Genes Only Defence: Book 1 of the Leaffe series

At the beginning of time, a supernatural being was spawned and she oversaw the creation of the universe. A series of environmental disasters and protonic wars have ruined the planet Zula. A space station was built to house a select group of survivors. The scientists on the space station develop new technologies, which are used to build a new spaceship. Also developed is D-stasis, a process for extending hibernation indefinitely, which could facilitate travel over intergalactic distances.

When the space station is attacked by aliens, the only way to save a group of children is to launch them in the new spaceship, which has been programmed to search for a habitable planet. The mysterious spirit - Leaffe - intervenes.

After a voyage of 20,000 light years, they awaken from D-stasis in a solar system consisting of nine planets and a small sun. The ship is near an ice planet, which is obviously uninhabitable. An accident with a 3-D model prompts a plan to blow up a moon, which should lead to the planet being moved to a warmer orbit. Radio contact through a black hole has enabled the receipt of messages transmitted from the space station Haven, and possible transport, giving them hope of seeing their families in the future.

Their system of hibernation allows the travellers to periodically observe the planets geological and evolutionary changes over long periods, without themselves aging. The planet is seeded with a variety of life forms, whose evolution leads to some interesting and dangerous adventures.