In the stunning conclusion to the Imperial Radch trilogy, a search of Athoek Station's slums turns up someone who shouldn't exist. A messenger from the mysterious Presger empire arrives, as does Breq's enemy, the divided and quite possibly insane Anaander Mianaai, ruler of an empire at war with itself. Breq refuses to flee with her ship and crew, because that would leave the people of Athoek in terrible danger. The odds aren't good, but that's never stopped her before.