3105 - The Second Interstellar War has waged across space for eight years. The Joint Defence Campaign, consisting of the United Worlds Accord and its allies, has committed all available ships and personnel against the expansionist Æsynja Empire... But will it be enough? ....
Framed by the traitorous Prospero Congress, McAlmatov, Demetriou, Gainsborough, Majorette and Pol flee Pluto for the Oberon Torus, an outsystem backwater. There they meet the crew of the pirate ship Easy Rider, which ferried Demetriou to Sol system from his failed mission in the Lyra system.
The Navy apprehends McAlmatov, who then finds himself in a forced simulation for interrogation.