Kril Granger has gathered a good crew and managed to finish a profitable job. But things are a little too hot in their usual regions, so it's time to pick up stakes and head coreward. Along the way, they'll be passing through the dark spaces of the galaxy and turning up threats ranging from overprotective AIs to invasive nano-using overlords. All this while dealing with a mixed, quarrelsome crew that would rather die than give up their secrets. It's a hard life being a scrapper. It's a harder death if they get it wrong...