Corrigan is a throwback; a misfit; a starship captain with the heart of a seafaring mariner. His skills as an engineer and navigator are unparalleled — he's just not terribly good at being human. Perhaps that's why he plies his trade between the rim-worlds and the Vega Station with only a clockwork robot for company. But when his estranged daughter goes missing on the wreck of a star liner, Corrigan is faced with a stark choice — leave her to die, or attempt a rescue that would surely destroy his relationship with her for ever. The Cyberons however, care little for Corrigan's choices — with two million new subjects to convert and an unlimited supply of power, they are poised to attack the Vega Station. It will be the first staging post in a decisive war against humanity.