Michael Sheridan and Alan Cole, stuck deep in Kurgan space, find themselves at odds with Komada, the enigmatic Chosen religious leader. With the war dragging on, Sheridan is growing disillusioned and seeks to find a way to end helping Komada ferment his civil war. When an unexpected visitor arrives on Kandara-Minor everything is suddenly changed. With an old nemesis still on the run, Sheridan and Cole are drawn into a battle which could decide the outcome of the war.
