The Empire can be seductive, particularly if you're an aspiring young pilot... Sharing a love of ships and an admiration for the Empire, childhood friends Thane Kyrell and Ciena Ree enroll in the Imperial Academy in the hopes of realizing their dream of joining the fleet. The more they learn, however, the more their loyalties--to the Empire and to each other--are put to the test. Will Thane and Ciena's friendship--or even they themselves--survive the trials ahead?