Tower of Rizwan — Douglas R. Mason

Dave Pitman was at rock bottom in emotional stasis. After a gruelling mission, that left his ship in a heap of charred ash, he took the co-pilot slot in the I.G.O. frigate Diomed to fill time that no longer meant anything to him. He was on search and destroy mission--mopping up the remnants of the broken and dispersed O.G.A. armada. On the remote planet of Pactolus, with its frail delicate people and their fantastic turban cult, he began to recharge his psychic batteries and experience a resurge of optimism. But then there was still the question of the two missing O.G.A. ships--one of which was Scotian, and Scotians don't like being cornered.