Crimson Spiders — Christian Warren Freed

The universe is at war. Armies of the ruling Imperium struggle against the reptilian Xempsarillian Empire for control of known space. Lost amidst this backdrop are the Crimson Spiders: an elite combat force interested only in surviving the war. The Spiders are deployed to a remote jungle world to halt the attempted Xempsarillian invasion. Their mission is to travel across miles of endless jungle and secure a firebase that has been stalling the regular army?s campaign.The Crimson Spiders battle through inhospitable terrain, losses of key command personnel, and their own doubts and fears only to find the firebase in ruins. A lone survivor tells them of a greater darkness coming for them all. Trapped and cut off from their own lines, the Spiders have no choice but to dig in and hope they have enough to last the night.