When Commander Mills scheduled her retirement she had no idea she'd be hunting the Admiral responsible for killing eight hundred souls. Guilt plagues her in her final days as an active duty officer but she's had one too many close calls as a seasoned marine and commander aboard ASMS Peritus. She wants a life outside of military service, before it is too late. Captain Lawes is on the fast track in the Allied Systems. He's the youngest Captain in the coalition, he has a commendation list as long as his arm and his ship is all he needs. But then Mills decides to retire. It throws him off course. Memories of a traumatic event come flooding back and send him into a tailspin. As Mills and Lawes are constantly thrust together in an attempt to catch the bad guy, they must come to terms with their feelings for each other. Mills watches as a highly skilled and beloved officer's mental state begins to deteriorate. She has to save him from himself. With the crew of the Peritus on a priority one mission, can the commander and the captain maintain evasive maneuvers? Or will they profess their love before everything is put at risk?