Publisher's Synopsis
Advance. Upgrade. Grow. The alternative for humanity is to perish.
The Iglax Star Empire's tried twice now to throttle this upstart species before they could expand beyond Sol. They once used humans for cheap mining, cheap labor, and cheap laughs. But with each attempt, humanity's gotten stronger, spread across more star systems, and found new allies. Now the Iglax are preparing for war.Darius Rutledge is a hero, a husband, and the reluctant leader of his species. He knows that the core planets of the Navarre system are the key to victory. Each one's a terraforming nightmare. But they're shot through with enough gemstones to help humanity stand up to the Iglax. It's up to him to help turn the tide through colonization, terraforming, mining, and above all by creating a battle fleet - and its crew - from scratch. Along the way, he'll be founding new industries, forging ties with friendly mercenary groups, and captaining his first battleship! Through it all, Darius will stand tall to protect his allies and his friends, both old and new.
