Betrayer

The twelfth novel in Cherryh's Foreigner space opera series, a groundbreaking tale of first contact and its consequences...In the wake of civil war, Bren Cameron, the brilliant human diplomat of the alienatevi civilization, has left the capital and sought refuge at his country estate, Najida. But now he is trapped inside Najidawhich has been surrounded by enemieswith Ilisidi, the powerful grandmother of his ally, Tabini-aiji, atevileader of the Western Association. But Ilisidi, the wily and dangerous aiji-dowager, is not inclined to be passive, and in a brazen maneuver sends Bren into enemy territory, to the palace of Machigi, the leader of the rebels.Bren's mission is to negotiate with Machigia young atevi lord who has never actually seen a humanand somehow persuade him to cease his hostile actions against the West. Bren knows that the autocratic Machigi rules a fractious clan, and that his hospitality is...