Publisher's Synopsis
Drea III was approached by the Commonwealth with an invitation to join the galaxy's ruling body. Membership meant accepting the remote governance of the Commonwealth and its tenets, putting away all antiquated religious beliefs, and becoming an active contributor to the good of all members of the Commonwealth. Under the tutelage of the Commonwealth ambassadors and advisers, Drea made several advances towards joining the Commonwealth. They adopted the use and teaching of the Commonwealth language known as Intergalactic Standard, created a United World Council to create unity among the many nations and began working towards technological advances in their space program. The United World Council failed when the smaller nations decided the Commonwealth was trying to destroy their powerbase. A planetwide religious movement failed to give up their beliefs and practices. War broke out. Drea III was deemed unready to join the Commonwealth and banished to remain within the confines of their own atmosphere. Four deadly satellites were placed in orbit around the planet to ensure no space-worthy craft could ever leave the planet again. Their space and research facilities were destroyed leaving behind many missing and dead scientists, engineers and political leaders. The Dreans were also left with a bad taste in their mouths concerning the Commonwealth.
Fifty years later, Captain Alexander and his crew approach Drea III. Their archives are missing some pertinent data about Drea's history with the Commonwealth. The Evangeline is nearly shot down by their own satellites and must land on Drea to make repairs. Despite the bad blood between them, the Dreans accommodate the crew by politely helping them repair their ship so they can be on their way. The Dreans still want nothing to do with the Commonwealth. The mission team leader, Commander Brynna Alexander pursues her ambassadorial role to the fullest. As the ship is being repaired, she challenges the leader of the new United World Council to a debate by insisting the Commonwealth has changed and is not the same hostile body it was fifty years ago. Through the course of the debate, the crew discovers that although the world has been unable to develop space exploration technology, they have perfected wormhole technology. The crew is split into two teams to revisit Galat and Medoris to show the Commonwealth's good intentions. The team traveling to Galat discover the Commonwealth has destroyed the entire planetary population.
The crew of the Evangeline is arrested by the Dreans on behalf of the Galatans for their part in the genocide. Captain Alexander orchestrates a plea agreement to free his crew by accepting the death penalty for the deaths on Galat. Unknown to the Dreans, their mysterious but revered religious leader takes Captain Alexander's place at his execution.
Pateras resurrects the Drean Intercessor who insists the crew be allowed to leave Drea unhindered. In an effort to improve relations between Drea and the Commonwealth, Admiral Deacons sends the Evangeline to free the last three living prisoners taken from Drea fifty years ago. The three prisoners discover not all the Drean prisoners remained loyal to Drea. Some were now high-profile citizens of the Commonwealth.
