When in doubt, bomb it out. Cyrus’ advancing understanding of the ancient alien artifacts recovered from the Treasure System has given the team something they’ve desperately needed for a while: a clear destination. Armed with their newfound knowledge, Kat and Cyrus hurry to neutralize the threat of all-powerful ancient aliens before the monsters awaken and lay waste to the galaxy. Peace through superior firepower only works when you’re the one with the biggest guns. However, their enemies aren’t staying quiet. Clone assassins are roaming the galaxy seeding havoc. Deadly ancient weapon systems are coming back online, more powerful than anything ever encountered. Target systems are popping up all over the galaxy, and the UTC can no longer rely on a single crew and ship to solve the problem. The first tentative steps toward a defensive alliance with an alien race are on the table. Humanity already has a diplomatic relationship with the warrior Zitarks. It’ll be easy to forge a stronger treaty. Right? Cyrus and Kat have been in a race from the beginning. But have they lost and just don’t know it yet?