What does it take to blur the lines between right and wrong? To make a good man go bad?
In 2340 at the end of a decades-long war, a rogue Telarian ship threatens the new and tenuous peace with the Union. Sean Connor and his friends are recruited to take command of the synthetically intelligent warship Relentless and are tasked to hunt down and destroy the rogue threat.
Sean is haunted by enigmatic dreams of his ex-lover Kara Novellas who he hasn't seen in ten years and bears a striking resemblance to Akema, the warship's avatar. Akema is a biological synthetic intelligence who develops an infatuation for Sean that defies her programming.
The captain doesn't trust the self-centered Galloway who is not part of his team but has been an integral part of the Relentless program, and he feels obliged to keep him on as Chief Engineer.
While investigating the most recent attack, the crew is thrust into a series of events with sinister implications and every situation brings more questions than answers. When an unknown enemy contacts Sean with an offer he can't refuse, he is forced to abandon their mission and meet with him in the Expanse.
Confused about his feeling for the avatar and Kara, Sean is forced to choose which one is more important as they race to solve the mystery before becoming the next casualties of the war.