At the close of thetwenty-fourth century, a series of revolutions has triggered the galaxy to descendinto chaos. Using the Galactic Union Military stretched thin, mercenary products havearisen for people who have the need-and the means-to hire them.

Kay, the alien member of the Cutter Power Initiative, hasreturned to her brutal home globe of Vast on the objective of mercy. Beforeshe joined the merc team, she was a great healer. And today her abilities are sorelyneeded. Hundreds of Vastalimi-including her blood-kin-are mysteriously dying. Butis the plague a work of character, or is it a bioengineered trojan, purposefullyunleashed? Kay and Doc Wink will have to find out the hard method.

Using the Cutter Force light-years away, the two find theodds against them-and on a planet like Vast, where violence abounds and life ischeap, they may be facing a foe they can’t defeat.