First published 2020
Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus stares at the alien ships hovering at the borders of Teixcalaanli territory. The mysterious armada refuses all attempts at communication and proves impossible to destroy. With military options exhausted, Nine Hibiscus makes a desperate gamble on diplomacy. She calls for Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass, two envoys still recovering from recent political chaos in the Empire. The pair must somehow establish contact with entities that have shown nothing but hostility. Their mission carries impossible stakes. Success might forge an unprecedented alliance. Failure could doom Teixcalaan to destruction. As Mahit and Three Seagrass approach the alien vessels, they face not just the challenge of first contact but the weight of an entire civilization's survival resting on their ability to bridge an seemingly unbridgeable gap between species.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, fantasy
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: diplomacy, first-contact, high-stakes
Setting: Teixcalaanli
98 pages · Kindle Edition · Tor Books