While on Command Station, Adara works for Smith and Riley doing consulting work. She does a first flight which nearly kills her. Franklin investigates to discover sabotage and industrial espionage. Someone wants Adara dead - again. Orders come down, Adara and Decker are to seek out and meet with the Hettians. They are to return the Hettian prisoners to their home world. Adara objects but command is firm. The platform is to remain with Command. Saddled with a difficult diplomat, Adara follows orders. The Pritchard and her crew set out after repairs are made. Adara pulls in her brothers and her former Spiorad clan pilot to aid in the mission. While at Zed station, Rhia goes to investigate foreign material in a recycler. She discovers the vivisected remains of multiple people. The serial murder of indigent people from the station causes a delay in their mission. Adara puts fighters as protection on all her family. Dr. Nukpana is on the loose, trying to recruit Wayfarers and testing his formula on humans. Despite her best efforts, Maddock is kidnapped. Adara calls on all the Wayfarers on station to aid in his retrieval. Their meeting with Oakes does nothing to sooth Adara's worry, it only confirms what she already feared. A loss, a big loss is coming to her. Decker tries reassuring her but nothing eases her fear. Adara confronts the Spiorad clan and Tanner Sprit's father. He challenges her right to claim Tanner and his family. They fly to settle the challenge. Adara out flies him, getting him to concede his claim and offer aid in their mission. Discovering the Hettians space and home world, Adara aid in returning the Hettian prisoners to their own people. She denies the existence of the platform they had created. Negotiations fall apart ending with a threat from the Hettians followed swiftly by an attack. Everything Adara loves is threatened. Many she holds dear are at risk. Will she be able to save the Pritchard and her crew? Or will she lose all she loves again?