Paul has gone walkabout to put the tragic events of the Godsend expedition behind him. As he travels through the Human Republic, he is co-opted by the President to help restore a star system that was abandoned during the Faceless War. He joins the effort willingly, but soon finds himself in a situation stranger and more perilous than anything he experienced in the Godsend system. Political intrigue and rebellion threaten to overturn their plans, while a mysterious and hostile power never before seen appears, threatening friend and foe alike.