The epic conflict between Rome and Carthage remains one of the most compelling stories of military history. The wars included such legendary events as the crossing of the Alps by Hannibal, and the Battle of Cannae. Terence Wise's fine text details the armies of both sides of the wars, including the many different allied troops employed by the Carthaginians; Numidians, Celts, Spanish and others who helped make the army one of the most colourful and cosmopolitan of its day.
In this book, Mike and the Keldara are recruited to enter Chechen territory and destroy a stolen WMD. His troops undergo difficult trials just to reach the weapon, which is being sold to Islamic terrorists. Their attempt to fight their way back to the valley of the Keldara is blocked by a flood of Chechen terrorist troops and they fight a battle reminiscent of Rorke's Drift.
Major Arthur Farrell and the troops of Strike Force Company C41 had seen too much war with the alien Kalendru. They had too many screaming memories to be fit for combat again, but they were far too dangerous to themselves and others to be returned to civilian life.
The bureaucracy that administered human affairs arranged a final mission with the same ruthless efficiency as it conducted the war against the Kalendru. C41 would guard a colony being sent to a hell planet. If the troops succeeded, they might be ready to return to human society.
When the mission went horribly wrong, Art Farrell and his troops found their lives on the line as never before, protecting civilians to whom bureaucratic injustice was a new experience. And there was one more thing...
