On a dying world along the galactic fringe, Quinton awakens inside a failing agricultural robot. His memories are fragmented, his human body is gone, and he has no idea who brought him back or why. He soon discovers that generations have passed since the great federations fell. Humanity has fractured into isolated colonies, mercenary powers, and ruthless salvage empires. Autonomous war machines still patrol the stars, hunting Personality Matrix Constructs like Quinton on sight.

Lt. Commander Elias Browning's military career was over, or so he thought. When a secret research colony is discovered by a ruthless enemy, Elias must take command of a small battle group. Outclassed and outgunned, Elias must find a way to stop a superior enemy fleet from enslaving his people, but how can he succeed where every other star union in the galaxy has failed?

On a dying world along the galactic fringe, Quinton Aldren awakens in the body of an archaic android that’s barely operational. He has only vague memories of who he was and no idea what has happened. Everyone is gone and autonomous mechs are hunting for him. As remnants of the old federations struggle to survive after a devastating war, old alliances are eradicated, leaving warlords and mercenaries to fill the void. When a powerful mercenary discovers Quinton’s origin, he’ll stop at nothing to capture and enslave him.

Quinton finally has a body of his own, a ship under his command, and the fragile beginnings of trust from a crew that still fears what he is. Then another Personality Matrix Construct awakens. Nash Harper is confused, damaged, and trapped inside a machine never meant to hold a human mind. Quinton refuses to abandon him. But as Harper's instability spirals, so does the terrifying possibility that the PMCs blamed for shattering the old galactic order were exterminated for good reason. And Harper is only the first.

Admiral Quinton Aldren has finally found the means to fight back, but even that may not be enough. The Sentinel fleets outnumber his forces more than fifty to one, and they are no longer hunting scattered survivors. They are massing for a galaxy-spanning incursion that will leave no world untouched. Quinton’s only hope lies in a fragile alliance of bitter enemies, salvagers, mercenaries, and refugees. They have ships and weapons but lack the discipline and unity to survive what’s coming.