The Khalia have surrendered. But the brave men and women of the Fleet cannot enjoy their victory. For now they face the secret power behind the Khalian invasion: the ruthless Syndicate of Families. The Syndicate controls thousands of alien races and worlds, and possesses advanced technology far beyond anything the Fleet has fought before. Worst of all, the Syndicate is human. How can the Fleet, already exhausted from one grueling war, hope to win this even greater conflict - against a foe capable of infiltrating the Fleet itself?

