Without integrity, authority is merely power. Without authority, a King is only a tyrant.

Damien Montgomery serves the Mage-King of Mars as a Hand: a troubleshooter, judge, and roving representative. Now, his duties have brought him home and into conflict with his fellows.

A Hand is dead in nuclear fire amongst the mountains of Mars. The conspiracy she served is broken and scattered, but Damien must know who they are and what drove them. What secrets could convince a Hand of the Mage-King to betray everything?

But even as Damien hunts the surviving conspirators, it is clear that someone else is hunting them—someone with no interest in prisoners or secrets.

Worse, the Council of the Protectorate, the single check on the power of the Mage-King and his Hands, has questions. They have the right to demand his answers, but the questioning quickly proves a kangaroo court.

To serve the Protectorate, Damien must find the people who betrayed him—and decide just what he is prepared to sacrifice to preserve all he is sworn to defend!

In celebration of the tenth anniversary of the first Starship's Mage novel, Glynn Stewart is proud to bring you this new revised edition. Please note that while this edition has been edited and revised for clarity, the story and events remain the same.