The USS Farragut leads a ragtag convoy of ships fleeing relentless pirate attacks along a trade route in the Shackleton Expanse. The pirates, calling themselves the Pilgrims of the Veil, are more than mere marauders: they are zealots seeking transcendence through death. Amidst this chaos, Captain Ayres and Commander Parr struggle to protect their people, their ideals, and their growing feelings for each other.