Baron Von Hess was once a sovereign. A deity. A devourer of celestial bodies.Now, following a 5,000-year stasis, he is merely cargo.Roused by a desperate smuggling cohort, the Baron discovers his empire in ruins and his world-ending capabilities, unstable. Pursued by a techno-theocratic Church, he is compelled to enter an unholy compact with the lesser beings who awoke him: Zeke, a necromancer whose power is more amalgamation than artistry, and Elara, a cyborg soldier who would sooner execute him than obey him. To recover his dominion, he must return to his ancestral planet, Kor Soth. However, the world itself repels him, sensing the "contamination" of his new associates. His arcane abilities are now in conflict with their technological advancements. To survive, the ancient lich must acquire the one competence he has always lacked: the ability to lead a crew. He forfeited his empire, but he may have unexpectedly discovered a belonging..