The Anvil of Dust and Stars: Dark Seas, Volume 1 (Unabridged‪)‬

A relentless enemy eats away at the frontier of human-occupied space, altering human colonists to their purpose in the process. Ahead of the invasion front, a young girl is forced to flee from her home world. On the starliner carrying her family to safety, she vows to her father to defend their new home, and 20 years later, she gets the chance. Book one in the Dark Seas series chronicles the rise of Sarah Dayson from determined young lady to the command of a fleet of powerful warships. Worlds fall; battles are lost and won. As each phase of the conflict forges her into the next stage of her life, she becomes a commander the enemy learns to fear. 

Sarah finds a solution to her problems in an unexpected place, and in an unexpected way, one that satisfies her need to save humanity and to find a safe home. Safety, however, can be so transient.... 

Follow the rise of Sarah Dayson from new officer to determined commander of a fleet. Sometimes she is driven by darker motivations, such as revenge and retribution. Sometimes by altruism and friendship. Regardless of motivation, Sarah rises to the defense of humanity with the vigor required to win against a foe who kills in a merciless and terrible way.