Without any additional crap, being a pilot in Confed territory is hard enough. Yet, for the longest time Ember Coppa wanted the reins of a good ship, and now she has them. But did they have to come to her under these circumstances? Why couldn’t her luck have held? For her, things begin to get out of hand the moment Jake Snow shows up. War, profiteering, and greed are a bad mixture. Jake makes them a hobby. His arrival signals an impending clash. Considering the players on both sides, this is a battle Coppa knows her side can’t win. Can she bar complete annihilation? Will her joining the fight even make a difference? More than ever, staying nimble is still a must. She’ll need a cool head and a steady hand to find a way out of this mess. She can’t afford any mistakes; lives depend on her. When her luck runs out will her brother Gideon’s help make a difference? She’s the only one who knows the terrain and tactics needed just to survive, let alone win. She’ll have to convince Major Richardson she can not only fight with seasoned soldiers, but lead them as well. But can she trust him? Betrayal sucks and can hurt like hell. Oh, well, though these men look like a bad poker hand, sometimes you have to play the cards you’re dealt. Nothing for it, she’ll have to make the best use of them. Are they worthy? Is that really the smart thing to do? She’ll have to find out along the way because time has run out for Ember Coppa.