A year has passed since an alien invasion left Earth with staggering losses but it has been time well spent. Salvaging parts from their attacker, humanity has reverse engineered much of the advanced technology, leapfrogging years of research. Now, having adapted faster than light travel for their own ends, they are finally prepared to leave their own solar system.And none too soon. A distress signal is discovered by a salvage crew, a message from a nearby star system under siege by raiders. This pushes the timetable, forcing humanity to make their journey sooner than anticipated. Their goal is build an alliance with other benevolent races, to secure friendship against an inevitable future attack. Helping fend off criminals seems like a perfect first step toward that end.But when they arrive, they find their opponents are hardened professionals, dangerous and willing to fight to the death. As the human crew finds themselves in a vicious battle, they must pull out all the stops, using all their military experience to stand against the threat. A loss would be catastrophic not only for the culture they're trying to help but for the very future of humanity.