Wings of hell

the long version

No one captures the action and sacrifice of war better than real combat vets David Sherman and Dan Cragg. Now their blazing space epic Starfist continues as Marines of the Confederation's Thirty-fourth Fleet Initial Strike Team (FIST) go head-to-head against the deadly Skinks. Of course, Company L's third platoon has fought these aliens before, but never before in these numbers. . . .Planet Haulover has been invaded by Skinks. Until now the aliens' existence has been kept confidential. But Force Recon's shocking report leaves the Confederation no choice but to mount a military campaign and reveal to the public its biggest secret: the threat of fierce alien predators bent on human destruction. What's no secret is that the four army divisions and two Marine FISTs sent to Haulover aren't nearly enough to defeat the well-entrenched aliens, who have a tunnel system second to none.Back home, the Confederation's president is being denounced as a warmonger bent on exterminating "harmless" aliens. And if she loses the upcoming elections, the Confederation will have a lot more Skinks than those on Haulover to worry about.Newly promoted Lieutenant Charlie Bass and his third platoon have more pressing concerns, such as staying alive. But what would be a suicidal mission for most--whether it's raiding a well-defended Skinks base or destroying the enemy's most lethal weapons during a desperate firefight--is for them just another job.From the Hardcover edition.