The diplomacy of war was being tested to the limit as terrorist actions on the planet Victoria threatened to pitch Federation and Alliance alike into the all-out combat neither wanted. But the greatest danger came from the lizard-like Merishi and the enormous Baernoi, who were manipulating all the human factions for their own benefit. The Merishi would do anything for a profit, while the Baernoi would willingly sacrifice humans and Merishi alike for political power. But there were also unidentified forces who had struck two deadly blows, dropping a fusion bomb with devastating effect and staging a direct attack on Victoria's Government house. And suddenly Victoria rocked with a chain reaction of destruction and death that could overwhelm them all—in an explosion of violence that could prove beyond the power of the Shenandoah's troops to stop...