While Xard works to secure a mysterious vessel that may hold clues to his father's whereabouts, schemes within schemes begin to fracture the system's political stability. As good-hearted people become unwitting pawns in a larger game, new obstacles begin to form in securing his path home. With cybernetically enhanced Magali warriors and biologically enhanced Sentia agents rising to challenge him, will Xard's growing understanding of the signal be enough to overcome them?
Meanwhile, Shay begins to come to terms with Tai's existence and starts running interference for Xard. When she uncovers a larger plot to unleash a murderous horde of psychopaths on her unsuspecting home world, she must ultimately choose between her family's security or yielding to the greater good. As secrets begin to emerge within every faction, the stage is set for the puppeteers to make their final move, but are they really the ones pulling the strings?