Captured by space pirates future diplomat John Craig is sold into slavery on the planet Kossar where his mistress, the irresistibly sadistic Lady Morgan, almost makes servitude a desirable state; however, Craig stumbles on hints of an alien invasion and must escape to save humanity. Escape he does and returns to Kossar as ambassador with a plan to put an end to slavery. Dalton headmaster Bart has converted a space opera plot into a coruscatingly literate tale for grown-ups.