Astrogator Cai and Captain Nick Steele must race against time to discover where the alien Rels are going in such numbers. Once they realize where their enemies are heading, they face the even more daunting prospect of ordering the evacuation of a well settled system. Will the crew of the Laughing Owl stave off disaster for the Aldebaran colonies or will the Rels take their revenge for the Owls strike on their home system?