Though colonization of an inhabited planet is forbidden, someone chose to break the rules. Under mysterious circumstances, the colony ship, Odyssey, settled on the strangely barren world of Sahara. Eighty years later, and with no help in sight, their long-term survival is in question. When help finally arrives, long-buried secrets of the past, and the machinations of a scheming politician, threaten to upset carefully laid plans for prosperity. Caught in the middle are the Rxyl—an elusive, telepathic species with first claim on the planet. Unaware of human intrigue, a fortuitous accident forges a bond between the races that forever alters the destiny of both peoples. (Book two in the Galactic Neighborhood series. The stories are best read in order to understand the backstory and characters.)