A small group of aliens have begged the Sapient Union for aid, and the Union will answer. Faced with imminent destruction at the hand of a vicious warlord who has sworn to destroy them to the last being, Captain Brooks must maneuver carefully.   While he is empowered to negotiate and seek peace, the Craton alone cannot hope to match the enemy's overwhelming numbers. But peace - and the lives of the beings in jeopardy - hang by a hair.  And if the mad warlord decides to strike, it may mean a total war that could lead to the deaths of trillions.