Steg de Coeur, severely wounded, is transported back in time to an Imperial hospital starship. He recovers physically, thanks to the efforts of Dr. Yi and her nurses. However, he has lost his memory and is unable to account for his presence on board the starship. ImpSec charge him with spying and sentence him to death. Steg is off-loaded in chains and transported to a prison run by the House of Aluta where he will be scheduled for execution.
His sword, Ebony, has its own adventure.
Steg escapes the prison when a mercenary commander recruits prisoners who have been sentenced to death. He establishes himself as a potential mercenary officer while gradually recovering his memory. He discovers the mercenaries, lured into a trap by their alien strategist, are about to engage with Xesset starships. He has to contend with betrayal, a Charion priestess, and divided loyalties of the mercenaries. Fain help with his memory recovery and his computer-controlling ability returns.
Steg takes over leadership of the mercenary force and with his own Ebony Company is tasked with the capture of a freighter loaded with munitions. He must defeat its Xesset escort and also overcome their dreadnought sent to destroy the mercenaries and capture their client’s planet.
