On Lusitania, Ender Wiggins found a world where humans and the alien race of pequininos live together and find common ground. Ender was wrong-- Lusitania also harbors the descolada, a virus that kills all humans it infects, but pequininos require it to become adults. Seeing no other alternative, the Startways Congress orders the destruction of the entire planet and all who live there, not knowing that concealed on Lusitania is the only remaining Hive Queen, who holds a secret that could save the planet and the galaxy.