Defenders of the Realm is the second book in the A Life of Service series. In it young Lord Blackstone , now a full fledged ensign in the Imperial fleet, finds himeself accidentally in the possesion of a holographic courtesan known as Frinci.
Frinci is a popular program with several members of the Imperial family but also with N'rque C'st, the oldest living sergant in the Imperial Legion .
Possesion of the pleasure program puts him in mortal danger from several people seeking it's return. Including N'rque C'st who has fallen in love with it. Eventually he convinces the sergent to help him discover why other people are willing to kill to have it back.
It is discovered that deep in her subroutine is the information that the next Emperor is intersex. A condition that could cause him to have to abdicate the throne in favor of another noble family.
For their efforts in protecting the honor of the Imperial family they are both rewarded with commisions and pensions. In the end and despite their best efforts Frinci is erased to keep the secret. A fact that cause N'rque to fall into a spiral of despair.