Halvor Cullen was built to be a hero. But he's never felt like one. As a gene-spliced, tech-enhanced 'VAT' super soldier, Hal was made to fight hard and burn out young, then spend the short remainder of his life forever chasing an elusive adrenaline rush. Thankfully his best friend and former commander is determined to prevent that from happening by keeping Hal busy salvaging crashed spaceships along the Spiral's Edge. But when a new member joins their crew, and a mysterious sphere they bring aboard the ship unleashes an alien presence, Hal's desires and malfunctions threaten to bring them all to the point of destruction...