The illegitimate daughter of a commoner and a duke, Synali von Hauteclare, survives an attack by an assassin hired by her father and plans her revenge by riding and fighting on a giant robot. In a massive space station that houses the last of humanity, the king rules. Nobles dance. Commoners starve. And when they aren't starving, they watch the riding tournaments between the giant robots called "steeds"--once used in the war against the enemy, now...