In the far reaches of space aboard the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, Ensign Andrew Dahl embarks on what should be a dream assignment. But he quickly discovers the grim reality of life onboard: Away Missions are death traps for low-ranking crew members, while the starship's elite officers miraculously survive every encounter. With his fellow redshirts, Dahl is determined to unravel the deadly mystery. Their investigation leads them to an astonishing revelation about the nature of the Intrepid and a daring plan to save their own skins in this sly and uproarious science fiction adventure.