Four hundred years after winning Secession from the Terran Empire, the star system Accord wants to sign a simple trade treaty on microchip export tariffs. But if the agreement is so minor, why is Professor Nathaniel Whaler-top economist at the Ecolitan Institute, and his world's top commando killer-chosen Accord's Envoy?

Because the Imperial capital is a maddening bureaucracy of sniveling diplomats, high profile figureheads, powers behind the throne, and spies-everywhere, spies . . . Because the Envoy has to face red tape, politics, prejudice-and a gauntlet of kidnappers, assassins, snipers, and bombs . . .

Because some Ministry-but which?-doesn't want the treaty. Because some in the Empire still blame Accord for Earth's poisoning and the defection of fifty star systems after the war between Imperial nuclear might and Ecolitan bio-ecological weaponry. A hidden cabal wants to fight the war again-even if, this time, the entire galaxy dies.

And only Nathaniel Whaler, the Ecologic Envoy, has the power to stop the catastrophe.