The USS Reprisal had been adrift for three cycles. Its crew of twelve, led by Captain Mira Velez, survived on recycled protein paste and the static hiss of a dead comms array. Their crime? Downloading a forbidden database of pre-Collapse terraforming codes—a treasure the Interstellar Copyright Federation (ICF) called "piracy."

"You have the codes," Sarya said. Not a question.

Ensign Tago zoomed in on the long-range scanner. "One. No transponder. Flying a Jolly Roger—skull and crossbones, but with a cracked hard drive for an eye."

Mira smiled. Downloadpirate —the ghost ship every rogue data-jockey whispered about. Captained by the legendary Sarya "The Seed" Kovac, who believed information wanted to be free. The ICF had put a trillion-credit bounty on her head.

Mira stared at the flickering screen. The data was their only bargaining chip. "Any ship on the horizon?" she asked.

When the ICF ship limped away, Sarya turned to Mira. "You have two choices. Join us, or take a shuttle to the nearest colony and live quiet."