Academy graduate Natalya Regyri stood first in line for her pick of Engineering Officer jobs, until, at the graduation party, a classmate turned up dead. Now, betrayed by her friends and framed for murder, she must flee beyond the reach of the Confederation...and any semblance of civilized society. With a damaged second-hand ship and TIC interceptors dogging her step, she nets a smuggling contract that might just get her back on her feet and in control of her destiny. But only if she's willing to make an ore run back to the place she's wanted for murder, and into the arms of the authorities... ...who somehow know she's coming.

A new ship. A young crew. A dream job gone horribly wrong. When circumstances drive Zoya and Natalya to accept an offer from the most powerful organization in the Western Annex, it looks like their ship - literally - comes in. The job fails to live up to its promise and the pair soon find themselves fighting for their lives against a booby trapped ship and its unseen master. Will they unmask their enemies and survive their Suicide Run?

Two women. One mission. Do what ever is necessary. In this final volume of the Smuggler's Tales, Natalya and Zoya wind up on a mission of mercy back into Toe-Hold space to find out why one of Usoko Mining company's smelters has gone dark. They find an expanding cloud of debris, a crippled ship, and a fleet of mining barges that can't leave the system.