A colony world falls silent. Grace Gushiken is a grifter and a liar. Worse, she's an esper, an abhorrent creation of the Old Empire, on the run from the Republic's justice. Nathan Chevell captains the free trader Tyche. He's no pirate, but he's no white knight either. There's no business in helping strays. Thrown together on a mission to the edge of space, they find the doomed planet Absalom Delta deserted, its people enslaved by the insect-like Ezeroc. The aliens have descended like locusts on humanity, consuming all in their path. No one is safe. Even the Republic Navy is powerless against them. With nothing but an aging starship running low on luck, Grace and Nate clash against the might of an alien kingdom. The Ezeroc have arrived, and they are hungry.… (more)