The past isn't the only thing that won't stay dead. Hiding from his violent history as a revered Void necromancer within the Sparnell Confederation, single father Shane Lawrence has finally built a quiet life. On the freehold planet of Baden he can pour his energy into the only thing that now matters: the safety and upbringing of his precocious son, Jake. All too soon, the Confederation targets Baden for annexation, confronting Shane once more with his treasonous past. Worse, the invading force is led by none other than Shane's manipulative former mentor, Admiral Kydell. Shane's every instinct screams to run, to hide Jake even further from Sparnell - but Baden is home. This time he could choose to make a stand and defend the entire planet, not just his son. But that means turning to the very skills he swore he'd leave behind... In Spite of the Inevitable is the first installment in the five-book Mordena Dawn space opera fantasy series, detailing the founding of the costly Mordena mercenaries and their rise from piratical deserters to ferocious and effective defenders of the independent Freehold planets. When powerful galactic empires seek to devour innocents whole, there's no hired force better prepared to stand against them. The Mordena Dawn Series: In Spite of the Inevitable Spirits of the Relentless Ambitions of Atonement In Pursuit of Reckoning Grim Reminders