Artist Sienna thought she and her partner, Cyperus, had escaped the war between the LSF planetary alliance and the Pax Romana empire, but now a plea from their friends might draw them back in.

Gentiana arrives, bringing with her the sentient AI Penstemon. They need Cyperus's help to find Pen's daughter: a non-sentient copy of Pen made without the AI's consent and stolen by LSF. Cyperus, restless in retirement, jumps at the chance to return to intelligence work and rescue her, leaving Sienna behind.

After months of silence, Sienna receives a distress call: Cyperus has found Pen's daughter, but they're trapped deep inside LSF territory. He needs Sienna: LSF reveres the painters of its grand propaganda murals, and would easily grant her and her party travel authorization if she goes undercover as one. Can Sienna overcome her dark history with LSF to rescue both Pen's daughter and the man she loves?