The Exodus is near. The supplies have been gathered, the passengers are boarded, and the mighty Olitau--the greatest ship ever built--is complete. But all Admiral Acteon can think about is the dead son before him, killed on a routine patrol above a planet far away. His legacy is surely shattered... until an unexpected visitor presents him with another option. An impossible option. On the planet's surface stands a boy caught between two rivaling worlds. Without the proper Academy marks Charlie has no hope of becoming a pilot for the Empire. Yet the Children of Saria, the sun-worshiping religious cult, refuse to trust someone raised in the privileged inner city. Until a mission surfaces that only Charlie can complete. Is this his chance to prove his value, or will he remain loyal to the world he grew up in? Does the survival of civilization rest in the decision of one boy?