Lost and alone is an uncharted region of space, American astronaut John Crichton has found refuge of a sort aboard Moya, a living starship sheltering a fractious band of bizarre alien beings. But now Moya is dying of pernicious infection, and the only cure in light-years belongs to the leader of a vicious band of space pirates. Crichton and his mismatched companion must strike a bargain with the dreaded Free-Trader, Jansz, or else perish along with their vessel. An already perilous situation escalates to open warfare when Rygel XVI, deposed ruler of a vast interstellar empire, discovers that his long-lost love is being held captive by the pirates. Will Rygel let his own pride and passion place Crichton, Aeryn, and the others in mortal jeopardy? Of course he will...

The pleasure planet Liantac was once the greatest gambling resort in the Unchartered Territories. Even now, having fallen on hard times, it remains a spectacle of glitz and greed. Astronaut John Crichton and his fellow interstellar fugitives see Liantac as the source of much-needed supplies—except for Rygel, whose boundless avarice is tempted by the promise of easy riches. Imagine his shock, then, when he loses their starship, Moya, in a game of chance! To discharge the debt, and liberate their ship from the planetary authorities, Crichton, Aeryn, and the others must take on a number of challenging assignments. But all is not what it seems, for treachery and deadly intrigue hides within this... House of Cards .

Lost and alone in unknown territory, astronaut John Crichton has found a refuge of sorts aboard Moya, a vast living starship sheltering a fractious band of bizarre alien fugitives. Now Moya and her squabbling inhabitants have run afoul of a mysterious space vessel that only seems to be deserted. In truth, the ship belongs to a race of strange astral entities who lure the unlucky wayfarers into their clutches. Desperate to fulfill an ancient prophecy, the crew of the "ghost ship" will stop at nothing to escape their limbo-like existence, forcing Crichton and the others to brave the mystic terrors of an alien realm in order to free the restless spirits-not to mention themselves!