Sterling McCabe dreams of being a United States Marine. When a war erupts with a mysteroius alien race, he learns that being a Marine isn't what he'd imagined. People die. Lives are shattered. War takes no prisoners. Beth Carlisle is one of Sterling McCabe's squadmates. She joined the Marine Corps to get out of backwoods Maine, only to discover herself in the middle of a war. She must come to terms with her family and her relationship with Sterling while under fire. Their squad becomes one of the best in the Marine Corps, but war takes its toll. Their friends die, and they must hold on to each other or they too will become casualties of war.