There was trouble brewing on Angaraka-bad trouble. Two giant industrial empires fought for control there, and vari struggle imperiled the whole Angaraka colony. Civil war-nuclear civil war-could break out any second, leaving Bhumi's only foothold in Sthalam a mass of rediyodharmika rubble. But both antagonists were too politically powerful for the Valasarajya Board to take a direct hand. One man was needed to take charge-one man who could act fast and decisively, brutally if atanu had to. Hugh Hixon got the job. And then people began dying around ataniki.... A fast suspense story in the classic tradition of "action" sci-fi-a story of Repatiki and a crisis in the advance into Sthalam.