There is a great deal of ruin in a planet. The War taught this to Man. The War wasted all that grew green. It scoured the world, and civilization settled into the dust of memory. Man fled to the safety of the mountains, and life—pitiful, cruel, thankless life—stumbled on. Thousands of years passed. Where Man failed, Woman rose. Woman disdained the ancient weapons. She brought life back to the world, and she unified the planet. She terraformed the moon. But now men clamor for rights. One powerful woman, Zharla, believes their cause, and will fight for it. Shahl, the man she loves, would fight by her side. But she is betrothed to Ahrik, a soldier, a warrior, a general sworn to defend women's rule. And he will go to war to preserve it.