from Earth to find new worlds; one of these had encountered the Ildirans, an ancient alien race who shared their stardrive technology (which allows faster-than-light travel) and led the humans to habitable planets. The Ildirans themselves, psychically linked to their leader the Mage-Imperator, have become stagnant and eschew both expansion and innovation.

As the series begins, the arrogant Hansa Chairman Basil Wenceslas begins grooming a replacement for