The Krell stationed aboard the Pinwheel experience a sudden population explosion, despite being made up exclusively of males. A team of UN scientists is tasked with resolving the situation before the station’s life support becomes overtaxed and fails.

A criminal organization known as the Syndicate uses stolen UNN weapons to seize control of the border colony Hades. A spy working for Naval Intelligence is dispatched to report on the situation, but during his escape, his ship is shot down over the planet’s icy moon.

A whistleblower uncovers a black market operating out of the Pinwheel station, implicating senior members of staff with supplying weapons and UNN equipment to crime syndicates and pirates. Before he can make his discovery known, he is exiled to the Polar territory of Borealis, where he is forced to seek shelter in a derelict listening post.

A wave of fresh recruits arrive on the Pinwheel and are introduced to alien cultures for the first time.

Raz and Stanley take some shore leave to his family farm on Earth, where he introduces the alien to his parents.

The Kruger 60 system is invaded by a Betelgeusian hive fleet, and a campaign is launched to retake it. Intense fighting takes place on the planet Kruger III, where the Coalition attempts to root out a hive that has dug into the world’s muddy surface. Tunnel fighting and trench warfare with minimal armored support ensues.

Ambassador Carlisle establishes relations with Matriarch Ursi of the Polar territory during a diplomatic mission. The Polar population is relocated to Siberia on Earth to escape the worsening environmental conditions and unstable political situation in their homeland. The Siberian colony is established.

A Betelgeusian hive fleet invades the Epsilon Eridani system and occupies the jungle world of EE-4. The UNN Shiroyama is dispatched to launch a ground invasion with the goal of destroying power generators on the surface supplying the orbital stations with energy.

The Elysian territory of Borealis sends a contingent to the Pinwheel for evaluation, hoping that their troops can be integrated into Coalition units.

The construction of the Fort Hamilton space station is completed, colloquially known as the Pinwheel in later years. The station serves as a crucial drydock and outpost near contested territory, and remains the largest space station ever constructed.