Synopsis: About to launch his newly finished cloudship on its maiden voyage, Pov Janusz should have been content. But the consortium alliance was an uneasy one indeed, threatened by centuries-long hatreds and rivalries. At any moment one or more of his partners could back out of the enterprise, leaving Pov too shorthanded to continue their mission into the uncharted sector of the Orion Nebula. Even his own crew was divided by former allegiances. And several of his 'allies' had already attempted to steal the secret of the new ship's drive - the very thing that made it possible for them to explore the Nebula. Beset by continuous challenges and the ever-present threat of desertion, could Pov lead his small and all-too-vulnerable fleet into the heart of the Nebula... and survive long enough to mine the treasures they'd find there? (adapted from the back cover of the first edition)