Dr. Kimberly Storm-Gale has to make it back to Tau Ceti University — and fast — after his peaceful research sabbatical is turned upside down by corporate predators. As he fights to escape debt slavery and remain a free man, he doesn’t expect his research subjects to kidnap him and take him to Tolar.

Halla is a burden to the empaths of Sanctuary Aanesh, where she has struggled for years to survive the death of her life-partner — a battle she is slowly losing. Kim and Halla begin to dream about each other even before the ruling caste arranges their meeting on Tolar. But the laws of the University put Halla strictly off-limits, and the rulers of Tolar suspect that Kim may be the agent of a human government with designs on their world. Will he choose academic fame and glory — or Halla?