Shakbout Mansard is a bottle born frree citizen of the inhabited systems. He has stumbled into dangerous knowledge of a plot to overthrow the government of his home planet, Thiegler. His problems increase when he is forced undercover and becomes the pawn of a dedicated terrorist who whishs to ignite a system wide conflict. All of which are minor compared to the secret he has been hiding for the past ten years, a secret that could lead to the destruction of all life in the inhabited systems. Pressure is mounting on Shakbour, he will have to decide, his life or the lives of all?