Summary

In the distant star cluster Messier 4, the civilization of the Apeilous is welcoming its newest member states. Wary of the precedent set by the now eleven-year-old State of Atayuma-Eins (SVF), the Apeilous political elite rush to crush conflict wherever it arises. A relentless war on terror has raged in the Far-North for nearly five years.

Natan Saulnier, an Atayuman and new engineering graduate, has secured his dream job at the Fortuna Development Yards (FDV). In a year-long rotation, he works at every key FDV office in the North, building his future in the Fortuna Conglomerate and unearthing the true scope of the military-industrial complex in his state.

Phoebe Martin is a dear friend to the Chancellor and head of security for the Chancellor’s daughter, Valentia. She has seen SVF grow from an idea into one of the most powerful states in the Apeilous. As Valentia comes of age, she and Phoebe tour SVF and its many corporate, cultural, and government institutions. From the Chancellor’s Palace on the arid planet of Corben Six to the newly reformed capital of the Tressel State, to the embattled water world of Edessa, Phoebe guides Valentia through her discovery of the scope of her future domain and the power she will wield over it.