Humanity has been at war with the Declanites for many years. The aliens are a threat to the very existence of humanity. Peter Conrad, Captain of the scout ship Angelfire, along with his crew of three, are on a long term mission to spy out the enemy, when they are forced to escape through a wormhole into unknown space. Limping along in a crippled ship that desperately needs repairs, they find a planet with humanoid life. Their hope for resources to help repair the Angelfire are met with disappointment. Peter makes contact with a caravan, befriending a young man and his great-uncle. He travels with them, hoping that he may yet discover something that could help the men from Earth repair their ship.The young man has a secret that puts them all in danger from a cunning enemy though, and Peter must help, setting his plans aside. And then the Declanites show up...