Something is lurking out in the universe . . . It has been waiting there for eons. Sion Eaton has felt it many times, as its pure negativity has often terrified him directly out of his third level meditations. Despite these setbacks, the meditative sciences have allowed him to obtain the knowledge necessary to create a light-gap technology and therefore to defy time in space travel. This has opened up the possibility of exploring the farthest reaches of the known universe, which is important to Sion and to the World Bureau, for completely different reasons. Those in power within the Administrative City have made him the Coordinator of the Beta-Z mission, even though they despise every gentle and caring thing he stands for. They know he poses a serious threat to their fascist world view, and they aim to keep him in check.General Hostler, who is aboard the mission, and Director Shrikk, who seeks full control over the Administrative City, are each determined in their way to see to it that Beta-Z is a success, and to do so without any chance of Sion instilling his ideals of enlightened democracy back into society. In the meantime, the outcast settlement of Mila is fighting mightily for its existence. Director Shrikk is anxious to destroy this democratic outpost. He wishes to use his new terrorizing "fear probe" to discover the location of the settlement, so he can wipe it from the earth. Though Sion doesn't know it, nor does Shrikk,there is an important connection between Sion and Mila. It turns out that the Administrative City, Mila, and the Beta-Z mission are all twisting in upon each other in a strange dance.
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