Que Sera Serees: What Will Be, Serees?

The planet Serees is home to the Ligrosians -- a single-gendered species who use the pronouns "ey", "em", and "eir" to refer to themselves. They are master communicators, able to speak and understand up to three languages simultaneously.

Serees is the sole supplier of Seetun, the only device that allows for much-faster-than-light communications. Every spacefaring spieces has contracted out to Serees for this device under strict terms. If any attempt is made to reverse engineer the device (a process which causes its immediate self-destruction), or if a race tries to steal the technology from Serees, there will be severe, clearly stated consequences. In exchange, Serees is barred from developing a space-faring fleet of its own and thus is no threat to its clients.

The planet Earth is home to the Humans, though their government is located on a space station city some distance away from its home system. The newly elected administration isn't at all happy about the idea of relying on alien technology for Earth's strategic elements -- specifically their military. Under the aegis of security, a previous administration annexed the planet of Lrat. While the official rhetoric says it's to ensure the safety of Lrat, the reality is that it's to ensure that Earth has a supply of faster-than-light engines that are much better than any the humans could build on their own.

As Verina, a high-level first negotiator for the Ligrosians, concludes a Seetun contract renewal with the Quinkst amabassador, the alien tells em of disturbing movements from the Humans. As the various alien species are well aware of what happened to Lrat, everyone is neverous when they note recent suspicious Human activities.

Verina finds emself caught up in intrigue as the winds of invasion start blowing stronger. When the Humans launch their invasion, Verina goes underground. Due to official rank and necessity, ey becomes the founder of a small but growing resistance force aimed with encouraging the Humans to leave Serees. This isn't something the Humans are wont to do. They instead mark Verina as the highest terrorist on their most wanted list.

Both sides find themselves struggling against a determined foe neither wanted to have to deal with. Complications mount when other alien species with their own agendas enter the fray.