Kris Longknife has been running a very successful campaign against the rebels who want to take over the Iteeche Empire. Some think even too successful. No one thought it would be as easy to capture ships and planets as Kris Longknife makes it look.

Then she is called home to make a report to the emperor and finds all sorts of problems. First of all, she faces delays getting to her embassy in the form of bombs and armed troops. Then she has trouble getting into her embassy which is being surrounded by a million or so protestors who seem way to well organized to be an actual spontaneous demonstration. Bombs and having multi-story buildings dropped on her are not enough to keep her away from her duty which has become finding a way to keep the emperor alive.

I enjoyed seeing the way Kris deals with the Iteeche and life the way she keeps running into ways that the Iteeche are alien in thought and custom. Kris becomes concerned that she won't be able to do what she was brought to the empire to do unless she manages to find a way to change the culture of the Iteeche empire. But that won't stop this Longknife from doing her duty.

This was an exciting episode in the long-running Kris Longknife series which lets everyone know that no one gets in of way of a Longknife who has a duty to perform. ( )