In this hardboiled science fiction novella set in the Shieldrunner Pirates universe, Ku Nel-Aoki sets out to learn why a colony ship is still docked after refueling. The reason turns Ku's comfortable life of crime upside down. A member of the organized crime group known as the Ceres syndicate has gotten arrested and the entire neighborhood's police force has been replaced. Ku's syndicate boss drops the whole mess in her lap. Now Ku has to clean it up before the police find a reason to put her in a cell too, or her boss gets impatient and kills everyone involved.

Praise for Barbary Station, a novel which takes place in the same universe as this story:

"This book is good fun. I really enjoyed this, and I bet you will, too." (Ann Leckie, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of Ancillary Justice)

"Grabs you in chapter one and doesn't let go." (Mur Lafferty, Award-winning author of Six Wakes)