"Evil hides best in the shadows, preferring to work in the darkness. It withers and dies when exposed to the bright light of truth for all to see." Vice Admiral Jack Steele With the Freedom gone forever, Jack Steele is awarded a new ship and a new position. A newly minted Vice Admiral, Jack Steele replaces the functionally insane Admiral Pottsdorn as the commander of Task Force Lancer. Leaving behind a stabilized and closely monitored Veloria Prime bound for the Terran system, their new mission is to invite Earth into the United Federation of Worlds. And the UFW Directorate will accept nothing less than success. But trouble brews on Earth and the deep space between Velora Prime and the Terran System is anything but friendly.