Edward Houy wrote about the future world in a way that transports readers to new places, but retains the societal trends we are most familiar socialism, wobbly democracy, struggles within communities - and within ourselves. Set in 2326, Houy takes us to one such set of circumstances, where Jed Yuoh is missioned with an intelligence visit to what's presumed to be an antagonistic, alien planet bent on destroying his own. What he finds is surprising; what he does is even more unexpected!