Having learned from the failure of his first assault on Chung Kuo, the real DeVore has returned to Mars to plan his next move against the Seven, and to fine-tune a new range of morphs - subtler and more deadly than the last. But among the nineteen cities of the Martian Plains, unrest has reached fever pitch, requiring the smallest of incidents to trigger violent revolution. Yet when it comes, it is from a wholly unexpected direction. Hans Ebert - much changed since his great fall from power - finds himself in DeVore's employ as a humble sweeper. Pushed beyond his limits, he kills a man, placing himself once more in DeVore's power, and as the Major sets in motion a plan to destroy Marshal Tolonen by kidnapping his daughter, Jelka, so Ebert's part becomes clear with an announcement that he and Jelka are to marry. As the cities of Mars have fallen, so might those of Chung Kuo - with even its most powerful, City North America, suddenly vulnerable. But the greater threat to the Seven lies within their own ranks. Even as Li Yuan and his fellow T'ang make plans to stabilize Chung Kuo, so the First Dragon and Head of the Ministry seeks to take charge ... for the sake of the Empire of the Han.