Events on Naraka leave Grayson exhausted but hopeful. The invaders may not be as unstoppable as he thought, and the entire weight of the Alliance is about to enter the fray. Rejoining the Navy should bring closure to his ordeal and allow him to return to his life as a pilot. Except his mesh partner is still stranded on a freezing planet. Except his past refuses to let go of his future. Except the man he trusted to rally the defenses...