The main character, Lt. Michael Helfort, is one lucky guy! He gets a special assignment to start something new within Fleet that gets he in command of his own starship! Now right here we’re getting weird.
Although the new starship has a stripped down crew of about 15, nobody in their right mind would give command to a fresh Lt. who is about one year out of the academy. He doesn’t have the experience that many, many starship officers senior to him have and he’s just not been around long enough to have this happen to him. But, I didn’t write these books so this is how it happens.
He gets to command a flotilla of dreadnoughts! Ten to be exact, although only one has a real crew while the others are just automatons which Helfort will direct from his ship! Now, the idea of ships without crews isn’t one that’s very popular with the rest of the fleet, but because of the fleets horrendous defeat at Comdur, they don’t have enough crews to man/woman all the starships. So, Michael’s part of this super secret mission to get these starships ready for battle.
And battle they do. You’ll have to read the book to find out the details, but suffice it to say that Lt. Michael Helfort becomes enemy #1 in the eyes of the Hammer of Kraa civilization.