When a steel trap of celestial and infernal politics threatens to close around them, Shax and Verin flee Earth's system in a stolen ship, leaving everything behind. It's an elegantly simple plan, with a new ship and a new life as carefree brigands among the stars.But the ship seems to hate them, and in order to have any sort of life they need funds. A frightened man offering them a contract to deliver three mysterious crates comes just in time, and...