A conscientious objector sapient warshipA bioengineered lion on the runA human fighting for the truthStrike is the sapient machine intelligence of the Human Collective Starnavy frigate Thunderstrike. Strike's self-appointed mission is to fight human corruption, so he founded the Special Investigations Unit, a secret organisation. The Unit has uncovered a trail of corruption leading to Collective President Klas JorrakOne of his illegal projects is the Predatorbot Programme. Bioengineered female lion Snap was produced by that programme. Snap's mentor there, Nyla Vatan, smuggled Snap out. Snap has been hiding aboard Thunderstrike ever since. But Presidential elections are now just a Standard away, and Strike fears for the safety of Nyla and her sisters. His mission is to find them and take them to safety before the President orders them killed.