Prologue

The Devians weren’t the first race humans had encountered since settling the stars. Nor were they the first ones Humans had fought a war against. However, the Devians were the first race humans were losing to. Normally, if humans didn’t win, the wars would settle into a stalemate with neutral zones keeping the two sides apart. Not this time. The Devians continued to advance no matter how hard humanity fought. Nor were the humans alone; other lifeforms, both allied and enemy, were losing to the Devians well.

Experts would say that fighting a multi-front war is folly. The Devians were not only proving them wrong but were growing stronger with each ship captured and every planet conquered. Those not killed by the Devians appeared to eagerly join them. Despite their best efforts, top doctors and scientists had no idea why. The only clue was a telltale circular scar in the middle of their forehead about the size of an old Earth fifty-cent pierce, and identical circular scars about a centimeter in size at the temples. No one knew the meaning of the scars, nor could they find anything below them. There were plenty of guesses but nobody really knew. They only thing they knew for sure was that once a person joined the Hive, there was no way to free them.

People were understandably terrified. Every available ship was trying to carry as many refugees escaping from invaded planets as possible.

Those that couldn’t be evacuated were doomed.