A galaxy at peace. Countless species make up the prosperous new United Planets Coalition, twenty years after a devastating conflict nearly wiped out humanity, the new "war to end all wars." The daughter of humanity's wartime savior wrestles with the burden of her name and legacy -- it was hard enough to escape her father's shadow before, but she's just been promoted to command of the United Navy's new flagship, a title she isn't sure she earned by merit or by her last name. Across the stars, a wayward mercenary finds little worth fighting for in a galaxy supposedly evolved beyond violence. He never fought in the war, and might even think he missed his real calling. He'll know for sure soon enough, as vengeful forces beyond the United Planets' narrow vision move to strike where they're weak. It falls upon the burdened young commander and the listless soldier of fortune to unravel a sinister conspiracy that could plunge the stars back into fire and blood, with phantoms of their past and tests of their loyalty lying in wait ahead of them.