Gauntlet Wars

The Empire has existed for 156,000 years, risen beyond a galactic empire of dinosaurs intent on wiping out Humanity only to face an intergalactic scourge known as the Hadarak. They've rescued thousands of alien races and incorporated them into their Human-led empire, building a civilization that draws onlookers from numerous galaxies to try and figure out the secret of their success.

The invasion of the Milky Way has begun, and the Empire is winning easily, but when it becomes clear that the war with the Asferja will be nowhere near ending before the next invasion arrives and forces them to split their focus, Paul is tapped to lead a small team to the nearby galaxy of Andromeda where the Asferja intergalactic "threads" are tethered, with more being created as the war goes on.

Paul's mission in Andromeda comes to an end and he must reluctantly return to the Deebees to oversee their critical early development...but on the way back he goes nightcrawler hunting, rescuing the last pieces of the Progarren civilization that the previous Gauntlet War failed to eradicate, as this one is only beginning to escalate.

The Paladin's quest to save the Andromeda galaxy begins to escalate as they seize a disputed planet from two obstinate lower level races who are blocking travel and commerce through it that other systems are depending upon to fuel the war effort against the Asferja. The thing is, after the Paladin uncork the traffic jam, they're not giving the planet back for the malcontents to muck up a second time...and that doesn't go over very well with the locals.