Young Jim Endicott has but one dream -- to attend the Solis Space Academy, the gateway to the stars and the far-flung civilization known as the Confederation. But unbeknownst to Jim, he has a secret encoded in his DNA. A secret that threatens an empire. Jim's Academy application sets of an explosive chain of terror, hurling the young man into an adventure beyond his wildest dreams. With the help of a beautiful fellow outlaw named Cat, who is as tough as she is tender, Jim begins to unravel the shocking truth about his own origins -- and uncovers the fatal deception that has split a bitter humanity into warring factions bent on mutual annihilation.