Garrand Ai'Gonet Médeville once commanded immense power and respect as one of the Emperor's favored sons. Now the former Captain of the Imperial Guard has lost himself deep in the lawless outer reaches of Carinaena's Shell, far from the Emperor's reach. Accepting a dangerous mission to transport 37 stolen bios sets him on a collision course with the empire he once served and the dark forces intent on destroying his mysterious cargo. The Tchelakov 37 are only three generations removed from their humble beginnings as fat, furry mammals. They have been genetically engineered to become living probability engines-intuitive machines. Precognitive awareness is the tribe's legacy, a blessing so coveted that it threatens to destroy them before they even have a chance to understand it. Pursued across the stars, the tribe sees all paths leading to unbearable darkness. A slender thread of hope wends through their dreams: a man will arrive, a reluctant and destructive hero. They must see beyond this man's ragged past and recognize the honor in his heart. And they must survive long enough to unlock his true nature and start him down the Path of Fate.