The legendary Starfleet Captain Lucian Murat, a contemporary of Christopher Pike, disappeared in the course of a battle against the alien Tarn. Now, generations later, while Captain Jean-Luc Picard is conducting delicate diplomatic negotiations with the Tarn, the Enterprise discovers the descendants of Murat and his crew marooned on a desolate planet, still fighting a war that ended decades ago.

The human castaways face destruction as the forgotten war builds to its catastrophic conclusion, but more is at stake than these precious lives alone. Planetside, and cut off from communication with the Enterprise, Commander Riker becomes entangled with the Federation refugees and their desperate struggle, and any action he takes could break the present ceasefire. Tarn observers face the same dilemma - but some feel the Tarn would welcome a renewal of hostilities. Unless Picard can find a solution, a lost hero's legacy may ignite a new era of interstellar war!