An alien ship crashes on Earth and the secrets it bears lead Earth into three interplanetary wars.

Scott's group establishes a base camp and encounters threats both natural and alien while gathering supplies for their growing resistance.

Lancer, in his Yellow Dancer guise, stages a diversion while Scott's group infiltrates an Invid facility to steal desperately-needed protoculture.

Rook sneaks off to her hometown to seek revenge on the Red Snakes, a band of thieves, and her old fiancé who appears to have betrayed her; the Invid discover Scott's location and another battle ensues.

The resistance fighters enter a village hostile to their cause; Lunk tries to deliver a manuscript to a dead comrade's father.