It's been over ten years since the war with the NeHaw ended in an uneasy truce. During that time, Jake Thomas has been relegated from battlefield Commander and Chief to the role of interstellar bureaucrat. To add to his frustrations, he is now father to a passel of teens and preteens, all with their father's propensity for getting into trouble. However, unexplained violations around the Human/NeHaw Neutral Zone and the mysterious disappearances of people in a remote backwater town in Arizona has everyone, Human and NeHaw alike, pointing fingers and threatening war. As things come to the boiling point, it becomes clear that a powerful third party has entered the game and it may just require former enemies to unite to overcome their common threat.