Operation Haystack

"Operation Haystack" by Frank Herbert is a science fiction story set in a universe teetering on the brink of war. Lewis Orne, a secret agent, barely escapes death when he uncovers a planet where women control everything and raise an army of male slaves. Recovering from his wounds, Orne is sent to the home of a high-ranking official as a spy. He expects to find traitors, but instead, he falls for the man's daughter. As war approaches, Orne must decide if his heart or his duty to his planet comes first, discovering there's an age-old secret that could change the galaxy forever and test the ties of family against loyalty to the greater good.