Klingons and Cardassians rule the Alpha Quadrant in an uneasy alliance that hides a viper's nest of backstabbing plots and counterplots.

Intendant Kira, now Overseer for the entire Klingon-Cardassian Alliance, has entered into a dangerous liaison with Annika Hansen, unaware that Hansen is actually an agent of the Obsidian Order who has orders to kill Kira when the time is right. 

For 1500 years, the Klingons have revered him as their first emperor, the legendary warrior who united their people and taught them the meaning of honor, but the truth of his incredible life has been shrouded in myth and fables... until now.

From its highest echelons of power to the shocking depths of its lowest castes, from its savagely aggressive military to its humble farmers, from political machinations of galactic import to personal demons and family strife, the Klingon Empire is revealed as never before when the captain and crew of the I.K.S. Gorkon finally return to their homeworld of Qo'noS in a sweeping tale of intrigue, love, betrayal, and honor.

During delicate negotiations with an aggressive race called the Sindareen Deanna Troi mysteriously falls ill and dies. But her death is only the beginning of the adventure for Commander Riker, an adventure that will take him across time, pit him against one of his closest friends, and force him to choose between Starfleet's strictest rule and the one he calls Imzadi.

At first glance, they cannot be more different. She is an empath, gentle and acutely sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. He is a fierce Klingon warrior, dedicated to a harsh and warlike code of honor. Brought together, however, by a common need to care for Alexander, Worf's troubled, motherless son, they discover hidden reserves of courage and compassion within each other.