A genetically enhanced leopard. He serves in the Federation Compact Army for one purpose. To go where it is too dangerous to send “real” soldiers.
Hannibal is one of a four-animal team. A human warrant officer controls them because their free will has been bred, trained, and cut out them. They need orders to follow. Except Hannibal feels the call of the wild. It’s starting to clash with his programming. He is reverting, but has to hide it unless he wants to be executed, his brain dissected to see what went wrong.
The gods of war smile upon the enemy, bringing Hannibal’s internal struggle into the light as he must rise above his programming if he is to lead his fellow animals through the battle. Survive, even if it means they are signing their own death warrants.