Five years after attacking the human-colonized worlds of the Spiral Arm, the enigmatic hydrogues maintain absolute control over the galaxy's gas-giant planets. Jovian atmospheres are the only source of vitally needed stardrive fuel - and the embargo on harvesting is strangling human civilization.On Earth, the government is tightening its iron grip on rebellious colonies while seeking to dominate humans throughout the galaxy. Reeling from renewed attacks by the hydrogues, the Terran rulers don't realize the other dangers they face. Earth's alien "friends," the seemingly gentle Ildirans, are abducting humans for breeding experiments. And Earth's government is using military robots to build cybernetic legions to fight the war, robots that have secretly exterminated their own makers - and may soon turn on mankind.Five years ago, humans thought they ruled the cosmos. Today they're the galaxy's most endangered species. But the sudden appearance of incredible new races of elemental entities destroys all known balances of power.Now for the humans and the myriad alien factions in the universe, the real war is about to begin...and genocide may be the result. Read Less