Archipelago - Henry Ronald Hawkins

For half a century, the Archipelago has been silent. Alone, out on the galaxy's rim, an eccentric cluster of planets set out to forge a new society, far from the meddling interference of the great interplanetary leagues. Over decades of isolation, the Archipelago became a mostly forgotten legend.

Then, out of the blue, they send a message. The leagues are invited to visit. But why? Why now?

Ren Markov is a veteran diplomat for the idealistic Core Planets, where he acts as an agent of subversion, toppling governments and spoiling revolutions. Dispatched on a mission into the Arc, Ren discovers stunning worlds and a radical, ecologically obsessed society that is both compelling and disturbing. But he faces a terrible decision. Should he protect this strange new society, or should he fear it and allow it to be crushed?

Machiavellian plots swirl as the leagues struggle for influence and control. 'Archipelago' takes readers on a journey through interstellar politics, revolution, and the diverging ethics of a vast diaspora. Ren is in search of his very identity as he chooses between salvation and annihilation.