by David Weber
First published 2014
Anton Zilwicki and Victor Cachat stand in the shadows of Mesa, their faces altered by genetic modification. The two spies have already exposed the Mesan Alignment, a conspiracy that wants to rule humanity through genetic superiority. Their revelation has shattered old alliances across the galaxy. The Republic of Haven and the Star Empire of Manticore have ended their war to fight this common enemy together. But the Alignment still hides in darkness. Zilwicki and Cachat need more evidence to destroy it completely. They return to Mesa using genetic disguises, only to discover the conspiracy's true brutality exceeds even their expectations. Soon they flee through Mesa's criminal underground. The Alignment hunts them while the planet erupts in violence. Mesa's genetic slaves and their descendants rise against their oppressors after generations of suffering. The two agents must survive both the conspiracy's assassins and the chaos of revolution. If they succeed in gathering the final proof, they can eliminate an ancient evil from the galaxy and bring freedom to an enslaved world.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, action, espionage
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Mesa, Republic of Haven, Star Empire of Manticore
Period: 21st-century
581 pages · Hardcover · Baen
Content warnings: violence