Just as the case of the missing Laapeerians was about to come together, the Cerritos was heavily damaged in a dogfight against an unidentified vessel and forced to return to Federation space…without the away team.Repairs on the Cerritos are bound to take weeks, but Captain Freeman and Mariner aren’t about to sit around and wait when they have an abandoned away team to rescue—especially one under Boimler’s command.Together, they formulate a heist to steal a decommissioned starship and mount a daring rescue before their unknown assailants blast Laapoonia, and their crew members, away.