In this sequel to Mechanical Failure, a threat of a neighboring human-inhabited system forces Captain Rogers to declare war, and the math-happy Thelicosan fleet offers an ultimatum: surrender Rogers, or everyone dies.
Captain Rogers has suddenly become the Admiral of the 331st Meridan fleet, but spies aboard his ship are giving information to the rival Thelicosan command. They believe that they have finally found someone to fulfill the Thelicosan's destiny--and are willing to break a two hundred year peace agreement for it.
Now, the 331st must stop the invasion of a strong and determined enemy, while re-learning how to use half the equipment they have, since almost no one has fired a weapon in those two hundred years. War can be hell, especially when no one knows what is going on.