Events in deep space have turned from bad to worst as the Chosen rebellion continues to spread, and the empire seems powerless to stop them. With the fate of the Kurgan Empire in the balance, court maneuvers threaten to tear the delicate balance of power among the seven families apart. Wendy and Alan Sheridan are at first powerless to help, but with a little luck and a lot of ingenuity, they just might be able to stop the war before it consumes the empire.