Earth is infected with a plague that has no cure. Matthew Gideon commands a ship to Earth to offer help.
Gideon and crew find themselves trapped by an alien civilisation using sinister methods to seek a cure for the same virus that attacked Earth.
Despite her misgivings, Dureena accompanies Gideon to Praxis 9 to spring a fugitive who might have information on a cure for the plague.
Gideon must deport a colony of renegade humans. Dureena finds a lost tribe of her people.
Galen proposes searching hyperspace for the mysterious Well of Forever in hopes of obtaining answers to many questions.
