Earth – and her colonies – have mostly been at peace for a hundred years. Then a senior lieutenant is told by his captain to take his light cruiser out to Mars and back – just to get some easy command experience. That’s when the century-long peace is shattered by a vast Wanti armada attacking the solar system. Now an unseasoned man is in charge of the only capital ship in range to oppose the ruthless attack. The Wantis have a battleship, two space craft carriers, and hundreds of cruisers, destroyers, and frigates, all arrayed against Earth. The lieutenant’s new mission: save the planet from destruction.