One hundred years ago they came. We reached out to them with a hand of friendship and they returned the gesture by nearly destroying us all. After a single encounter with the mysterious alien race identified only as Species 4876, the United Planetary Alliance was nearly decimated. Stopping their lone vessel was almost a hollow victory in the aftermath of the haunting mystery that Species 4876 Where had they come from? Why did they attack us? And most of all, what if they came back? But they never did. Today, the threat of Species 4876 is a distant memory, a nearly forgotten footnote in the history books. Or is it? On the outer rim, cut off from any backup, ignored by Fleet Admiralty and surrounded by a hostile empire and an interstellar crime syndicate, Captain Mitchell and his crew of the USS Defiancé find themselves as the first, and possibly only, defense against an alien menace that the rest of the galaxy has all but forgotten about. “Firefly” meets “Battlestar Galactica” via "Star Trek" in this addictive, fast-paced military sci-fi adventure.

On the edge of UPA space a mysterious vessel has appeared. No one knows where it came from. It has no callsign or identifying marks. The vessel simply transmits a standard S.O.S. in a signal that hasn’t been used in hundreds of Morse code. While still recovering from their losses on Carlock, the USS Defiancé is dispatched to investigate. But when they arrive they discover that every single individual on the ship has already been dead for hundreds of years . As Captain Mitchell and his crew work to unravel the mystery of this ghost ship, they soon find themselves confronted by something far worse than a simple space What killed this crew so long ago is still very much onboard and still is very much alive.

In this explosive follow up to the Hand of God, the crew of the USS Defiancé find themselves on the edge of UPA space, cut off from any assistance, floating helplessly among the stars. Across the ship, systems are failing. Repairs could take days, maybe even weeks, but with limited life support, the crew only has hours. While the ship threatens to come apart around them, Lieutenant Nax is slowly going mad, haunted by the ghost of his dead lover. Tactical Officer Cayden Keane lies in critical condition, barely clinging to life after suffering at the hands of the Unity. Trapped in what appears to be a no-win scenario, the crew of the Defiancé turns to their captain. Except Captain Gavin Mitchell is missing. He’s not on the ship. He’s not in their sector. Gavin Mitchell isn’t even in their universe anymore.

A hundred years ago the Veneer Empire was one of the strongest members of the UPA. And then the Unity attacked. In the devastating aftermath, the Veneer Empire withdrew from the UPA and hasn’t been heard from since. Ambassador Caldwell Reynoso is the latest in a long line of dignitaries who spend their days waiting until the Veneer are ready to communicate again. While it is not a lifetime appointment, Ambassador Reynoso will not hold any other position before his untimely death. When an ambassador dies, the political ramifications can be complicated. When an ambassador is murdered, the ramifications can be disastrous. As the mystery of who murdered Ambassador Reynoso slowly unravels, Captain Mitchell and the crew of the Defiancé find themselves sitting on a powder keg of galactic proportions. And unless they can stop it, when it goes off, it’s going to take half the galaxy with it.

When Nax left his home planet he had no intention of ever returning and he certainly didn’t anticipate being dragged back to face charges of High Treason. Under Natuzzi law, the charge of High Treason carries only one possible Death. While the Natuzzi are considered a valued member of the United Planetary Alliance, they are also considered to be notoriously xenophobic. They prefer to keep non-Natuzzis off their planet and out of their affairs. Under the guise of maintaining diplomatic relations, Nax is abandoned by the UPA Fleet Admiralty. As far as they are concerned, if Nax has broken Natuzzi law, then the Natuzzi can have their pound of flesh and any attempt made to interfere with the Natuzzi legal process would be considered an act of war. Captain Gavin Mitchell, however, doesn’t see it that way. He’ll do whatever it takes to protect a member of his crew. Even if it means starting a war that no one will win.

The Natuzzi have unleashed the a planet killer. And now they hold the galaxy in a grip of terror. All that stands between the Natuzzi and the rest of the Alliance is one the USS Defiancé. But Captain Mitchell is missing, and command of the Defiancé has been turned over to their new first officer, Broderick Cooper. Assigned to the Defiancé by the UPA President himself, Cooper’s motives and allegiances are shrouded in mystery. As the crew of the Defiancé struggle to learn whether or not they can trust their commander, there are other forces at work within the ship. Forces that have their own agendas. Forces from other planes of reality. The galaxy is on the edge of war. But there is another way. They can be Unified.

The Veneer Empire is collapsing. A hundred years ago the Veneer Empire seceded from the UPA and entered into a secret alliance with the Unity. Today, the seeds of the empire’s collapse have taken root and are blossoming into a chaotic darkness that threatens to destabilize the entire region. The Veneer home world has suddenly gone silent. An entire planet with billions of inhabitants and there is nothing but silence. Without the guidance and leadership from the home world, the structure of the empire is crumbling. Supply chains are failing. Criminal elements are running wild. The entire sector is up for grabs and anyone who can make a power play is making it. In an effort to stabilize the region, the UPA has dispatched an envoy headed up by the Defiancé. Their mission is humanitarian. They’re to offer aid and begin the process of reestablishing communication between the Alliance and the Veneer Empire. But before long, that mission turns to survival for the crew of the Defiancé. Survival against the darkness from without, and from within.