Our story opens in the year 1126 of the Imperial Calendar. Storm Fury pilots with call signs ‘Rookie’, ‘Maniac’, and ‘Eight Ball’ patrol an asteroid belt in the border system of Stelanor, near likely enemy jump entry points.

The Caprian subsector is in turmoil. The war began a year ago after the CCP (Caprian Confederate Planets, or just “Confederate”) assassinated the royal family on the protectorate system of Gedi, a highly valued planet due to the discovery of lucrative anagathic drug components. Lord Ormon Vissarion, who survived the assassination attempt, took on the ducal title after his father was killed. Many pilots are veterans of battles against the Confederates over the past year, with some even having fought in the larger Ktal war a few years ago. Rookie, however, has yet to land his first kill.

The pilots are stationed on the HGS (His Grace’s Ship) Valiant, a fleet ship and starcraft carrier. Due to the war, there is a supply shortage, and Eight Ball has generously offered to use his chrome-finished fighter, The Roadrunner, to fight in the fleet.

Maniac picks up a sensor reading of an approaching enemy squadron. The heroes quickly engage and manage to destroy them all, with Rookie securing his first kill. Venturing further to scout for an enemy carrier, they encounter two more waves of enemy ships. Finally, they come across an enemy carrier, unprotected by fighter ships. They strafe the ship, dealing enough damage to force the enemy carrier to jump to jumpspace to escape.

As the heroes prepare to return, they discover that some enemy fighters have been left behind, including a trio of highly skilled pilots. Eight Ball is forced to eject after his ship sustains fatal damage. From his spacesuit, drifting in the vacuum of space, Eight Ball watches as The Roadrunner explodes beneath him.

The heroes cut their losses and return home after rescuing Eight Ball, having destroyed the elite enemy ships and watching the remaining enemy ships scatter.

Rookie is given the call sign ‘Sidewinder’ and is celebrated by his fellow pilots, who haze him by making him binge drink. Sidewinder makes it to his tenth beer—nearly a record—before falling unconscious.

Later that night, Sidewinder makes his way to the infirmary to get some meds for his hangover. Nurse Cassiopeia is on duty and gives him a wonder drug that takes away the headache but leaves him slightly euphoric. Cassiopeia confides that she is the daughter of a famous Confederate admiral, but her mother left him due to his brutal and abusive personality. Cassiopeia was only a child at the time, and her family illegally entered Imperial space and assumed new identities. She is afraid of what will happen if the truth about her background comes to light.

The next day, Cassiopeia sits next to Sidewinder in the mess hall, where he advises her to tell the captain her true story.