Zren Janin has friends in high places. Through accident and adventure he knows Ngahuru of the West Islands, Miyamoto Suki, a diplomat of Vikland, Bima Ritwik the Softfoot, Solkka Ulani, a man who is more than the son of a coffee farmer, and Vikland's prolific inventor and firemaster, Chul Swyler. Zren is loyal to those he calls his family at Manumina. He respects the talents of the Wrens, who came to fight for a chance at a better...