In December 792 UC, after receiving the appointment of captain of the cruiser Hässliche Entlein for six months following his accolades from the Fifth Battle of Iserlohn, Reinhard von Müsel is tasked by Imperial Military Intelligence to track down and apprehend Count Herxheimer, who has fallen out of favour and is trying to defect to the Free Planets Alliance via Fezzan. Herxheimer, prior to his defection, had stolen a directional Seffle particle generator prototype. Reinhard is also ordered to retrieve that prototype, lest it falls to Alliance hands. However, since the details of Herxheimer's defection are confidential, Reinhard has to execute the mission with only the Hässliche Entlein inside largely unknown Alliance space and has to expect no overt support from the front lines.