When the colony of New Caledon capitulates to the tyranny of Galactic Unification, Gillan Beyer finds his life altered irrevocably. After his wife is murdered in a sniper attack, he falls under the notice and protection of the Rebel faction that opposes Unification. Finding himself embroiled in their schemes, he struggles to maintain his autonomy and integrity. He learns dark secrets; about the Rebel and Unification, about the circumstances surrounding his wife's death. Inadvertently he helps set into motion the events that bring the power struggle to a climax, and finds he must ultimately decide which side to support and whom he can trust.