Love is worth a galaxy of trouble.

Pann is a teeming city on the edge of habitable space, the final stop between a hostile Parliament and the safety of another solar system. Renée Bellevue, prefect of Pann's police service and disgraced exile, has her hands full. That is, if she remembers to work and isn't distracted by Lane, her favourite enigmatic bar owner. When a politician arrives on-planet to investigate a murder and capture two infamous activists, Renée knows trouble is incoming. Looking the other way will earn her a clean slate and return passage home—at a price that grows steeper each day.

As an unwelcome "mod"—a human with implanted tech—Lane Kovacs fled to Pann with her sister. Running a bar isn't the best use of her scientific background, but it's mindless and uncomplicated. Until she's stuck with a priceless ticket out, her thieving ex reappears, and a scheming Parliamentarian monitors her every move. Her ex offers escape and freedom. Tempting, if not for Renée, the unexpected emotional variable upsetting the equation.

One misstep means arrest or death, but hope beckons bright as the stars. Lane and Renée must decide what they really want, even if it means parting for good.