Five years after the destruction of the Old Republic and the extermination of the Jedi, the Empire's reach is long throughout the galaxy, but faltering for lack of manpower.

Five young people respond to the call for recruits for the Empire's drive to train and army of pilots, needed to maintain order amidst an Old Republic teetering on utter chaos. A privileged senator's son, a desert dweller, a slick city-hustler, a freighter farmboy and a tech-whiz all enter flight school for different reasons, all to learn the art of flying Twin Ion Engine fighters in service to the Emperor. Things go well as can be expected, until each are confronted with the same question: What do I do, if I find out I'm one of the bad guys in my own story?