Destruction of Illusions — Keith R.A. Decandido

Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendant -- a mighty vessel of the Systems Commonwealth that encompassed three galaxies -- finds himself a man out of time. Three hundred years have passed, the Commonwealth has fallen, and chaos reigns in the Known Worlds.

Now, with a crew of salvagers, mercenaries, and misfits, Captain Hunt has set out to restore the Commonwealth and bring unity to the galaxies once again. But who are these hardy souls that have joined Hunt on his grand quest? Discover the story of Captain Beka Valentine and the crew of the EUREKA MARU and the Nietzschean mercenary Tyr Anasazi, and how they came to sign on with the Andromeda Ascendant.