Two years have passed since the Vegan warships abandoned Cysda, giving the colony and its new president Ember D'Mitra time to rebuild. But Ember knows the peace won't last. Commander Cynthiett will return to once again plunge the Cysdan colonies into war. Sure enough, Cynthiett's warship does indeed appear in the skies above Cysda during the ceremony celebrating the second anniversary of the colony's victory. Ember, however, is confident they can defend their freedom, until their defense lasers are destroyed by one single fighter. Still Ember refuses to give up until Cynthiett shows her a man from her past, a man whom she has known and loved since before the beginning of time. But how is that possible? Is Cynthiett playing a cruel joke or is Arik Austin truly alive?