Four delegates from the planet Eden are transported to Hestia on the Shirrah warship Saber of Heaven, the same vessel that once rescued Temozar from an execution pod and took him to the refuge planet. Temozar has a reunion with the warship's captain, and another alien friend, lieutenant Re mi fa sol. Before their departure, Temozar explains to Artemis and Mingus how they will travel the millions of kilometers to Hestia in only five hours! At the alien command center, the three humans and their dekapod companion all have interviews with Do ti fa sol, the Shirrah officer who was freed from captivity by Temozar during the late war between Earth Extraterrestrial Command and the Grand Council of Shirrah Republics. Do ti fa sol has since been chosen to be the Great Mother of Shirr, empress of all space occupied by the alien race. The delegates from Eden hear the unwelcome news that the Khaozians have destroyed Earth Three and its ten million human inhabitants. The Shirrah are transporting about three thousand survivors to the planet Eden. Temozar and the delegates realize they will have massive responsibilities trying to govern the new arrivals and preparing to defend their planet against the invaders.