Young Arkad is the only human on a distant world, on his own among beings from across the Galaxy. His struggle to survive on the lawless streets of an alien city is disrupted by the arrival of three humans: an eccentric historian named Jacob, a superhuman cyborg girl called Baichi, and a mysterious ex-spy known as Ree. They seek a priceless treasure which might free Earth from alien domination. Arkad risks everything to join them on an incredible quest halfway across the planet. With his help they cross the fantastic landscape, battling pirates, mercenaries, bizarre creatures, vicious bandits and the harsh environment. But the deadliest danger comes from treachery and betrayal within the group as dark secrets and hidden loyalties come to light. Praise for the work of James L. Cambias:"Beautifully written, with a story that captures the imagination the way SF should."--Booklist, Starred Review"An engaging nail-biter that is exciting, fun and a satisfying read." --The Qwillery''An impressive debut by a gifted writer.''--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review''An exceptionally thoughtful, searching and intriguing debut.''--Kirkus, Starred Review"James Cambias will be one of the century's major names in hard science fiction.''--Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of Red Planet Blues'Fast-paced, pure quill hard science fiction.... Cambias delivers adroit plot pivots that keep the suspense coming.''--Gregory Benford, Nebula Award-winning author of Timescape