Borders of the Empire

Daniel Hankerson is a genetically enhanced member of the imperial family, but he has always relied more on his ability to read people than on family influence and money. This skill helps him in his work for naval intelligence and when playing cards. Thanks to it, he knows something is in the air when an attempt is made on his life during a robbery, and he doesn't have a good feeling about the upcoming mission to the edge of the Empire either. The more it's talked about as a routine test of a new communication ship, the more suspicious it becomes. The Central Empire is too large, too fragile, and held together by too many compromises. External enemies want to carve out their slice, but the internal ones are even more dangerous. As the Chinese proverb goes, may you live in interesting times.