With Imperial Troops in hot pursuit, "Lady" Zavaronne, with her now trusted Dushau friend Jindigar and his friends of many species, crashes on a colonizable planet which the Dushau have kept secret from the Empire, against all Laws. She has forgiven Jindigar that lie, but now she finds he has lied to her again. The planet has intelligent natives, and is therefore embargoed.

They can't survive here unless she joins Jindigar's Dushau exploration team in a psychic bond so they can blend into the local ecology.

They must convince the Natives to hide them from the Imperial troops chasing them. As they take refuge with a Hive Dwelling native, Zavaronne must peel away the Dushau's lies, half-truths, and hidden agenda so she can decide if she can trust Jindigar before the Imperial troops find them. Should she switch sides - again?