With alien races both overtly and covertly hostile pressing into human space on all sides. war finally comes to the Space Force that defends our frontiers. But when a panicked flag officer orders a riskly long-range jump that goes horribly wrong, a fleet finds itself a LONG way from home with not enough food for everyone to make it back. Hard decisions have to be made with both challenges and opportunities along the way. Can the fleet make it back in time to help win the war or will they get home only to find human worlds overrun and conquered?