The United Terran Colonies are under attack. Desperate for pilots to combat the enemy raiders the Fleet puts out an all pilots call, hoping to fill their empty fighter squadrons. A call ignored by ex-con Radha Kaden, who figures she doesn't owe anyone anything. Since a pilot's life expectancy is slightly less than that of your average lemming, she steers well clear. Then a bar brawl violates the terms of her release and she has a choice. Go back to Acheron, the harshest prison facility in the combined systems, or pilot a fighter? Thanks to high casualty rates Wing Commander Davin McAvoy constantly needs new pilots. Dead men can't fly Valkyries nor can they protect the base or her crew. When he's told he's getting that rarest of creatures - an experienced pilot - he's ready to throw a party. Until he finds out not only is his new pilot an ex-con but she's a woman too. Both unforgiveable sins in Davin's book. Until he meets her and sparks that have nothing to do with the war fly?