Under the command of a newly appointed commanding officer, Captain James Ryan, Hypatia’s crew must go undercover and infiltrate Black Veil to gather intelligence on the Syndicate’s bidders and a dangerous, mysterious device known only as ‘Maelstrom’. Disguised as brokers for a fictitious client aboard a vessel acquired by Starfleet Intelligence, Ryan’s away team gains access to Black Veil, navigating a dangerous web of high-stakes criminal factions, including Romulan Free State operatives and rogue Klingon Houses.

As tensions rise among the bidders, Hypatia’s team covertly maps Black Veil’s defences, locates the storage vault and assesses the station’s structural weaknesses. This intel reveals Black Veil’s security is stronger than expected, with plans for a live demonstration of Maelstrom. With detailed schematics in hand, the crew executes a risky extraction, transmitting vital data to Starfleet that sets the stage for the operation’s final phase…