9 in David Drake's bestselling Republic of Cinnabar Navy space adventure series! Captain Daniel Leary with his friend
- & spy
- Officer Adele Mundy are sent to a quiet sector to carry out an easy task helping the local admiral put down a coup before it takes place But then the jealous admiral gets rid of them by sending them off on a wild goose chase to a sector where commerce is king & business is carried out by extortion & gunfights With anarchy & rebellion in the air a rogue intelligence officer plots the war that will destroy civilization & enlists the help of a brute whom even torturers couldn't stomach & of course it up to Leary & Mundy to put a stop to the madness!