When a luxury spaceliner is hijacked in the Bishti sector, sets in motion are a series of events that could well lead to interstellar war. A Senator from the Confederation, along with his wife, are among the passengers taken hostage. Jason Hawke, former Confederation Marine, is awakened from an alcoholic cycle of self-destruction and spurred to go to the rescue of the woman he once loved, Kristin Baird, the wife of the Senator. Meanwhile, agencies within the Confederation and the Confed Navy are making plans to go to the rescue of the hostages, little knowing that the rival DeSotoan Empire is laying an ambush for them, using the hostages as bait. But when Jason is joined by his three brothers and a beautiful fighter pilot, the hostage takers may find out that they've bitten off much more than they can chew. After all, violence is the Hawke clan's family business!