'While we keep on fighting, we have the hope of victory. Once we give up, we have the certainty of defeat.' These words embody the spirit of the warriors locked in a relentless battle against an empire bent on galactic domination. They also echo the unwavering determination of the women who tirelessly support the men they love. Ballan, the battle-hardened commander of the recreated Storm Riders, is consumed by his experiences. His anger, barely quelled by combat, threatens to destroy him. As his friends and family watch him slip away on the battlefields of distant planets, they fear for his humanity. Who can save him? If she exists, will she arrive in time? Can her love give him the strength to endure and the determination to keep fighting, year after year? Herb Mika is the author of 'The Talons of War'.