To Secure Ourselves Against Defeat

"To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself."
~Sun Tzu, Art of War, Chapter I
The end of the world was not the end of war.
The year is 2718. Earth perished centuries ago in nuclear war, yet the remnants of humanity persist in space. For seven years the Neo Macedonian Empire has made war on the Confederation; though that war nears its end, the fighting has grown no less intense.
Throughout the Confederation’s counteroffensive Admiral White has remained undefeated on the attack, and he now commands a bigger fleet than ever. Opposing him, Admiral Mavros is undefeated on the defensive, and his growing popularity on the home front is starting to worry his government. As both nations amass forces for the final battle, an unstoppable force prepares to assail an immovable object.
Corporal Thane signed on to fight for his homeworld’s militia, but has since found himself shanghaied into the newly created Federal Army. As the war goes on, he worries about the growing influence of the military on the government.
When Sergeant Jovanovska joined the Imperial Army Reserve, she never expected to see combat. Now, after two battles in four years, she finds her tour of duty extended right as it was supposed to end, and her division transferred to an imminent warzone.