Sogan is still writhing under the shame of his role in what he considers the Amazoonan atrocity, and is hungering for vengeance against the mastermind of the arms robbery when Connor tells him the culprit has finally been identified. They are to gather evidence against him, capture him, and find out what his intention had been, or still is. To Sogan's horror, the man has his headquarters on the planet Noreen of Tara, Connor’s and Karmikel’s homeworld, on a farm adjacent to Connor’s family home and owned by her father. Sogan’s decision to spare the planet he invaded caused the deaths of his family, and he fears she will be forced to bring danger down upon hers. The investigation requires time and care and involves great danger, and it is complicated by Noreen’s natural forces.