Search Worlds Without End

Leaving Boss behind to continue diving the Boneyard, Ivoire Engineer Yash Zarlengo returns to the Lost Souls Corporation's headquarters to analyze the data from the runabout they discovered there.

Convinced that the experience in the Boneyard proves the Fleet still exists, Yash buries herself in her work, interested in little else.

Ivoire Captain Jonathan "Coop" Cooper notices Yash's growing obsession with finding the Fleet and joins her in her search.

For the first time in six years, the crew of the Ivoire feels real hope. Coop and Yash know all too well the dangers hope can pose. But this time their hope might just lead them somewhere no one expected.

Parts of this novel appeared in different forms as the novella Dix (Asimov's March-April 2018) and the novelette Lieutenant Tightass (Asimov's July-August 2018).

From Orson Scott Card, award-winning and bestselling author of Ender's Game, his first solo Enderverse novel in years.

Children of the Fleet is a new angle on Card's bestselling series, telling the story of the Fleet in space, parallel to the story on Earth told in the Ender's Shadow series.

Ender Wiggin won the Third Formic war, ending the alien threat to Earth. Afterwards, all the terraformed Formic worlds were open to settlement by humans, and the International Fleet became the arm of the Ministry of Colonization, run by Hirum Graff. MinCol now runs Fleet School on the old Battle School station, and still recruits very smart kids to train as leaders of colony ships, and colonies.

Dabeet Ochoa is a very smart kid. Top of his class in every school. But he doesn't think he has a chance at Fleet School, because he has no connections to the Fleet. That he knows of. At least until the day that Colonel Graff arrives at his school for an interview.

In Fleet of Stars, Poul Anderson brings back the wildly colorful Anson Guthrie, his iconoclastic hero from Harvest of Stars. The staid, somber people of Earth are not only dependent on technology, they are all but ruled by machine intelligence. Suspecting a conspiracy to suppress humankind's last vestiges of freedom, Guthrie begins a dangerous journey across the realm of the comets, the asteroids, and the stars themselves--willing to risk his life to preserve humanity's ability to roam the universe.

Cadet Worf arrives at Starfleet Academy as the first Klingon to gain entrance since the Federation-Klingon, Peace Treaty. Raised on Earth by human parents, Worf wonders whether he is still a Klingon, the proud member of an honorable warrior race, or is he more "human"? Command-level classes fill his schedule, but nothing prepares him for his fellow cadets, among them his human foster brother. Intelligent, ambitious, and confident, the Academy cadets make life difficult for the young warrior. Worf must win over his classmates -- including the always logical Vulcans and the fierce Brikar -- even though they are still trained to think of him as the enemy. Then a routine trip to a training satellite turns into an unexpected disaster, and Worf must unite the cadets and risk his life before a terrible accident destroys the entire mission.

Mysterious space raiders are threatening the joint Federation-Klingon colony on the remote planet of Dantar, and pitting the two sides against each other. Worf and his fellow first year cadets -- Zak, Tania, Soleta, and Mark -- have accompanied their teacher to observe the negotiation process, but soon find themselves in the middle of an intergalactic dispute. For just as Worf and the other cadets arrive, they discover the Klingon Empire has sent its own diplomatic team, including Klingon cadets, to investigate the attacks. As the cadets from Starfleet Academy come face to face with their Klingon counterparts, tensions quickly mount as each side accuses the other of staging the raids. And while a deadly space battle rages overhead, Worf faces his ultimate test as his Klingon heritage and future in Starfleet collide.

Deadly space raiders have destroyed the colony on Dantar, and Worf, his friends from Starfleet Academy and cadets from the Klingon Empire must fight to survive. As suspicion grows between the Klingon and Star Fleet cadets, the camp quickly becomes a battleground, with Worf in the middle.

It's Geordi La Forge's first year at Starfleet Academy, and it isn't going well. He's been all over the galaxy with his Starfleet officer parents, and his blindness has not been a handicap, thanks to his VISOR. But somehow he's always picked last for competitive teams, and deep down he wants to be just like all the other confident students. When he defeats the top-ranked team in an elimination game, Geordi wins the respect of his classmates, and the hatred of the other team's captain, Jack Pettey. Pettey threatens revenge, and his opportunity arrives with training exercises on the planet Saffair. Geordi's team faces Pettey's, and without supervision on the uninhabited world Pettey will stop at nothing to win.

Geordi LaForge and his fellow cadets are headed to Atlantis Station, the underwater research base located near a volcano in the Atlantic Ocean. Up until now Geordi has spent most of his life in space with his Starfleet officer parents and he is more than ready to explore this strange, new world deep underwater.

The first stop for the cadets is the above-ground complex on Isla del Fuego, where the students barely escape a small volcanic eruption. They finally arrive at the underwater station shaken and fighting among themselves, but determined to carry out their assignments.

Then suddenly an earthquake rocks the station and the cadets are trapped in their lab with tempers running high. Now, as debris blocks their path back to the aquashuttle, Geordi and the others, together, must race against time and the dangers of the freezing seawater to escape the station before it disappears into an underwater abyss.

An android is found in the ruins of a colony on Omicron Theta. The crew of the "Tripoli" reactivate the android and discover his name is Data, a name that suits his incredible curiosity. With the encouragement of his new friends, Data applies to Starfleet AcademyTM and is accepted. Cadet Data begins his journey to Starfleet Academy aboard the science vessel, "Yosemite." Even as he looks forward to the Academy, he struggles to find his own identity and to fit in with the other cadets.

But Data's worries are cut short when the "Yosemite" is suddenly attacked by an unknown vessel and suffers severe damage. When power is restored, Data discovers that the adult crew has mysteriously disappeared, and only Data and the other Academy-bound cadets are left to face the wrath of a new alien race, who are demanding that Data and his cadet crew surrender their ship, or be destroyed.

Cadet Data is among a handful of first-year cadets selected to observe a super-Jovian planet ignition -- the collision of two huge gas-giant planets resulting in the formation of a new star. They will watch this occurrence from a safe distance aboard the "Republic."

But a distress call from an alien space station draws their starship off course to an asteroid belt near the colliding planets. The rescue team soon finds itself under siege by deadly attackers, and Data and his group are separated from the main team. With time running out, Data must defeat the invaders and rescue the aliens before the collision destroys the space station and the "Republic."

Jean-Luc Picard has failed his entrance exam to Starfleet Academy. Now all his plans for the future are gone, and he must make the best of his life in his parents' vineyard. Pressure from his father to become more involved in the family business and the constant fighting with his older brother, Robert, make this life difficult. Jean-Luc's best friend, Louis, tries to cheer him up with an exciting trip, but the future captain's dream of the stars still haunts him. A chance to re-apply to the Academy arises and Jean-Luc must use all his skills to pass the challenging tests. But the greatest risk he faces is the wrath of his father.

Cadet Jean-Luc Picard is struggling through his first year at the Academy. He's near the top of his classes, right behind Roger Wells. Jean-Luc is determined to do everything better and bigger than Roger. But privately he has doubts. And the lack of communciation from home only reminds him of how badly he left things with his father.

Then Jean-Luc and his friend, Marta, discover they've been selected to fly with the Nova Command team, a special training mission through the solar system. Jean-Luc tries to ignore the presence of Roger, but the pressure builds between the two cadets. When the mission leader falls ill and the ship receives a distress call, Jean-Luc and the other cadets must decide whether to obey orders or attempt a rescue as the ship heads for disaster.

Beverly Howard is in big trouble at the Academy. They've just begun their first year as Starfleet Medical Cadets, and already Beverly and her roommate Claire Voy are one step from probation. Commander Max Wiley, who teaches the holodeck simulation course in Medical Emergencies, caught them skipping class to visit an excavation in nearby San Francisco. He took them to the Admiral's office and has put them on notice. One more slip and they're out!

When Claire's partner in her Medical Emergencies class is injured, Commander Wiley blames Claire for the accident. But was it an accident? It is the Commander's word against Claire's. Wiley has no reason to lie-- or does he? Beverly's own investigation takes her from the computer labs to the Admiral's office. Now Claire's future hangs in the balance unless Beverly and Data can find a way to clear her-- without being expelled themselves!

Landing a coveted position with the Starfleet Academy Band, first-year cadet Will Riker befriends band roadie Geordi LaForge and threatens to quit the band if the older band members will not stop teasing him.

Before she was an officer aboard the "U.S.S. Enterprise.".. No one ever said Starfleet Academy would be easy, but Cadet Deanna Troi never expected it to be this hard, either. She's been taken prisoner by pirates on the "Borocco-Kai," and now she's weaponless and helpless. Of course, its only a test: a holodeck exam all freshmen must pass. But for Deanna, the stakes are even higher than usual. She's opted to take the test early because it seemed like the only way to save her future at the Academy. Her telepathic abilities, natural aloofness, and an overbearing mother have made her time at the Academy more tenious than she imagined.

Geordi LaForge has been given the chance of his lifetime! He's been chosen to join the training vessel Benjamin Franklin as assistant engineer, an opportunity rarely given to plebes. Geordi is determined to live up to Commander Sanchez's expectations. Their mission is to chart a neglected sector of the asteroid belt that lies between Mars and Jupiter.

That night, Sanchez calls up s history of the old starship and Ben's first commander, the heroic Ike Ikushima, who died saving his crew from disaster. The next night Geordi sees Ikushima's ghost, arm raised, pointing directly at him! When he tells Sanchez, everyone begins to doubt Geordi's reliability... until the ghost reappears, pointing a warning finger at them all! What does it mean? Is the ship haunted? Is it an alien invasion? The cadets are about to make history themselves-- if they escape with their lives!

Starfleet Academy Cadet Data is sent to the planet Arunu as part of a class research team investigating ancient ruins. Suddenly the mission is sabotaged and Data must use his relentless logic to save his friends and the entire galaxy.

Contents:

• 3 - Author's Note (Before the Storm) - (1996) - essay by Michael P. Kube-McDowell
• 6 - Before the Storm - (1996) - novel by Michael P. Kube-McDowell
• 249 - Shield of Lies - (1996) - novel by Michael P. Kube-McDowell
• 504 - Tyrant's Test - (1997) - novel by Michael P. Kube-McDowell

The Sentinels narrowly escaped the collapsing edge of the Divide.

They have mustered a few other surviving Sentinels, but with no engines they have no way to leave the edge of the universe before they starve.

Adequin Rake has gathered a team to find the materials they'll need to get everyone out.

To do that they're going to need new allies and evade a ruthless enemy. Some of them will not survive.

The Fleet is mankind's last line of defense against the vicious Khalia. This is their story-told by the masters of this universe.

Contributors: Anne McCaffrey, Poul Anderson, Margaret Weis, Steve Perry, David Drake, Janet Morris, Jody Lynn Nye, John Brunner, Bill Fawcett, E. Gary Gygax, Robert Sheckley

The shared-world military science fiction anthology series continues-with stories by:

Christopher Stasheff, Jody Lynn Nye, Judith R. Conly, Janny Wurts, Robert Sheckley, Shariann Lewitt, Piers Anthony, Mike Resnick, Bill Fawcett, Janet Morris, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, David Drake

They've tasted defeat. Now the men and women of the Fleet live only for victory.

The soldiers of the alliance come from different worlds and cultures, but share one mission: to reclaim occupied space from the savage Khalian invaders. These are their stories.

National bestselling authors in the breakthrough military science fiction series.

The Fleet must destroy a human foe capable of infiltrating the Fleet itself.

Includes stories by:

Anne McCaffrey, Katherine Kurtz and Scott McMillan, David Drake, Christopher Stasheff, Janny Wurts, Diane Duane and Peter Norwood, N. Lee Wood, Bill Fawcett, Jody Lynn Nye

Humanity joins forces with its centuries-old enemy, the Khalians, to combat a common foe--the Syndicate of Families, which stands poised to seize control of the known universe.

The bestselling The Lost Fleet sci-fi adventure series has transported legions of fans out of this world and into the heat of battle. Now, readers will discover how it all began - not only for John "Black Jack" Geary and his descendant Commander Michael Geary, but for those who fought and sacrificed so much alongside them.

Spanning from before the Alliance/Syndicate war to the devastating initial conflagration that would lead to decades of unremitting conflict and beyond into full-blown war, from the Geary's own epic heroics to where their surviving compatriots found their own fates, this volume reveals the triumphs, tragedies, and life-altering events that made these warriors living legends in their universe.

Packed with high-stakes military action and drama as well as humor and humanity, this volume explores the foundations of The Lost Fleet series as well as past exploits of its most popular characters - and also includes the novelization of the Lost Fleet graphic novel Corsair.

The Alliance has been fighting the Syndic for a century-and losing badly. Now its fleet is crippled and stranded in enemy territory. Their only hope is Captain John "Black Jack" Geary-a man who's emerged from a century-long hibernation to find he has been heroically idealized beyond belief. Now, he must live up to his own legend.

Captain John "Black Jack" Geary tries a desperate gamble to lead the Alliance Fleet home-through enemy-occupied space-only to lose half the Fleet to an unexpected mutiny.

The Lost Fleet continues its perilous journey home.

Badly damaged and low on supplies, the Alliance Fleet is raiding Syndic mines for raw materials-and Captain "Black Jack" Geary hopes they can continue to remain one step ahead of their enemies. But the Syndics are the least of Geary's worries when he learns of the existence of aliens with the power to annihilate the human race.

“Black Jack” Geary has ordered his fleet back to the Lakota Star System where the Syndics nearly destroyed them, a desperate gamble that may give them a fighting chance of survival—or tear them apart.

After successfully freeing Alliance POWs, "Black Jack" Geary discovers that the Syndics plan to ambush the fleet with their powerful reserve flotilla in an attempt to annihilate it once and for all. And as Geary has the fleet jump from one star system to the next, hoping to avoid the inevitable confrontation, saboteurs contribute to the chaos.

Now Victorious leads the charge again-and "Black Jack" Geary is in command...

As war continues to rage between the Alliance and Syndicate Worlds, Captain "Black Jack" Geary is promoted to admiral-even though the ruling council fears he may stage a military coup. His new rank gives him the authority to negotiate with the Syndics, who have suffered tremendous losses and may finally be willing to end the war. But an even greater alien threat lurks on the far side of the Syndic occupied space.

The Alliance woke Captain John "Black Jack" Geary from cryogenic sleep to take command of the fleet in the century-long conflict against the Syndicate Worlds. Now Fleet Admiral Geary's victory has earned him the adoration of the people-and the enmity of politicians convinced that a living hero can be a very inconvenient thing.

Geary knows that members of the military high command and the government question his loyalty to the Alliance and fear his staging a coup-so he can't help but wonder if the newly christened First Fleet is being deliberately sent to the far side of space on a suicide mission.

Admiral John “Black Jack” Geary earned his rank after being revived from cryogenic sleep to lead the Alliance to victory against the Syndicate Worlds. But his superiors question his loyalty to the regime. Now in command of the First Fleet, Geary is tasked with exploring the frontier beyond Syndic space, a mission he fears deliberately puts the fleet — and himself — in harm’s way.

Admiral Geary's First Fleet of the Alliance has survived the journey deep into unexplored interstellar space, a voyage that led to the discovery of new alien species, including a new enemy and a possible ally. Now Geary's mission is to ensure the safety of the Midway Star System, which has revolted against the Syndicate Worlds empire--an empire that is on the brink of collapse.

To complicate matters further, Geary also needs to return safely to Alliance space not only with representatives of the Dancers, an alien species, but also with Invincible, a captured warship that could possibly be the most valuable object in human history. Despite the peace treaty that Geary must adhere to at all costs, the Syndicate Worlds regime threatens to make the fleet's journey back grueling and perilous.

And even if Geary escorts Invincible and the Dancers' representatives safely unharmed, the Syndics' attempts to spread dissent and political unrest may have already sown the seeds of the Alliance's destruction...

Geary and the crew of the Dauntless have managed to safely escort important alien representatives to Earth. But before they can make tracks for home, two of Geary's key lieutenants vanish. The search for his missing men leads Geary on a far-flung chase, ultimately ending at the one spot in space from which all humans have been banned: the moon Europa. Any ship that lands there must stay or be destroyed--leaving Geary to face the most profound moral dilemma of his life.

To make matters worse, strains on the Alliance are growing as the Syndics continue to meddle. Geary is ordered to take a small force to the border of Syndic space. But what he finds there is a danger much greater than anyone expected: a mysterious threat that could finally force the Alliance to its knees.

As Geary spearheads a desperate battle to protect the Alliance against a shrewd and powerful enemy, he's left with just one question: Who are they?

Two Syndicate World star systems have fallen prey to a mysterious fleet of warships--a fleet controlled entirely by artificial intelligence--that is now targeting Alliance space. The warships are no mystery to Geary. They were developed by his government to ensure security, but malfunctioned. If the Syndics learn the truth, the war with the Alliance will resume with a vengeance.

As the government attempts to conceal the existence of the A.I. warships--and its role in their creation--Geary pursues them, treading a fine line between mutiny and obedience. But it soon becomes clear that his fleet is no match for the firepower of the machine-piloted armada.

With the help of the Dancer species of aliens, Geary has tracked the A.I. ships to their secret base in the supposedly mythical Unity Alternate star system where his fleet, the last hope of the Alliance's future, will end the conflict at any cost...

Geary believed in the Alliance. Even when he uncovered overwhelming evidence that the highest echelons of the government and fleet command were involved in secret programs and prison camps, he believed it was worth saving. He believed his duty was to see that justice was served even though some factions feared that revealing the truth would cause the Alliance to crumble.

But after narrowly surviving two assassination attempts when he brings evidence of the misdeeds to the capital star system, Geary realizes that some have decided the easiest way to make the Alliance's problems go away is to get rid of him. He finds himself ordered to undertake a perilous new mission outside of the reaches of human-occupied space while the Senate clashes over the evidence.

Geary's warships must escort a diplomatic and scientific mission across the dangerous, disintegrating remnants of the Syndicate Worlds empire. But even if he can make it to Midway Star System, the gateway to alien-controlled space, Geary will face former Syndicate officials who have rebelled and regard the Alliance with deep suspicion. And that will be the easy part....

Geary knows that some political factions in the Alliance were just trying to get rid of him when he was assigned to escort a diplomatic and scientific mission to the far reaches of humanity's expansion into the galaxy... and beyond. But he views his mission as both a duty and an opportunity to make things better wherever he can. And when a crippled Rift Federation ship tumbles out of jump space, Geary leaps into action. But the survivors' story isn't completely adding up.

As Geary investigates, he soon finds himself fending off spies and assassins while leading the fleet as it fights its way across space controlled by the mysterious and hostile aliens whom humans call enigmas. Challenges arrive at every turn, including an unknown alien species that invites the fleet to visit one of their star systems. With little information to go on, Geary must weigh the benefits of potential new allies against the possibility of a trap. The fate of the fleet--and perhaps even the future of humanity--will depend on him making the right decision.

If he can stay alive long enough to do that.

Admiral John "Black Jack" Geary fears the greatest threat to humanity may be itself...

As far from explored space as any human has ever been, Geary and the Alliance fleet are on their own, protecting a diplomatic mission in territory belonging to an alien species with still-unknown motives. His already complex and dangerous mission is further imperiled by deadly challenges from other human factions seeking to harm or exploit the aliens. When another alien species whose technology is far more advanced than humanity's arrives, the stakes are raised to the highest possible level.

Only the most serious danger comes from an unexpected source. When presented with orders to carry out actions he believes not only are mistaken but would be contrary to the ideals of the Alliance, Geary has to finally decide whether he must invoke the power that his long-revered name holds, all the while knowing that this might endanger his entire fleet, tear apart the Alliance, and destroy everything he has fought for.

Jack Campbell returns to the world of the New York Times bestselling Lost Fleet novels with a new action-packed military science fiction series that explores the founding of the Alliance... and the men and women who fought to create it.

Earth is no longer the center of the universe.

After the invention of the faster-than-light jump drive, humanity is rapidly establishing new colonies. But the vast distances of space mean that the old order of protection and interstellar law offered by Earth has ceased to exist.

When a nearby world attacks, the new colony of Glenlyon turns to Robert Geary, a young former junior fleet officer, and Mele Darcy, a onetime enlisted Marine. With nothing but improvised weapons and a few volunteers, Geary and Darcy must face down warships and armored soldiers--or die trying.

As battles rage and pirates take an increasing toll throughout the colonies, the only hope for lasting peace lies with Carmen Ochoa, a "Red" from the anarchic world of Mars, and Lochan Nakamura, a failed politician. They have a plan: to lay the groundwork for mutual defense that could someday grow into an alliance. But if their efforts don't succeed, the growing power of aggressor worlds could turn regions of space founded on freedom into battlefields between the first interstellar empires...

the first interstellar empires...

In the three years since former fleet officer Rob Geary and former Marine Mele Darcy led improvised forces to repel attacks on the newly settled world of Glenlyon, tensions have only gotten worse.

When one of Glenlyon's warships is blown apart trying to break the blockade that has isolated the world from the rest of human-colonized space, only the destroyer Saber remains to defend it from another attack. Geary's decision to take Saber to the nearby star Kosatka to safeguard a diplomatic mission is a risky interpretation of his orders, to say the least.

Kosatka has been fighting a growing threat from so-called rebels--who are actually soldiers from aggressive colonies. When a "peacekeeping force" carrying thousands of enemy soldiers arrives in Kosatka's star system, the people of that world, including Lochan Nakamura and former "Red" Carmen Ochoa, face an apparently hopeless battle to retain their freedom.

It's said that the best defense is a good offense. But even if a bold and risky move succeeds, Geary and Darcy may not survive it...

The recently colonized world of Glenlyon has learned that they're stronger when they stand with other star systems than they are on their own. But after helping their neighbor Kosatka against an invasion, Glenlyon has become a target. The aggressive star systems plan to neutralize Glenlyon before striking again.

An attack is launched against Glenlyon's orbital facility with forces too powerful for fleet officer Rob Geary to counter using their sole remaining destroyer, Saber. Mele Darcy's Marines must repel repeated assaults while their hacker tries to get into the enemy systems to give Saber a fighting chance.

To survive, Glenlyon needs more firepower, and the only source for that is their neighbor Kosatka or other star systems that have so far remained neutral. But Kosatka is still battling the remnants of the invasion forces on its own world, and if it sends its only remaining warship to help will be left undefended against another invasion. While Carmen Ochoa fights for the freedom of Kosatka, Lochan Nakamura must survive assassins as he tries to convince other worlds to join a seemingly hopeless struggle.

As star systems founded by people seeking freedom and autonomy, will Kosatka, Glenlyon and others be able to overcome deep suspicions of surrendering any authority to others? Will the free star systems stand together in a new Alliance, or fall alone?

CEO Artur Drakon has been betrayed. The Syndicate Worlds' government failed to protect its citizens from both the Alliance and the alien enigmas. With a cadre of reliable soldiers under his command, Drakon launches a battle for control of the Midway Star System--assisted by an ally he's unsure he can trust...

CEO Gwen Iceni was exiled to Midway because she wasn't ruthless enough in the eyes of her superiors. She proved them wrong by commandeering some of the warships at Midway and declaring the star system's independence on behalf of the people though staying in charge as "President." But while she controls the mobile fleet, she has no choice but to rely on "General" Drakon's ground forces to keep the peace planet-side.

If their coup is to succeed, Drakon and Iceni must put their differences aside to prevent the population of Midway from rebelling against them, to defend their star system from the enigmas--and to ferret out saboteurs determined to reestablish Syndic rule...

Following a successful coup against the tyrannical Syndicate, the leaders of the rebel Midway Star System work to forge a government free enough to please its citizens yet strong enough to secure power. But in a world where former rulers have become new foes, an alien threat to humanity may turn old adversaries into uncertain allies.

President Gwen Iceni believes Midway is their only defense against the enigmas. Syndicate training taught her self-preservation in a crisis, yet she's determined to fight for the star system's fate... even if it means joining forces with another former Syndicate CEO--and an officer of the hated Alliance.

Despite General Artur Drakon's misgivings, he partnered with Iceni to overthrow Syndic forces. Now, with an enigma fleet menacing their hard-earned independence, he can ill afford to trust her--or lose her support. But in the back of his mind, there are three words that describe someone who confides in a Syndicate CEO: Stupid. Betrayed. Dead.

President Gwen Iceni and General Artur Drakon have successfully liberated the Midway Star System--but the former rulers of the Syndicate Worlds won't surrender the region without a fight. The dictatorial regime has ordered the ex–Syndicate CEOs terminated with extreme prejudice and the system's citizens punished for their defiance.

Outnumbered and led by junior officers hastily promoted in the wake of the uprising, Midway's warships are no match for the fleet massing and preparing to strike. But the Syndicate isn't the only threat facing Iceni and Drakon. Another former CEO has taken control of the Ulindi Star System, the first calculated move toward establishing his own little empire.

With Drakon's ground forces dispatched to Ulindi, Midway erupts in violence as Syndicate agents and other, unknown enemies stoke a renewed revolt against Iceni's power--leaving both her and Drakon vulnerable to trusted officers just waiting for an opportune moment to betray them...

The Syndicate Worlds continue to splinter as more star systems pledge allegiance to President Gwen Iceni, General Artur Drakon, and the new government they're establishing at Midway. But the toxic legacy of Syndicate rule continues to undermine their efforts as the rebels encounter difficulty trusting one another and believing their new leaders' promises of freedom from tyranny.

Before Iceni and Drakon can put their house in order, they must deal with an even greater threat. An enigma warship has appeared and vanished near a Syndic colony. If the aliens are capable of jumping into other human-occupied star systems, then billions of people could be vulnerable to a hostile invasion fleet anywhere they choose to strike.

But an even greater vulnerability lies with Iceni and Drakon, as a once-trusted adviser-turned-saboteur plans revenge...