The Abh Empire launches Operation Phantom Flame, the reorganization of its Star Forces in order to go back into battle. Admiral Spoor, "The Lady of Chaos", leads the 1st Abh Fleet in the first strike. Her target: a United Mankind mobile command fortress above the planet Aptic III. Spoor's forces obliterate the fortress. Bored with the easy win, Spoor ignores the president of Aptic III's challenges that his people will keep fighting. The shocked president soon learns, through Spoor, how all Abhs are not alike. Meanwhile, Admiral Kenesh, the chief of staff of Operation Phatom Flame, discusses the Abh strategy with his staff. Spoor will advance the 1st Fleet and capture the enemy's major gates, with the 3rd and 5th following as a supply line. The 2nd and 4th Fleets will move in a pincer movement around the 1st Fleet's path, sweeping up any enemies in their path. Above the planet Lulukess, Abh ships continue to assemble. Waiting for their orders, Jinto and his crewmates Samson and Ekuryua

Assigned to Battleship Squadron Latouche, Lafiel's assault ship Basroil patrols the conquered Aptic System. The forward push by Abh forces has gone so well that the Abh leaders worry that something's not right. Could a trap be set for them? Jinto and Lafiel discuss the odd situation of Hecto-Commander Atosuryua being the commander of their battalion. Three years ago, as chronicled in Crest of the Stars, Lafiel killed Atosuryua's older brother, the treacherous and insane Baron Febdash. Lafiel insists that Atosuryua is beyond making that an issue, but Jinto isn't so sure. Later, on the bridge, Ekuryua makes a case for letting Jinto's cat, Diaho, stay on the ship. Meanwhile the president of Aptic tries to work out a compromise in which the Ahb will demand his surrender, as he wants to put on a show of fake defiance for his voters. Atosuryua meets Jinto to talk about her father and brother. The conversation seems strained, but she tells Jinto to relay the message to Lafiel that she, Atosur

The Basroil destroys the first set of mines sent its way. The Abh assault ships aim to hunt down the enemy scouts one by one, like hungry predators. This sadly reminds Jinto and Lafiel of the fate of the Gosroth in CotS. They talk about their fear of the upcoming battle. The enemy shoots out more mines. The mines barely miss the Basroil, but they do enter and explode within the space-time bubble of the last ship in their squadron. Weighted down by the remains of the mines, it will have to stay out of the battle. Lafiel realizes she is no longer afraid, and she wonders if that's why Jinto joined the ship -- so he could calm her. They break into the enemy's space-time bubble just in time to see an ally's ship be destroyed. Lafiel fires at the enemy. The laser hits, but does little damage. Another Abh ship goes down. The enemy's cannons focus on the Basroil. They'll have to be quick to survive!

The Basroil is in spacedock being repaired, and the crew are stocking up on supplies. Dusanyu, with the new information he has received, decides that the main battle will be held in the area surrounding the Aptic Gate. He appoints Admiral Bebaus' fleet in charge of defending the region. But the Bebaus brothers come from a family known for ""Spectacular Insanity,"" and everyone wonders if this will spell their doom. Meanwhile, as Jinto and Ekuryua are having a rather personal discussion, Lafiel comes into the room at precisely the wrong time and sees something that makes her very angry. Will Jinto be able to save face? And what are the Bebaus brothers planning?

At Atosuryua's request, Jinto and Lafiel join her for a dinner in honor of her late brother, Klowal. In a break from the wartime activity, Jinto and Lafiel don formal attire and fly off to the ritzy dinner Atosuryua has arranged. Indeed, this is the closest they've had to a date, but it's going to be a strange one. The dinner proves to start awkwardly since Lafiel is responsible for Klowal's death, and she doesn't really regret it. Will Atosuryua and Lafiel come to a reconciliation?

While on patrol, the Basroil and another assault ship, the Seigroil, are hit by enemy mines. They wind up adrift, stranded in Plane Space, with no sensors and systems failing throughout both ships. They come up with a plan to transfer all the crew and usable materials from the Seigroil to the Basroil, but once they do, the Basroil crew learns that the Seigroil bridge crew is trapped and cannot escape. Now, alone in the dark, the Basroil can see some unidentified ships coming toward them. But are they friend or foe?

It's the night before the big battle and everyone is doing whatever they need to do. Admiral Bebaus plans his defense but is distressed to learn he cannot pillage a local planet for supplies -- it's just too much of a bother. Meanwhile, Samson decides he needs to get really drunk. And to his surprise, Sobaash joins him. They have a heart-to-heart talk. Jinto and Ekuryua, meanwhile, also have a heart-to-heart talk, disguised as a conversation about Diaho. Everyone is on edge as the battle draws near.

As they wait for the enemy fleet to arrive, Jinto and Lafiel discuss their lives and how they got to that point. Jinto confesses to being scared. To his surprise, Lafiel admits that she is as well. They talk about their plans for the future. Will Jinto ever go back to his home planet, Martine? Will Lafiel become an admiral? And what's next after that? Lafiel says she has plans to go through all of life's three stages: officer, merchant, and parent. Jinto is surprised she has thought so far ahead. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of the enemy fleet and the beginning of the battle.

The Abh fleet command tries to determine the true nature of the enemy's new weapon. Unfortunately, it has taken a heavy toll on their forces and victory is no longer assured. Admiral Spoor, meanwhile, is en route to join the main fleet at Aptic for the battle. The Basroil enters its first true battle, and the crew is not entirely prepared for what they see.

Lafiel is upset that they've been ordered to withdraw from the battle. She isn't used to losing or giving up. Her unit commander chastises her for questioning the chain of command. Fleet Commander Dusanyu arrives in the Aptic Region. He wonders if Lafiel and Jinto are OK. Meanwhile, on the Basroil, they're going into battle against enemy assault vessels. They seem to be doing well at first, as they manage to destroy a couple of enemy vessels. But then the Basroil is targeted. The enemy fires....

As the battle for Aptic boils around them, the damaged Basroil is given permission to withdraw from the field of battle. Unfortunately, though, the damage is worse than originally estimated. Frustrated and angry, Lafiel gives the order for all hands to abandon ship. On the main battlefield it appears that the enemy is trying to escape without engaging in further hostilities. Fleet Commander Dusanyu will have none of this. He orders an attack. Admiral Spoor proceeds with her plan to cut a wide path through the enemy, demoralizing them in the process. On the Basroil everyone has reached the escape vessels, except for Jinto. Lafiel goes to look for him. She finds him, but before they can return to the others, there's an explosion.

Jinto and Lafiel float through space in an emergency escape pod, waiting for rescue. The main fleet continues the battle, with Spoor's brutal advance having confused and disrupted the enemy forces. After the battle ends, Jinto and Lafiel are together aboard the naval base. As they make their way to see the new Basroil, they discuss the fate of Diaho, Jinto's cat. The new Basroil turns out to be exactly the same as the previous one. Unfortunately, since they have a new ship, they won't be going back into battle right away. With the crew on board and ready to go, the new Basroil launches.

Lafiel and Jinto are given their roles as Territorial Ambassador and Territorial Deputy Ambassador and aren't exactly happy about it.

The Basroil is contacted by all four ambassadors of Lobnas II: Meideen, Dokufu, Lala Shangal, and Angus. Jinto is escorted down to Lobnas II after determining that Meideen should be the Territorial Representative. Lafiel reminisces about the last conversation she had with Jinto before his departure.

Plans for emigration are made. Some plans include whether or not the Territorial Ambassador should bring in more ships or if the Darksis (the ship transporting the inhabitants) should make more trips back and forth. The women's sector is rallying for emigration rights so they won't be used as 'cattle' so to speak from the male prisoners.

All the ships in the surrounding area around Lobnas II have to retreat because of an enemy sighting while Jinto is having problems reassuring Meideen and the rest of the evacuees that they will return in order to continue emigrating those with permission off the planet. While enjoying a sunset and thinking of Lafiel, Jinto receives a message that a rebellion has broken out.

As the rebellion continues, started by Angus and Dokufu, Dokufu's section is able to take control of the administration section. Meideen authorizes an immediate evacuation of the Western section (the women's section). Jinto decides to stay on the planet to ensure that all the Western section inhabitants are safely evacuated. While traveling to the Western section, Meideen and Jinto's vehicle is hi-jacked.

Meideen is shot in the head and killed execution style because he refused to cancel the emigration order. Angus is threatened to be put in Abh Hell for his threatening a fellow Abh's life (Jinto). Against Lafiel's heart's wishes, being an Abriel, Lafiel is forced to abandon Jinto on Lobnas II for the time being.

Angus refuses to release Jinto because of his pride since he never backs down from a challenge. Dokufu is killed because he didn't want to suffer Abh Hell for Angus' stupidity. Lafiel requests help from Spoor in order to carry out the emigration plan. Spoor rejects the offer at first but then agrees. Lafiel heads down to Lobnas II to assist in emigration.

Spoor tries to buy more time before having to go into battle. The last of the women evacuees are boarding the transport ship. Spoor's fleet head into battle with the enemy squadron. Jinto awakens and heads outside seeing a ship preparing an emergency launch. He tries to flag it down but alas he isn't noticed. Angus drowns as a tidal wave crashes into him from the force of the emergency launch.

Lafiel is still searching for Jinto on Lobnas II. While she is patiently awaiting for Jinto to be found, Samson is preparing a meal for him. Jinto is found in a cave and Lafiel rushes to his side. She uses her endearing pet name for him, ""Fool"", and he calls her his ""Precious little Princess."" Lafiel and Jinto are then shown on a hill by a tree presumably on Jinto's home planet, Martine.

Due to Spoor's assistance, the evacuation of Lobnas II was completed. Unfortunately, Spoor's fleet of thirty-three ships, twenty-six were destroyed. The crew of the Basroil reminisce about experiences they shared with Jinto, assuming the worst about him. Fighting to stay in order to see Lafiel again, Jinto thinks back to all the adventures he had with Lafiel from the time when they first met to the theme park chase on Sufugnoff.

Jinto recalls that day when the alien race, the Abh, invaded his home planet. Now a teen, he must go to Military School where he will finally meet an Abh.

It has been seven years since the alien invasion of his home planet of Martine, and Jinto Lin is now on Delktoe, where he has just completed his education at an Abh school and is awaiting his next assignment, military training in the empire's capital. A deal struck by his president father left the elder Lin in charge of Martine and Jinto an Abh prince. The burden of royalty is an uneasy one for Jinto, who is unaccustomed to the stares his Abh uniform attracts. His friends also find it difficult dealing with nobility. Just one, Dorin Ku, shows up to see him off at the spaceport. Before walking away, Ku leaves Jinto with a gift, a baseball signed by all of his absent friends. The ball comes in handy a short while later when a young thief steals a traveler's luggage, but it's not because of Jinto's less-than-impeccable aim. Rather, it's Lafiel, his beautiful Abh escort, who stops the crime. But she's greeted with hatred despite her good deed. Is this the type of life awaiting Jinto? If so

Despite their disguises, Jinto and Lafiel encounter danger even before making it to the city, crossing paths not with the United Mankind but rather with three teenagers up to no good. Though they didn't start the fight, Jinto and Lafiel quickly finish it, acquiring an escape vehicle for their troubles. Unfortunately, the incident leads to a police investigation, one spearheaded by a United Mankind official looking for the occupants of the Abh pod that escaped to Sufugnoff. Upon the suggestion of the lead detective -- someone clearly annoyed by the prospect of collaborating with the invading army -- they concentrate their efforts upon searching the city's hotels, since new customers would be scarce in this time of military chaos. Of course, a hotel is precisely where the two fugitives are hiding, and it isn't long before four policemen bust down the door, weapons drawn. Jinto tries to prevent them from searching the bedroom where Lafiel now sleeps, and he ends up on the floor with a gun