The legacy of Xanthe Coustoe lives on in the regenerating world five years on, though she herself is still missing. The J'Sapa begin to uninstall themselves from the Earth Government, believing humanity may be able to re-establish its original philosophies set out after World War III. However, there is still great political unrest at ground level, including an Earth League Isolationist Fleet, recruiting only able-bodied humans and - through necessity...