Book excerpt: Richard Stanton considered himself to be a normal guy – a normal guy with a recent streak of bad luck. But when a roadside attack by a group of mysterious strangers leaves him and his best friend, Jeff, running for their lives, Rich must come to grips with reality as he knows it, and find the courage to face his responsibilities. Catapulted on a journey leading from a lakeside cabin to Imperial palaces, from underwater highways to massive orbital battle stations, and from an asteroid field to the heart of the enemy’s lair, Rich races across light years in an attempt to save the life of his ex-fiancée, only to find that he is ensnared in a much larger, much deadlier conflict, the outcome of which will decide the fate of galaxies. To win, Rich must weigh the lives of a select few versus the lives of billions, and face a foe so skillful and ruthless that it will take all of his cunning and ability, and a little bit of luck, to truly earn the salute, ALL HAIL THE EMPEROR!