Lieutenant Junior Grade Paul Sinclair must adjust to his new position on the warship USS Michaelson--juggling his Legal Officer responsibilities and his intensifying relationship with girlfriend Jen Shen.

When an explosion takes out most of Forward Engineering, Sinclair leads the effort to extinguish the fire. He's practically a hero. But when Captain Shen, Jen’s father, is brought in to conduct an investigation, it seems that he’s gunning for his daughter’s suitor. Soon Sinclair uncovers evidence that points to a cover-up—involving a rising star in the officer corps. His evidence is circumstantial, and the suspect is the son of a powerful vice admiral. He's determined to see justice done, but is he willing to risk his name, his career, and his future among the stars?