When a running battle brings the Fafnir home to earth, it ends with the death of a trusted friend—and a new focus on what comes next for Van and his crew. The Guild is rotten. It must be changed. It must be healed. But to do that, Van will have to marshal resources on a scale he's never considered, and that means calling in favors from friends. With the Schegith fleet in training, and the Conoku itching to get back into the fight, Van has a clear plan for what he has to do—which is the one thing he doesn't want to do. The time for war is here. The time for change is now. A new leader is needed, and Van will discover if he can take control of Yotov's criminal empire—and save the victims across known space.