Book excerpt: Since the failure of the interplanetary communications system, the ages-long peace within the Republic of the Sphere has begun to shatter. Power-hungry factions—such as the Steel Wolves—are raiding vulnerable worlds to establish their own rule. As a gateway to Earth, the planet of Northwind has strategic value, making it an exposed target to the splintering factions emerging across The Republic—and Duchess Tara Campbell will not allow her home to fall into enemy hands. Offering military assistance, The Republic sends Paladin Ezekiel Crow and his fully armed BattleMech to help defend Northwind. MechWarrior Anastasia Kerensky, she of the infamous bloodline, has her sights set on possessing Northwind, and what Anastasia wants, Anastasia usually gets. But first she must contend with the deadly politics of the Steel Wolves before she embarks on a conquest that could lead to the very heart of the republic itself.