Starbound - Stealing the Sun, #5

An arms race across the galaxy Reeling from war, the United Government's Interstellar Command wants control. In constant fear of discovery, Universe Three wants revenge. Amid a changing starscape of intrigue Torrance Black-hero turned science ambassador-gets one more chance to find intelligent life outside the Solar System: convince the most prominent scientists alive to spend one of their precious Star Drive missions on a trip to Alpha Centauri A. Win and he saves an alien species.
Lose and his career is done. How far is Torrance willing to go? How far will he have to go?  STARBOUND, the fifth book of Stealing the Sun, a space-based Science Fiction series from frequent Analog contributor and bestselling Amazon Dark Fantasy author Ron Collins