The Empire is splitting on the seams. THE FANTASTIC Houses won’t obey the Throne Globe and have begun to conduct increasingly self-employed politics. Sensing the weakness from the central authorities, even the most loyal star systems of the Imperial Core are refusing to consider purchases from above. Is certainly this just a string of coincidences, or a coordinated advertising campaign?

May a disjointed mankind rally around a solid leader to deflect an alien invasion? Who of the many numbers in intergalactic politics can rise to the challenge? And is there a basis to the creeping rumours that some important aristocrats have became a member of forces using the foe and allied using the aliens?