King David's Spaceship

In the time of John Christian Falkenberg, the explosion of humanity into space was followed by a galaxy-wide technological collapse.

Since the Fall, King David's people have regained an early-industrial age technology, but another planet has progressed faster, and it's imperial Navy has discovered them. If his people are not to spend the rest of their history as just another satrapy, they must prove that they can reach space unaided. Though they have just re-invented the steam engine, King David will have his spaceship...