Wayne Freed is the "Umea Bakearen," chosen from birth to be an agent of peace. He was instrumental in bringing not only Earth, but also the peaceful system of Vega into the Galactic Union. In the process, he uncovered a plot by Polaris to subjugate Vega. Humiliated, the Polarans withdrew from the Union and declared war. Five years later, Wayne is one of Vega's staunchest defenders. Though fighting is fierce in the Vega System, the rest of the galaxy is relatively quiet. Five years of providing aid has put a strain on the economy, and many are advocating abandoning the system. Wayne suspects that there is a deeper, more sinister purpose than mere control of Vega behind the Polarans' attacks. He digs into historical records for evidence to support his theory. What he finds will change everything.