Attainment — Mary Ann Steele

At the headquarters of the Interworld Corps, the matching of couples continues. Theo instantly warms to his prospective bride, until she frankly makes a confession that scandalizes the morally upright Gaean. Managing to control the violent emotions unleashed by her candid admission, the Captain narrowly avoids disaster. Jassy falls in love at his first sight of his prospective wife, but fails to realize that she endures bitter disappointment owing to his inability to rouse her to passion. Arlen gives Dahl crucial insight into the thinking of the woman matched with him. Dahl makes an astoundingly gallant gesture that profoundly reassures the lonely widow he marries.

Having docked in Columbia on routine business, Evan, accompanied by Talley and two experienced spacer-fighters, negotiates with a demented hostage-taker levying demands the Interworld Corpsman knows he cannot grant. Utilizing techniques learned from Arlen, Evan resolves an incendiary crisis.

When the matching ends, Signe makes a stirring appeal to the newly recruited women, nerving them to endure the difficulties ahead. Claire, Amin's willowy wife, finds the training in fitness a major challenge. Exhibiting admirable tact, Jason prevents the imminent public clash he feared might occur between the Captain refusing to lower his high standards, and the rebellious intellectual pushed to her physical limit. Meanwhile, enlightened by Dana, the warrior wife grown exceedingly dear to him, regarding a problem assailing one of his new crewmembers, Brant successfully handles an unexpected crisis. In the process, the proud aristocrat gains far deeper knowledge of his own self.

Having reluctantly allowed Juli to perform a dangerous feat during an exceedingly dramatic rescue of Gaean stationers trapped in an underground mine, Danner proves himself an able diplomat. Dahl and his crew dock in a Gaean municipal unit ravaged by a tragic explosion, and plunge into the traumatic task of aiding the survivors. Dahl undertakes a daring rescue, and finds his life changed in consequence. As newly married corpsmembers carry out dangerous duties, fragile new marital ties swiftly strengthen, and bonds of comradeship with fellow corpsmembers grow ever more binding.

Confronted by an enigmatic group of militant Gaean idealists demanding that Signe visit their rock, Signe and Arlen develop their first major disagreement as Co-Commanders. When Signe resolves to visit the brotherhood's stronghold over Arlen's objections, he belatedly discovers the magnitude of the danger facing her. He then mounts a strike in the hope of rescuing Signe, Morgan, and Brant from the worst danger ever to confront those three formidable swordsmen.

This stirring narrative, the second volume of the two-volume fourth novel of the series, completes the tale of the founding of the Interworld Corps. The ongoing saga of futuristic action, adventure and romance continues to unfold in succeeding books.