Book 10 Jacks Company "We know the aliens will be coming soon. My squad will be in the fort and I'm scared, we all are, but we're confident too. More than anything I'm scared I'll lose someone because I make the wrong decision."- Stormy James, age 18, leader of squad One, intern, New Hope Academy, New Hope Colony, US"Talk about feeling small. Every one of these girls can shoot better than I can and they'll all be out there risking their lives while I'm inside safe and sound. I know the Master Sergeant and I are needed inside to handle the drones, keep the power on and help with any casualties but that doesn't make me feel any better. These kids really are some fierce girls. I better not let them hear me refer to them as kids though; I'm liable to get kicked where it hurts the most!"- Corporal Damian Carter, cargo engineer, CTL Cairo, New Hope Colony, UK The Rift get ready for their summer offensive.
They've had to hunt herds of animals to feed the Andoval before they can resume their efforts to retake the planet. Another Rift airship takes a closer look at the crashed transport Cairo; it is a tempting target they believe can be taken easily. CDR Rick Cassidy's sisters Nikki and Chloe O'Brien leave for the New Hope Colony on the starship Australia. Nikki is a lieutenant with an American detachment and Chloe is going to manage Stellar Enterprises' ventures at the colony. Rick's mom Major Kelly Cassidy is moving to Geneva to live with her husband MGen Robert Black. The Marco Polo makes its jump into the Tau Ceti system. They hear from Amundsen and learn that there's been no contact with the colony for nearly two months. Among the Rangers on the Polo is LT Bridget O'Brien, Rick Cassidy's eldest sister.
The Asia is getting close and the Rangers onboard have been practicing their combat skills in the VR trainer using a combat program provided by Cassidy's daughter Ciara. She helps them improve their shooting skills. GSGT Molly Pickford and the other NCOs teach the student and teacher trainees small unit tactics. In the meantime Cassidy asks Mannfred Loesser to build bombs they can use to help defend the valley from the aliens. They assemble of the first of the 6 anti-grav shuttles in cargo. Asia arrives in orbit and makes contact with the ground station in New Hope Town and learn that the colony has been under attack. A few hours after landing, Ciara Cassidy walks off the Asia with some of her Ranger friends. She takes them to her father's residence where she meets Major Naomi MacCaffrey again.
Ciara had met her 4 years earlier at her father's 'funeral'. Naomi has to tell her that he and Molly have been missing since the 1st day of the invasion. Ciara explores New Hope Town and meets Candace Russo. The Rift begin their offensive; their first target is the Cairo. When 3 alien airships are spotted coming from the East the company takes their positions in the fort, on the main deck of the Cairo and at several points up on the ridge above the valley. The aliens find that since their last close look at the valley Cassidy's group has put obstacles in strategic spots to keep them from landing their airships near the transport. Once in their positions Cassidy gives the okay to fire when their aliens come in range. Their first targets are the Jammies (Rift) with their plasma rifles.
Nearly 1,000 Raagaas (Andoval) attack but 2/3s of them have to cross the river in the middle of the valley when their airships are forced to land on the east side of the valley. Loesser's bombs destroy one of the alien ships and a drone loaded with explosives damages a second airship. The Rift pull out of the valley leaving a few hundred Andoval on the west side of the valley. They attack the fort and the Cairo. The defenders kill many of them but suffer several casualties. When the battle is over Cassidy and Pickford lead a group to finish of any living aliens. The company takes a name, Jacks Company, short for 'Jacks the Giant Killers'.