Disaster has struck for the 12th Fleet – at the worst possible time. Admiral Cole and the Independence are gone, but their closest friends have no time to grieve. Now that Siroc has someone who knows the location of the Dyson Sphere, it looks like it’s only a matter of time before everything is lost.

But that’s not the only thing to worry about. The Romulans and Klingons have become restless and are beginning to talk of withdrawing from the effort against Siroc if Starfleet remains as leader of the campaign. With the walls closing in on all sides, Shelby must bear increasing pressure to win back the hearts and minds of Starfleet’s allies and contend with her shrinking pool of friends and family.