Alan Saul is now part-human and part-machine, and our solar system isn"t big enough to hold him. He craves the stars, but can"t leave yet. His sister Var is trapped on Mars, on the wrong side of a rebellion, and Saul"s human side won"t let her die. He must leave Argus Station to stage a dangerous rescue - but mutiny is brewing onboard, as Saul"s robots make his crew feel increasingly redundant. Serene Galahad will do anything to prevent Saul"s escape. Earth"s ruthless dictator hides her crimes from a cowed populace as she readies new warships for pursuit. She aims to crush her enemy in a terrifying display of interstellar violence. Meanwhile, The Scourge limps back to earth, its crew slaughtered, its mission to annihilate Saul a disaster. There are survivors, but while one seeks Galahad"s death, Clay Ruger will negotiate for his life. Events build to a climax as Ruger holds humanity"s greatest prize - seeds to rebuild a dying Earth. This stolen gene-bank data will come at a price, but what will Galahad pay for humanity"s future?