During the last Interglacial, more than 125,000 years ago, humans hybridized with the R'il'nai and spread across the galaxy to colonize other planets. Although they formed The Confederation, they still depended on the R'il'nai for guidance and protection--not only from the Maungs but from each other. But only one of the pureblood R'il'nai still lives--Lai, an embittered survivor who mourns his lost human love but still feels bound to honor his race's...