Tervan and his math-wizard companions find that though they have escaped exile, they are far from being free and the future of their transport technology is in jeopardy. They decide to return to Polaxar and petition the new Emperor to rescind their exile and allow them the freedom to return to their normal lives. Only thing, the Emperor appears to have gone into seclusion and whoever is running the Empire seems to have their own agenda. People are living in fear but it is whispered on the streets that the strange guy who eloped with the Princess was going to return and right the ship of state again. Tervan wonders where such a strange idea started because he has absolutely no interest in politics. And if he could just locate the Emperor and get his petition signed, he could vacate the place and let the Empire get along without him. But he is not about to be that lucky.