After a tense standoff, the aliens destroy the Sampson (killing Stone Hopper) and the Myōkō . Alex is forced to take command of the John Paul Jones as the highest-ranking officer left. The Battle for Survival
The crew of the Aurora accepted the challenge. Over the next few weeks, they traveled from planet to planet, completing missions that ranged from negotiating peace between warring factions to defeating pirates that had been terrorizing trade routes. With each task, they grew closer as a team and earned the respect of the galaxies' inhabitants.