The Redeemers are a slightly obsessed race. They worship a god called Xant and go around their corner of the galaxy "converting" planets to their cause. Those who are not converted are destroyed. But today, they have a problem.

A large black terror known simply as "The Black Mass" is heading toward their homeworld. Si Cwan has seen it before and watched it take out a planet and a sun when he was a boy. After it feeds, it sleeps for a variable amount of time before it comes out to feed again.

The Overlord of the Redeemers travels to the Excalibur in hopes of convincing Calhoun to help his planet. Meanwhile, Si Cwan has other concerns as it seems that Kalinda is involved with Xyon and he's not happy about that.

"Watch it. I have goldfish. They challenge my intellect daily."