Staff Sergeant Eli Vanhorn isn't alone . . .
But the fate of the people closest to him is in his hands.
The exploration ship Rihla was hit with a powerful planetary defense weapon almost as soon as they made orbit around the planet. With almost no warning, the ship was damaged beyond the ability to save. Staff Sergeant Eli Vanhorn and Corporal Beatrix Finnegan escaped by initiating the armory's emergency ejection capabilities. They have weapons and survival supplies, but it will take months for the Fleet to send help. In the meantime they have two objectives: find other survivors and stay alive.
After sending a message back to the Fleet, the little band of survivors on the planet Leonis B are being hunted by the savage Orrkasi aliens. It will take all their cunning, everything they know about strategy and tactics, and a fair amount of luck to stay one step ahead of their adversaries. The enemy is closing in on the hidden basecamp used by the survivors of the Rihla, and soon they will have to do the unthinkable . . . go on the offensive and strike back at the Orrkasi.