The only choice left is to make is war. They ran. They fought. They stood between the jaws of death and the City that had persecuted them. But with hope of a real future for humanity and themselves, they want more than survival. Bas's mind and body has deteriorated under the heartless control of the City, but even as he finds new allies, he is faced with a battle for what's left of himself. Cowl is struggling to adjust to his new handicap. He has no love left to give to Menrva. Menrva feels more alone now than ever. Her pregnancy has put her already precarious leadership on fragile ground, behind enemy lines. When the City discovers Menrva's pregnancy, she, Bas, and the others are forced to abandon their people to save this unborn child. Exposed to an alien planet which is already infested with Wreckers driven by the revenge-hungry biobot Eris, and surrounded by dangers old and new, Bas, Cowl, and Menrva know only one thing for certain: They will not accept defeat this time. Is there hope left for mankind, or have they gone too far to turn the tides?