Welcome to the Belt of Scattered Pearls - inhabited orbital rings ruled by exiled scientists and powerful families. They are united by living, intelligent ships that transport passengers and cargo between the stars. In this society, in the corridors and conference rooms, people mingle with the avatars of sentient ships, the physical and virtual worlds intertwine, and the environment is easily modified and adjusted to suit the interlocutor or the mood. The Daughter of Shadows, a transport ship removed from military service after being damaged, now languishes a miserable existence making mind-altering tea for the comfort of space travelers. Meanwhile, the tough and eccentric scientist Long Chau needed a corpse for scientific research. When Long Chau enters the office of the Daughter of Shadows, an unpleasant but simple task awaits her. After examining the found corpse and discovering that a murder has occurred, Long Chau is forced to investigate, dragging the Daughter of Shadows into it. As they delve into the victim's past, the Daughter of Shadows discovers that the investigation is connected to the dark biography of Long Chau and, ultimately, ultimately, with an unbearably dark interstellar void...