A star-faring religious cult has created an army of robotic zealots designed to follow holy scripture. As the robotic menace spreads across the galaxy, it takes prisoners to be 'excommunicated': hooked into a neural simulation of eternal torment. Captain Rolland Barron leads the Sol Federation Starship Excalibur on a diplomatic mission. Cassia LaCroix is a wormhole hunter, earning a living scouring the galaxy for valuable tunnels through space-time. Prince Zoojin, a psychic alien from a distant galaxy, must prove himself worthy of the throne of Paxis Prime. The paths of these characters converge as they pursue their own motives, leading them towards the mechanical legion that is sweeping across the galaxy. COVER BY: rentachi AUTHOR'S NOTE: this is an early draft of the novel. I am very grateful for your readership and your feedback, which I have taken into consideration for a major rewrite. The new novel is completely different. If you liked the book, then please look forward to the release of the finished novel.

When someone experiences something traumatizing, the first thing they impulsively think of is, why me? But what's considered as traumatizing? Getting a bad grade on a test? A family member dying? Or maybe something more sinister, more painful. Such as domestic violence, or perhaps rape. Those are far worse than getting a bad grade on a test. I would know. Because I experience something considered as traumatizing everyday. But to me it's just normal. What can I say? I was raised that way. I know that it's wrong, but it's not like I can do anything to prevent it. Sure, it hurts. But after a while you get used to the pain and it doesn't hurt as much. Being abused in both of my lives helped me in a way. I understand how cruel the world is and how selfish people are, stepping on others to gain what they desire. You could say I have trust issues, but I believe that it's common sense. Everyone has their desires, some darker than others. You wouldn't understand what I'm talking about until you've experienced what I have. Always being the one at the bottom. Always the one being stepped on by others. Never getting the chance to fulfill my desires. And it's corrupted me. I don't trust. I don't care. I don't love. I don't feel. I don't speak.