Valentinian just wants to make a living hauling cargo between planets and stations. His new charter promises to be profitable, hauling an all-girl band all over the Dominion. But trouble starts before they take off, and Valentinian has just hired a crewman with a shadowy past, big muscles, and the sort of military training that only the Dominator’s Elite Assault Cavalry wields. What else could possibly go wrong?

Suvi survived for thousands of years, waiting for humans to return. The salvager Doyle works hard to make a buck, with a healthy fear of sentient robots. Can they overcome their distrust and fears? Is the galaxy ready for them to unleash the future?

Henri sets out across space to find the perfect wood for his violins. However, star travel takes time, as humanity still digs itself out of the Great Darkness. On his quest, he gets help both from his shipmates and his muse, the unreachable lady of his dreams. Until his visions lead him to Suvi, the last genie in the last bottle, and they forever alter the course of human civilization.

Jessica Keller has a reputation as a maverick commander. It almost got her court martialed. Now, it has gotten her a new command in an obscure sector, with orders to ignite a new front in the eternal war. But her old nemesis, Imperial Admiral Emmerich Wachturm, stands in her way. Worlds will fall before their feud ends, but only if she can forge her crew of strangers into a weapon. Otherwise, disaster looms.

When pirates commandeer Javier's starship, they give him a choice: corpse, slave, or volunteer. Javier chooses to survive as well as keep his honor and his sanity intact. However, when things get rough, will he save the pirates from someone even worse?