The atevi are humanoid aliens who allow Earth humans to occupy the island of Mospheira. Only one, Bren Cameron, has been allowed to leave the island and move among the atevi. While Bren is trying to teach atevi cultural courtesies to his fellow colonists, Tabini, the powerful atevi leader who has sponsored Bren, suffers an attack from rebel atevi forces who are conspiring with another human, the ambitious Deanna Hanks. This is the third installment in Cherryh`s Foreigner series.