The truth is out. The galaxy is burning.

Three months after broadcasting the horrors of Project Chimera to the galaxy, the crew of the freighter Indira is no longer just running. They are a symbol. Under the reluctant command of Rae Jacobs, they have become the spark that lit a revolutionary fire-a fire now raging out of control. Systems are in open revolt, corporate sectors are cracking down with brutal force, and the rebellion they hoped to inspire is splintering into bitter, warring factions.

Haunted by the cost of their victory and the lives lost, Rae must transition from engineer to diplomat. She must navigate a minefield of cynical warlords, desperate planetary governors, and idealistic freedom fighters to forge a unified front from the ashes of the old order. But as she attempts to build a coalition, a new, more personal threat emerges from the corporate monoliths. His name is Silas Renner-a charming, ruthless specialist tasked with extinguishing the flames of rebellion by eliminating its source.

Hunted across the stars by an enemy who sees her not as a hero, but as a loose end, Rae is pushed to her breaking point. To secure the Wreckage Treaty and give the revolution a chance at survival, she must confront the crushing weight of leadership, the moral compromises of war, and the terrifying possibility that the only way to build a better future is to sacrifice a piece of her own soul.