In the year 2063, the final frontier is a battle field. An earth united in peace takes its first steps toward interplanetary colonization, only to be threatened by an enigmatic alien race. When an Earth outpost 16 light-years away is destroyed by an unknown alien force, a group of young United States Marine Corps Space Aviators find themselves on the front lines of an intergalactic battle to save their home planet.
In the midst of a mail call, McQueen tells Hawkes to resign himself to being left out of the festivities - InVitros have no families back on Earth. But the mail brings a surprise for the two men. In an effort to bring order to the ranks, the top brass have decided to make a motivational film about the efforts of InVitros fighting alongside natural born humans in the war against the Chigs and they order both men to participate. Hawkes is excited by the opportunity, but McQueen wants nothing to do with the documentary.