The world had been a paradise until the Fall, when the holders of the control codes for the world-spanning program called "Mother" fell out in civil war.<BR>The United Free States felt well defended behind the screen of the elite Dragon carriers that held sway in the Atlantis Ocean. But when New Destiny proved to have dragon carriers of its own, and more of them, the linch-pin of the UFS defense went out the window.<BR>Now, with the UFS' back to the wall, everything seems to be going New Destiny's way. But there are problems.<BR>Edmund Talbot had never really studied naval warfare, but what he didn't know about war in general hadn't been written. So when he took over the UFS navy, at its moment of utter defeat, New Destiny's problems were just starting.<BR>And little did the instigator of the civil war, Paul Boman, know that this closet confidante was the daughter of the UFS' head of intelligence. Megan Travante, for four years mired in a concubine's harem, has been recruited to be an agent in the enemy camp. Of course, she's also planning on murdering Paul, just as soon as she gets the chance.<BR>Herzer Herrick, the UFS's premier ground fighter, has problems of his own. A man who's "good with his hands" he's also found he's good with a dragon. Which is why he's the XO of a dragon contingent instead of fighting in the front lines of the ground battle. With a crew of brand new pilots, undertrained dragons, untrained support personnel, the bitchiest dragon CO on Earth and a ship's commander who's half cat, he has enough problems for any one man. And then he gets an order that drops a whole passel more in his lap.<BR>The battle of dragon carrier on dragon carrier is about to start, with the fleets pursuing each other over half the Atlantis Ocean in a game of cat-and-mouse. But all the cats are on the side of the UFS.