Battle lines are drawn to contest the fate of a world.

Alliances and communication are in place between the Ceph and Humans to build widespread relationships. Projects to save not only humanity, but the world itself are advancing. The balance between secrecy and revelation is precarious, however, and a mistake will provoke disaster.

Bright, the Ceph Matriarch, chosen to be Ambassador from the Ceph on Earth to the Civilization, faces a trial of self-sacrifice. Stella, her oldest friend, must choose between loyalty to her race and what she knows must happen for her race to survive. Thomas Belten, aka Ax10m the criminal hacker vowed that he would have his revenge, and he would not be stopped even by his own death. Pearl the Ansible once again must balance the demands of the future against all it has worked a billion years to build, and the children it loves but never dreamed would exist.

Ideology has faced off against reason and compassion. The prize is the very existence of humanity. The world-ship, the Swimmer in Relativity, is due and with it comes judgement.

A spark will kindle a blaze that could sweep the world to ash, and an enemy from beyond the grave will strike that spark.