Destined for Imperial service since birth, Lees Tarillion is on the verge of entering the Academy--if it weren't for the fact that the passionate Meno Arceneaux has joined the insurgency. Caught between his loyalties to his home planet and his yearning to be free of his heritage, Lees is forced to make a choice: to become an officer of the Empire, or to join Meno in rebellion and danger. After a bid to flee Academy catches the attention of the school's overseers, Lees is sent to the wilds of Cadero, a world embroiled in perpetual war against the Empire. As Lees confronts a hostile feline AI and vicious insurgents, he confronts a secret plot that could spell disaster for the fleet. Lees must make a choice: will he make the escape he longs for, or will he finally accept the heavy legacy of Imperial service? An Empire hangs in the balance.