Ever since the fall of the Thallonian Empire, Si Cwan has been searching for his younger sister, the only other survivor of the royal family. Now it seems his quest may be nearing its end. On the planet Montos a mysterious young woman, her past shrouded in secrecy, finds herself pursued both by the fanatical Redeemers and a vicious race of feral predators known only as the Dogs of War. All are after information regarding the true nature and location of the Quiet Place, a mystical realm celebrated in myth and legend. Is Riella indeed Si Cwan's long-lost sister? Before he can learn the truth, he and his companions - Mackenzie Calhoun, the scarred, alien captain recommended by Jean-Luc Picard; Commander Shelby, ambitious first officer and Calhoun's fomer lover; Dr Selar, the Vulcan physician formerly assigned to the Enterprise; Ops officer Robin Lefler, and the rest of the Excalibur's crew - must brave the unchecked savagery of the Dogs of War - and enter the terrifying heart of the Quiet Place.