Helem Gauss is gone, but his legacy lives on.

Calamity, the digital plague, is spreading, and where it strikes is both ruthless and random. Fearful of the Earth being ravaged, Van and the crew go on high alert to keep his homeworld free of galactic influence.

That vision is shattered when Tony Burgess captures an alien ship... in Wisconsin. The ship isn't just a stray workboat. It's the opening ploy of a group that sees humanity as a business opportunity too big to pass up.

Advancing in rank, Van is torn between two duties—to his crew and to his home. Since he isn't willing to give up the safety of either, he'll have to find a third way. Unfortunately for the forces against him, that path will include violence.