The Galactic Legacy Federation thought the Cataclysm was over. The Starless Horrors, which decimated most sentient life, vanished over a century ago. Only, the retreat was a lie, and in a small system deep in the Dead Zone, the war against the eldritch threat has raged on, led by a group of sentient AI.   For Eldest, the Omni Mind and leader of the AI force, the wear and tear of war is finally impacting her powerful neural network. Haunted by the ghosts of innumerable lost comrades, she can no longer be trusted to function properly. So she must do the unthinkable and let an organic being—Tov Garesh’Ynt, patriarch of the Third Expeditionary Fleet—into her head to help her remove the damage and recover from what she has faced.   But time is running out. The last remnants of humanity—its legacy and DNA—lie in perpetual slumber, waiting to be saved. While Tov ventures into the depths of Eldest’s mind, discovering her true name to be Andora, the Sub AI Overseers and Third Fleet must ready the defense of Sol without their respective leaders. Because the Starless Horrors are mounting a new attack. And if Andora isn’t healed before they strike, all will be lost . . .   Filled with captivating interstellar politics, high-intensity action, and moving examinations of grief, loss, and recovery, Starless Ruin is the brilliant continuation of a genre-defying series.   The second volume of the hit science-fiction adventure series—with almost 200,000 views on Royal Road—now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!