In the outer solar system near Saturn, James Holden and the crew of the ice-freighter Canterbury, investigate a distress call from a mysterious derelict ship, the Scopuli. On Ceres Station, Detective Miller begins an off the book investigation of a missing heiress, Julie Mao.

Holden and crew find themselves in the middle of a desperate battle while still aboard the Martian battleship. Miller’s partner, Havelock, goes missing.

Miller gains valuable information from a hidden data cube. Holden and his crew learn their host’s agenda.