The Karacknid invasion of Earth has been turned back. Yet the War of Doom has only just begun. Tens of thousands of warships are amassing along the Varanni Alliance border. In one fell swoop they threaten to strike into the heart of Alliance space, conquering and devastating everything in their wake. Meanwhile on Earth, the shadow of the nuclear holocaust the Karacknids unleashed hangs over all the survivors. Many of Humanity’s major cities lie in ruins. Her fleet has been devastated. The UN has crumbled. For the survivors, one phrase rises above all others; ‘never again.’Against his better judgement, James finds himself thrust into taking charge of the rebuilding efforts. When political infighting and fractures threatening to split the survivors into competing factions, he is convinced something new is needed. Somehow, he must find a way to forge Humanity into a weapon that can turn back the tide of the Karacknid war machine. Somehow, out of the ashes of destruction a Human Empire must rise to take its place among the stars. Empire’s Birth continues the story of James, Christine, Gupta and all the others as the struggle to protect their species against the Karacknid threat.