The battle for New World One has left Luca physically and mentally traumatized. She has descended into a deep catatonic state from which there seems no way back.
Scott and Miranda are concerned, not just about Luca but also the imminent threat of a new assault on the habitat by a revitalized VanHeilding fleet. They must leave, head for the relative safety of Mars, and hope that they have not left it too late. Yet Luca is not unique in the system. There is another who possesses elements of her extraordinary biology. One who has been this way before, one who understands her struggle and who could ultimately hold the key to her freedom.
But for Luca to find a way back she must first deal with the demons that now stalk her mind. She must face up to what she truly is - a threat to human civilization.