: I never understood how races like the Klingon's or Gorn could be so violent and territorial, yet advance enough to become warp-faring civilizations. A society consumed by aggression would likely destroy itself before mastering such complex physics. True advancement requires cooperation and stability, not constant war. In my universe, reaching the stars means leaving that primitive violence behind.

Mortality: I never understood death in the 24th or 29th centuries. We are biological machines ruled by DNA. I whole-heartily believe that in a century or less, humans will be immortal, with disease and illness a distant memory. A world where grief happens much less. I hope that by the twenty second century the pain of death will be left to history. I have no doubt that by the twenty third century death will be a forgotten memory left for the history books. United Planets And Galactic Fleet explores this and how it may look in not such distance future.

Family: In the Federation, families aren't usually brought onto vessels because the Federation is military. But when traveling through stars and to other galaxies, trips are long. In the UPGF, families are welcomed. This is explored starting in Book One.

Representation Matters:

In United Planets and Galactic Fleet, I have characters that are gay, bi, pansexual, asexual, and in MMF or MFF relationships. The Chief Engineer of the Zephyrus is transgender. The crew includes all races, including Native Americans—a race TV often forgets. What series has a gay captain? In addition, what series has a gay captain whose partner is the commander of the same vessel? I explore the dynamics, the emotions, and the maturity that this requires. I write this in the hopes that even today's military will change and see the errors in their ways, to build a better, evolved society.

There is only one way to learn, explore, and take a leap into the future, and that's by picking up and reading about United Planets and Galactic Fleet. Pick up and read Book One! Hold on to your seats. You're in for one hell of a ride!