Thomas McCrady, a telepathic negotiator from Haidar Station in Earth orbit, is faced with his biggest challenge yet when he is sent to broker peace with only a rookie partner who has no training in the field to help him. Worse, she's the doctor he blames for the death of his last partner. Calla Geisman's telepathy is not the same as a standard Haidarian's. Some people think she's a waste of space. Some people want her dead. Yet, against any reasonable odds, she is assigned to go with Thomas to Ologo. For both their sakes, she must gain his respect before she can play her part in resolving the conflict on a distant planet, as well as end the prejudice toward her kind at home.