After a lifetime of comfortable slavery, freedom isn't always easy to bear. Over a year after the emancipation of Earth, Peter Halstead-older brother of Derek, the hero of the emancipation-has been delivered from his long servitude to the invaders. But reminders of his bondage remain. Black cities still dot the globe, with the alien bureaucrats still in charge. Goods are still being shipped from Earth to the alien planet Nebkiriv, but worst of all, Zion wants to negotiate a trade agreement with the cursed invaders. Peter can see only one way to come to terms with the loss of his freedom and...