Zander and crew had been sent out to do the impossible: take back an Entoma-infested world.

No one thought they'd survive, much less make it back without enormous losses. Zander wasn't about to let the Assembly cost good men and women their lives, and he used practically every trick he had to ensure as few people died as possible.

The Assembly knew its folly when the ships arrived back at the Hub. Not only had the mission been successful, but it had also unmasked a major problem. Assemblyman Quipol Holidan had tried to send others into what he thought was a death mission. He'd even tried to help cover up the attempted assassinations of Zander and Lavella because his nephew had been behind the attempt. They'd been caught, and both Holidans were sentenced to death for their various crimes.

With the mission being a success, a new surge of hope rushed through the Assembly. New laws and regulations were enacted to open teaching positions for the pilots who'd come home. A new age of warfare for the Assembly was about to begin, but it wouldn't be as quick as some might hope.

The biggest change for Zander wasn't something for himself, but for Fractured Dreams. Veldiami negotiated an Assembly cruiser for her payment and planned to have Dreams moved over to the new ship. That would also necessitate hiring new pilots and crew, both for the much larger ship and due to existing crew members stepping away to retire or teach.

It was time to start anew with fresh faces, but also time to relax after the grueling mission they'd returned from. With the news of a reclaimed world about to spread, Zander hoped things would be calm for him. However, he was a realist and knew that not everything would be sunshine and roses. The only thing he didn't know was where the trouble would come from, or what form it would take.