Jack Gamble is a shattered man. His lover betrayed him. His contacts in the resistance are scattered. And his best friend may be dead. With the Galilei Empire closing in, Jack's ship is intercepted by mercenaries under the command of Captain Ben Stone. Can Jack turn Ben to his cause, or will Ben turn him? But Jack can't afford any emotional entanglements. Not now. He has a rebellion to win and a homeworld to reclaim before the planet and its people are lost to the Empire forever.