Description

After facing off against the deadly Zakadians on the trip from Taladin to Baraytha, Beka and Rena finally get a chance to defend themselves in court at the capital of the Galactic Confederacy. They use the proof they have accumulated to corroborate their version of events, from recordings to witness testimonies, but they encounter skepticism, betrayal and a solid foundation of damaging evidence supporting the prosecution’s case. Exhausted and battered, they fail to prove their innocence as they face off against a corrupt system manipulated by the powerful Junta. They, along with the Guardian squad, are sentenced to life on Relea, the mining planet where no one has ever escaped, and where the Junta’s hold is even stronger and more insidious.

Separated and exposed as members of the Defense Forces–a stigma that makes them a target for the criminals they are confined with–they are sent to various sectors of the prison, where they face unpredictable lava flows, poisonous fumes, and Junta agents in their midst. Not knowing who they can trust, they are forced to endure the harsh conditions and treacherous environment as the shadowy organizations seeks to learn where they’ve hidden the blackmail lists that would reveal their existence. Even Rena’s unique abilities are strained to their limits as they wait for a rescue that may never come.