Roy Olfetrie dreamed of becoming an officer in the Republic of Cinnabar Navy until his father's secret criminal enterprise was discovered. Forced to drop out of the Academy, Roy has given up - until he meets Captain Daniel Leary. With Leary and Mundy at his side, Roy finally has a chance to redeem himself. Plunged back into the fray, Roy must contend with slave traders, pirates and assassination attempts, as well as his own father's toxic legacy. But an even greater danger is on the horizon, as war with the Alliance is brewing once again...

"David Drake [is] the reason a lot of people got started reading military science fiction, because it's always a good idea to start with the best."--David Weber The jackals are moving in! The barbarians of the outer reaches intend to play both Cinnabar and Cinnabar's sworn enemy, the totalitarian Alliance, against each other and bring both empires down like an enormous house of cards. The barbarian pirates have commandeered and hot-rodded starships that can outmanoeuvre even Captain Leary's trusty RCN corvette. But speed and tech don't count for everything. The Princess Cecile has the...

Cinnabar's chief spymaster is a mother also--and her son is determined to search for treasure in the midst of a civil war. Who better to hold the boy's hand-and to take the blows directed at him-than Captain Daniel Leary, the Republic of Cinnabar Navy's troubleshooter, and his friend the cyberspy Adele Mundy? The only thing certain in the struggle for control of the mining planet Corcyra is that the rival parties are more dangerous to their own allies than to their opponents. Daniel and Adele face kidnappers, hijackers, pirates and a death squad-even before they can get to their real...