On completion of two missions, the crew of the Mockingbird returns to Earth for Grav Leave. Not everyone welcomes them back as intrepid explorers and peacekeepers. Colonel Ramachandra becomes the target of a kidnapping plot, and the abductors� motives aren�t clear. Major Lamarr Fitch struggles with the responsibilities of filling in. He must organize the ship�s crew to get Colonel Rama back. Captain Malcolm O�Connell confronts his past and the legacy of being a reincarnated Xerces Protocol patient.