Hegemonic Explorer Scout Jim Powell stows away on the medical frigate Hippocrates and saves it from disaster at great personal cost.

Elite Janzur Therive extracts Dr. Sophia Symphony-Hayes from a secret research facility, only to have both of them caught up in the crash of the Hippocrates in the Ganfrey system.

The Farseer of Pierogi sends a band of Outworlders on a quest to save humanity from coming desctruction.

Dr. Voriig Kye's archaelogical expedition unearths the lost ship Hippocrates and makes the acquaintence of its surving passangers from 3 centuries earlier. A Tarn fleet attacks Pierogi; on the Orbital Station, a group of Outworlders activates a distress beacon, which summons the Hippocrates to their aid. The Tarn destroy all sentient life in the Pierogi system, except for the passengers aboard Hippcorates, who survive with the aid of an experimental medical technology. Rendered dependent on further treatment from Hippocrates, they form a motley Provisional Crew, and our story begins...