Bache Loftt wants nothing more than to follow in his father’s footsteps and be an engineering officer on one of the galaxy’s most powerful, state of the art starships. He has the grades, he has the aptitude – and his application for the naval academy is in. All he has to do is wait for the call up. Then he witnesses a double murder. Barely escaping with his life, can he evade the unlimited resources of a galactic syndicate hunting for him and uncover a conspiracy that involves the very institution he’s determined to join? The Aspirant: a tale of friendships, betrayals, unspeakable crimes – and greed.