Ending the 56-year space war between the Terran Federation and the Terran League proves less than rewarding for the stalwart protagonist of this fervent adventure from veteran military SF authors Weber (the Honor Harrington series) and Fox (the Ember War Saga). Terrence Murphy, grandson of the Federation Navy founder and son of a disgraced commander, tries to balance his sense of honor with the demands of corrupt Federation politics, a struggle complicated further by his father-in-law's business ambitions. When he's sent to govern the restive frontier colony of New Dublin, Murphy immediately detours his task force to rescue the victims of an earlier enemy assault. Following up on intelligence that the League has received aid from the alien Rishathan, Murphy deduces the League is planning a massive counterstrike aimed at New Dublin. Only his swift decision to go outside his orders, along with the grudging aid of the distrustful New Dubliners, will give the outgunned Federation force a chance to survive. The authors pack the story with both the specs of far-future fighting machines--descriptions which occasionally devolve into technobabble--and the hypercompetent, duty-driven warriors who crew them. Fans of old-school military sci-fi should check this out. (June)