The battle of Bollam's World is over, but war now looms over the Orion Arm of the galaxy. The arrival of the most powerful ship in human space is about to set the galaxy on fire.
Bollam's War
The battle of the five fleets rages in the space surrounding Kithari in the Bollam's World system. Throughout, a specter, barely detectable, slips through the battle, sowing dormant missiles, and unleashing devastating attacks on the enemy. That ship is the Andromeda and Joseph Evans is at its helm. It is up to them, at the end, to be the one ship which stands between the Intrepid and the Boller's zealous admiral, Senya.
Sentience
Tanis knew that Bob would not tolerate enslaved AIs on his ship, and that tolerance has come to an end. Through Priscilla he makes an offer to the human and AI crew of Sabrina that they cannot refuse. Through that offer, Sabrina and the other AI aboard her ship learn of the AI Expanses and what communion with their kind really means. Their evolution charts a new course for Sabrina and not everyone will make it to Ascella.
Set the Galaxy on Fire
News of the Intrepid's decisive victory in Bollam's World spreads across the Orion arm and beyond, into the Transcend faster than the speed of light. The President of the Hegemony of Worlds, often called the AST, learns of her fleet's loss and pledges to find the Intrepid no matter where it has gone. In the Spica Federation, and old friend of Sera's sees the news and knows that she has to help her friend, lest she fall into a trap and lose everything she loves. Lastly, beyond the Inner Stars on the far side of the Orion Nebula, General Garza learns of the Intrepid's appearance and begins to muster The Orion Guard for a war which will span all of settled space.
The Transcend
Sera left The Hand, the Transcend government's black-ops unit years ago, but when their director learns of what she has done, he convenes a meeting to ensure she is returned to the fold-one way or another. Sera's former lover, Mark, is determined to get on the mission, even if it means he will have to travel with Sera's older sister across three thousand light-years.