New Horizons, New Challenges — John B. Bolton

Fleet Command's newest flag rank officer, Commodore JT Buckton and his crew board Pegasus-DSC-01 for another exciting adventure. The ship and crew are to "pass through" the Perseton Empire and then enter and explore the ZQ (Zebulon Quadrant).

Once in the ZQ they are to explore every sector and parsec to the fullest extent possible; they have 3 years to do so. This is to be the longest, deepest deep space mission the Alliance of Planets has ever attempted.

Things don't always go right, because a few weeks after departure the ship receives a message indicating FltAdm Jensen has been told to retire. The message upsets JT and Ed because they don't know why he's been told to retire now? On top of that they will miss the admiral's retirement banquet. JT messages the admiral wanting to know if he's being forced out?

Pegasus' scientists discover a "dark planet" something that's only been a theory since Earth's 20th century. Things aren't as they first appear and then catastrophe!