"Escort the Federation team. Keep them out of trouble." Those were Octavia Tiberius's first orders out of cryosleep. As a Guardian of the Amaranthian Empire, it was her duty to represent and protect her people. She expected it to be just like the simulations; guns, ships, explosions and the like. What she didn't expect was to fall in love. How does a cyborg soldier find a shoulder to cry on in the middle of a war? Is there room for a heart within the suit of armor? What is a person if not their soul? And what will it take to end this war once and for all?