Cullen Bright no longer wears the uniform, but his capacity for violence is unchanged.

The Unity Alliance has declared an end to the Hardshell War, but the true threat remains hidden in plain sight. The Haiksos continue to build their genetically modified armies, intent on consuming human systems to feed their hideous plans. With the Unity Marine Corps caught in a political stranglehold, who will stand in their way?

Cullen Bright thinks he has the answer. Bright Applied Technologies.

Cutting ties with the military has freed Cullen of the political red tape, but it also comes with challenges; funding, contracts, and legalities that he must navigate to stand up a highly specialized team of paramilitary operators with one objective; ending the Haiksos threat.

And sometimes, doing the right thing can cost you everything.

The Haiksos technology continues to baffle humanity's top scientists. Cullen needs the best warfighters he can get, and he needs them equipped with cutting edge weapons, the most advanced armor his teams can make… and the support of institutions he once worked alongside. Institutions who are still putting out the fires of burned bridges and harboring grudges against the very public separation of their Gold Medal Marine from their ranks.

But even Cullen Bright has limits. He can't win the war on his own.

Met with continual setbacks and with the clock running out, humanity's chances of success are rapidly dwindling. Cullen must find a solution to countering the Haiksos technology, and there's only one place he can turn. Knowing this, Cullen asks the enemy Vuan'at for something they may not be able to give him: an alliance. But there's a problem with trusting your enemies.

Because the Vuan'at will use Cullen, just as he will use them.