It's been just six months since the unprovoked, brutal attack on Inoria that killed tens of thousands. The enemy has paid a price in the deep-space skirmishes since, but seems in no mind to retire. But, what, in fact, is the enemy mind? What, in the end, do they want ? Carol Hansen and her Antares shipmates are going back to solve the mystery they found at Beta Hydri, taking a retinue of academics with them. David Powell survived Sigma's battle, dragging that battered ship to safety. Now promoted and on Columbia with his old friend Dan Smith in command, a new role, indeed, a new life, begins for him. Joanne Henderson's Intrepid continues its silent mission among the nearby stars, while Natalie Hayden and Ben Price begin to find connections beyond what happens inside a Sentinel. But back at Fleet HQ, there is growing frustration about how to run a war when a light-year-per-day just doesn't seem nearly fast enough.