In this action-adventure science fiction novella the young Tsaeb (silent T, long a) warrior Corr Syl has discovered he hates killing and is brooding about his future when he learns that someone has kidnapped his true love, Rhya Bright. The kidnapper, a powerful enemy of the Tsaeb, uses Rhya as bait, unaware of the superior abilities of Tsaeb warriors. But when Corr captures the would-be assassins and Rhya overcomes a room full of guards and almost escapes, the kidnapper realizes his mistake and flees with Rhya, leaving false trails and traps in his wake. Corr pursues in a mysterious old warship he borrows from a museum. Dodging bombs, missiles, and jet fighters, Corr follows Rhya and her kidnapper to a fortress inside a dead volcano where the final trap awaits.