J. D. Cooper

A cease-fire that has lasted seven years. Worlds half-destroyed that have been rebuilt anew. Friends and crewmates scattered light-years apart. New leaders that would be kings. The Jung threat has been renewed, in ways not imagined. It will take a new savior to inspire the masses, and once again lead those willing to fight against oppression. But who will the new savior be?

In the 25th century, humans have conquered space. The advent of faster-than-light travel has opened up hundreds of habitable planets for colonization, and humans have exploited the virtually limitless space and resources for hundreds of years with impunity. So complacent have they become with the overabundance that armed conflict is a thing of the past, and their machines of war are obsolete and decrepit. What would happen if they were suddenly threatened by a terrifying new enemy?

The Skaintz Imperium was eradicated from the backwater planet of Garm, but at great cost. The population of the world was decimated within weeks, and Garm will never be the same. At least humanity can breathe easily knowing that the mysterious aliens are all dead.... But are they? Using their natural form of communication, Skaintz radio signals did chirrup and click, however briefly. Transmissions in their ancient language now spread at the speed of light in a growing sphere.