The story of the men and women who risk everything to mine the riches of the asteroids began in "e;The Precipice"e; and continued in "e;The Rock Rats"e;. It comes to its climax in "e;The Silent War"e;. Martin Humphries, wealthy, ruthless and obsessed, has exiled his rival Lars Fuchs to the depths of space and taken Fuchs' wife, Amanda Cunningham, for his own. Now he rules space exploration almost unchallenged. But for Humphries, nothing short of total domination will ever be enough. He wants a son - Amanda's son. He wants Fuchs to die. He wants to control the Moon. And if the free space prospectors of the asteroid Ceres stand in his way, he promises to destroy them. But another power is building its strength in secret, waiting for a chance to seize the Humphries empire.