The stealth war has only begun.

Admiral James Henry faces a serious dilemma. Curall has already made deep inroads throughout Independent Space. While distracted fighting the League, the Jalm'tar Empire waged a clandestine war using the highly addictive substance—with far deadlier consequences.

Billions across the galaxy face an excruciating death without a constant supply of the drug for which there is no known antidote. To keep the tap flowing, one planet's leadership intends to roll the dice and adopt the Jalm'tar's terms despite their onerous constraints.

If they fall, others are doomed to follow.

As news reaches him of the scheduled vote, Admiral Henry is once again forced to call on his former crew. The Venture Star must infiltrate an autocratic empire bent on the Sagittarius Arm's subjugation. But when one of their own is caught in the Curall net, the race is on to discover the Jalm'tar's secret ace in the hole.

Before time runs out.