Nothing ever happens smoothly on Chamal.Intelligence is not confined to a single species on Chamal, but floats freely among the various breeds of warm-blooded furry creatures. One step separates the wild from the wise and the wise recognize the moral depravity their biology presents.When the human scout ship Cousteau arrived, the wise saw them as purebred angels, come to judge them for their sins and destroy their world. So it is no wonder they tried to destroy them - and no wonder they failed.Now Mark Paradis, of the ship's cultural survey team, and Zepp, a small green ape sent as an ambassador to the Cousteau, must deal with the aftermath of the arrival of the humans.And hanging in the balance is the fate of Chamal itself - because the wise chamalians are right.