Nick Walker, ex Star Marine and fresh out of the United Federation Marshal Academy arrives on Ceres, part of the asteroid belt, with a laser pistol, a .44 Magnum, and a head filled with zero tolerance. He's immediately plunged into a mystery of murder, sabotage, and fraud on a gigantic scale. Nick is on his first assignment, confident he can tame the galaxy, bust the bad guys, and bring relief to the downtrodden. Reality check is just around the corner. The Asteroid Belt is no place to raise a family--the Belt is the final refuge for fugitives, deadbeats, and creeps in general. Ceres, in particular, is a true den of iniquity, and law enforcement is a full time job. To Nick, the law is the law, everything is black and white, and never the twain shall meet.

or shall they? Nick is quickly confronted with the hard reality that sometimes good and evil can coexist, and not everyone is so easily classified. It's a hard life on the final frontier, and even an idealistic young lawman might learn a few lessons. The trick is staying alive long enough to learn them.