The novel “Triton” by John Walker was published for the first time in 2020. It’s the first book in The Descendants War series.

The starship Triton picks up a distress call from the Gerdon System, and Captain Rudy Barrington expects the colony that transmitted it to be under attack by pirates. However, the mysterious attackers are equipped with far more powerful weapons than the colonial fleet, and only the intervention of another starship of unknown origin saves the Triton from destruction.

Commander Titus Barnes, who took command of the Triton after Captain Barrington died during the battle, suddenly finds himself dealing with two alien powers. Willing or not, humanity gets embroiled in an interstellar war. The Triton’s first operation after significant technological upgrades involves rescuing two archaeologists who have discovered ancient artifacts.