It's a planet ripe for a new vision-of a glorious past that once was, and could be again. Andrei Mironenko, a powerful magnate in the Star republic, believes the pristine planet of Belarus is uninhabited and unspoiled. He didn't dig deep enough. "With a richly imagined geo-political setting, Belarus reads like a Russian fairy tale set in space." (Syne Mitchell, Compton Crook Award-winning author of Technogenesis)

In this extraordinary sequel, the once magnificent planet of Belarus has descended into centuries of isolationism and bigotry. When representatives of the new galactic Union contact Belarus, they claim to have their best interests at heart. But they also harbor a secret mission, related to the Enemies: the brutal alien race beneath the planet's surface.