Freighter Captain Jess Sondijk has her life under control until the Confederacy's Admiral Hudson boards her ship in a search for contraband. Sondijk and Hudson have their own set of questions. For Jess, it's a matter of her husband's perhaps not so accidental death. For Hudson, it's that somebody's trading with the alien Ptorix - and offering them a large enough prize to induce them to part with their beloved starhearts, the jewels they call the windows of the soul. While Jess' interests are more personal - abducted friends and family - Hudson's are broader - the end of his career at best and interspecies war at worst - in a deadly game of political intrigue, murder, and greed. Which will win, following hearts' desires or chasing starhearts, with the stakes higher than either is willing to pay? "This book contains sex scenes and strong language. "