Returning to a hostile galaxy, Linuka learns that safe passage is never granted—only negotiated. As old allies reveal new limits and forgotten defenses resurface, every route home narrows, and every choice carries a price.

The Remnants were an alliance of necessity. The Assembly is a war of endurance. With no safe haven left, Linuka makes a dangerous choice—one that turns family, faith, and legitimacy into weapons. The next move won’t be subtle. It will be decisive.

The diin seedling grasped the grooves in the metal floor and slowly pulled itself upright. Linuka frowned. “I didn’t know they could move.” The air inside the freighter felt suddenly different, as if something had begun to grow where it shouldn’t.