First published 2021
Jackson Rook once piloted exosuit mechs as a war hero fighting the Collectivist regime. Now he smuggles contraband aboard the Multipurpose Supply Vehicle Tar Heel. His current job seems straightforward: steal an advanced mech called the Citadel and transport it to Swindle, a planet where the atmosphere itself proves lethal. The client calls himself the Warlord and pays well enough that Rook knows not to ask questions. But when Rook witnesses the Warlord's brutal treatment of Swindle's population, memories of his homeworld's oppression under the Collectivists resurface. Despite his criminal lifestyle, Rook draws the line at enabling tyranny. The smuggler's mercenary exterior conceals the warrior's code that once drove him to fight for freedom. Now he must decide whether profit matters more than principle.
Genres: science-fiction, military-fiction, adventure, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, redemption
Setting: Swindle, Collectivist Regime
Period: Future
439 pages · Hardcover · Baen
Content warnings: violence