Prologue Summary

The Consul receives a message from Meina Gladstone, informing him he has been chosen for the Shrike Pilgrimage on Hyperion. She tells him the Time Tombs are showing signs of opening and a FORCE fleet is traveling to the outer world planet to evacuate its citizens. Complicating matters further, the Ousters are arriving over Hyperion around the same time as the FORCE fleet.

These Ouster ships are capable of destroying entire cities and letting loose thousands of barbarians. Gladstone is unaware whether the Ousters are approaching the planet to gain control of the Time Tombs or as an attack launched on the entire Worldweb. The outcome of an attack on the Worldweb could result in the barbarians seizing the farcaster from the FORCE and entering the undefended worlds in the Web.

The Consul finishes receiving orders from Gladstone, turns off the computer and...