Lieutenant Alex "Flex" Callahan watched helplessly as the first refugee ships fled Venus. Something was driving them mad, transforming both crew and vessels into horrors. But this was just the beginning. The mysterious alien menace that calls itself The Cure has arrived, threatening not only death and destruction but the monstrous and chilling corruption of humanity itself. While Flex works tirelessly to discover the true nature of The Cure, he is beset on all sides by doubters and enemies within. As Venus falls and the infection spreads, Flex faces enemies on all sides. Military command refuses to accept the true scope of the threat, while his Senator father plays political games that could doom humanity. With transformed crew members appearing in Earth's fleet and time running out, Flex must convince Earth's leadership that their only choice is total war—before The Cure's technological evolution transforms them all into something no longer human.