Captain Jorm Velemn has made a career out of keeping his head down, hauling cargo across the galaxy, and staying far away from the Galactic Union he turned his back on so many years ago. But when he accepts what seems like another routine transport contract with a payout too large for him to refuse, Jorm unwittingly becomes the centerpiece of a covert prisoner transfer that the Union has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep secret. The mission unravels when hostile forces attack, and as his ship becomes a battleground, the truth behind the Union's deception finally surfaces. His crew, his vessel, and his tarnished past have all been manipulated by powers he thought he'd escaped. Caught in a firefight he never asked for, Jorm quickly realizes that someone he trusted has been working against him all along—orchestrating a betrayal that reaches deeper than he could have ever imagined. Now, Jorm must decide how far he's ready to go for answers—and what he's willing to sacrifice for the one person in his life who still matters.