It was meant to be paradise - a haven for those who could no longer bear the complicated turmoil of Earth. And Arrarat was just that - until authorities on Earth turned it into a penal colony. Now its agricultural communities are suddenly threatened by gangs of convicts and the peaceful colony is in shambles. Military academy was Hal Slater's escape. Now he finds himself on Arrarat, an inexperienced junior officer, committed to restoring peace through more violence.