Book excerpt: The Remora has sunk, and there is no way for the Alceans to return home before war breaks out. Stranded in the land of their enemy, seventeen Alceans set out to bring a quarter of a million enemy soldiers to their knees. Alexander Tork poses as Garth Shado, a special agent for a wealthy Tyronian merchant. To plot the destruction of his enemy, he makes alliances with all of the enemies of the Federation, but the real task will be in pulling the coalition together and coordinating the diverse forces under his command. Time is short and many of his new allies balk at Garth's efforts to create a Council of War. The fate of Alcea rests with the ability of the small group of Alceans to inflict damage on the Federation and obtain information on the attack plans of the enemy. Only a Council of War can ease the flow of soldiers set to attack Alcea.