Roman Centurion Arrius Marcus Niger (Arri) of the 9th Legion hadn't planned on dying in Britain. Lying in a cold bog, abandoned by his officers, and surrounded by dead cohorts. Unfortunately, that's exactly where he is--dying but not dead. Around the dismal battlefield British barbarians and other beings with their own plans roam about, killing...and worse. Dying had its own sort of honor--and Arri isn't sure he wants to survive the loss of all of his friends. The beings who find him don't give him that choice. Arri isn't interested in serving as a slave, but the Tuatha de Danann who "rescue"...

They are A'tuu'shahn'i, the Rim's mercenaries of choice, ancient, enigmatic shape-shifters rumored to be organic machines, possibly from a different dimension altogether. Invincible, implacable, unstoppable-except to an even more ancient, equally implacable enemy from within. For the crew of the patrol ship Baidarka, finding A'tuu'shahn'i warriors on a routine rescue mission is a disaster. Having to work with them is even worse, especially as both human and A'tuu'shahn'i are only waiting for the betrayal they are certain will come too soon.