Three years have passed since the events depicted in the novel, <I>Stone and Anvil,</i> and for the past and present crew members of the <I>U.S.S. Excalibur,</i> life has taken many surprising twists and turns. Captain Elizabeth Shelby has been promoted to admiral and heads Space Station Bravo...while her former ship, the <I>U.S.S. Trident,</i> has a new captain. Soleta has left Starfleet to embrace the perils of exploring her Romulan heritage. The powerful Zak Kebron serves as the <I>Excalibur's</i> counselor and head of security. And Mackenzie Calhoun? Well, Mackenzie Calhoun's still who he is. <P> As Si Cwan, prime minister of the New Thallonian Protectorate, prepares to marry off his sister Kalinda in a politically advantageous pairing that will strengthen his newly restored empire, the bride-to-be is abducted just before the wedding in a calamitous event that threatens to destabilize the entire sector -- especially since Kalinda's abductor is someone all too familiar. As the <I>Excalibur,</i> the <I>Trident,</i> and the entire Thallonian fleet attempt to bring order to their sector of space, no one could ever suspect that a mysterious alien force may also be playing a part in Kalinda's disappearance -- and that the entire galaxy may soon face a long-forgotten enemy.