Starship of the Ancients

After an undercover investigation goes bad, ex-soldier Evan hopes to forge a new life on a remote colony world. But when the transport ship explodes in orbit, his plans for a peaceful early retirement go out the airlock. He crash-lands with a small group of settlers, away from the target site, and with limited resources. Unable to call for help off-world, Evan and the mission's xenobiologist Anya race for survival in the dangerous wilds—until they realize they aren't alone on the planet.

Evan and Anya flee Aethos with a target on their backs. Unfortunately, the ship's sentient AI is missing thousands of years of history and is just as surprised to be on the run. As they search for the ship's makers, Evan and Anya soon discover that the interstellar plot to transform the Commonwealth with alien tech runs much deeper than they'd ever imagined.

Evan and Anya have brokered an unlikely alliance among thieves. With their sights set on a hidden Syndicate base brimming with alien secrets, holding the team together long enough to claim the prize will be their greatest test yet. Leading a crew of outcasts, Evan and Anya stage a high-stakes raid to seize tech that could turn the tide against Chancellor Rostov's iron grip. However, when Conroy—long presumed dead—announces to the core worlds that he's alive and declares Rostov a usurper, the Commonwealth erupts in chaos. As dissidents rally, the crew faces a regime desperate to crush them.