The cold war between the Solar Empire and the Interstellar Combine has thawed, and the Empire has no choice but to engage in a fighting retreat. Yet at the center of the Hourglass Galaxy, a greater threat is building with the return of the Crossroads. The forces of the Encephalon gather and battle looms. Machinations, eons in the making, are coming to fruition with the return of the Crossroads. Control over this ancient relic will dictate the fate of all created species.
Robert Panzer, Simmonne Mandrake, and many more will shape, not only their own destinies but those of everyone around them. For the first time in a long time, Panzer faces his true weakness in the eyes of the storms that have darkened his life. With a new hope driving everyone forward, only true sacrifice can bring victory.