Pete and his alien guide, OZ, are ready for action when the first Xan warrior comes for Pete's blood. But when the Xan's helmet comes off, they quickly realize things are not what they seem. Unbeknownst to them, they're caught up together in a race against time: the affliction is changing, and everything they thought they knew about interstellar politics is tragically mistaken. Can Pete and Oz overcome their own aversion to difference and team up with a Xan to save three planets from destruction? They must act fast, because the enemy to fear is the enemy within.