Until now. James King, commander of the starship Freedom, travels to their secluded world. He seeks to forge an alliance. To learn from the Aeolians their ways of war. According to myth, the Aeolians once defeated the predatory rahs, alien spiders who are plaguing Earth. Aeolia's secrets can save humanity. But King soon learns that Aeolia harbors more secrets than he ever imagined. The Aeolians seem friendly at first... but not entirely honest. Something terrible happened to these aliens. Something they will not speak of. As Aeolia's secrets begin to unravel, so might the galaxy itself...