Yar is doing well: a prestigious university, after which he will become a star pilot, a beloved girl - long-legged Linda - and his childhood best friend - Alex, who is ready to follow him even into the heat. But at one point, his life changes, making a sharp U-turn. On the planet Oleron, an uprising breaks out, where Yar goes as part of the expeditionary force, in the ranks of the star infantry, where he hardened in the crucible of a brutal war, became an experienced warrior. He manages to survive and learn a terrible secret.