Snatching survival from the jaws of extinction, humans venture to the stars. It is a time of firsts. The first voyage to an exoplanet, discovering the first alien life, communicating with the first intelligent alien species, and predictably the first battle and the first slaughter. Humanity has stumbled upon technologies of incredible power, leapfrogging them from the naïve and innocent 21st century to become the greatest threat to the galactic order. Will they be welcomed, or will the species from the 'Dark Earth' have to fight for every step forward, and be forced to build their own empire amongst the stars.