Adrana and Arafura Ness once dreamed of travel, adventure and wealth. Now they own the Avenger space sailboat, but together with the ship, the sisters inherited the monstrous reputation of its former owner. Forced to wander through the gloomy backyards of inhabited space, they come up with a plan that will allow them to return to the hospitable lands, and then solve the most important mystery for humanity of the thirteen Settlements, find out how and why centers of civilization arose in the vicinity of the Old Sun. But this is a very difficult task when old and new enemies are on the heels, and the ominous shadow of a pirate captain is inseparable from his ship.