For centuries, a species of aliens has been using the threat of unleashing terrans on a otherwise peaceful alliance to control a galactic economy.  The alies watch football think it is a battle and basically think that terran people are a bunch of barbarian warriors.  They also have the ability to capture individuals for "probing", problem, is that they found the decendent or re-incarnation of Alexander the Great.  They broadcast Alexanders last statements of humans taking over the stars and this has had the aliens basically keeping all of terra isolated.  One species is sick of the other controlling the trade routes and decides to kidnap on the abductees problem is that it is someone they are not expecting.