Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. Its a prestige posting, and Andrew is even more thrilled to be assigned to the ships xenobiology laboratory, with the chance to serve on Away Missions alongside the starships famous senior officers. Life couldnt be better . . . until Andrew begins to realize that 1 every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces, 2 the ships captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations, and 3 sadly, at least one low-ranked crew member is invariably killed. Unsurprisingly, the savvier members belowdecks avoid Away Missions at all costs.
